Thursday, March 25, 2021

Elim Hiu on the Prophetic tests found in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:19-20

 


 

. . . the main criteria for discerning false prophecy (lack of fulfilment, prophesying good outcomes, prophecy through dreams, lack of allegiance to Yahweh) are not absolutely reliable. The main criteria of being a false prophet (being a cult official, immoral conduct and a lack of conviction of being sent by Yahweh, also have significant problems. (Elim Hiu, Regulations Concerning Tongues and Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14.26-40 [Library of New Testament Studies 406; London: T&T Clark, 2010, 2019], 20)

 

Fulfilment may fail because prophecy may be general or conditional, true prophets also prophesy good news (Isa. 7.1-7), dreams can lead to true prophecy in the Old Testament, and some prophets of Baal believed themselves to be prophets of Yahweh, which negates the test of Deut. 13.1-5. Regarding prophetic character, non-cultic prophets may also be false, immoral behaviour is suggested in Hosea, Isa 8.3 and particularly in Jer. 38.25-27, conviction of calling is also found in false prophets (1 Kgs 22.11, 14; Jer. 28.2). (Ibid., 20 n. 18)