Tag: prophets

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Why were there so many false prophets?

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Jeremiah 14.

The Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds” (Jeremiah 14:14).

Why were there so many lying prophets at the time of Jeremiah?

On the one hand, you have the prophet Jeremiah warning the congregation of enemy invasion, starvation, and illness (sword, famine, and pestilence).

On the other hand you’ve got “prophets” who say just the opposite, that is, “There will be peace and prosperity.” Their message is nothing but worthless lies, stuff they made up on their own. They will suffer the fate they deny, death by sword and famine.

Throughout history, Satan, always opposes God. The adversary will use what ever means he can, from demons to counter the angels, lies to challenge God’s truths, and false prophets who contradict the messengers of God. Martin Luther said, “Where God builds a church, the devil builds a chapel.” Satan always imitates God for the purpose of leading a person (or a nation) astray.

In 1 Kings 9, Saul is worried about consulting with a man of God because he has nothing to bring him. Fortunately, his servant has a quarter of a shekel they can give to the prophet Samuel. One could make a living acting the part of a prophet, even if you hadn’t been called by God.

How hard is it to tell people what they want to hear? Most people preferred to hear that everything was going to be okay, rather than a real prophet’s threatening call to repentance. False prophets abounded while those who actually called by God were few and far between.

Jesus told his disciples to be on guard against false prophets. They would abound and continue to proclaim lies in the life of the New Testament church.

That is a troubling truth. We sheep better know well the genuine voice of our shepherd.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The algorithm

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

A “through the bible” devotion from 1 Kings 22.

There’s an algorithm. We all know that, right? As you scroll through social media, shop online, and read news stories, the internet gets a feel for your demographic, your likes and dislikes, and your opinions and tastes. It makes sure that you see more of what you prefer, what you believe, and what you want to buy. Before long, your digital world consists of people like you with similar viewpoints and amazingly good taste, like yours!

There is, as you know, nothing new under the sun.

“The king of Israel (Ahab) assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and said to them, ‘Should I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead or should I refrain?’ And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will hand it over to the king” (1 Kings 22:6). Four hundred prophets who all have the identical message.

If that sounds a little fishy, then you’ll understand why Jehoshaphat (the king of Judah) asks, “Aren’t there any prophets of the Lord around here?”

The king of Israel responds, “There is one, but I hate him. He only ever has bad news!” (1 Kings 22:8).

Actually, that’s one of the signs of a legitimate prophet. God doesn’t send prophets to pat you on the back and say, “Good job!” Prophets call us to repentance. Prophets warn of God’s wrath. Prophets remind us of God’s promises to help us get back on the right track when we’ve wandered away from him.

The scriptural algorithm isn’t going to tell me what I want to hear. It’s always filled with what I need to hear.

Posted in Advent devotions

The Cast of Advent: December 17 – God’s holy prophets

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Joanna Nix on Unsplash

When John was born and his father Zechariah could speak again, he “was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old’” (Luke 1:67-70). 

The Old Testament prophets of God played a dynamic role in the advent of Christ. For more than a thousand years they had called God’s people to repentance and predicted the coming the of Lord himself to shepherd, rule and save his people. Their vivid images of God’s judgment was always accompanied by a promise of restoration. Living under Roman rule, Zechariah knew well the judgments an unfaithful people brought on themselves. I wonder if he ever imagined he would witness the hoped for salvation?

Those “holy prophets” were a wild bunch. Elisha called out the she-bears to teach some mocking youths a lesson (2 Kings 2:23-24). Isaiah preached naked for three years (Isaiah 20:2-3). Hosea married a prostitute to illustrate his message (Hosea 1:2). Jonah’s prayer closet was the inside of a great fish. Daniel’s was a lion’s den. 

Woven through their messages, though, are images of the Christ, God’s “anointed one,” who would one day save and rule the people with righteousness and justice, with mercy and compassion, with humility and sacrifice, and with power and glory. Their images help us to identify Immanuel, “God with us,” when the babies start coming for Mary and Elizabeth. 

I still like to listen to the prophets. Every Sunday School kid loves the experiences of Jonah and Daniel. The kid in me loves to hear about them, too. 

Thank you, Lord, for the voice of the prophets who spoke of your advent. Amen. 

Posted in Ministry

Stick this in your Bible

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I keep this chart in my Bible to help me keep track of the kings and prophets and timeline of the Old Testament. There are many charts like this out there, but I’ve found this the easiest to use, plus it indicates whether a king was good or bad during his reign. (I can’t take credit for this chart and can’t remember where I found it, but to whoever put it together: great job!)