Are there still false teachers spreading lies and indulging sin rather than calling for repentance? Let’s look at Jeremiah 14.
What did God have to say about a drought in the land of Judah and the lack of grass for wildlife?
That which came as the word of Yahweh to Jeremiah in regard to the drought: “Judah mourns, And her gates languish; They sit on the ground in mourning, And the outcry of Jerusalem has gone up. Their mighty ones have sent their underlings for water; They have come to the trenches and found no water. They have returned with their vessels empty; They have been put to shame and dishonored, And they cover their heads. Because the ground is dismayed, For there has been no rain on the land, The farmers have been put to shame; They have covered their heads. For even the doe in the field has given birth only to forsake her young Because there is no grass. The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; They pant for air like jackals; Their eyes fail For there is no vegetation.” (Jer 14:1-6 LSB)
What was the prophet's prayer to God in the midst of this national calamity?
“Though our wrongdoings testify against us, Lord, act for the sake of Your name! Our apostasies have indeed been many, We have sinned against You. Hope of Israel, Its Savior in time of distress, Why are You like a stranger in the land, Or like a traveler who has pitched his tent for the night? Why are You like a confused person, Like a warrior who cannot save? Yet You are in our midst, Lord, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us!” (Jer 14:7-9 NASB)
Do religious rituals without a change of heart really impress God in the slightest?
This is what the Lord says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the Lord does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.” 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.” (Jer 14:10-12 NIV)
What did the false preachers teach, and was that deception similar to the flattering lies of health-wealth preaching today?
Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ ” And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’ (Jer 14:13-16 NKJV)
Did God shed many tears over the nation? Did those who should have been leading the people know what they were doing? Are world leaders today just as clueless?
Now, Jeremiah, say this to them: “Night and day my eyes overflow with tears. I cannot stop weeping, for my virgin daughter—my precious people—has been struck down and lies mortally wounded. If I go out into the fields, I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy. If I walk the city streets, I see people who have died of starvation. The prophets and priests continue with their work, but they don’t know what they’re doing.” (Jer 14:17-18 NLT)
What was Jeremiah’s prayer for the nation? Was repentance and waiting on God part of that prayer?
Have you utterly rejected Judah? Has your soul loathed Zion? Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay! We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you. Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake. Do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, and don’t break your covenant with us. Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things. (Jer 14:19-22 WEB)
Is false prophets teaching lies still a valid concern today?
But false prophets also arose among the people. In the same way, false teachers will come among you. They will introduce destructive opinions and deny the master who bought them, bringing quick destruction on themselves. (2 Peter 2:1 CEB)
Are there still false teachers spreading lies and indulging sin rather than calling for repentance? You decide!
