" Rebellion Against the LORD "

Jeremiah 28:12-17   " Then the WORD of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah saying, Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou has broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron. For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the GOD of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also. Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makes this people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the LORD; BEHOLD, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shall die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.  So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. "

     Rebelling against the LORD is a terrible sin. To teach rebellion against GOD is even more reprehensible. The false prophet Hananiah was guilty of both sins, and GOD condemned him for causing people to trust in a lie (vv.15-16). Hananiah held a respected place in the hearts of GOD's people, and his message was well received. He claimed to be sent by GOD and to have obtained his message from the LORD, but he lied. He deceived himself, and he certainly deluded others. He told the people, the priests, and the rulers what they wanted to hear, not what GOD wanted them to hear. As a result of his compromise, this so-called prophet of GOD was popular among the people, but he caused the Israelites to trust a lie. He taught rebellion against GOD and needed to be exposed and countered by a faithful, true minister of the LORD.

     Once again Jeremiah found himself in a difficult position. He had to face and openly rebuke Hananiah. It was not easy to be a minority voice against the majority in that day, nor is it easy today. As increasing compromise stills the voices of many Pastors and people who formerly cried out against false teachers and apostate churches, the task of faithful watchmen becomes even more difficult but also more important. The question in Psalm 94:16 - "Who will rise up for ME against the evildoers ? or who will stand up for ME against the workers of iniquity ? " - needs to be answered by every believer today:  "By GOD's grace, I will. "  The theological wolves of our day appear as such innocent looking sheep. Spiritual discernment is needed as never before to separate truth from error. If we allow error, we are, in reality, rebelling against the LORD. MHR

Your servant in CHRIST,

Julie

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