Namely, it struck me that despite Jeremiah's many attempts to share God's true message with them, the few inhabitants left in Jerusalem after Nebuchadnezzar's second invasion (Daniel, by the way, was captured in Nebuchadnezzar's first invasion when Eliakim/Jehoiakim was king) fell prey to false prophets and rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar. This rebellion, of course, did not go well for them.
The incident above is not the first or last mention of false prophets. One of the other passages of Scripture that came immediately to my mind was that of Timothy. Paul warned him:
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Tim. 4:3-4)And we still deal with false prophets today, which led me to illustrate Ecclesiastes 1:9 in this way:
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| Notice the position of the false prophets; they are trying to block out the sun. (Or, rather, the Son.) |
Want to know how to deal with false prophets? Read 1 & 2 Timothy. Jump into a study of Jeremiah. They've already dealt with that issue. They've been there. Reading their stories (and advice) can help you as you write your own story (by the way you live your life). If you want a timeline to help you as you study through Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and/or Daniel, try this one.
Get in the Good Book; read the Word of God daily. Learn from the past. Let God teach His ways to you through It.
I promise you that it is worthwhile to invest your time in studying the Bible.
I myself don't read it and study it as much as I should. But every time I pick it up, I am blown away by God's wisdom.
