do true prophets sometimes make false prophecies?
No. In Jonah 3:4-10 Jonah prophesied that Ninevah would be destroyed within forty days because of their wickedness. When they repented en masse, God did not bring on them the disaster He threatened. When a peoples will changes, God revealed will towards that people change. This prophesied destruction was due to their not repenting of their wickedness. It is implicitly conditioned on their non-repentance. When they decided to repent, God did not see the need to destroy Assyria at this time. Likewise, when God prophesies destruction, we can learn the judgment can be delayed or removed if the people repent. This principle, of allowing repentance in the face of judgment, is spelled out in Jeremiah 18:7-8. See When Cultists Ask p.88 for more info. Q: In Jon 4:1-2, why was Jonah wrong to hate the Assyrians, since David also said he hated those who hated God in Psalm 139:21-22? A: Four points to consider in the answer. 1. The Assyrians did not have much hatred for the true God; they barely kn
