“Do not treat prophecies with contempt” (1 Thessalonians 5:20 NET).
Those who purport to offer extra-Biblical “prophecies” would do well to consider God’s warning through the Old Testament prophet Ezekiel…
“Then the Lord’s message came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination: ‘Listen to the Lord’s message! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing!
Your prophets have become like jackals among the ruins, O Israel. You have not gone up in the breaks in the wall, nor repaired a wall for the house of Israel that it would stand strong in the battle on the day of the Lord. They see delusion and their omens are a lie. They say, ‘The Lord declares,’ though the Lord has not sent them; yet they expect their word to be confirmed. Have you not seen a false vision and announced a lying omen when you say, ‘The Lord declares,’ although I myself never spoke?
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you have spoken false words and forecast delusion, look, I am against you, declares the Sovereign Lord.
…This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to those who sew bands on all their wrists and make headbands for heads of every size to entrap people’s lives! Will you entrap my people’s lives, yet preserve your own lives? You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. You have put to death people who should not die and kept alive those who should not live by your lies to my people, who listen to lies!
Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people’s lives like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people’s lives, which you hunt like birds. I will tear off your headbands and rescue my people from your power; they will no longer be prey in your hands. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
This is because you have disheartened the righteous person with lies (although I have not grieved him), and because you have encouraged the wicked person not to turn from his evil conduct and preserve his life. Therefore you will no longer see false visions and practice divination. I will rescue my people from your power, and you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 13:1-8, 18-23 NET).
The following verse from 1 Thessalonians chapter five –1 Thessalonians 5:21– is an important verse that can help us separate truth from falsehood in this area. We’ll take a look at that passage next.