HARD TIMES AND FALSE PROPHETS

PROCLAMATION

“Therefore this is what The Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in My name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.’  Those same prophets will perish by sword and famine.”  Jeremiah 14:15 (NIV)

EXPLANATION
These are the words of The Lord God which were spoken to the prophet Jeremiah and proclaimed to the people of Judah.  After telling Jeremiah that He was going to destroy the Israelites because of their many sins rejecting Him, (Jeremiah 13:15-27) here in chapter fourteen of The Bible Book of Jeremiah The Lord God reveals how He is going to destroy them.  He begins by describing the drought which is to come. (Jeremiah 14:1-6)  He continues by saying how He will ignore their cries and pleas. (Jeremiah 14:7-10)  Then He tells Jeremiah not to pray for “this people”, choosing not to call them His people. (Jeremiah 14:11-12)  Jeremiah says to The Lord God that there are prophets telling the people that they will not suffer the sword or famine, but He replies that He did not send them, and they are lying. (Jeremiah 14:13-15)  He said that the false prophets will die as will the people of Judah and Jerusalem by the sword and famine. (Jeremiah 14:15-16)

APPLICATION

People who tell you only what you want to hear are usually not telling you the truth.  Just like those with “itching ears”, (2 Timothy 4:3) some people will only listen to that which they want to hear.  This is why false prophets are usually immensely popular.  They will often say things which are in direct opposition to The Word of God.  When times are bad, people do not want to hear the truth.  In desperate situations, like the proverbial drowning man, they will grab for anything including straws that will not save them.  In hard times, people will turn away from God because they did not really believe, or because He did not respond fast enough to give them what they wanted.  Beware of false prophets; verify whatever they tell you by reading The Bible for yourself.  A strong foundation in The Word of God will keep us from being mislead by false prophets.  Read and study God’s Holy Word (2 Timothy 2:15) in good times and when times are bad.