Tag: lying prophets
Prophetic white-washers!
Scripture reading for August 20th: Ezekiel 12-15
“Because they have led My people astray, saying “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. . . .I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 13:10-11a, 14.
God hates lies and will judge false prophets! God gave Ezekiel a message for the prophets of Israel who were leading the people astray with the peace, safety, and prosperity lie. These prophets were telling the people what they wanted to hear and brought God’s wrath upon the nation.
God likened these lying prophets to painters who whitewashed flimsy walls that were poorly constructed. The walls looked clean and white, but they were very unstable. God was going to expose the poor foundation by sending a storm upon the nation that would topple the white-washed walls and bring them down on those who painted them.
Preachers can whitewash people’s walls just to get a crowd. They tell them how God wants them rich and all they have to do is to give some money to the preacher. God guarantees that they will get a hundred times more back! They tell people that God is love and won’t send anyone to hell. Others whitewash the truth about the need for repentance from sin and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. They offer alternatives that don’t require faith or talking about the cross and the blood! Whitewash is being spread around today on the walls of people who have not repented! The day of Christ’s return will reveal the foundations as these walls come crashing down!
Today check your foundation. Are you firmly anchored on the Rock of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Have you repented of your sins and idolatry and found grace through the blood of Jesus? Are you hungry for biblical truth? Are you living a life of growing holiness and active witness for our Lord? A day is fast approaching when the foundations will be laid bare and white-washed walls will come crashing down!
True and False Prophets
Scripture reading for August 7th: Jeremiah 11-15
“Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.” (Jeremiah 14:11-12)
Jeremiah had been given strict instructions not to pray for the people but to speak what God told him to say. God was fed up with His people’s attitude and actions. They had crossed the line of no return therefore He would send judgment. He sent His message of judgment with Jeremiah but Jeremiah’s message conflicted with that of most of the other prophets in the nation.
“But I said, “Ah, Sovereign Lord, the prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place'” (Jeremiah 14:13)
God told Jeremiah that those prophets were speaking lies in His name. God did not send them or appoint them. They were self-appointed and they made up a message that tickled the ears of the people that listened. They used false visions that God had not given them and they spoke from the delusion of their own minds. (Jeremiah 14:14-16) God was going to let the true word from Him come upon them in the form of sword and famine and calamity!
Now put yourself in the place of the people of that day and decide which message you would rather listen to? Would you listen and heed Jeremiah’s call for judgment on the king and queen? Would you love to hear of God’s plan to send four kinds of destroyers against His own backslidden people? (Jeremiah 15:3-9) Or would you sooner listen to soothing prophesies of peace and safety?
I fear today that many false prophets are again filling people’s ears with what they want to hear. Many self-appointed prophets give messages that do not come true. God’s word declares how to tell the true from the false. “You may say to yourselves, “How can I know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22) Be careful who you listen to!
Prophetic whitewashers!
Scripture reading for August 21st: Ezekiel 12-15
“Because they have led My people astray, saying “Peace,” when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. . . .I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and will level it to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare. When it falls, you will be destroyed in it; and you will know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 13:10-11a, 14.
God hates lies and will judge false prophets! In this section of Ezekiel, God gives him a message for the prophets of Israel who are leading the people astray with the peace, safety, and prosperity lie. These prophets were telling the people what they wanted to hear. This was allowing the people to go on in idolatry and sin and brought God’s wrath upon the nation.
God likened these lying prophets to painters who whitewashed flimsy walls that were poorly constructed. The walls looked clean and white, but they were very unstable. God was going to expose the poor foundation by sending a storm upon the nation that would topple the white-washed walls and bring them down on those who painted them and those who built on a poor foundation. The crashing walls would destroy those who did such shoddy work and those who tried to make their work just look good.
Lots of people do things for show, even in God’s House. Preachers can put on a show too. They can whitewash people’s walls just to get a crowd. They can tell them how God wants them rich and blessed and all they have to do is to give some money to the preacher and God guarantees that they will get a hundred times more back. They can tell people that God is love and won’t send anyone to hell. They just have to belong to their church or send their money in and God will overlook all their sins. Others whitewash the truth about the need for repentance from sin and faith in the blood of Jesus Christ. They offer alternatives that don’t require faith or talking about the cross and the blood! They try to make them feel good and get them in and out without any arousal of conviction. Whitewash is being spread around today on the walls of people who have not repented! These walls are going to crash down when judgment falls! The day of Christ’s return will reveal the foundations!
Today check your foundation. Are you firmly anchored on the Rock of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? Have you repented of your sins and idolatry and found grace through the blood of Jesus? Are you hungry for biblical truth and sitting under preaching that gives the whole counsel of God, not just the cream and sugar? A day is fast approaching when the foundations will be laid bare!