It seems that today’s reading has a singular focus: judgment against those who claim to speak on behalf of the Lord, but really have no authority to do so.
This passage seems pretty clear. Those who have spoken falsely and have claimed that God sent them will pay a terrible price. It seems that both men and women were prophets in those days. Actually, I don’t remember the Bible discussing too many women prophets, (Anna, who spoke to Mary at the birth of Christ comes to mind) but there must have been some since the people accepted the idea that women prophecy. Anyway, God says the men will never see their homeland again…but the same judgment isn’t pronounced on the women…unless I am reading this incorrectly. Verse 9 does say “all the prophets”. Even though the women are discussed later, the judgments in the previous section may apply to them.
When God says their names will be blotted out of Israel’s records, I think that also would be more significant to the men. I don’t think the women’s names were entered there unless they had done something out of the ordinary.
I considered the different images God uses to describe false prophets and their work: Jackals, a feeble wall covered with whitewash, to make it look strong, and a cage that traps birds. Suffice it to say that God is not impressed with people who use His name to manipulate others. It seems that the women were earning a living by giving the people magic charms. I suppose these charms were to keep them safe; probably what made God mad is that they weren’t looking to Him for safety, they were looking to the charm, and whatever false deity it was meant to conjure up.
All of that leads me to my thought for today. As a minister, and perhaps as a parent or Sunday School teacher, or as a Christian sharing my testimony, I had better be careful not to misrepresent what God actually says. I cannot say “it’s alright” when the Bible clearly says that it’s not. And I cannot say “you cannot” when the Bible says that you can. For instance, having an occasional drink doesn’t violate God’s Word. According to the Bible it isn’t a sin. I stand against drinking alcoholic beverages for several reasons: they sap motivation, they are addictive, they lead to bad decisions and are often the cause behind accidents, they take money out of the home, they pave the way to argument, fighting and marital discord…I could go on. But the Bible says “don’t be drunk” not “don’t ever take a drink”. I don’t drink at all. period. I think everyone should follow that example. And I think that abstaining completely would make Jesus proud, it is truly the “deeper walk”. However, I never preach that drinking is a sin, to try and get people to move to my position. I know that some will exploit this small opening in Scripture to justify their own addictions, but that isn’t my problem. I have to preach the text. Every time I do, I also mention that I disapprove of drinking entirely.
What if I simply said “God doesn’t want us to drink”, with good intentions? Do you know how many fights could be prevented? Do you know how many work days wouldn’t be missed, how many sick days wouldn’t be taken? There would be promotions, increased money to make life easier or add a few more comforts, less accidents on the roadways…if just the people who believed in God would quit drinking. It seems like that would be a good thing to say, and invoke God’s name….but I can’t. I risk my own salvation to claim that God said something when He really didn’t. And I am not willing to risk it.
Closer to home than the drinking issue is the topic of how God feels about sin. God loves us, but He is never pleased with any sin in our lives. We say “we’re only human” and because of that we imply that God should overlook the fact we aren’t perfect. But He doesn’t overlook it, and He doesn’t “blink” at the sin in our lives. God hates sin. He hates disobedience. He loves you, but He despises sin. And He’s right to despise it, because God is always good and just, and sin is the opposite. It deserves to be hated. Hating sin is a good thing.
If we are honest, we don’t always hate sin. Sometimes we like it, even as Christians. When that desire causes us to embrace something sinful, we could shrug our shoulders and say “well, we’re only human, aren’t we?” But that doesn’t cut it with God. If you sin…ever…count on Him being upset about it.
Now, wouldn’t it be easier, and more “politically correct” to take a different viewpoint? You would think that the church would grow more quickly if the minister didn’t take such a radical view of sin, right? But what I’ve shared is exactly what the Bible says. God doesn’t want us to sin. Ironically, when we do exactly as God commands, and share only what He says to share….the church grows.
Don’t ever be afraid to share God’s truth with your friends or co-workers. Don’t be afraid to take a stand, and “be the prophet” to the lost world around you. Don’t be legalistic, claiming that some things are sinful, even when they really are only bad ideas, but on the other hand don’t be afraid to speak out boldly and hold the standard high.
God will bless you for it…….and that’s in the Bible!
Faithfully,
PR