If a person predicts something but it doesn't happen, is that a lie?

[Daniel Marsh]

15 minutes ago, BibleReader said:

This is exactly what I was thinking, I'm just trying to define this a little more with the scriptures.  

Revelation 22:18-19 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

¹⁸ I warn everyone who hears the words of prophecy in this book: If anyone adds anything to these, God will give that person the plagues written about in this book. ¹⁹ And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away that person’s share of the tree of life and of the holy city, which are written about in this book.

Deuteronomy 13 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
 
13 “If a prophet or someone who has dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, 2 and that sign or wonder he has promised you comes about, but he says, ‘Let us follow other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us worship them,’ 3 do not listen to that prophet’s words or to that dreamer. For the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul. 4 You must follow the Lord your God and fear Him

Deuteronomy 18:21-22 New Living Translation (NLT)
21 “But you may wonder, ‘How will we know whether or not a prophecy is from the Lord?’ 22 If the prophet speaks in the Lord’s name but his prediction does not happen or come true, you will know that the Lord did not give that message. That prophet has spoken without my authority and need not be feared.

 

 

[Daniel Marsh]

http://www.gobible.org/study/541.php

[Daniel Marsh]

On 6/26/2020 at 3:46 PM, other one said:

no he didn't.  he told them flat out G was going to overthrow them.....   at least that's what my Bible says   Jonah 3:4
4 Then Jonah began to go through the city one day's walk; and he cried out and said, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown." 
NASB

 

so i would ask in the OP here, did the pastor tell them something and the Lord changed his mind wo was it a mistake or a lie.

could any of us really know that??

Jonah was so upset with God that he wanted to die....

so far for as me, almost everything that God has told me has been, "don't do that"   and i learned a very long time ago to pay attention.

Jonah 3:10 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

¹⁰ God saw what the people did. He saw that they stopped doing evil. So God changed his mind and did not do what he planned. He did not punish the people.

[Willa]

In the case of false prophets, they prophecy from their own desires and imagination to appease someone.  They tell people what they want to hear so people will like them.  That is lying.

True prophets tell people  what God tells them to say.  They do it out of obedience even when they know people won't like what they hear.  That is not lying--that is obedience.   

Most often the things that God says really happens.  God told Moses that he would not enter the Promised Land because of his disobedience.  He told the children of Israel that they couldn't enter the promised land because of their unbelief in spite of all the miracles God had shown them in  Egypt and in the wilderness.  

[other one]

1 hour ago, Daniel Marsh said:

Jonah 3:10 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

¹⁰ God saw what the people did. He saw that they stopped doing evil. So God changed his mind and did not do what he planned. He did not punish the people.

yep, which made Jonah a false prophet.  which was about the worst thing that could happen to you in that time period.

 

 

[Tzephanyahu]

On 6/26/2020 at 3:13 AM, BibleReader said:

For example, let's say someone insists that "Babylon the Great" (Revelation 17,18) is the U.S.A., but it ends up being the case that it isn't and as world events unfold the person later realizes that.  What is that person's responsibility before God for having spread falsehood?  Is it considered a lie to perpetuate something you believe that is true but really isn't?   If not, what sin does it fall under?  How serious is it?  Any Bible examples? 

Shalom @BibleReader

If someone were to say "Babylon is the USA!" and it wasn't true, they simply got their theory wrong and misunderstood prophecy.  Case closed, no harm done.

However, if someone were to say "Thus says Yahweh: Babylon is the USA!" and it wasn't true, that would be bad news for them.

Sharing ideas or interpretations of prophecies is fine and should be encouraged in the church.  But  when people start to say they have been given insight or a word by Yahweh directly yet it proves to be false... danger zone.  Yahweh is really not fond of false prophets who use His name falsely to lead men astray, as Jeremiah 23 details.

But again, conjecture, theories and discussions are fine and should be embraced.

Love & Shalom

[Prycejosh1987]

That is a good question. I suppose it wouldnt be technically.  I lie is saying something that is not truth or undermines truth. If a person predicts something, it could of been demon inspired. Circumstances can change predictions.

Its like saying i am going swimming tomorrow at the local gym. Tomorrow comes and the local gym is closed. It is something you wanted to do but circumstances changed that. God cannot condemn a person that does this accidentally, now if it is done on purpose then it would be a lie and be condemn-able.