Wed.’s Devo - Battle of the Prophets

Read: Jeremiah 28:1-29:32; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 25:17
When Babylon took Jerusalem, the king of Babylon made Mattaniah the king and changed his name to Zedikiah (2 Kings 24:17-19). He was only 21 years old and was as evil as Jehoiakim had been. During the beginning of his reign the prophet Hananiah went to the temple and prophesied that God had broken the yoke of the king of Babylon off of them and would bring back to Jerusalem the treasures of the temple along with every person and thing that had been taken. This would be done in the next two years. Then for dramatic effect, he took the yoke off of Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. Done! So he thought.
Jeremiah left and God’s word came to him to go back and tell Hananiah that God would replace the wooden yoke he had broken with a yoke of iron and they would serve Nebuchadnezzr king of Babylon until their 70 years was over. Because Hananiah prophesied lies, he would be killed that year. He died 2 months later.
Jeremiah sent a letter to the exiles in Babylon telling them to settle in, marry, build houses, and pray for the blessings and peace of Babylon. In seventy years God would visit them and bring them back. Then he gave them that wonderful promise of plans, peace and hope for their future. He was talking about fulfilling that promise in 70 years!
I doubt that is what we are hoping for when we quote that scripture…hope in 70 years! I know it is not what I am thinking when I quote it. We are so programmed to the here and now, but Jeremiah had eyes for the future generations. He was kingdom minded and knew that we are on a rolling ball that is rolling to the end. What we do today effects our great great grand children. We are eternal creatures.
Back to our story, God told Jeremiah that he would put to death all the prophets that were prophesying lies to his people in Babylon. One of these prophets in Babylon, Shemaiah, sent word back to the people in Jerusalem. He wanted to know why they had tolerated letting Jeremiah live. Jeremiah sent word back to him and the people in exile that God had not spoken by Shemaiah and God would put him to death and none of his descendants would live to see the good things God was planning for them.
In the time of Timothy’s writing, the religion of Gnostics was surfacing. The genealogies he was speaking of was not tracing their lineage which would have been encouraged, but it was tracing spirits which was a practice in gnosticism. He said that this type of study only lead to controversy and was a waist of time. The main goal of any Christian is love, a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith.
He explained that the law was for sinners who don’t have the law written on their hearts. We do, because of the cross. Our law is summed up in loving God and loving others as Christ did.
Lord, may we fight the good fight today, holding on to faith and a good conscience.