A Word to the Prophets

“If they had stood in My council, they would have proclaimed My words to My people and would have turned them from their evil ways and from their evil deeds.” (Jer 23:22)

Jeremiah 23 is a chapter in the Bible in which we see many hallmark signs of false prophets.  Prophets that seek out God purely for information are no better than fortune tellers who speak to people to impress them with seemingly hidden knowledge.  In the verse above the Lord is telling His people that the fruit of a prophet that stands in His council and speaks words from God is salvation.  Prophets help turn people around, from evil to good, and from darkness to light. God’s prophets spend a life-time learning about God’s nature, His requirements, His service, and His government.  They learn what He likes and dislikes, and gain wisdom to pass along to His Church.  A true prophet represents God to people, not to be “right,” but to deliver souls into God’s grace. They put men in the best possible place to serve God and to receive their reward.

When men want to become impressive, they risk speaking delusions from their own minds which can be represented in their dreams. Some people believe there is mystical knowledge hidden in their dreams.  While dreams can be from God, and indeed Joel prophesied that God will give dreams (Joel 2:28), God does not speak contrary to His Word nor His nature through dreams.  If men minister knowledge gained through false dreams, their recklessness will lead others astray (Jer 23:26-32).  They are reckless because they value mystical knowledge over standing in God’s presence.  If they would look at the fruit of sharing false knowledge they would see that those who receive their ministry do not follow God, but tragically they forget God’s ways.  This is the bad fruit of a false ministry.

To be God’s prophet is not a ministry of comfort or popularity.  Who wants to be a hammer that breaks rocks to pieces, or a fire that burns out the stubble? (Jer 23:29)  If one knew that the Lord would give him words to uproot, tear down, destroy and overthrow before He gave words to build and plant (Jer 1:10), would he agree to speak God’s words?  Many men see the favor of their fellow men as a sign of God’s approval on their ministry and would not want to offend others.  False prophets avoid speaking words of correction. Yet the true prophet of God sees that God’s wisdom cannot bear fruit unless old wineskins are discarded for new ones that will hold what God has to give.

Because the Holy Spirit ministers to each of us individually, there is a teaching amongst the churches that the Holy Spirit alone corrects. Yet Paul tells Timothy to preach the Word, correct, rebuke and encourage . . . all ministries parallel to the Holy Spirit’s work in the believer (2 Tim 4:2).  If men do not correct men, they fail the ministry given by God’s Spirit.  If prophets only prophesy nice things, they mislead men, lulling them into a false peace.  King Ahab typifies the attitude of those who only want positive reinforcement for their ideas, and want all prophecies to agree with them (1 Kings 22:1-28).  He despised the Word of the Lord when it differed from his own will and purposes.

If we are going to overcome sin, the world, and our enemy, God will send His Word to help us do so.  Though correction is not the sum total of what God speaks to us, we err in thinking He never will correct us.  If our doctrines and teachings are based on the knowledge of men and not on the words He speaks through men, we need to be corrected.  Today, if we have an ear to hear all God has to say, we need to listen.  If prophets are to minister God’s words, let them stand in His council. Amen.