Destroying Pastors, Preachers And Prophets

[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!