HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 1058
J EREMIA H 2 3
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“Even the priests and prophets
are ungodly, wicked men.
I have seen their despicable acts
right here in my own Temple,”
says the Lord.
“Therefore, the paths they take
will become slippery.
They will be chased through the dark,
and there they will fall.
For I will bring disaster upon them
at the time fixed for their punishment.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
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They keep saying to those who despise
my word,
‘Don’t worry! The Lord says you will
have peace!’
And to those who stubbornly follow their
own desires,
they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’
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“I saw that the prophets of Samaria were
terribly evil,
for they prophesied in the name of Baal
and led my people of Israel into sin.
But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem
are even worse!
They commit adultery and love
dishonesty.
They encourage those who are doing evil
so that no one turns away from
their sins.
These prophets are as wicked
as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah
once were.”
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“Have any of these prophets been in the
Lord’s presence
to hear what he is really saying?
Has even one of them cared enough
to listen?
Look! The Lord’s anger bursts out like
a storm,
a whirlwind that swirls down on the
heads of the wicked.
The anger of the Lord will not diminish
until it has finished all he has planned.
In the days to come
you will understand all this very clearly.
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15 Therefore,
this is what the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies says concerning the prophets:
“I will feed them with bitterness
and give them poison to drink.
For it is because of Jerusalem’s prophets
that wickedness has filled this land.”
16 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says
to his people:
“Do not listen to these prophets when they
prophesy to you,
filling you with futile hopes.
They are making up everything they say.
They do not speak for the Lord!
• Accountability
JE R E MIA H 2 3 :2 4
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25 “I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to
the dream I had from God last night.’ And then
they proceed to tell lies in my name. 26 How long
will this go on? If they are prophets, they are
prophets of deceit, inventing everything they
say. 27 By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their
ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.
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God is talking about false prophets who
tell the people only what they want to
hear and not what God wants to say to
them. In their hearts, these masters of
deception knew they were lying. Eventually their lies would be exposed; in fact,
they were already exposed before God.
If we want to avoid the fate of these false
prophets, we must acknowledge the truth
before God and before others. If we wish
others to hold us accountable, then we
must not hide any secret sins from them.
“I have not sent these prophets,
yet they run around claiming to speak
for me.
I have given them no message,
yet they go on prophesying.
If they had stood before me and listened
to me,
they would have spoken my words,
and they would have turned my people
from their evil ways and deeds.
Am I a God who is only close at hand?”
says the Lord.
“No, I am far away at the same time.
Can anyone hide from me in a secret place?
Am I not everywhere in all the heavens
and earth?”
says the Lord.
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“Let these false prophets tell their dreams,
but let my true messengers faithfully
proclaim my every word.
There is a difference between straw and
grain!
Does not my word burn like fire?”
says the Lord.
“Is it not like a mighty hammer
that smashes a rock to pieces?
30 “Therefore,” says the Lord, “I am against
these prophets who steal messages from each
other and claim they are from me. 31 I am against
these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This