Too Many Voices

In Jeremiah 23 the prophet condemns the shepherds and prophets of Israel. He condemns the shepherds for not caring for the people. They have not attended to the people and as a result the people have been scattered and driven away.

The prophets are equally culpable. They have fed the people with lies. As verse 17 says, "They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, 'It shall be well with you', and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, 'No disaster shall come upon you.'" By so doing they lead the people astray and actually keep the people from knowing and following the word of the Lord.

Imagine what it must have been like in those days. So many voices claiming to be the word of the Lord, but so many of the messages were lies, which would only lead the people away from the Lord. There must have been much confusion.

Jeremiah's condemnation of the prophets is summarized well in verse 22. "But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds." The problem with the prophets of day was that they were not spending time in the presence of the Lord. They weren't listening the the Lord themselves, and as a result didn't communicate His word to the people. The result is that the people remained in their sin and would suffer the consequences of exile and all that that entailed.

In Mark 9, there may have been a little confusion for Peter, James and John. In the transfiguration they were exposed to three great prophets: Moses, Elijah and Jesus. Fortunately, for them, all three were truthful. But God, the Father, made it very clear to whom they should listen. He said, "This is my beloved Son, listen to Him."

That is great counsel for all leaders and all followers. In a world of too many voices, it is important that we give ear to the one voice that matters. That voice is the voice of Jesus Christ, Son of God. He is the Word made flesh. He is the ultimate communication of God to man. We will learn from His life and His message all that pertains to life and godliness.

Any who are leaders must make it their pattern to stand in the council of Christ; to spend time in His presence listening to Him through His Word. Faithfulness to this is the only way to lead God's people aright, and keep them from paths that only lead to destruction.
In Jeremiah 23 the prophet condemns the shepherds and prophets of Israel. He condemns the shepherds for not caring for the people. They have not attended to the people and as a result the people have been scattered and driven away.

The prophets are equally culpable. They have fed the people with lies. As verse 17 says, "They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, 'It shall be well with you', and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, 'No disaster shall come upon you.'" By so doing they lead the people astray and actually keep the people from knowing and following the word of the Lord.

Imagine what it must have been like in those days. So many voices claiming to be the word of the Lord, but so many of the messages were lies, which would only lead the people away from the Lord. There must have been much confusion.

Jeremiah's condemnation of the prophets is summarized well in verse 22. "But if they had stood in my council, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people, and they would have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their deeds." The problem with the prophets of day was that they were not spending time in the presence of the Lord. They weren't listening the the Lord themselves, and as a result didn't communicate His word to the people. The result is that the people remained in their sin and would suffer the consequences of exile and all that that entailed.

In Mark 9, there may have been a little confusion for Peter, James and John. In the transfiguration they were exposed to three great prophets: Moses, Elijah and Jesus. Fortunately, for them, all three were truthful. But God, the Father, made it very clear to whom they should listen. He said, "This is my beloved Son, listen to Him."

That is great counsel for all leaders and all followers. In a world of too many voices, it is important that we give ear to the one voice that matters. That voice is the voice of Jesus Christ, Son of God. He is the Word made flesh. He is the ultimate communication of God to man. We will learn from His life and His message all that pertains to life and godliness.

Any who are leaders must make it their pattern to stand in the council of Christ; to spend time in His presence listening to Him through His Word. Faithfulness to this is the only way to lead God's people aright, and keep them from paths that only lead to destruction.