Warning for False Prophets

Beyond the Present Time
Resurrection Hope
Hope in the Day of the Lord

Jeremiah 23:23-32

The Message

^23-24 “Am I not a God near at hand”—God’s Decree—
    “and not a God far off?
Can anyone hide out in a corner
    where I can’t see him?”
        God’s Decree.
“Am I not present everywhere,
    whether seen or unseen?”
        God’s Decree.

^25-27 “I know what they’re saying, all these prophets who preach lies using me as their text, saying ‘I had this dream! I had this dream!’ How long do I have to put up with this? Do these prophets give two cents about me as they preach their lies and spew out their grandiose delusions? They swap dreams with one another, feed on each other’s delusive dreams, trying to distract my people from me just as their ancestors were distracted by the no-god Baal.

^28-29 “You prophets who do nothing but dream—
    go ahead and tell your silly dreams.
But you prophets who have a message from me—
    tell it truly and faithfully.
What does straw have in common with wheat?
    Nothing else is like God’s Decree.
Isn’t my Message like fire?” God’s Decree.
    “Isn’t it like a sledgehammer busting a rock?

^30-31 “I’ve had it with the ‘prophets’ who get all their sermons secondhand from each other. Yes, I’ve had it with them. They make up stuff and then pretend it’s a real sermon.

³² “Oh yes, I’ve had it with the prophets who preach the lies they dream up, spreading them all over the country, ruining the lives of my people with their cheap and reckless lies.

“I never sent these prophets, never authorized a single one of them. They do nothing for this people—nothing! God’s Decree.

For Reflection

How does one discern the difference between false and true preachers of the word?  It is a hard question to answer.  There are many pretenders to the divine commission to spread the good news. Some are so transparent that pretense is easily discoverable.  Some are beguilingly subtle invoking acceptable cultural standards and skillfully mixing truth with falsehood; the sham difficult to unveil.

What standards can one apply to tell the true from the false?  Perhaps one can ask, "Is the the speech or act consistent with the God that is revealed to us in Scripture?  Is it consistent with the God revealed in Jesus Christ?  Does the leader ask people to follow the way of justice and compassion.  Does he or she uplift or condemn? Or perhaps the ultimate test, does he or she act in love and hospitality?"

What if these questions cannot help ferret out the authentic from the pretentious, what then?

Trust in God.  He knows and He will make things right.  Have faith and do not concern yourself with the unfathomable.  Play your part in the Kingdom well.  God will take care of the rest. 

Pray

that you will follow God's call for compassion and justice.  Pray that you will be obedient to your calling as a child of God   Pray that you will see with God's eyes, hear with God's ears and act in response to the God which resides in you.