Divine Displeasure

TEXT: JEREMIAH 22:13-30

KEY VERSE: “Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbor’s service without wages, and giveth him not for his work” (Jeremiah 22:13).

Members of the public in an African nation were disappointed that some business men entrusted with the grave responsibility of clearing refuse in the metropolis brought in rickety trucks for the job. They did not deliver and soon the city became a huge dump site, worse than what it used to be.

False prophets, projecting themselves as custodians and proclaimers of God’s word are not in any way better than the disused trucks highlighted above. Though they profess to speak for the Almighty, they taught people to sin by their examples and false prophecies which give the people false hope of peace. They hold the name of the true God on their lips but walk in falsehood and lies. Yet, they are so audacious in the way they go about it. They give prophecies from their vain imaginations and yet present such in the name of the Lord to deceive the ignorant and simple-hearted. Their ministries are such that have no simple righteous influence on their hearers but leave them to slip deeper into sin without caution. The claim of God about them is found in verse 21: “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran, I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied”. In His displeasure, God threatened to punish these prophets for their wickedness, falsehood and pretence to show others the way while they themselves abode in darkness. From verse 22, we learn the attribute of a God-ordained ministry. It is such that warns men of the evil of their doing and turn them to righteous living.

False prophets, prophecies and ministries abound in these last days. They are already succeeding in drawing away disciples after their pernicious ways. So, any so-called prophet who seemingly speaks for God, without stressing the Cross of Christ and a life of self-denial is an enemy of your soul; hear him not.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: False prophets are familiar soul-damning harvesters around you.