Are you listening to the right voice? People from Jerusalem had been exiled to Babylon and had compounded their problems by listening to the wrong voices. Jeremiah, a prophet still in Jerusalem, sent a letter to these refugees to make them aware of the false prophets. In this letter, found in Jeremiah 29, he gives the people the reason for their exile, how to act during the exile, and most of all, hope for the future. This letter gave light to a dark situation.
All through the letter, Jeremiah warned of the false prophets among them. Jeremiah 29 8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.[1]
What might these dreams have been? We can surmise it was to return home and have everything be normal again. But Jeremiah told them to settle down because they would be there for seventy years. He also warned them against wishing they were back in Jerusalem. Jeremiah explained they were in a safer place as refugees because those in Jerusalem would face war, famine, and disease and be scattered among the nations.
Jeremiah Exposed the False Prophets
Jeremiah exposed these false prophets who told the people what they wanted to hear. Their advice would leave people in darkness. Jeremiah also told the exiles to discern the character of these men by their actions.
Years later, Jesus would explain. Matthew 7: 15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.[2]
Ask the Lord to Discern the Right Voice
In the end, the king of Babylon executed the false prophets. The people would remember their names for their terrible fate. Jeremiah wanted these refugees to listen to the right voice so the Lord could communicate what He wanted them to know.
In today’s world, we have a myriad of voices that are vying for our attention. How do we discern who we should listen to? First, pray for God’s wisdom. Then, follow the advice of Jesus; what do their actions demonstrate about their character? Does their message line up with what God says in Scripture? What do trusted teachers say about the voice and the people behind it? After answering these questions, you can discern who to listen to. Just as it was important for the exiles to listen to the right voice so God could work, it is the same for us today.
To hear more about listening to the right voice, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/light-in-exile
[1-2] Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.