Chapter 22 is a series of messages from Yawheh to Judah’s kings. To review the history of these guys, refer to 2 Chronicles 36:1-10 and 2 Kings 23:30-24:1-20. Here is the basic data:

FINAL FOUR KINGS OF JUDAH

• Jehoahaz (Shallum)
  • Son of Josiah
  • Became king at age 23 but reigned only 3 months before Pharaoh Necho removed him from kingship and made his brother king
  • Taken to Egypt by Necho where he later died.
  • God’s Message about him: Weep for him. He’s never going to see his homeland again.
• Jehoiakim (Eliakim)
  • Son of Josiah, brother of Jehoahaz
  • Was age 25 when he became king, reigned 11 years
  • Made king by Pharaoh Necho. Necho changed his name from Eliakim to Jehoiakim.
  • He was either taken in chains to Babylon with the first wave of deportations by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chr. 36:6), OR they attempted to do so but he was killed instead (2 Kgs. 24:6, Jer. 22:18-19)
  • God’s Message about him: Don’t weep for this loser. He will get no more respect in death than a dead donkey.
• Jehoiachin (Jeconiah/Coniah)
  • Son of Jehoiakim, 18 years old when he became king
  • Reigned only 3 months before the Babylonian army laid siege to Jerusalem.
  • Surrendered to the Babylonians (along with his mother and royal family and officials) after 8 years and they were all taken to Babylon.
  • God’s Message about him: You (and your mom) will be thrown out and never see your homeland again.
• Zedekiah
  • Son of Jehoiakim, brother of Jehoiachin
  • Became king at age 21. Reigned 11 years but a a vassal of Babylon.

These young men sat on the throne of their ancestor David, but would not listen to the God of David. David was a shepherd who cared for the people. But these guys at the end? Nope. Jehoiakim taxed the people to death to pay the tribute to Pharaoh and also to build his dream mansion. He was a brute and a tyrant. Jehoiachin presided over the systematic looting of the temple by the Babylonians. Zedekiah… well, we’ll get to his story later. Bad shepherds all.

So Yahweh tells the remnant that He is going to raise up a Good Shepherd:

““For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line. He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land. And this will be his name: ‘The Lord Is Our Righteousness.’ In that day Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As we’ve been reading through the prophets, the hints about this coming Davidic King are getting more detailed. This one includes a name: Yahweh (or Jehovah) Tsidkenu. This name points to the Gospel. The LORD Himself will be the righteousness of His people.

But for right now, Yahweh has some phoney prophets to confront.

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Let’s get clear on these false prophets. They aren’t just some well-meaning young dudes who love God and perhaps got a bit over-enthusiastic and genuinely thought they heard from God. No. God compares them to:

• The prophets of Baal
• Sodom & Gomorrah

That’s about the worst list to get on.

“I saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil, for they prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people of Israel into sin. But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

They are sleeping around with their neighbors’ wives. Or husbands. They go either way. They’re liars and cheats. They encourage people to continue in their sins. They would probably fit very comfortably with the groups today that find traditional, Biblical morality “oppressive.”

And y’all, these are the “Faith Leaders.”

Feels eerily familiar doesn’t it?

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says to his people: “Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you, filling you with futile hopes. They are making up everything they say. They do not speak for the Lord! They keep saying to those who despise my word, ‘Don’t worry! The Lord says you will have peace!’ And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires, they say, ‘No harm will come your way!’”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭16‬-‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is what is called “hopium.” Very addictive substance. You can do what you want and nothing bad will happen.

It’s the Serpent’s original lie.

True hope must come from the Word of God. Hopium is false hope that denies reality.

In Jer. 23:18 the LORD Himself gives the definitive qualification for a real prophet:

“For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord to see and to hear his word, or who has paid attention to his word and listened?”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This doesn’t just mean – “Oh I stood in the temple,” or “I stood in Church and felt the presence of the Lord, therefore, I am qualified to carry the title ‘Prophet.’”

This word “council” is like a City Council. It’s a governing body. In this case, it is Yahweh’s governing body in heaven.

Think back on the prophets we’ve encountered so far. Think about their powerful encounters with Yahweh.

• Moses : 2 40-day stints on the mountain, a picnic with God and the elders where they were essentially in “heaven-space”, shining skin…
• Samuel: called as a boy when the Word “came and stood” by his bed.
• Elijah: Met God on Horeb, still hanging out in the council of the LORD
• Isaiah: transported to heaven and saw God, live coal touched his lips

We don’t have the details for all of the prophets, and we have yet to read about the incredible experiences of Daniel and Ezekiel and John, but one thing is certain, Yahweh brought them into His secret council and they heard Him speak.

The false prophets of then and now, have not had that commissioning experience. They are just cons. They get all excited about their “prophetic” dreams and pass off their own thoughts as a word from the Lord. The more subtle ones might not even say anything like “Thus saith the Lord.” They may just use their influence and platform to promote particular ideas – which might not even seem bad on the surface. They might not be obviously flaunting a sinful lifestyle. They may appear legit and very spiritual.

You and I need to be very careful who we listen to. If you can’t be bothered to search the scriptures yourself to check that what some online Bible teacher or Christian author says is so, then you would probably do well to not watch them or read their books at all.

Never check your brain or your discernment at the door, friends.

Back to false prophets…

Because they are frauds, they are more influenced by their own minds and each other than by God. So – even today – watch out for this:

“Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Copy cats.

Plagiarism.

If you are in that space (and I generally am not), but if you are and you notice that several “prophets” begin to have words that sound alike, it could be an indication that they haven’t truly heard from God. They’re just hearing this “word” going around in the community and they’ve gotten on the bandwagon.

And yes, I realize that the Holy Spirit can give words of confirmation to different people with prophetic gifts. This is usually for something personal. Individual. Like when two saints who do not know each other, each tell you (separately) something that confirms a situation you’ve been praying about.

That’s not really what I’m talking about. What God is addressing here are false prophets copy-catting each other and influencing whole groups of people.

There are many areas of the Church right now that are kinda like the Wild West. There are snake-oil salesmen and guns-for-hire out there alongside honest folk. It’s a dangerous place for trusting sheep.

I mentioned a while back that my sister acquired a few sheep. And she’s learning why they are the animal chosen to represent God’s people.

She learned recently from a more experienced person that (and I quote), “Sheep are basically looking for ways to die.” They have no defenses. They are rather dumb. They tend to eat whatever is in front of them even if it will make them sick. When they get sick they often show no indications until they are on death’s doorstep.

There are plenty of wolves out there trying to have you for diner. Stay close to the Good Shepherd.

We’re not done with the agricultural parables. In the next chapter, Jeremiah is going to get an object lesson from God using figs.