‘I have dreamed’ say the false prophet – Part 1

 

 

How many times have you heard someone say, ‘This says the lord,’ or ‘I dreamed and this is what the lord told/showed me!’

Let’s hear what Yahuah says to Jeremiah about the people who say they dreamed of a prophesy and this is what Yahuah declares.

Firstly, let’s look at what it means to stand in counsel of Yahauh. Jeremiah 23:18 For who has stood in the counsel of Yahauh, and has seen and heard His Word? Who has listened to His Word and heard? Jeremiah 23:22 “But if they had stood in My counsel, then they would have let My people hear My Words, and they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In “Strong” counsel means company of persons in close deliberation or assembly. Brown-Driver-Briggs says it means assembly of familiar conversation (familiar friends), familiar converse or intimacy.

To me in plain English; on the same page, other words thinking the same way or having the same value/moral. In Yahuah’s case His counsel is His secret Word. None of the false prophets were of Yah's privy council, or were acquainted with his secrets, that they could tell the people they should have peace, and no evil will come upon them.

Amos 3:7 For the Master Yahauh does no matter unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.

Yahuah is the one that will reveal.

Now let us read what Yahuah says of these prophets and priests that spread false prophesy.

 

Jeremiah 23:10-11 For the land is full of adulterers. For the land mourns because of a curse. The pastures of the wilderness are dried up. And their course is evil, and their might is not right. For both prophet and priest are wicked; yea, I have found their evil in My house, says Yahuah.

Where is Yahuah’s house or temple today?

Jeremiah 23:12 So their way shall be to them as slippery places in the darkness; they shall be driven out and fall by it. For I will bring evil on them, the year of their judgment, says Yahuah.

 

Jeremiah 23:13 And I have seen folly among the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal (Lord) and led astray My people Israel.

Baal means master or lord. Most people who say they are believers will share false visions and prophecies out of their own hearts and say “the lord” told me this. Every true prophet in scripture knew the Creator's true name Yahuah, and did not refer to Yahuah as Baal or lord.

When will people start hearing?

Jeremiah 23:14 I have also seen a horrible thing among the prophets of Jerusalem; they commit adultery and walk in falsehood. And they make the hands of evildoers strong, so that not a man returns from his evil. They are all of them like Sodom to Me, and those living in her like Gomorrah.

False prophets are seen as Sodom and people listening to these false prophets as Gomorrah.

 

Jeremiah 23:16 Thus said Yahuah of hosts, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, they lead you astray. They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of Yahuah.

Listen to Yah’s words: the false prophets are speaking from their own heart and not from Yah’s Word.

These false prophets speak of a peace and that no evil will come upon you (Jeremiah 23:17).

These false prophets and priests do not know the plans of Yahuah and His wrath will come upon them.

Jeremiah 23:20 The anger of Yahuah shall not turn back until He has executed, and until He has set up the purposes of His heart. In latter days you shall understand it perfectly. Read also Jeremiah 30:24.

The same deception that plagued Israel in ancient times by corrupt leadership would also be the same in our time and the end time.

Jeremiah 23:21 I have not sent the prophets, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.

Only if they had stood in the counsel of Yahuah – Jeremiah 23:22.

 

 

His flock

 

 

 

 

 

The day is coming when Yahuah will gather His flock from all the lands where they are scattered. But first many prophesies must happen before He gathers His flock again.

Do you notice which Words from Yahuah has come to pass and which Words still must happen when reading verses 1 to 8 from Jeremiah 23.

 

 

 

 

 

In Jeremiah 23:1-2 Yahuah speaks to leaders/pastors/priests (shepherds) who mislead people with false teachings and how He will punish them for leading the flock astray. Yah says “Woe” to these shepherds.

“Woe to the shepherds destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture!”declares Yahuah. Therefore, thus said Yahuah Elohim of Yisra’el against the shepherds who feed My people, “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and have not tended them. See, I am punishing you for the evil of your deeds,” declares Yahuah (Jeremiah 23:1-2).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because these shepherds have misled people, Yahuah will gather a remnant of the flock from where He scattered them for Himself. Read also Jeremiah 10:21 and Jeremiah 50:5-6.

 

Matthew 9:36 And having seen the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, as sheep having no shepherd.

Jeremiah 23:3 “Therefore I shall gather the remnant of My flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and shall bring them back to their fold. And they shall bear and increase. Read also Jeremiah 3:14-17.

Then Yahuah will appoint shepherds to led and teach them of His Word.

 

Jeremiah 23:4 “And I shall raise up shepherds over them, and they shall feed them. And they shall fear no more, nor be discouraged, nor shall they be lacking,” declares Yahuah.

There will be no more fear.

Jeremiah 23:5 “Behold, days are coming,” Says Yahuah, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch (Sprout), and a King shall reign and act wisely, and He shall do justice and righteousness in the earth.

Has this righteous Branch arrived, been the King with fill of wisdom, to do justice and righteousness on the earth? Has this prophesy been fulfilled?

 

Jeremiah 23:6 “In His days Yahudah(Judah) shall be saved, and Yisra’el(Israel) dwell safely. And this is His Name whereby He shall be called: ‘Yahuah our Righteousness.’

Important: Yahuah says “in His days.”

The next 2 verses (verse 7-8) are so important to understand.

Jeremiah 23:7-8 “Therefore, see, the days are coming, ”declares Yahuah, “when they shall say no more, ‘As Yahuah lives who brought up the children of Yisra’el out of the land of Egypt, ’but, ‘As Yahuah lives who brought up and led the seed of the house of Yisra’el out of the land of the north and from all the lands where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell on their own soil (land).”

In verse 7 it is stated as the “children of Israel,” and in verse 8 it states as the “seed of Israel.” Does this have two different meanings, I believe so. In Jeremiah 16:14-15 it speaks of both being from the children of Israel. So why is it said differently in verse 7-8? I still believe it is two different meanings.

 

 

Deliver from enemies

 

 

 

People expected to be protected by Yahuah as they confess to believe in Him but still were involved with sin.  They thought there would not be any consequences for practicing sin.

This is what King Zedekiah of Judah thought when he asked Jeremiah to inquire of Yahuah to deliver them from their enemy when Babylon was preparing to attack Jerusalem.

 

Jeremiah 21:2 Please inquire of Yahuah for us. For Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylonis warring against us. Perhaps Yahuah will deal with us according to all His wonderful works, that he may go up from us.

Perhaps the King of Judah thought that all Yahuah’s threatening would not be executed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Jeremiah informs them that Yahuah has removed His protection from Jerusalem and that the city and its people will be punished. Remember Yahuah sent all the prophets long before to warn the people to turn away from their sin.

They ignored these warnings. This needs to be an eye opener for us today that Yahuah will punish His people who live in sin.

Jeremiah 21:4-6 So says Yahuah, the Elohim of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war in your hand, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the wall. And I will gather them together in the middle of the city. And I Myself will fight against you with an outstretched arm and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath. And I will strike the people of this city, both man and beast. They shall die of a great plague.

This prophesy of punishment on Jerusalem happened.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before the punishment happened, Yahuah gave the people of Judah an opportunity of grace when He said this to Jeremiah in chapter 22:1-4.

So, says Yahuah, go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak this Word there, and say, Hear the Word of Yahuah, O king of Judah who sits on the throne of David, you and your servants, and your people who enter in by these gates. So, says Yahuah, do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one robbed from the oppressor's hand. And do not oppress the foreigner, the widow, or the orphan, and do not do violence nor shed innocent blood in this place. For if you indeed do this thing, then there shall enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he and his servants and his people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

History shows the people of Judah (Yahudah) did not hear the Word of Yahuah.

Will we hear the Word of Yahuah?

 

Labour and sorrow for Jeremiah

 

 

Jeremiah was born to see hardship in his life. Yahuah choose Jeremiah to be His prophet and he had a difficult task as his prophesy included the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem.

Read Jeremiah chapter 19 to see what destruction was prophesied on the nation of Yahudah (Judah) due to their continues sin.

Jeremiah expresses his turmoil in the midst of his persecution by the people because of his repeating prophesy on the destruction of Jerusalem and the people of Yahudah.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hear his words in Jeremiah 20:7-18 and imagine yourself being in his shoes. You have to feel sorry for what he went through but in this turmoil, Jeremiah still praises Yahuah.

Verse 7-8 O Yahuah, You enticed me, and I was enticed. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have been ridiculed all day long, everyone mocks me. For when I speak, I cry out, proclaiming violence and ruin. Because the word of Yahuah was made to me a reproach and a derision daily.

Verse 9 Whenever I said, “Let me not mention Him, nor speak in His Name again,” it was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I became weary of holding it back, and was helpless.

Jeremiah tried to keep quiet and not prophesy but his heart was on fire to speak the truth. With the Ruach (Spirit) we too should be on fire.

 

Verse 10-11 For I heard many mocking, “Fear on every side!” “Expose,” they say, “yea, let us expose him!” All my friends watched for my stumbling, saying, “He might be lured away, so that we prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.” But Yahuah is with me like a mighty, awesome one. Therefore, my persecutors shall stumble, and not prevail. They shall be greatly ashamed, for they have notacted wisely – an everlasting reproach never to be forgotten.

People were talking about persecuting Jeremiah but he knew Yahuah would protect him.

In the verses below Jeremiah feels sorry for himself (Don’t we sometimes do the same). I come forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow.

 

 

Verses 14-18 Cursed be the day in which I was born! Let the day not be blessed in which my mother bore me! Let the man be cursed who brought news to my father, saying, “A male child has been born to you,” making him very glad. And let that man be like the cities which Yahuah over threw, and repented not. Let him hear the cry in the morning and the shouting at noon, because I was not slain from the womb, so that my mother should have been my grave and her womb forever great. Why did I come forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As a believer, we must trust Yahuah’s Ruach presence in us no matter what we go through. Jeremiah expressed himself in sorrow but he still trusted Yahuah.

Jeremiah 20: 13 Sing to Yahuah. Praise Yahuah. For He has delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.