ProphetsFalse

FALSE PROPHETS By Stacey Lunsford

Arise & Shine For Jesus World Missions Center

Isaiah 56:9-12

Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour, all you beasts of the forest! Israel's watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. "Come," each one cries, "let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better."

In this text, God is saying that the leaders of Israel were unable to see the danger that they were in! They were blind, they lacked knowledge and were like mute dogs. That means that they couldn't see, they were ignorant and they were speechless! They had no business trying to preach God's word! These leaders were very selfish and all they cared about was their lust, cares, riches and pleasures of this world! Satisfying their own lustful desires, they did not conform to the accepted standard of morality. Their selfish attitudes and immoral behavior caused them to neglect the needs of the people. Their goal was to rise to fame, gain power and wealth while getting drunk off of wine and beer! They were poor leaders traveling on what they called easy street, (remember they were blind) but in all reality they were on the road to self-destruction! A leader is a person that leads. In this case, they lead the people astray because they had no knowledge of God. Hosea 4:6 , my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge. "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.

Jeremiah 23:1-4

"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the LORD. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done," declares the LORD. "I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing," declares the LORD.

In the New Oxford Dictionary, woe is to warn someone that they will be in trouble if they do a specified thing. In this text, Shepherd is a minister, pastor, overseer of the church. Sheep are the congregation, the members, the body of the church. This chapter begins with a warning from God, to all of the false preachers that are leading His sheep astray! Their job was to lead the people to God not away from God! If you are a minister, God is holding your responsible for each and every person that is under your leadership and care. Food for thought: What kind of leader are you? In John 12:32, Jesus said And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. Are you lifting up the name of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all to see? Or are you lifting up your name for all to see? If you answered yes, let me show you what happened to Lucifer in his quest for self-exaltation! Isaiah 14:11-13, All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain.

Jeremiah 23:9-14, Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble. I am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD and his holy words. The land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land lies parched and the pastures in the desert are withered. The [prophets] follow an evil course and use their power unjustly. "Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness," declares the LORD. "Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished," declares the LORD. "Among the prophets of Samaria I saw this repulsive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible: They commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah."

*Life Application Summary for Jeremiah 23:9-14,

How did the nation become so corrupt? A major factor was false prophecy. The false prophets had a large, enthusiastic audience and were very popular because they made the people believe that all was well. By contrast, Jeremiah's message from God was unpoplar because it showed the people how bad they were. (This message wont be to popular either) There are four warning signs of false prophets - characteristics we need to watch for even today. (1) They may appear to speak God's message, but they do not live according to His principles. (2) They water down God's message in order to make it more palatable. (3) They encourage their listeners, often subtly, to disobey God. (4) They tend to be arrogrant and self-serving, appealing to the desires of their audience instead of being true to God's Word.

Jeremiah 23:28, The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the LORD.

The New Oxford Dictionary defines chaff as the husk of corn. It is used to make hay or straw, (fodder) for food, for cattle and other livestock. Wheat is a grain. It is grounded and used to make flour for bread, pasta, pastry, etc. In this text, God is showing us the difference between a true prophet and a false prophet. Job 21:18-19, They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away. God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. Job 13:25, Will you chase after dry chaff?

Proverbs 10:17

He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.