Prophets not sent by God appear as conspirators who devour people, seize treasure, and create widows while plastering over problems with false visions and lies they attribute to the Lord. In Israel these prophets joined priests who profaned holy things and princes who shed blood for gain, so that no one stood in the gap to avert destruction. God therefore poured out indignation and consumed the nation by the fire of His wrath. The same pattern of false prophets recurs across Israel's history, marked by brief faithfulness followed by rebellion until judgment falls. In the New Testament such deceivers enter the church as false apostles and teachers who transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, secretly introduce destructive heresies, and exploit believers through covetousness and swelling words of emptiness. They promise liberty while remaining slaves of corruption and lead many to blaspheme the way of truth. Jesus warns that they come in sheep's clothing yet inwardly are ravenous wolves whose hearts produce evil thoughts, deceit, and licentiousness. Their character and teaching constitute fruit that reveals their nature, for a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, the second death. Because Satan sends these impostors to test faithfulness and because they will increase toward the end, believers must test every spirit, examine long-term conduct, and reject those whose words and lives contradict the truth.

The prophets bore the largest share of blame for the devastation because they failed to uncover the people's iniquity or deliver warnings that might have brought back the captives. Instead they presented false and deceptive visions along with delusions that comforted the nation with smooth assurances of peace and safety when no such conditions existed. These messages originated from the prophets' own hearts rather than from the mouth of the Lord and amounted to nothing more than quasi-religious encouragement to continue in sin. By plastering over moral and spiritual defects with untempered mortar they constructed a defense that could not withstand the coming judgment and thereby contributed directly to the total physical spiritual mental and emotional collapse of the nation. The same pattern appears in the present time where moral and spiritual problems underlie every other difficulty yet those charged with giving warning remain silent and substitute economic or political remedies for the needed repentance.

God does not send every individual who claims prophetic authority or assumes leadership responsibilities within His work. Those who prophesy without divine appointment declare false visions and deceptions arising from their own hearts, and they face consumption by the very judgments they deny. This pattern of unauthorized action appears repeatedly among those who push themselves forward rather than waiting for explicit direction. Satan originated the pattern by exceeding his assigned role as a ministering spirit and leading others into rebellion. Korah and his allies, already honored with tabernacle service, sought greater authority and brought chaos upon themselves. In each case the individual justified the action by claiming necessity or uniqueness, yet God later showed that He alone oversees assignments and supplies needed laborers. The same principle requires those currently serving to continue performing only the responsibilities previously given rather than claiming apostolic or prophetic offices never conferred. Waiting on God therefore means actively adhering to prior instructions without turning aside until a new command arrives, thereby avoiding the presumption that produces division and inefficiency within the body.