Christian Minister: False and Corrupt

If a prophet or dreamer of dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign or wonder to you, …

But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak, or to speak in the name of other gods, that prophet must be put to death.” …

Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.

However, since there were not enough priests to skin all the burnt offerings, their Levite brothers helped them until the work was finished and until the priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites had been more diligent in consecrating themselves than the priests had been.

And on the fourteenth day of the second month they slaughtered the Passover lamb. The priests and Levites were ashamed, and they consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the LORD.

Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

If you cease to hear instruction, my son, you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who turn darkness to light and light to darkness, who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.

When men tell you to consult mediums and spiritists who whisper and mutter, shouldn’t a people consult their God instead? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living?

To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

So the LORD will cut off Israel’s head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day. …

These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.

For the LORD has poured out on you a spirit of deep sleep. He has shut your eyes, O prophets; He has covered your heads, O seers.

And the entire vision will be to you like the words sealed in a scroll. If it is handed to someone to read, he will say, “I cannot, because it is sealed.”

They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.

Your first father sinned, and your spokesmen rebelled against Me.

So I will disgrace the princes of your sanctuary, and I will devote Jacob to destruction and Israel to reproach.”

He feeds on ashes. His deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

Israel’s watchmen are blind, they are all oblivious; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they are dreamers lying around, loving to slumber. …

The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

The prophets are but wind, for the word is not in them. So let their own predictions befall them.”

Therefore this is what the LORD God of Hosts says: “Because you have spoken this word, I will make My words a fire in your mouth and this people the wood it consumes.

A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land.

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it so, but what will you do in the end?

“For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.

They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.

Therefore I will give their wives to other men and their fields to new owners. For from the least of them to the greatest, all are greedy for gain; from prophet to priest, all practice deceit.

They dress the wound of the daughter of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.

For the shepherds have become senseless; they do not seek the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flock is scattered.

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My plot of ground. They have turned My pleasant field into a desolate wasteland.

Lift up your eyes and see those coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your pride?

“Ah, Lord GOD!” I replied, “Look, the prophets are telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine, but I will give you lasting peace in this place.’” …

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD.

Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.

“For both prophet and priest are ungodly; even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the LORD.

And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness. They are all like Sodom to Me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.” …

I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message; I did not speak to them, yet they have prophesied.

“I have heard the sayings of the prophets who prophesy lies in My name: ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ …

But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your interpreters of dreams, your mediums, or your sorcerers who declare, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ …

Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.

My people are lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, causing them to roam the mountains. They have wandered from mountain to hill; they have forgotten their resting place.

The visions of your prophets were empty and deceptive; they did not expose your guilt to ward off your captivity. The burdens they envisioned for you were empty and misleading.

But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.

They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, …

But if the prophet is enticed to speak a message, then it was I the LORD who enticed him, and I will stretch out My hand against him and destroy him from among My people Israel.

They will bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer will be the same as that of the prophet—

The conspiracy of the princes in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing its prey. They devour the people, seize the treasures and precious things, and multiply the widows within her.

Her priests do violence to My law and profane My holy things. They make no distinction between the holy and the common, and they fail to distinguish between the clean and the unclean. They disregard My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.

Her prophets whitewash these deeds by false visions and lying divinations, saying, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says,’ when the LORD has not spoken.

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, …

And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but have appointed others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.’

Surely the Levites who wandered away from Me when Israel went astray, and who wandered away from Me after their idols, will bear the consequences of their iniquity.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.

“Hear this, O priests! Take heed, O house of Israel! Give ear, O royal house! For this judgment is against you because you have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.

Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities.

The days of punishment have come; the days of retribution have arrived—let Israel know it. The prophet is called a fool, and the inspired man insane, because of the greatness of your iniquity and hostility.

The prophet is Ephraim’s watchman, along with my God, yet the snare of the fowler lies on all his paths. Hostility is in the house of his God!

I raised up prophets from your sons and Nazirites from your young men. Is this not true, O children of Israel?” declares the LORD.

“But you made the Nazirites drink wine and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.

If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!

This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths: …

Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”

Her prophets are reckless, faithless men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to the law.

“My anger burns against the shepherds, and I will punish the leaders. For the LORD of Hosts attends to His flock, the house of Judah; He will make them like His royal steed in battle.

This is what the LORD my God says: “Pasture the flock marked for slaughter,

…whose buyers slaughter them without remorse. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I am rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion on them.

For behold, I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will neither care for the lost, nor seek the young, nor heal the broken, nor sustain the healthy, but he will devour the flesh of the choice sheep and tear off their hooves.

Woe to the worthless shepherd, who deserts the flock! May a sword strike his arm and his right eye! May his arm be completely withered and his right eye utterly blinded!”

And on that day, declares the LORD of Hosts, I will erase the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered. I will also remove the prophets and the spirit of impurity from the land. …

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ …

“And now this decree is for you, O priests: …

But you have departed from the way, and your instruction has caused many to stumble. You have violated the covenant of Levi,” says the LORD of Hosts.

“So I in turn have made you despised and humiliated before all the people, because you have not kept My ways, but have shown partiality in matters of the law.”

So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’

Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you workers of lawlessness!’

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

Disregard them! They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons came to Jesus with her sons and knelt down to make a request of Him. …

So practice and observe everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.

They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let in those who wish to enter.

Jesus answered, “See to it that no one deceives you.

For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

So if they tell you, ‘There He is, in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Here He is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.

But suppose that servant is wicked and says in his heart, ‘My master will be away a long time.’ …

Then they came to Capernaum. While Jesus was in the house, He asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” …

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and declared, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” …

At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it.

For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and wonders to deceive even the elect, if that were possible.

Jesus also told them a parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?

Then an argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness.

“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “For you weigh men down with heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load. …

But suppose that servant says in his heart, ‘My master will be a long time in coming,’ and he begins to beat the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk.

The master of that servant will come on a day he does not expect and at an hour he does not anticipate. Then he will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

Jesus answered, “See to it that you are not deceived. For many will come in My name, claiming, ‘I am He,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them.

A dispute also arose among the disciples as to which of them should be considered the greatest.

“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and you do not understand these things?

I have come in My Father’s name, and you have not received Me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will receive him.

“Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the gate, but climbs in some other way, is a thief and a robber.

But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will flee from him because they do not recognize his voice.”

All who came before Me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. …

I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.

Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

…if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those in darkness, …

Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.

For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, but as worldly—as infants in Christ. …

By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one must be careful how he builds. …

Therefore, stop boasting in men. All things are yours,

First of all, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.

And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.

For we are not like so many others, who peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as men sent from God.

I hope you will put up with a little of my foolishness, but you are already doing that. …

I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— …

I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming.

It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

The latter do so in love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.

Watch out for those dogs, those workers of evil, those mutilators of the flesh!

I say this so that no one will deceive you by smooth rhetoric.

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, which are based on human tradition and the spiritual forces of the world rather than on Christ.

Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you with speculation about what he has seen. Such a person is puffed up without basis by his unspiritual mind.

He has lost connection to the head, from whom the whole body, supported and knit together by its joints and ligaments, grows as God causes it to grow.

As I urged you on my departure to Macedonia, you should stay on at Ephesus to instruct certain men not to teach false doctrines …

…holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.

Now the Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, …

But reject irreverent, silly myths. Instead, train yourself for godliness.

If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching, …

O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you. Avoid irreverent, empty chatter and the opposing arguments of so-called “knowledge,”

…which some have professed and thus swerved away from the faith. Grace be with you all.

Remind the believers of these things, charging them before God to avoid quarreling over words, which succeeds only in leading the listeners to ruin. …

They are the kind who worm their way into households and captivate vulnerable women who are weighed down with sins and led astray by various passions, …

…while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.

For many are rebellious and full of empty talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision, …

Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition,

…knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.

Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.

Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. …

He writes this way in all his letters, speaking in them about such matters. Some parts of his letters are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.

I have written these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world. …

They are of the world. That is why they speak from the world’s perspective, and the world listens to them.

For many deceivers have gone out into the world, refusing to confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist. …

So if I come, I will call attention to his malicious slander against us. And unsatisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers and forbids those who want to do so, even putting them out of the church.

For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. …

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.

I know your deeds, your labor, and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil, and you have tested and exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles.

To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of the One who holds the sharp, double-edged sword.

But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

In the same way, some of you also hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.

To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like a blazing fire and whose feet are like polished bronze.

But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads My servants to be sexually immoral and to eat food sacrificed to idols. …