Getting swamped in false interpretations

And you think you have trouble because you have heard so many false interpretations? It is Satan’s tactic used all through history. You have heard many different things, some of them contradictory, and you simply do not not know which one of them to believe.

It was a huge problem in Jeremiah’s time.

Jeremiah was trying desperately to get everyone to listen to the Word of the Lord, and save themselves and their nation from destruction. But the word was constantly muddled by false prophets. They were assuring the people that everything would be alright.

“12 They have denied Yahweh, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come on us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: 13 and the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.”
Jer 5:12-13 WEB

It is summarized at the end of the chapter.

“the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their hand; and my people love to have it so: and what will you do in the end of it?”
Jer 5:31 nf

Or consider when the prophet Micaiah
had to appear before the kings.

The kings of Israel and Judah were joining hands to go to war against Aram, Hebrew aram (which is called Syria in some translations). The King of Israel called up all of his prophets, to see what they said. There were 400 prophets according to 1Kgs 22:6, and they were unanimous that victory was assured, and some of them were prophesying by the the LORD, that is Yaweh, according to 1Kgs 22:8, 26. Then a true prophet of Yahweh was called, Micaiah. So, who should you listen to? At first he said, sure, go ahead. Then the King of Israel put him under oath to tell the truth, and Micaiah prophesied disaster and death. There is more to tell in the story, fascinating, but too long to repeat hear. Finally the king said about Micaiah,

“… Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.”
1Kgs 22:27 WEB

Micaiah replied,

“… If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Hear, you peoples, all of you.”
1Kgs 22:28 WEB

So what was the standard?

“when a prophet speaks in the name of Yahweh, if the thing doesn’t follow, nor happen, that is the thing which Yahweh has not spoken: the prophet has spoken it presumptuously, you shall not be afraid of him.” Deut 18:19 WEB

Prophecy is ALWAYS logical and consistent,
and always is TRUE.

Parts of Daniel it is true are sealed, according to Dan 12:9. Revelation is for sure not a sealed book.

“He said to me, “Don’t seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.””
Rev 22:15WEB

Sealed? No! Deliberately ambiguous in parts? Yes, and for good reasons. Understandable? Also yes, for we are commanded to obey this book, Rev 22:7.

WEB is the World English Bible, a copyright free revision
of the original ASV American Standard Version 1901

nf is my own translation based on the WEB.