Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because you have preached rebellion against the Lord.’” Jeremiah 28:15-16
Prophets in the Old Testament are people who are called by God to serve as messengers of Him to the people (particularly Judah and Israel).
If you are tasked to be a prophet for the Lord , the task is not something to be taken lightly. After all you are bearing the message of the King. (I remember seeing a funny clip of Rowan Atkinson demonstrating the different kinds of messengers, one who bears good news and bad news).
In the New Testament, the role of the prophet has been bestowed to individuals in the church, that serves the body of Christ (Eph 4:11). In relation to the world, God calls His people to become proclaimers in behalf of God (1 Peter 2:9). Moses even prophesied this (Nu 11:29).
In Jer 28, we see a "showdown" between Jeremiah, the Lord's true prophet, and Hananaiah, a prophet who prophesied a lie, tricking the people that it came from the Lord. A few thoughts come into mind.
- Was Hananaiah convinced that it came from the Lord? How terrible it would be to be so deceived of supposed to be hearing something from the Lord because of our refusal to obey Him.
- How do you know if a message comes from God? - That's why it's important to ask God for discernment, and also we must discipline ourselves spiritually to make us sensitive to God's voice.
As leaders, we are to regularly hear from God, receiving His direction, and from this revelation, and lead His people where He wants them to be.
From Jeremiah 28:15-16, we can see three "job descriptions" of a prophet or a messenger of God:
You are sent by God - As a leader recognize that you are not leading on your own, you are "sent" by God. You are an envoy, an ambassador, from which you are accountable to the one who sent you. There will be a time of accounting, if we have been faithful to the task He has called us to do.
You should proclaim God's message alone - As a leader you do not proclaim your own words, but you are only a bearer of the message whether it be good or bad (We'd rather bear people's ire than God's). Thus you are expected to handle the message with great care and value. The message we are bearing is urgent--the gospel of Christ. This is a message that can transform lives.
Be cautious of telling a message comes from God, especially in cases where there must be an exercise of supernatural wisdom, knowledge. Make sure that you are in yourself, in tune to God, and that your motives are pure.
You should lead people to God - As a leader your message must ultimately lead people to God. We are to cry and intercede in behalf of the world, like the weeping prophet Jeremiah did. Jeremiah accused Hananaiah of leading the people to rebel against God. Our lives must be lived in a way that it does not cause other people to rebel against God, but lead them towards God.
Whether it is good or "bad", all message from God is good, in that it calls us to a more intimate relationship with Him. Our obedience to truthfully proclaim God's message to others will determine whether we receive God's blessing or His judgment.
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