Daily Reading:
Jeremiah 23
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
The Lord and His Sheep
1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and
scatter the sheep of My pasture!” This is the Lord’s declaration. 2 “Therefore,
this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd
My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to
them. I will attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s
declaration. 3 “I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where
I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become
fruitful and numerous. 4 I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd
them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” This
is the Lord’s declaration.
The Righteous Branch of David
5 “The days are coming”—this is the Lord’s
declaration—
“when I will raise up a Righteous Branch of
David.
He will reign wisely as king
and administer justice and righteousness in
the land.
6 In His days Judah will be saved,
and Israel will dwell securely.
This is what He will be named:
Yahweh Our Righteousness.
7
“The days are coming”—the Lord’s declaration—“when it will no longer be said,
‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but,
‘As the Lord lives, who brought and led the descendants of the house of Israel
from the land of the north and from all the other countries where I had
banished them.’ They will dwell once more in their own land.”
False Prophets Condemned
9
Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken within me,
and all my bones tremble.
I have become like a drunkard,
like a man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord,
because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
the land mourns because of the curse,
and the grazing lands in the wilderness
have dried up.
Their way of life has become evil,
and their power is not rightly used
11 because both prophet and priest are
ungodly,
even in My house I have found their evil.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
12 Therefore, their way will be to them
like slippery paths in the gloom.
They will be driven away and fall down
there,
for I will bring disaster on them,
the year of their punishment.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
13 Among the prophets of Samaria
I saw something disgusting:
They prophesied by Baal
and led My people Israel astray.
14 Among the prophets of Jerusalem also
I saw a horrible thing:
They commit adultery and walk in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
and none turns his back on evil.
They are all like Sodom to Me;
Jerusalem’s residents are like Gomorrah.
15
Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts says concerning the prophets:
I am about to feed them wormwood
and give them poisoned water to drink,
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness has spread throughout the land.
16
This is what the Lord of Hosts says: “Do not listen to the words of the
prophets who prophesy to you. They are making you worthless. They speak visions
from their own minds, not from the Lord’s mouth. 17 They keep on saying to
those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said: You will have peace.’ They have said
to everyone who follows the stubbornness of his heart, ‘No harm will come to
you.’”
18 For who has stood in the council of the
Lord
to see and hear His word?
Who has paid attention to His word and
obeyed?
19 Look, a storm from the Lord!
Wrath has gone out,
a whirling storm.
It will whirl about the heads of the
wicked.
20 The Lord’s anger will not turn back
until He has completely fulfilled the
purposes of His heart.
In time to come you will understand it
clearly.
21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they ran with a message.
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 If they had really stood in My council,
they would have enabled My people to hear
My words
and would have turned them back from their
evil ways
and their evil deeds.
23 “Am I a God who is only near”—this is
the Lord’s declaration—“and not a God who is far away? 24 Can a man hide
himself in secret places where I cannot see him?”—the Lord’s declaration. “Do I
not fill the heavens and the earth?”—the Lord’s declaration.
25 “I have heard what the prophets who
prophesy a lie in My name have said, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ 26 How
long will this continue in the minds of the prophets prophesying lies, prophets
of the deceit of their own minds? 27 Through their dreams that they tell one
another, they plan to cause My people to forget My name as their fathers forgot
My name through Baal worship. 28 The prophet who has only a dream should
recount the dream, but the one who has My word should speak My word truthfully,
for what is straw compared to grain?”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 29 “Is
not My word like fire”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and like a hammer that
pulverizes rock? 30 Therefore, take note! I am against the prophets”—the Lord’s
declaration—“who steal My words from each other. 31 I am against the
prophets”—the Lord’s declaration—“who use their own tongues to make a
declaration. 32 I am against those who prophesy false dreams”—the Lord’s
declaration—“telling them and leading My people astray with their falsehoods
and their boasting. It was not I who sent or commanded them, and they are of no
benefit at all to these people”—this is the Lord’s declaration.The Burden of the Lord
33 “Now when these people or a prophet or a
priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord?’ you will respond to them:
What is the burden? I will throw you away”—this is the Lord’s declaration. 34
“As for the prophet, priest, or people who say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ I
will punish that man and his household. 35 This is what each man is to say to
his friend and to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ or ‘What has the
Lord spoken?’ 36 But no longer refer to the burden of the Lord, for each man’s
word becomes his burden and you pervert the words of the living God, the Lord
of Hosts, our God. 37 You must say to the prophet: What has the Lord answered
you? and What has the Lord spoken? 38 But if you say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’
then this is what the Lord says: Because you have said, ‘The burden of the
Lord,’ and I specifically told you not to say, ‘The burden of the Lord,’ 39 I
will surely forget you and throw away from My presence both you and the city
that I gave you and your fathers. 40 I will bring on you everlasting shame and
humiliation that will never be forgotten.”
Key: Bold - Verse of the Day
Reflection: Although a prophecy is made concerning the
coming of One who would be called the Righteous Branch of David, most of this
chapter concerns false prophets and those who speak out of their own flawed
wisdom, scattering the flock or leading the flock astray. What was said in Jeremiah's time can be said
of society today. There are those who
preach prosperity and who do not preach repentance; those who lull their flock
to sleep with flattering words that never speak of sin or accountability. Those who interpret their own dreams and reveal it as a word from God. What does God say about these types of individuals?
"21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they ran with a message.
I did not speak to them,
yet they prophesied.
22 If they had really stood in My council,
they would have enabled My people to hear My words
and would have turned them back from their evil ways
and their evil deeds."
Discussion
Topic: There are many people around us
who have fallen under the false teaching of a spiritual leader, whether it be
someone on television, their own pastor or a friend; teachings that lead them
away from a life focused on Jesus in favor of a life focused on self. When we encounter false teaching, the correct
response would be to pray and to gently and lovingly discuss the matter, using scripture to
expose false teaching. So many people
are living a generic "christian" walk, devoid of any authority and
power which comes from God alone because of the guidance that they have
received from those who can be considered their spiritual mentors. How have you been able to minister to
individuals whom you have found living a "christian" life without having a true
relationship with Christ; who are submitting to "christian" teaching that seems to take them away from God?
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Prayer: Oh heavenly Father, the enemy's hands are in
all aspects of human existence, even in
leadership roles in the church. Just as the enemy used Your
words to confuse and tempt Eve in the Garden, just as he used scripture to
tempt Jesus after He fasted 40 days in the desert, he now uses scripture in a
way to deceive your children. I pray
that Your Holy Spirit will open the eyes of those who are truly seeking a
relationship with You and that your Holy Spirit will reveal the deception of
the enemy. Please bring them out from
under the false teaching they are receiving and lead them to an earthly
shepherd that You have placed in authority over a portion of your flock here on
earth; one who will lead them to the true Shepherd. Please lead them to a body where
they can grow in You, Lord; where they can be fed the meat of Your word and
grow strong so that they can live a life that is pleasing to you and a life where they can disciple others.
Thank you, Father, for loving us so much that You would continue to have patience with us, even when we find ourselves heading in the wrong direction! In Jesus precious name I pray, Amen.
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