Things that do not necessarily mean that someone is a false prophet

Summary:

Prophets can be TRUE or FALSE. 

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Prophets can be true or false:
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Jesus indicated that we can "KNOW" if people are "FALSE-PROPHETS" (Matthew 7:15). 

There are many things that do not necessarily mean that someone is a FALSE PROPHET, such as:

- If a prophet gives a false prophecy.

- If a prophet gives a prophecy about the future that does not come to pass (prophecies can be conditional).

- If a prophet does not work signs.

- If a prophet is not sent by humans.

- If a prophet does not have anyone to testify that he is a prophet.

- If a prophet is not the son of a prophet.

- If a prophet is young.

None of these things necessarily mean that therefore someone would be a FALSE PROPHET. 

You can find more details below:

If a prophet gives a false prophecy:

Nathan the prophet, who was considered to be a TRUE prophet, said something that was FALSE to the king David, as it is written: "the king said to NATHAN THE PROPHET, “Behold, now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God sits in the midst of the tabernacle!” And Nathan said to the king, “All, as many (things) as (are) in your heart, BE PROCEEDING AND BE DOING, FOR THE LORD (IS) WITH YOU.” BUT it happened in that night, that (the) word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying, “Be going, and say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD, “YOU WILL NOT BUILD A HOUSE FOR ME to dwell (in)" (2 Samuel 7:2-5).

This is why even if a prophet is speaking something, people are still commanded to test their prophecies (without assuming that their prophecies MUST BE TRUE), as it is written: "let two or three PROPHETS speak, and let the others DISCERN" (1 Corinthians 14:29).

If a prophet gives a prophecy about the future that does not come to pass:

It is possible for a TRUE prophet to give a prophecy about the future that does not end up coming to pass. 

Jonah was considered to be a TRUE prophet, who prophesied to Nineveh: "Yet forty days, and NINEVEH WILL BE OVERTROWN" (Jonah 3:4). Yet the prophecy did not come to pass, as Nineveh was not overthrown forty days later. 

Indeed it is written that as a response the people of Nineveh "TURNED EACH AWAY FROM HIS EVIL WAY" (Jonah 3:8), "And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil ways; AND GOD RELENTED from the bad (things) which He spoke to do to them; AND HE DID NOT DO (THEM)" (Jonah 3:10).

This is because prophecies can have conditions, such that if conditions are not met for a prophecy to come to pass, then it is possible for the prophecy to not end up coming to pass.

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Prophecies can have conditions:
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If a prophet does not work signs:

John the Baptist was considered to be a TRUE prophet, as it is written about the crowd that "they all were-holding (as to) JOHN that he REALLY was (a) PROPHET" (Mark 11:32). Yet John the Baptist did not work signs, as it is written that "JOHN DID NO SIGN" (John 10:41).

If a prophet is not sent by humans:

Moses was considered to be a TRUE prophet, and yet he was not sent by any humans, as it is written about "a PROPHET in Israel like MOSES" (Deuteronomy 34:10) and "God said again to Moses, “Thus will you say to the sons [and daughters] of Israel, ‘THE LORD GOD of our fathers, the God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, has SENT ME TO YOU.’' This is My name forever, and a memorial from generations to generations. GO THEN" (Exodus 3:15-16). God sent Moses without any other human involved to send Moses, and yet Moses was a TRUE prophet.

Isaiah was considered to be a TRUE prophet, and yet he was not sent by any humans, as it is written that "it happened in the year in which Uzziah the king died, that I saw the LORD sitting on a high" (Isaiah 6:1), "I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “WHOM SHALL I SEND, and who will go to this people?” And I said, behold, “I am here; SEND ME!” And HE SAID, “GO" (Isaiah 6:8-9). God sent Isaiah without any other human involved to send Isaiah, and yet Isaiah was a TRUE prophet.

Ezekiel was considered to be a TRUE prophet, and yet he was not sent by any humans, as it is written that "THE SPIRIT came upon me, and took me up, and lifted me up, and stood me on my feet. And I was hearing Him speaking to me. And He said to me, “Son of humanity, I AM SENDING YOU OUT to the house of Israel" (Ezekiel 2:2-3), "And HE SAID to me, “Son of humanity, eat this roll, and GO and speak to the sons of Israel.”" (Ezekiel 3:1). God sent Ezekiel without any other human involved to send Ezekiel, and yet Ezekiel was a TRUE prophet.

If a prophet does not have anyone to testify that he is a prophet:

Elijah was considered to be a TRUE prophet, and yet he was at the top of the mount alone with no one among all Israel testifying for him, leaving Elijah to be the only one testifying, as it is written: "Ahab sent to ALL ISRAEL, and gathered all the prophets to Mount Carmel. And Elijah drew near to [them] all. And Elijah said to them, “Until when will you be lame on both legs? If the LORD be God, be going after Him; but if Baal, be going after him. BUT THE PEOPLE ANSWERED NOT A WORD. Then ELIJAH SAID TO THE PEOPLE, “I HAVE BEEN LEFT, THE ONLY PROPHET OF THE LORD; and the prophets of Baal are four hundred and fifty men, and the prophets of the sacred grove four hundred" (1 Kings 18:20-22).

If a prophet is not the son of a prophet:

Amos was considered to be a TRUE prophet, and yet he was not the son of a prophet, as it is written: "AMOS answered, and said to Amaziah, “I was not a prophet, NOR WAS I A SON OF A PROPHET; but I was a goat herder, and gathering mulberries" (Amos 7:14).

If a prophet is young:

Jeremiah was young and yet he was considered to be a TRUE prophet, as it is written: "the word of the LORD came to me, saying [...] “I have appointed you a PROPHET to the nations.” And I said, “O Master LORD, behold, I do not know how to be speaking, for I AM YOUNG!” But the LORD said to me, “STOP SAYING, ‘I AM YOUNG,’ for you will go to all, whomever I shall send you" (Jeremiah 1:4-7).

There are ways to know if someone is a false prophet:

Jesus indicated that we can "KNOW" if people are "FALSE-PROPHETS" (Matthew 7:15). There can be several ways to know if people are false prophets.

For more information:

Ways to know if someone is a false prophet:
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