“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying
to you. They are leading you into futility; They speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:16
On November 18, 1978 we were stunned by what we saw on the evening news (you could actually watch and believe a lot of what was reported then). Almost 920 people had died in Guyana. Most of them died from voluntary suicide by drinking Kool-aid mixed with poison. The dead belonged to a cult known as the People’s Temple. This event gives us insight into false prophets, how they deceive people and ultimately trap people so they cannot escape. (This will be done on a worldwide scale during the Tribulation.)
Many of the followers of this man, Jim Jones, joined his group very early. They said they were drawn by the openness, love and life they found there. Over time that changed. The leader became dictatorial and anyone who tried to leave the church was followed, harassed and pulled back into the group. Was there a way that these people could have discerned what was happening? This is an important question because this situation will repeat itself in the Tribulation on a much broader scale and it occurs in isolated places in every age. Jim Jones started this temple (many called it a church) as an interdenominational group. (That is not necessarily wrong.) He started it with no formal spiritual training of his own (again not necessarily wrong). The church had many good features. Jones advocated for racial integration, drug rehabilitation, and poverty reduction. But this church was a mixture of both good and evil, (a combination that is often used to deceive people). Its teaching was built on a shaky foundation. Jones would use the Bible, but he would twist verses to justify his own agenda. He cited scriptures from the early church to teach a form of socialism he called “apostolic socialism” and to demand followers gave all they had to the church. He criticized other Bible believing ministries and did not allow his followers to attend any formal Christian education. He taught thatbelievers have the potential in this life to be fully manifested as sons of God (like the Mormons).” Jones began to claim that he alone had achieved the fullness of God’s Spirit so that his words were the very words of God. Soon he began to claim that he was equal to Christ and eventually to God the Father. Thus he demanded full and unquestioning obedience to his words. The deception of the People Temple was the advocacy of a Satanic world system (Marxism) covered with a veneer of Bible verses. Paul warns us of this deception “And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light”.
What can we learn? The Lord warned His disciples in Matthew 24 to “See that no one leads you astray…. many false prophets will arise and lead many astray”. We expect false prophets in cults but the Lord warns his disciples (and us) that false prophets can arise inside the church. Many of the people in Jones “church” reported they felt something was wrong but did nothing to leave. What should have given them evidence to leave this cult? First, the Bible was not used prominently and when it was, it was used to “prooftext” the teacher’s opinion rather than to allow God’s word to proclaim its own truth. We are told to test what we hear and are taught against God’s word. Second, the Holy Spirit and the preacher were exalted rather than focusing on the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Third “miracles” of healing were used to authenticate the preacher’s special position with God. Read Matthew 4:24. Fourth, there was no teaching of the shed blood of Jesus Chrit as the only way to forgiveness of sin. Fifth, followers were discouraged from studying scripture on their own. Instead they were to only study and obey the words of their preacher. Any of these these signs were signals to leave this “church” quickly. We are warned false prophets will arise on the last days. “Be NOT deceived – test the spirits.”