[Taken
directly from Jeremiah Chapter 23; substituting America for Israel,
And
making certain other adjustments to bring it into relevance for
today.]
'Woe
to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep
Of
My pasture!' Declares the Lord.
Therefore
this is what the Lord, the God of Israel,
Says
to the shepherds who tend My people:
'Because
you have scattered My flock and driven them away
And
have not bestowed care on them,
I
will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,'
Declares
the Lord.
'I
Myself will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries
Where
I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture,
Where
they will be fruitful and increase in number.
I
will place shepherds over them who will tend them,
And
they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,'
Declares
the Lord.
'The
days are coming,' Declares the Lord,
'When
I will raise up to David a righteous Branch,
A
King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.
In
his days The Israel Of God will be saved and live in safety.
This
is the Name by which He will be called
The
Lord Our Righteousness.
'So
then, the days are coming,' Declares the Lord,
'When
people will no longer say, 'As surely as the Lord lives,
Who
brought America out of the land of their oppressors.
Out
of the many lands where they could find no pasture.
At
that time, they will live in the Presence of the King
In
Jerusalem on Mount Zion.
Lying
Prophets
Concerning
the prophets:
My
heart is broken within me; all my bones tremble.
I
am like a drunken man, like a man overcome by wine,
Because
of the Lord and His holy Words.
The
land is full of adulterers; because of “the curse”
[of false gods]
The
land lies parched and the pastures in the desert are withered
The
prophets follow an evil course and use their power unjustly.
Both
prophet and priest are godless;
Even
in My Temple I find their wickedness,' Declares the Lord.
Therefore
their path will become slippery;
They
will be banished to darkness And there they will fall.
I
will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished,' Declares
the Lord.
Among
the prophets of America I saw this repulsive thing:
They
prophesied by other gods and led My people astray.
And
among the prophets of America's cities I have seen something
horrible:
They
commit adultery and live a lie.
They
strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So
that no one turns from his wickedness.
They
are like Sodom to Me; the people of America are like Gomorrah.'
Therefore,
this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:
'I
will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water,
Because
from the prophets of America
Ungodliness
has spread throughout the land.'
This
is what the Lord almighty says:
'Do
not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
They
fill you with false visions from their own minds,
Not
from the mouth of the Lord.
They
keep saying to those who despise Me,
'The
Lord says: You will have peace.'
And
to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say,
'No
harm will come to you'
But
which of them has stood in the council of the Lord
To
see or to hear His Word?
See,
the storm of the Lord will burst out in wrath,
A
whirlwind swirling down on the heads of the wicked.
The
anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until
He fully accomplishes the purposes of His heart.
In
the days to come you will understand it clearly.
I
did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message;
I
did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied.
But
if they had stood in My council,
They
would have turned the people
From their evil ways and from their evil
deeds.
'Am
I only a God nearby,' declares the Lord, and not a God far away?
Can
anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?'
Declares
the Lord.
'I
have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in My Name.
They
say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!'
How
long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets,
Who
prophesy the delusions of their own minds?
They
think the dreams they tell one another
Will
make My people forget My Name,
Just
as their fathers forgot My Name through worship of other gods.
Let
the prophet who has a dream tell his dream,
But
let the one who has My Word speak it faithfully.
For
what has straw to do with grain?' Declares the Lord.
'Is
not My Word like Fire,' declares the Lord,
Like
a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?
'Therefore,' Declares
the Lord, 'I am against the prophets
Who steal from one
another words supposedly from Me.
Yes,' declares the
Lord, 'I am against the prophets
Who wag their own
tongues and yet declare, 'The Lord declares.'
Indeed, I am against
those who prophesy false dreams,' Declares the Lord.
They tell them and lead
My people astray with their reckless lies,
Yet, I did not send or
appoint them.
They do not benefit
these people in the least,' Declares the Lord.
False
Oracles And False Prophets
'When these people, or
a prophet or a priest, ask you.
'What is the oracle of
the Lord?'
Say to them, 'What
oracle? I will forsake you, Declares the Lord.'
If a prophet or a
priest or anyone else claims,
'This is the oracle of
the Lord,' I will punish that man and his household.
This is what each of
you keeps on saying to his friend or relative:
'What is the Lord's
answer?' or 'What has the Lord spoken?'
But you must not
mention 'The oracle of the Lord' again,
Because every man's own
word becomes his oracle
And so you distort the
Words of the Living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.
This is what you keep
saying to a prophet:
'What is the Lord's
answer to you?' or 'What has the Lord spoken?'
Although you claim,
'This is the oracle of the Lord,'
This is what the
Lord says:
You used the words,
'This is the oracle of the Lord,'
Even though I told you
that you must not claim,
'This is the oracle of
the Lord.'
Therefore, I will
surely forget you and cast you out of My Presence
Along with the cities I
have given you.
I will bring upon you
everlasting disgrace--
Everlasting shame that
will not be forgotten.' (Jeremiah 23)
As God has written, so shall it be! Hallelujah! Maranatha!
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