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. . . and my People love to have it so!
“AND MY PEOPLE LOVE TO HAVE IT SO!”
“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means;
and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:31).
Today, as in the days of Jeremiah, the people of God follow deceit and lies rather than the truth from God's Word. “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it” (Jer. 5:1). Notice that it took only one man to save the city from destruction. God was willing to pardon Jerusalem if Jeremiah could find but one righteous man in the city. Failing to do so, the city was judged completely unrighteous! Jeremiah's search revealed that the poor retained only a form of religion, and they had forsaken the Lord while the rich had become infidels and libertines. God declared it impossible to pardon such offenses as were being committed!
Again, as in the days of Jeremiah, the House of Judah and the House of Israel are being judged unworthy. They are unable to prevent destruction and captivity that God has warned will come upon them. “Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say” (Jer. 5:15). “And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? Then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours” (Jer. 5:19). The House of Israel and the House of Judah are choosing to serve strange gods.
Jeremiah denounced the religious leader for preaching lies and practicing deceit. And to complicate the matter further, the people loved it so!! Jeremiah declared the existing conditions blinded the people to spiritual values. This lack of spiritual values was the direct cause of their rebellion against God. When we follow human tradition rather than the literal Word of God, we can become deceived and blinded by our own human nature. “Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: Fear ye not me? Saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone” (Jer. 5:21-23).
It's sad to say that most people called of God follow human tradition and follow after false teachings of the Pharisees rather than the truth. “For among my people are found wicked men..” (Jer. 5:26). Jeremiah says in Chapter 7 verse 4, “Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD,.....” Yet we see, “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer. 5:31).
The apostasy of Jeremiah's time is reflected in our generation! The unbelief of God's Word as the authority, permeates the Churches of God today!! Jeremiah's denunciation of the prophets of his day for preaching falsehood could readily be said of the ministers of today. They follow doctrines of untruth and practice syncretism rather than the literal meaning of the Word of God recorded in the Bible. “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace”(Jer. 6:13-14). Today, as in Jeremiah's time God gives a warning, but the people are not listening! “Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto My words, nor to My law, but rejected it” (Jer. 6:17-19). Jeremiah was not only preaching to the people of his time. He preached also to the people of our time. The apostasy is occurring in this present age. Jeremiah set forth the inevitability of judgement against any apostasy that rears its ugly head. Jeremiah's words are prophetic for today. The same condemnation of prophesy is applied from generation to generation as they become corrupt or ungodly.
The word apostasy means: defection from the truth. Notice what Paul warns: “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (II Thess. 2:3). God's people did not fall away from the group or organization. The organization fell away from God's truth!! God's people must follow truth. In verse 10 of this same chapter, we are told: “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” The people lost the love for the truth. In the early years we asked, “How did you learn of the truth?” Now, truth has been thrown out the window as in the time of Jeremiah.
God is alerting His people today through Jeremiah as He warned Benjamin, “O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction” (Jer. 6:1). Jesus Christ admonished His disciples to flee when they should see armies encompass the city of Jerusalem. “And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled” (Luke 21:20-22). At the time of Christ, the tribe of Benjamin was known as Galileans and became the first Christians to accept the Messiahship of Jesus Christ.
The prophet Jeremiah speaks of the uselessness of trying to arouse the people. Jeremiah says that they have no spirituality and will not listen to the Word of the Lord! Today, as in the days of Jeremiah, the people are indifferent to the truth from God's Word. Even the cry for peace, when there is no peace is condemned by the prophet. This cry is definitely in evidence in present day peace negotiations. The leaders do not realize that there is no lasting peace apart from the administration of righteousness of the laws of God.
According to God's Word, Judah has been more treacherous than backsliding Israel! “And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah” (Jer. 3:11). Yet, the leadership of the Churches of God would have us believe that we should follow Judaism even though Judaism is not the religion God gave to Moses or to Israel at Sinai! God is pleading with Israel to return to Him. God will feed Israel with knowledge and understanding! “.... Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jer. 3:12-15).
Don't be deceived into following the wrong days for God's Holy Days. Look into God's Word and prove for yourself if you should postpone what God has made Holy! Remember, error is not truth. Only by obeying truth are we known as Christ's disciples! Only obedience to God's Word can guarantee salvation. “Sanctify them through Thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). How can we keep the truth? “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15).
Resisting the truth is the same as rebellion! “Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (II Tim. 3:8). “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Tim. 3:16). God's Word is truth!! Learn to live by every Word of God. No words of man, Apostle or Pharisee, is above scripture! God's Words are the Words of love, hope, faith and eternal life! All of the Words of God are for our good! When we obey, we have the peace of God that passes all understanding!
We are not to obey two masters. We are not to have two opinions. We must choose between God or man. “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word” (I Kings 18:21). Down through the ages of God's True Church history only the few left error and followed the truth of God's Word. Only the few said they would “obey God, rather than man”(Acts 5:29). Christ said, “For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). It's only the few that will choose truth over human tradition!! Those who will be with Christ at His return will have these three requirements: called, chosen, and faithful! “These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful” (Rev. 17:14). How are we faithful? We are faithful when we keep the commandments and laws of God. We can be faithful by not changing the Word of God!--neither adding to or taking away from God's Word. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deu. 4:2).
Don't be one of those that follow false teachings and error-- “the ones who love it so!”
James Russell
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