Thurs.’s Devo - Exposing the False Prophets

Read: Jeremiah 28:1-29:32; 1 Timothy 1:1-20; Psalm 86:1-17; Proverbs 25:17 The false prophet, Hananiah, gave a message claimed it was from the Lord. He claimed that within two years, God was going to bring back all the treasures of the Temple that the king of Babylon had taken, and bring back Jehoiachin and all the captives. He gave this prophecy in front of all the priests and Jeremiah. *** Jeremiah responded and said he hoped what he said was true, but when a prophet prophecies peace, when all the prophets before him prophesied the opposite, it can only be proved to be right when it happens. *** Hananiah must have taken that as a threat because he became very animated and took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it in pieces to make his point. Jeremiah left. *** God gave Jeremiah a message for Hananiah. He was to tell him that the yoke he broke would be replaced with a yoke of iron, that can’t be broken. All these nations including Judah would be put under the control of Babylon. Because the people believed Hannah’s words, instead of them being released in two years, he would die at the end of that year. Two months later, he died. *** Jeremiah wrote a letter to the people who had been exiled to Babylon to tell them to build their lives there because they would be there for 70 years. They were to make the most of their circumstances by being a blessing to the places they were sent. After 70 years, the Lord would rescue them and bring them back to their own land. *** Jeremiah called out the false prophets in Babylon: Ahab and Zedekiah and said they would be killed by Nebuchadnezzar (burned alive). He also called out Shemaiah and gave him a message from God. Shemaiah had sent a letter to Zephaniah, the priest left in Jerusalem to put Jeremiah in stocks because he was a false prophet. Instead, Zephaniah let Jeremiah read the letter. Jeremiah told Zephaniah to send an open letter to all the exiles in Babylon telling them what the Lord said about Shemaiah. Since he prophesied lies and claimed he heard from the Lord, he would be punished and none of his descendants would see the good things God was going to do for his people. *** Today we begin to read the letter Paul wrote to Timothy. It is believed that Timothy’s mother was Eunice who was a Jew who became a Christian under Paul’s ministry. Timothy’s father was a Gentile. Timothy had been raised under the teachings of Torah, but his father had refused to allow him to be circumcised. They lived in Lystra where Paul had brought them the good news about Christ. Paul had become Timothy’s spiritual father and when he was ready, Paul recommended him to become a part of his ministerial leadership. Since they were going to be ministering mostly to the Jews, Paul suggested that Timothy be circumcised. *** Paul wanted Timothy to stay in Ephesus and help ground them in truth. They were good at arguing about silly things that didn’t matter or have any substance. He wanted Timothy to get them back on track. Their purpose in life is love out of a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. *** Paul explained that the law is not for the good people who followed the Lord, but for the evil people who defiled and rebelled against the Lord. *** Paul understands the grace of God because he was a sinner who was saved and totally changed. That was why Christ came - to save sinners like him. He was an example of what Christ can do in a person who gives their life to Christ. *** Paul knew the prophesies spoken over Timothy and he encouraged him to keep his conscience clear. Some had deliberately defiled their consciences like Hymenaeus and Alexander who wrecked their own lives. Paul had turned them over to Satan so they might learn not to blaspheme God. *** Lord, may we learn from reading your Word to save ourselves from the heart ache of falling into sin. May we keep our conscience clear and walk as examples of your grace and mercy. Thank you for saving us. May we walk worthy of your calling.