Jeremiah 23, A Warning For Our Day

Jeremiah 23
1Woe (harming little ones, better you were never born) be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD.
2Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock (to the world by false doctrines), and driven them away (place heavy burdens on them), and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
3And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.
4And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.
5Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
6In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
8But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them (the Feast of Tabernacles is the only celebration that will follow into the 1ooo years reign of peace); and they shall dwell in their own land.
9Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine hath overcome, because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.
10For the land is full of adulterers (50% plus divorce rate in the church, a much higher percent not faithful to God and truth)); for because of swearing (Empty vows, broken promises) the land mourneth; the pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up (the earth itself is dry because of sin, that's why it groans for redemption), and their course is evil (after their father the devil), and their force (spirit, attitude, the power that thy invoke) is not right.
11For both prophet and priest are profane (corrupted, perverted, contrary to Gods will); yea, in my house have I found their wickedness (Revelation 2&3, letters to the 7 churches), saith the LORD.
12Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery (back sliding) ways in the darkness: they shall be driven on (sent strong delusion), and fall (the pit, death) therein: for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the LORD.
13And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria (worship God how they want, not how God wants); they prophesied in Baal (Mary), and caused my people Israel to err.
14I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery (whoredoms with the religions of the world), and walk in lies (doctrines of men and devils): they strengthen also the hands of evildoers (by omission, not judging and comparing themselves by themselves), that none doth return from his wickedness (their conscience is seared, unwilling and unable to repent and turn); they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah (physical and spiritual sin are all the same to God and will receive the same judgment).
15Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood (poison that will kill them, lies that they will move further from truth), and make them drink the water of gall ( toxic bitterness that numbs the mind): for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
16Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD (false prophets are all around, all self seeking, self promoting, self absorbed).
17They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart (you are rich, increased with goods), No evil shall come upon you (a good God won't condemn anyone to hell).
18For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD (who has ears to hear), and hath perceived and heard his word (who can discern truth)? who hath marked his word (who cares enough to remember Gods word), and heard it (applied it to their life)?
19Behold, a whirlwind (a confusing, mixed up wind) of the LORD is gone forth in fury (righteous anger), even a grievous (troublesome irritating) whirlwind: it shall fall (come down on) grievously (painful, close to death) upon the head of the wicked.
20The anger of the LORD shall not return (be satisfied or come to an end), until he have executed (finished and completed), and till he have performed (the judgment meant for each and every sinful act) the thoughts of his heart (the day of judgment): in the latter days (now, this day) ye shall consider (meditate, think about) it perfectly (line upon line, understanding truth in the light of what we see).
21I have not sent (false prophet and apostles) these prophets (soothsayers, liars), yet they ran (we let them and empowered them by the lack of judgment): I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied (spoke lies in your midst).
22But if they had stood in my counsel (known Me, been in My presence), and had caused my people to hear my words (My sheep who know My voice), then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings (bitter and sweet water cannot come from the same well, no man who knows God cannot say anyone of Gods is cursed).
23Am I a God at hand (I am right where you are, no matter where), saith the LORD, and not a God afar off (I am as close as your mouth)?
24Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him (what sin will I miss)? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
25I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed (filthy dreamers), I have dreamed.
26How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart (they themselves cannot tell good from evil for they do not fear or respect Me);
27Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal (the perversity is so great any and all religions are no different).
28The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat (those who are from God just simply do what you know is right to do, do not even concern your self with what people think)? saith the LORD.
29Is not my word like as a fire (My word has a power unto itself) ? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (it does exactly what I intend it to do)?
30Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour (a false prophet repeats others words to sound truthful).
31Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that use their tongues, and say, He saith (Thus saith the Lord, as it sounds more lawful).
32Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies (if those who would be Gods people were left alone they would not be drawn away from God), and by their lightness (desires to hear what they want); yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all (no good can or will come from a false prophet or apostle), saith the LORD.
33And when this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask thee (when a deceived person or a false prophet asks you a Spirit filled believer), saying, What is the burden of the LORD (what is the Lord saying to you)? thou shalt then say unto them, What burden (I have nothing to say)? I will even forsake you (if you say anything, give any indication of what God is saying because of pride within you), saith the LORD.
34And as for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, that shall say, The burden of the LORD (if anyone at all enquires at all and not know for themselves) , I will even punish that man and his house.
35Thus shall ye say every one to his neighbour, and every one to his brother, What hath the LORD answered? and, What hath the LORD spoken (Your reply will be, what did the Lord tell you)?
36And the burden of the LORD shall ye mention no more (do not speak about what the Lord tells you, unless he actually commands you to do so): for every man's word shall be his burden (you will be held accountable for any indication that God spoke); for ye have perverted the words of the living God (prophecy has become an abomination because so many speak lies), of the LORD of hosts our God.
37Thus shalt thou say to the prophet, What hath the LORD answered thee? and, What hath the LORD spoken?
38But since ye say, The burden of the LORD (I think the Lord is saying); therefore thus saith the LORD; Because ye say this word, The burden of the LORD, and I have sent unto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the LORD (God has come to detest those who try to give an impression that He speaks);
39Therefore, behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you (false prophet), and I will forsake you (let you fall), and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence:
40And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

God clearly has a righteous issues with those who say that they hear from God and do not, false prophets. God has issues with those who inquire of those who do hear (those who for pride sake want to speak and will not control their mouth), then pass it along as their own. God has issues with those who are so prideful that they cast their pearls before swine (those who never took the time to learn of God or have faith to receive. God is so angry with what we have become, that he will destroy an entire city because man will not speak truth concerning Him. The times of the former and later rain will be fraught with destruction. Those who are of understanding will know and not be apart of it, they will be lead by the Spirit. They will be kept from cities of destruction and avoid them completly. Those with no ears to hear who live in that city, though they may be good people could will fall prey to destruction because of one mans sin. God will no longer tolerate this sin in the camp (city). Those with Gods laws written on our hearts will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh, spiritual pride being one of those lusts. Those who are (Gods), do (the will of God). Who has ears to hear?

L,J,P&HG
Dave