Sent or Not
Greetings in the Lord!
All week the Lord has been giving me passages from Jeremiah chapters 23 and 29. Those can be hard passages to digest, since they deal pointedly with prophets speaking lies in God's name, abusing their power, and purposely misleading people with dreams and visions from their own imaginations to elevate themselves. In chapter 29 we see that one even tried to have Jeremiah locked up for speaking the true word of the Lord! Jeremiah was telling the people something exactly opposite of what other prophets were saying, but they were telling lies to win the people over, strengthen their position, and more than likely, were just envious of Jeremiah's calling.
In order to better understand what is being addressed, I would like to refer to some of the points the Abingdon Bible commentary makes regarding these chapters and verses:
1) Jeremiah 23:1-4 This short passage talks about unfaithful leaders being replaced; they have not cared for the people the Lord has entrusted to them but sought to benefit themselves.
2) Jeremiah 23:9-12 Right off the bat Jeremiah says that these prophets are simply not acting in accordance with God's commands, their behavior is evil. What they claim to be a word from God is nothing more than their way of elevating themselves and abusing the prophetic gift. When I asked for more clarity on this, the Lord showed me one fish with big teeth devouring another fish, so obviously, these prophets are speaking words against others in the body of Christ to tear them down. This is evil in the sight of God and taken with the first point regarding unfaithful leaders not caring for the flock, it means that some are using their prophetic gift to hurt, discredit, and condemn others for their own personal benefit. They will be replaced, and whatever "words" they issue to discredit and hurt others in Christ will be to their own judgment.
3) Jeremiah 23:13-15 Because of the convincing lies these prophetic voices are propagating against others, they have created an environment where they and their listeners do not feel the need to repent of their evil actions and words. "Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning those prophets: "I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land."
4) Jeremiah 23:16-22 It is easy to speak soothing words to gullible or careless souls. That is what this section is addressing: false words derived from prophetic voices's own imagination to cater to, mislead, and manipulate the Body of Christ into following their "feel good" words instead of listening to true prophetic voices who speak from the council of God. How can one know the difference? True prophecy does not amuse, it converts men--true prophecy addresses the consciences of men. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
5) Jeremiah 23:25-29 That leads right into this passage that talks about prophets telling dreams from their own imagination versus those true and sent prophets who speak the word of the Lord faithfully. In fact, it invites people to tell their dreams, but not to confuse that with prophecy. "For what has straw to do with grain?" Again, Jeremiah tells us the word of the Lord: "Is not My word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?"
6) Jeremiah 23:30-32 Jeremiah tells us that these prophets who tell lies lack inner conviction; they run around always saying "Thus saith the Lord," copying the words of other prophets, yet to their own folly. "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The Lord declares.' Indeed, I am against those who prophecy false dreams," declares the Lord. "They tell them and lead My people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the Lord."
7) Jeremiah 23:33-40 Lastly, Jeremiah goes on to make a pun of the Hebrew word for oracle that means, "burden", saying that these false prophets have become a burden to God while their words are not a "burden" to anyone, meaning they lack any value at all but only seek to mislead and scatter the flock, i.e. cause dissention amongst brothers....and that, my friends, is a huge no-no with God. Please, if you have been causing dissention amongst the brothers, stop, repent, and ask for forgiveness! Make it right with those you have been slandering, but most of all, stop this wicked and prideful behavior and quit abusing the prophetic gift the Lord has given you. There is a big difference between being called as a prophet and having the prophetic gift. Please read what happen to Miriam when she tried to come against Moses' leadership just because she had a prophetic gifting.
"This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise Me, "The Lord says: You will have peace." And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, "No harm will come to you." But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear His Word?...See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He fully accomplishes the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand it clearly. Jeremiah 23:16-20.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
All week the Lord has been giving me passages from Jeremiah chapters 23 and 29. Those can be hard passages to digest, since they deal pointedly with prophets speaking lies in God's name, abusing their power, and purposely misleading people with dreams and visions from their own imaginations to elevate themselves. In chapter 29 we see that one even tried to have Jeremiah locked up for speaking the true word of the Lord! Jeremiah was telling the people something exactly opposite of what other prophets were saying, but they were telling lies to win the people over, strengthen their position, and more than likely, were just envious of Jeremiah's calling.
In order to better understand what is being addressed, I would like to refer to some of the points the Abingdon Bible commentary makes regarding these chapters and verses:
1) Jeremiah 23:1-4 This short passage talks about unfaithful leaders being replaced; they have not cared for the people the Lord has entrusted to them but sought to benefit themselves.
2) Jeremiah 23:9-12 Right off the bat Jeremiah says that these prophets are simply not acting in accordance with God's commands, their behavior is evil. What they claim to be a word from God is nothing more than their way of elevating themselves and abusing the prophetic gift. When I asked for more clarity on this, the Lord showed me one fish with big teeth devouring another fish, so obviously, these prophets are speaking words against others in the body of Christ to tear them down. This is evil in the sight of God and taken with the first point regarding unfaithful leaders not caring for the flock, it means that some are using their prophetic gift to hurt, discredit, and condemn others for their own personal benefit. They will be replaced, and whatever "words" they issue to discredit and hurt others in Christ will be to their own judgment.
3) Jeremiah 23:13-15 Because of the convincing lies these prophetic voices are propagating against others, they have created an environment where they and their listeners do not feel the need to repent of their evil actions and words. "Therefore, this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning those prophets: "I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land."
4) Jeremiah 23:16-22 It is easy to speak soothing words to gullible or careless souls. That is what this section is addressing: false words derived from prophetic voices's own imagination to cater to, mislead, and manipulate the Body of Christ into following their "feel good" words instead of listening to true prophetic voices who speak from the council of God. How can one know the difference? True prophecy does not amuse, it converts men--true prophecy addresses the consciences of men. "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12
5) Jeremiah 23:25-29 That leads right into this passage that talks about prophets telling dreams from their own imagination versus those true and sent prophets who speak the word of the Lord faithfully. In fact, it invites people to tell their dreams, but not to confuse that with prophecy. "For what has straw to do with grain?" Again, Jeremiah tells us the word of the Lord: "Is not My word like fire," declares the Lord, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?"
6) Jeremiah 23:30-32 Jeremiah tells us that these prophets who tell lies lack inner conviction; they run around always saying "Thus saith the Lord," copying the words of other prophets, yet to their own folly. "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The Lord declares.' Indeed, I am against those who prophecy false dreams," declares the Lord. "They tell them and lead My people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them. They do not benefit these people in the least," declares the Lord."
7) Jeremiah 23:33-40 Lastly, Jeremiah goes on to make a pun of the Hebrew word for oracle that means, "burden", saying that these false prophets have become a burden to God while their words are not a "burden" to anyone, meaning they lack any value at all but only seek to mislead and scatter the flock, i.e. cause dissention amongst brothers....and that, my friends, is a huge no-no with God. Please, if you have been causing dissention amongst the brothers, stop, repent, and ask for forgiveness! Make it right with those you have been slandering, but most of all, stop this wicked and prideful behavior and quit abusing the prophetic gift the Lord has given you. There is a big difference between being called as a prophet and having the prophetic gift. Please read what happen to Miriam when she tried to come against Moses' leadership just because she had a prophetic gifting.
"This is what the Lord Almighty says: 'Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise Me, "The Lord says: You will have peace." And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, "No harm will come to you." But which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear His Word?...See, the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath, a whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He fully accomplishes the purposes of His heart. In the days to come you will understand it clearly. Jeremiah 23:16-20.
~Be blessed and be a blessing.
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