Preaching against false prophets, Pt3 Jeremiah 23:16-40
Jeremiah was moved by God, as part of his calling, to preach against those who delivered a lie in the name of the Lord. He did so with the twin vision of the throne of God and the doom of these men and those who followed them. They were themselves headed towards, and leading others towards, the wrath of Sodom, v14-15.
Given these two great realities, Jeremiah’s instruction to the people was very simple, v16.
I HEARKEN NOT!
The extent to which support for the ministry of men God’s word denounces is to be withdrawn, is seen here. They are not to be listened to. Listening lends credibility to their message. Listening is a form of fellowship with them. Listening can lead on to obedient practice of their words. We must not consent to be guided by men who teach contrary to the word of God! Cp Prov 19:27, 1Jn 4:1, 2Cor 11:4, 13-15
Reasons are given for this injunction.
- The effect, v16. They make you vain. In other words, they will ‘lead you astray’! The word is linked to breath—a lot of hot air!
- Their own truth! They had not been sent by God, v21. The message they preached was one of their own invention. They dressed it up with expressions like that in v17, 25, 31, 34—but it was their own invention. It catered only to what their hearers wanted to hear. Apostasy produces an appetite for such men, 2Tim 3:1-4.
- Encouraging sinners in their evil way, v17. They removed any concept of the wrath of God against sin. Cp 6:14, Ezek 13:22, 22:28. What God had in fact said, v19-20. Wrath that would burn against the nation for a long time! These false prophets were encouraging the wicked to ignore what God had said and carry on regardless and heedless. They had reduced God to a level of contemptibility and scorn.
- God, being immense, knew these men and was against them. Cp v23-27, 30-32. We should tremble to give credence to that which God has set Himself against! We should bow before what He knows and reveals and act accordingly. If God, by His word, condemns a man as a false teacher, then we have no business listening to him.