Don't Listen To The Drivel Of The Positive Prophets

Don't Listen To The Drivel Of The Positive Prophets

"The ruin both of persons and people is owing to their sins." - Matthew Henry

There are many voices - crying out in America today - prophesying that The Best Is Yet To Come.

They are announcing that Good Times are coming for us and our families.

They are assuring us that things are going to change for the better on the national, spiritual, and individual level.

But, wait a minute! What is it that we hear in the distance?

It is the Voice of the Prophet Isaiah - echoing down through the ages - declaring in total contradiction to these "Positive Prophets" - while reminding us of the total ruin and fall of Judah and Jerusalem - "For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of His glory"(Isaiah 3:8).

Are these "Positive Prophets" right in their predictions? Do they really have a "sure Word of Prophecy" for the people? Have they stood in the counsel of the Lord and heard His Word?

The Prophet Isaiah would ask some critical questions of these Predictors -

* The countries, churches, families, and individuals about whom you speak - are they - in any way - guilty of provoking and offending the Lord?

* Are their "tongue" and "doings" "against the LORD"?

* By their words, do they distort God's Truths to accommodate their sinful lifestyles or, by their actions, do they break His Holy Law?

If so, then they are not headed for the Good Times to which you are adamantly alluding throughout the land. They are moving in the same direction that Judah and Jerusalem were moving - toward utter ruin and a fall.

Think for one minute about the condition of America(or your nation) at this time.

What is the condition of the Church?

What about the family unit as well as most individuals?

What about those who call themselves "Christians"?

As we look around us, we can't help but hear the cries of the thousands of unborn babies as they are being slaughtered in their Mother's womb every single day. The commitment of heterosexual marriages is almost a nonentity - even in "Christian" circles. 50% of marriages in America end up in Divorce. "Shacking-up" is the preferred way to go. Teenage pregnancy is the "In Thing." Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise like never before - while our schools have become War Zones.

Yet - in spite of this pitiful, immoral picture - the False Prophets are boldly announcing that The Best Is Yet To Come - Brighter Days are just over the horizon.

In response, it is as though the Prophet Isaiah is screaming out in utter shock - "Not So! Not So! Not So! Your 'tongue' and your 'doings' are 'against the Lord.' Just like Judah and Jerusalem, you are headed for great ruin and a fall - unless you repent, change your ways, and turn back to God and His Holy Word and Ways."

God sent His judgments on Judah and Jerusalem. Before they faced total ruin and a fall, things began to happen.

What course of events preceded their downfall?

First of all, God - as "the LORD of hosts" - withheld His blessing from the people - "For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water"(Isaiah 3:1). He took away that which was plentiful and had become a provision for their lusts. "The whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water" represented every and all kinds of support. It denoted that to which the people looked for help and relief.

Secondly - as an indication of His judgment in the land - God removed all competent and sensible leaders and replaced them with inexperienced and irresponsible ones - who acted as though they were five or six year olds. This move on His part affected every branch of support in which the people trusted - their military, government, and trade(Isaiah 3:2).

"The mighty man" consisted of the military hero. "The prudent" was the counsellor whose advice was consulted by the people - especially in times of perplexity and danger. "The ancient" was the elderly man who had a wealth of experience. "The captain of fifty" was the officer in the army. "The honourable man" was the man elevated in office. "The cunning artificer" was the one skilled in mechanical arts or architecture. And "the eloquent orator" was the one skilled in the art of persuasion(Isaiah 3:2-3).

In Isaiah 3:4, the Lord God declared - "And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them." These men - "children" and "babes" - would be weak, inexperienced, and childish.

What would be the immediate result of having such individuals in leadership roles?

Utter confusion, disorder, and anarchy.

Isaiah 3:5 says - "And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbor: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable."

Every man's rights would be violated. The weak would be oppressed by the strong. All ranks of society would be broken up. Respect and deference for the wise, experienced, or elderly would give way to insolence among the young toward their superiors.

Isaiah 3:6 says - "When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand."

These people were facing a real mess - "this ruin." Instead of searching for godly leadership - those who feared God and hated covetousness - to remedy the situation, they looked to those who were wealthy and had abundance - "...Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand." Wealth - in those days - consisted in owning a great stock of garments.

The situation was so bad that capable and responsible men - who were willing to pay the price to remedy "the ruin" they were facing as a nation - were nowhere to be found - "In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be a healer...make me not a ruler of the people"(Isaiah 3:7).

This horrendous course of events occurred simply as a result of the people's sin and rebellion toward God - "...their tongue and their doings are against the Lord..."

Can you see the same downward spiral of declension in your nation, church, or home?

Has God been slowly withdrawing His Blessings in order to get your attention?

Do you see the gradual replacement of competent leadership with the childish - "children" and "babes"?

Are your rights being violated like never before?

Do you sense a greater disrespect for the elderly from the younger generation?

Are the weak heavily oppressed by the strong? The poor by the rich?

Are leaders chosen on the basis of their wealth rather than their integrity and competency for the task?

Is there a lack of responsible leadership who are willing to seek God for solutions to the problems at hand?

Judah didn't have to face ruin. Neither do we.

As individuals, we can cry out to God for our homes, churches, and nations.

Wherever necessary - in sincere repentance - we can turn our "tongue" and our "doings" so that they are in accordance with God's Holy Word.

This is our only hope. Our future lies in our hands.

May God Bless His Word.

Connie

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