Prophets

This morning I passed one of our neighbours working on his house. We chatted for a while and he told me that he was fixing a small misalignment on a window that had been bothering him for some time – and he could not get on with anything else till it was sorted. No one else would have noticed – but for him it had become an issue.

At some time or another we all have our minds drawn to something and we cannot find any peace until we have done what we feel we ought to do. Strangely enough the same thing happen to me both last night and this morning.

I had been contemplating the recent events in the USA and the fact that every prophetic voice I heard which addressed the matter of the election in recent months had declared a victory for the current President – and that with a good majority. Personally I have taken most of this with a pinch of salt (the reasons for this is another story). However, one man in particular, who I admired for straight talking, honesty and integrity as well as his grace and compassion (a rare thing these days in this scene) also recently declared the same. The fact that all of these voices were proved wrong raises some serious and devastating questions for the individuals concerned and the prophetic movement within the USA in general.

However, as I pondered these things last night I heard that ‘still small voice’ telling me to go back and look again at the book of Jeremiah. Initially I ignored this prompting and forgot about it. I had in fact stopped my reading of Jeremiah a couple of weeks ago and had not taken it up again. But again, a short time ago (this morning), as I came back to the same issue – the same voice repeated the same encouragement. So I did. I had stopped reading Jeremiah at chapter 22 – so naturally picked up again at chapter 23.

I really do hesitate to repeat the words I read here regarding the prophets of the day – but they are not my words. You may say this is all a coincidence – and you are entitled to do so. You may say these words were not written to nor are they applicable to the self proclaimed Christian prophets of the USA or any other nation for that matter – and you are at liberty to do so. You may say this is overly harsh – and it might sound that way. However I am sharing them on the basis of what I have already said – and I leave it to the reader to make up their own mind on the matter.

‘When these prophets “prophesy” to you, filling you with empty hopes, do not listen to one word! They do not speak for Me. They speak of visions they have only imagined.

They keep saying to those who openly reject My word, “Don’t worry, the Eternal has promised you peace.” And to those stubborn souls who go their own way, they say, “Don’t worry, nothing bad will happen to you.”

Which one of these false prophets has stood in the presence of the Eternal and heard His voice or seen His plan? Who of them has paid attention to His word and truly listened?

I did not send these so-called prophets, but they have run to you with their empty words. I did not speak to them, but they claim to speak for Me. If only they had stood in My presence and heard My voice, then they would have spoken My words to My people! They would have turned this nation back from its evil ways and evil deeds.’

I have heard these prophets who speak lies in My name. They say, “I had a dream, I had a dream,” and claim it was Me speaking to them! How long will this go on? Will the hearts of these lying prophets ever change? How long will they deceive themselves and all who listen to them?

Look, this is why I oppose the prophets who steal My word from others and offer it as their own. I oppose the prophets whose tongues “declare” something, as if I, the Eternal, have declared it.  I oppose the prophets who prophesy with lying dreams. They lead My people astray with their reckless lies. But I did not send these prophets or direct them to speak in My name, so they are of no use to My people.

Jeremiah 23 (TV) (selected verses)