Errant Shepards

 

Prophets, Priests, and Shepherds,

Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes,

Pastors, Teachers, and Elders

Some of you may not like the title referring to the various religious leaders from different times in the history of God’s people. But my hope is to exhort, and exhortation shouldn’t mix itself up with political correctness. Besides, those of you reading this may be very well meaning and perhaps just not aware of some of today’s resemblance to the complaints of God against religious leadership. But for those who choose to look, the resemblances, and the spiritual results that accompany them, are there.
The writer of Ecclesiastes (usually attributed to Solomon) wrote something that we should always remember because of its significance in understanding the way the prophetic work of the Holy Spirit operates. He wrote:

That which has been is what will be,
That which is done is what will be done,
And there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there anything of which it may be said,
See, this is new?
It has already been in ancient times before us.
There is no remembrance of former things,
Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come
By those who will come after.

 

When Yeshua walked the earth, there were three particular groups of people that He tended to address with less than sympathetic messages. Each of them in their turn was guilty of separate, though collaborating, methods of (un)orthodoxy. The end result of their striving to maintain religious control over their environment was that people did not know God, but only a “form of godliness.”

We’ll begin with a look at what the Prophets before Yeshua’s time had to say about spiritual misrepresentation. Most of the Prophets wrote or spoke about it and gave warnings to those who were in positions of leadership accountability as well as to those who gave heed to them. The theme seemed to repeat itself over both time and region, always with the same disastrous results: the suffering of the flock and the wrath of God.

As we go through these Scriptures, it would be to our advantage to remember a few things. First of all, Yeshua ha Messiach is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10). The Prophets spoke by the Spirit of God concerning not only matters of their own time, but of the future of Israel and the Church as well. When speaking of prophets, priests, vine dressers, shepherds, and ministers, we need to remember that the Spirit of God is speaking as well to the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes of Judea, and to prophets, pastors, teachers, elders, and evangelists in the Church today. The same things that applied to them apply to us as well (Matt. 21:33-45). The early Church fathers knew this to be quite true, and took their responsibilities seriously, knowing that they had a greater accountability before God, and that one Day an answer would be required of them for every word that proceeded out of their mouths.

One thing also to keep in mind as we go through the teachings of these Prophets is that Yeshua and His chosen Apostles got the majority of their “teaching material” from what these special men, the Prophets, had written. Too many of us see the “New Testament” as separate from the remainder of the Word of God. This leads to a lack of understanding of the intent of the writers of the gospels and the epistles, and subsequently to much false doctrine, which leads inevitably to heresy and apostasy. Yeshua and the writers of the epistles pointed to what the Prophets had written repetitively, just as the writing of the Prophets pointed to them. Some people teach that since Yeshua fulfilled the prophesies that spoke of His first coming, that we no longer need to pay heed to the rest of what Moses and the Prophets had to say about those who have been called out and made separate (ecclesia) and about the Second Coming of Yeshua. This kind of teaching is nothing more or less than blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which, by the way, is an unforgivable sin. To those who teach such doctrines and are reading this, consider this an exhortation. God will not tolerate or forgive false teaching.

God is God, His Spirit is His Spirit, and Yeshua is the same yesterday, today, and forever. To dismiss what these anointed men of God had to say to us (as not being for today) is ludicrous. One needs only to study the prophetic writings of Paul, Peter, and John, and compare them to the writings of the Prophets of the Scriptures to see that there is still much to be fulfilled. To dismiss the “Old Testament” (actually referred to as the Scriptures by Jesus and the Apostles) as completely fulfilled is just plain silliness, stubbornness, and bull-headedness. Yes, it is true that we no longer need to sacrifice bulls and goats, or get circumcised, etc. Those parts of the Law were fulfilled and completed in and through Yeshua and His ecclesia, and to this day Yeshua remains in His position as advocate and High Priest for us, with His Blood as our continuous propitiation for our (previous) sins and sin nature, if we have forsaken all, circumcised our hearts, and confessed to (and kept) the Covenant with Him. But the Spirit of righteousness shown through the entire Old Testament remains, and is to be recognized and obeyed.

Yes, Yeshua fulfilled all that the Scriptures had to say about His visitation in the flesh, His initial arrival of good news and suffering. But His return for the Harvest of His saints and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth under His authority has yet to be fulfilled. Also yet to be fulfilled is the completion of all that the Prophets, Yeshua, and the Apostles had to say about the compromise and corruption of the ecclesia and the end times destruction. If these things had already been completely fulfilled, there would now be a King reigning in Jerusalem, on Zion.

The same Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Yeshua ha Messiach, spoke to the writers and Prophets of the Scriptures, telling them the secrets of life, the things that please God, the things that dis-please God, and of what God considers to be righteousness and unrighteousness. It is the same Spirit of Righteousness that we have access to today through Yeshua (Romans 8:10). Has righteousness changed for God? Does God change? This same Holy Spirit of God is referred to as the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Holiness, and the Spirit of Christ (which, if we don’t have, we’re not His, Romans 8:9). Was God just kidding around for 3500 years before Jesus arrived in the flesh?

God tells us, “I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done.” The last time I looked out the window, the end had not yet arrived. There are things not yet fulfilled according to His purpose. He also tells us, “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” As a “light that shines in a dark place,” the Apostles relied on the words of the prophets to show them not only how to teach for their present day, but for the future. For us.

The purpose of this chapter is to reveal that “that which has been is what will be, It has already been in ancient times before us.” We shouldn’t be amazed in the least that the church has become, though, stagnant, heretical, selfish, materialistic, and unloving. It has all happened before many times, and we were told by the Prophets of Scripture, by Yeshua, and by the writers of the Epistles that it would happen again. And true to form, it has.

The Lord repeated something twice within two chapters toward the beginning of the Book of Jeremiah, and when that happens, that the Lord repeats Himself to make a point, we would do well to pay close attention and respond.

 

Because from the least even to the greatest, everyone is given to covetousness;

from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly,

saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.”

Now, let’s say for the sake of argument (for some will argue this point) that this message was only for the people of Israel (actually, Jeremiah’s ministry was as a “prophet to the NATIONS”), and that the resulting consequences were fulfilled with the captivity and therefore a “done deal.” I personally don’t hold that viewpoint, that it was “just for the Jews,” but supposing it was? Well, it was the Spirit speaking through Jeremiah, and God was terribly upset because “everyone is given to covetousness” and the priests and the prophets were saying, “Peace, peace!”, and “the daughter of My people” were suffering for it. Now, let’s do a comparison. If today’s ecclesia was given to covetousness, and the pastors and teachers were saying, “everything’s fine” when there is no peace, and the people were suffering for it, would God be upset? If pastors weren’t preaching repentance to a materialistic church, and instead were saying, “Everything’s OK. God loves you anyway, so don’t worry, because we have grace,” would God be upset given that it’s not true?

Let’s take a look at some things that Peter and Paul had to say: “We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you would do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of any man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”

He goes on to say of these false teachers, “These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, to whom the gloom of darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lust of the flesh, through licentiousness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty (grace?), they themselves are slaves to corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.”

So where do these false teachers come from?

Paul writes: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will HEAP UP FOR THEMSELVES teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” Now why would we do that? For it’s clearly the future church that Paul is speaking of here. Let’s go back to Jeremiah 5:30-31: “An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so.”

It is clear from the texts above that in the same manner as there were false prophets in Israel of old, that there will be false teachers among the ecclesia who teach licentiousness, a heretical form of “liberty,” and that also blaspheme the way of truth.

What will God do about this apostate church? “As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit (see also Rev. 18:2, Matt. 13:31-32). Therefore they have become great and grown rich. They have grown fat, they are sleek (see also Rev. 3:14-17); Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless; yet they prosper, and the right of the needy they do not defend. Shall I not punish them for these things (see also Matt.25:31-46)?” Says the Lord.”Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?”

What can we do? “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see (Rev. 3:18-19). As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.”

We can clearly see that what happened in Israel all those years ago also happens in the end times church. The question is, will we listen and obey? Will we “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is?” More than unfortunately, it has been prophesied, repeatedly, that we won’t listen (Jeremiah 6:16-17).

In this writing, I’m pointing out that the Word is pointing a finger directly at today’s pastors, teachers, and elders, and all who claim to believe, and quoting God’s Word, which demands accountability. Some of you may be offended; they were in the Prophets’ days, they were in Yeshua’s days, and I’m sure they will be today. But remember, though I’m pointing a finger, I’m NOT condemning – that job belongs to the Worthy One. My challenge is that, after you’re all done with being offended, you go to the Word, take a look at the world and the church, and see if what I’m pointing out is true. If you’re missing it, you definitely may need some of that eye salve.

Look at what today we call the “church”. It’s materialistic (idolatry, covetousness), it allows selfishness and materialism and divorce and fornication to go unchecked (licentiousness), it does not take care of the needs of the less fortunate, and it’s unrepentant! It says, “We have grace,” (don’t say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as OUR father”!) and so it has no fear of God! And that has happened because it’s been taught to them that way. “You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why?” Says the Lord of Hosts. “Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.” You know? Our house? Our private place where we keep all our stuff that makes us comfortable?

Look at the first chapter of the Book of Joel. He writes, “Be ashamed, you farmers, wail, you vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished. The vine has dried up and the fig tree has withered; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, all the trees of the field are withered; surely joy has withered away from the sons of men.” He goes on to say, in verse 18, “Even the flocks of sheep suffer your punishment.” In verse 15, he tells us that this is the state of affairs when the “Day of the Lord is at hand.”

Let’s move to that place in time when Yeshua came to Judea, and look at what He had to say to the religious leaders of that period. Keep in mind that Yeshua reminded them that they were like their predecessors who killed the Prophets, and that both Jesus and the Apostles noted that such circumstances would arise again in Israel and in the ecclesia . (Matt. 21:34-35, Matt. 21:45, Matt. 23:29-34)

John the Baptist, in the spirit and the zeal of Elijah, prepares the way (make a straight path of access for the King!) for the coming of the Christ. There are not very many words of this man recorded in the Word, so it’s very interesting that many of those few words are directed at some of the “spiritual leaders” of the day, the Pharisees and the Sadducees. “Brood of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore EVERY tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Thus says the “greatest of men born among women.”

In the prophetic Scriptures, the allegory of trees and fruit is used often. “Be ashamed, you farmers, wail, you vinedressers, for the wheat and the barley; because the harvest of the field has perished. The vine has dried up, and the fig tree has withered; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree … “ all the trees of the field are withered; surely joy has withered away from the sons of men. Gird yourselves and lament, you priests; wail, you who minister before the altar; come, lie all night in sackcloth, you who minister to my God;  even the flocks of sheep suffer your punishment.” Our SUSTENANCE has perished, and our hopeful expectation with it!

We must take a quick, general look at the conditions that existed in Judea at that place in time in which “John came in the spirit of Elijah.” Jerusalem was an occupied city. The fourth empire of Nebuchadnezzar’s vision (Daniel Chapter 2) had its teeth tightly clenched on the entire region. Rome, as was it’s habit, had assigned regent-kings to look over the area, and at the time of John the Baptist, the “king” over Judea was Herod Antipas, the son of Herod “the great”, the son of Antipater, who was an “Idumean”, or Edomite, or, a “son of Esau”. All being said, this line of “kings” were not true Jews in the sense of being sons of Jacob, but according to Josephus (14.1.3), had invented the story that they were of Babylonian Jewish extraction so as not to incite rebellion amongst the people of Judea. The best that can be said of the governorship of Israel at that time was that they had a “mock Jewish king,” so they could “pretend” that they were ruled by their own.

Antipater’s background involved amassing large sums of wealth as a merchant amongst the Arabians, and as an “Idumean” general. It appears he was a “broker” between the middle-eastern kings and merchants and the Roman Empire. In such company he gained the attention of the transitioning power base (from the Greek to the Roman), and so was the “natural selection” for the appointment to rule over the Jews. He secured the “dynasty” for his offspring, but his son, Herod the Builder, is the one who desired fame and glory and power, and who “outshone” his father in history. Herod was often in the company of such renowned personages as Marc Antony and Cleopatra, and became quite famous for keeping his neck off the block and for building glorious spectacles as his “legacy.” In fact, again according to Josephus, Herod rebuilt the Temple of Zerubbabel in order to glorify himself (and, of course, to appease his populace). Do you recall reading about how disappointed the people were with the “second temple?” Well, Herod the Builder leveled the remains of the second temple and built a more “glorious” temple upon its foundations, and imposed the “temple tax” to pay for it.

Basically, the regent’s job was “simple.” Keep the roads open, the taxes coming, and the people quiet. Period. Rome would be displeased with a regent who they heard from in the wrong way too often.

As a result, this was also the primary job of the “High Priest” (also appointed) and the Pharisees and the Sadducees. Keep the people in line. Don’t let them get too unruly “for their own good.” Grievances flow downhill. Once again, as far as the regent was concerned, no news from the religious leaders, aside from “smooth sailing,” was good news. So now we know why the Pharisees and Sadducees were so interested in a stinky-ol- camel-hair-covered bug-eating prophet named John. He was stirring things up.

The simple point is, the religious leaders were more interested in keeping the peace, and subsequently their positions and their livelihoods and their heads, than they were in seeing that God’s people knew God’s Truth (“It is better that one man die for the people…”). Because of this, the “vine tree had withered” and would be cut off at the roots to make room for new growth. Eventually, John said something that Herod’s (adulterous) wife didn’t like, and John’s head got literally served up on a platter.

Now, Yeshua, like John the Baptist, didn’t go after them. They came to Him, but not for the Truth (except perhaps for Nicodemus). Instead, they viewed him as an upstart, though perhaps an upstart skilled in the arts of sorcery. You see, they had their “secret societies” then as we do today, and in like manner, even amongst the “religious leaders.” For the Jews, it was the Kabal, known today as “Kabbalism.” This was Jewish black magic, still practiced today, in which the participators would invoke “angelic powers” to bless or, more likely, to curse. It is possible that they walked lightly around Yeshua not because they thought He was from God, but because they weren’t sure how “powerful” He was in terms of sorcery. That is conjecture, but it does fit in with the culture of that time and place. (They accused Yeshua of casting out demons in the name of a demon, a frequent practice of the Kabal.) His miracles certainly gained everybody’s attention, but very few responded in faith. The “power” was more impressive to them than the Truth, much like today.

The first time in the Gospel according to Matthew that Yeshua mentions the religious leaders, it is not in a favorable way. “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will BY NO MEANS enter into the kingdom of Heaven.” We’ve all probably heard this enough times that it doesn’t have nearly the impact on us as it did on those listening to Him that day. You see, the Pharisees were the religious “rulers,” and the scribes were the religious “lawyers.”

The Pharisees had the cleanest robes, never broke a “rule” (publicly), had the respect (or fear) of the community, the “authority of God,” and set the standard for righteousness. And they enforced it. The Scribes knew every “jot and tittle” of the Law (and every space in between every jot and tittle as well), and no final decisions were made without consulting them. They had Masters Degrees in Phariseeism, and Phd.s in “jot and tittlism.” They no doubt needed expertise in Roman law as well, in order to give the “right” counsels in political and cultural issues. Some of them were Roman citizens (two masters). All said, it was considered impossible by the general populace to “measure up” to these leaders, and they were revered more out of fear than out of genuine respect. As a result, the people either bowed down to them to gain their favor, or they stayed away from them, and subsequently stayed away from the synagogues and the temple (except perhaps for the days they “had to go” to adhere to the Law). Sound familiar today?

What if someone told you that unless your righteousness exceeded that of your favorite pastor or teacher you could not enter the Kingdom of Heaven? You may think, “Well, then let’s eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Same thing, really. We today have “heaped up” leaders that we put on pedestals, who have the respect of the community, who interpret the Word of God for us, who are given authority either by us or by themselves, who “set the standard” for godly living, who we’re careful not to “mess up” around, and who many people stay away from except for Christmas and Easter. We’re very careful not to cuss or drink or smoke around “pastor,” and to put on our best face around him. If one were to say something they don’t like, that person often finds himself blackballed in the church community (Matt. 10:17), or “marked”. The people are warned to stay away from that “divisive” or “rebellious” person. And they generally do so at the “leader’s” word, without inquiry. “God” has spoken.

Rarely is the procedure followed that says, 1) go to him, 2) then take two or three, and 3) then take it before the church. We’ll touch more on this point later, but rarely are “dissenters” given the opportunity to voice their concerns before the church body. And if they voice their concerns about the leadership to two or three individuals, that’s considered as being “divisive.” What, then, is a person with valid questions or observations to do? Well….leave.

As Yeshua taught, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Scribes followed Him around, not because they desired the Truth, but so they could find fault with Him in some word or deed and condemn Him for it (Matt. 9:34, Matt. 12:2, Matt. 15:1-2). The disciples, concerned because of the condemnation of the Pharisees, said to Him, “Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” Yeshua answered them, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Sorrowfully, I believe that today many are leading many into a pit.

Do we today, because of fear of compromising our leaders, follow them blindly so as not to upset the apple cart? Yeshua and His Apostles said we would, indeed, that many would heap up for themselves teachers who blindly lead us in His Name. We each have a personal accountability not to trust the words of any man, but to pray and seek diligently in the Word of God for His answers to us (II Peter 2:18, 3:16, II Thess. 2:7-13). Many of us, in the laziness of not searching for ourselves, allow others to search and formulate doctrine for us, and thus are led captive unawares. Have we taken Him out of The Way? I say yes, and so does the Word. We must love (and respect) the Truth more than we do our fellow man.

I can’t apologize for pointing these things out; they have needed to be said for quite some time now, not in a manner that “correctly” side-steps the issues, but in a direct and Truthful manner. One only needs to truthfully observe the state of the “church” today, and see that professing believers are not doing what Jesus said to do to know the truth of this. What I’m experiencing is sorrow, and deep concern, for those who claim to be called by His Name. All the things that Yeshua and the Prophets and the Apostles stated about the end times church are true for today.
Yeshua said to His disciples, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” Because they had no faith (didn’t believe in the Promise of God and act on it), because they were disobedient to the Spirit of the Word, these religious leaders formed doctrines that were not included in God’s Word. They derived these doctrines as a method of maintaining control over their populace, and in order to maintain their own sense of importance for themselves and for those around them. They would pick through the Law to find excuses for not doing what the Law was really saying to do.

An example of this is seen during Yeshua’s “woe to you” speech to the Pharisees and Scribes. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay a tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.”
His following comment, shown to us in Matthew 23:24, is of particular relevance for today’s ecclesia. He says, “Blind guides, who strain at a gnat and swallow a camel!”

In what ways are we blind today? What are the gnats that we are straining at, and what is the camel we are swallowing? Many in christendom today are pointing at the “New Age Ecumenical Religion(s)” and at “Secular Humanism” and at “cults” as the problem. The Word says that we should examine ourselves. Note the sad situation as portrayed by Gary Kah, author of “The New World Religion”: “In a world that increasingly wants to hear a gospel of unity and prosperity, our message of discernment and repentance is sounding more and more radical. We are witnessing a lack of true Christ-centered unity, while false unity (ecumenism/interfaithism) abounds. We are seeing a growing number of churches embracing an “anything goes” mentality. They have no desire to stand for truth and be discerning. With crowds at discernment conferences growing smaller and with fewer and fewer churches wanting to hear the truth, I became deeply frustrated and admittedly discouraged.”

The Word says that when He is taken out of the way, we will no longer love the truth. The apostate church has not only arrived, it has blossomed, born fruit, planted seeds, and reproduced itself.

The problem does not lie with the worldly religions, instead, the problem is that in our evangelical messages and teachings we have “twisted the Scriptures to our own destruction.” ( II Peter 2:16) Yeshua said of the Pharisees that they “travel land and sea to win one proselyte (new believer), and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of Hell as yourselves.” We do the same thing today. We induce seekers to pray the “sinner’s prayer,” then we teach them all of our methods of straining at the gnats, as learned by our “scribes,” and as a result, they swallow the camel and teach others the same methods. Instead, we should teach them to do the words that Yeshua said: forsake all, deny ourselves, and follow Him (“These words, they are spirit and they are Life”).

One can tell by looking at the ecclesia that we’ve left the first step, the foundation, out of the instructions.

Let’s step back and take a look at what the Prophets had to say about religious leadership and its effects on the people:

“All you beasts of the field come to devour, all you beasts in the forest. His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant; they are dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yes, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way. Every one for his own gain, from his own territory.” Isaiah 57:9-11

“Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord.Isaiah 55:7

“So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.” Isaiah 59:15

“My people have changed their Glory for what does not profit. They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:11-13

“Therefore I said, Surely these are poor. They are foolish; for they do not know the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God. I will go to the great men and speak to them, for they have known the way of the Lord, the judgment of their God. But these have altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds.” Jeremiah 5:4-5

“An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?” Jeremiah 5:30-31

“From the least even to the greatest everyone is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 8:10-11

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved!“ Jeremiah 8:20

“Her heads judge for a bribe, and her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, ‘Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.'” Micah 3:11

“Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves that leave not a bone till morning. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; her priests have polluted the sanctuary.” Zephaniah 3:3-4

“Therefore My people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge; Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity, and sin as with a cart rope; that say, ‘Let Him make speed and hasten His work, that we may see it; and let the counsel of the Holy One of Israel draw near and come that we may know it.’ Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”

Isaiah 5:13-21

“You have wearied the Lord with your words; yet you say, ‘In what way have we wearied Him?’ In that you say, ‘Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and He delights in them.” Malachi 2:17 (Once-saved always-saved sinner’s prayer theology – Catholic and Calvin based)

“Gather My saints together to Me, those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.” (see Romans 12:1, I Cor. 15:51-52, I Thess. 4:16-17) “But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, or take My covenant in your mouth, seeing you hate instruction and cast My words behind you?” (see I Cor. 11:26-29) Psalm 50

“For the leaders of this people cause them to err, and those who are led by them are destroyed.” Isaiah 9:16

Now let’s look at what Jesus, and then the Apostles, had to say about the leadership of the (then) present and future.

“Many will say to Me in that Day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'”

“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My Name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. Then many false prophets shall rise up and deceive many.” Matthew 24:4,5,11

I have come in My Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” John 5:43

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.” (see Isaiah 46:9-10) Matt. 24:23-25

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My Words by no means shall pass away.” Mark 14:31

“But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues.” Mark 13:9

“Nevertheless even among the (synagogue) rulers many believed Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12:42:43

“You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.” Luke 16:15-17

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his Master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” John 15:18-20

“They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.” John 16:2-3

“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.’ Luke 11:23

“Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.” Luke 11:52

“Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys.” Luke 12:33

“Whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” Luke 12:1

“Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say? Luke 6:46

“My mother and My brothers are these who hear the Word of God and do it.” Luke 8:21

“You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these they are which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. John 5:39-40

“For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.” Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’ Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.”

“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me, you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:4-6

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, “ I Tim. 4:1-2

“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” I Tim. 4:16

“If anyone does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Yeshua ha Messhiac, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the Truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” I Tim. 6:3-8

“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” II Tim. 3:1-5

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” II Tim. 4:3-4

“We also have the prophetic word made more sure, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the Day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” II Peter 1:19-2:3

“For when they (false teachers) speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through licentiousness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also is he brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the Holy Commandment delivered to them.”II Peter 2:18-21

“You therefore, beloved, since you know these things beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked.” II Peter 3:17 He’s speaking to “believers, the “saved”!

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” I John 4:1

So, we have verification that what the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote was true. There is nothing new under the sun. Men (and women) misled people in spiritual matters before Yeshua, and while Yeshua was on earth, and in the days of the Apostles, and ever since then. It was prophesied by the Prophets, and by Yeshua, and by the writing Apostles that it would get worse, and it has. The reasons are always the same. Money, prestige, pride, jealousy, lack of Scriptural knowledge, and vain ambition. Many times, pastors and teachers are teaching lies out of the sincerity that what they believe and teach is true. Many are taught that to follow their example is the correct way to do things. Covetousness, or worldliness (known today as materialism), which is idolatry, is okay; no worries! God is with us! Licentiousness, or liberty to sin, is okay; no worries! God is with us! We have grace! Do you have a lot of stuff? That’s okay! God has blessed you! Look at me! He’s blessed me too! It’s my earthly reward for diligently seeking to do His will! Do you feel convicted? No worries! You’ve prayed the sinner’s prayer, haven’t you? Well, that was just the accuser telling you it was wrong to buy that new car when you knew of people that needed some financial help! No worries! “Peace, peace!”

I personally believe that the Word shows us clearly the reason why things have become so corrupted in the church. It’s written, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies.” I’ve stated before that if there’s one thing a pastor or teacher hates, it’s someone publicly calling them to account for their teaching. So the church has managed, under the banner of “politeness” and “niceness” and “correctness” and “not being divisive or offensive,” to silence the Holy Spirit by “turning off” those who have been given the gift of exhortation, a prophetic gift concerned solely with the Truth.

As in the “old times,” people (generally) want a prophet who makes them feel good and who can “do something” for them.

People, because of the sin nature, want to hear, “Peace, peace!” so that they can feel good. They want to see the “tricks” so they can feel spiritual. The sin nature, and thus people, has not changed.

Today, if one doesn’t have a pastor’s prior approval, that person is most often not allowed to stand “up front” and share his views. Accordingly, often one must share the pastor’s views to have his approval. This over-rides the very intent that God has for those He has appointed to exhort His people.

In defense of the pastors, though the premise is not true to God’s Word, many feel that they are “protecting their flock” by keeping “divisive nutcases,” or more kindly, “misled and deceived persons,” from openly sharing their views. Besides, a pastor feels that they will be tainted by seeming to have endorsed whatever the person has to say, in that they “gave their blessing” to allow the person to speak. This is clearly not in accordance with the Word. In I Corinthians 12:28, prophets (those with the gift of discernment and exhortation) are clearly given precedence over all but Apostles. In I Corinthians 14:1, Paul exhorts to especially desire to prophesy, so important is it for the exhortation and edification of the Body. The gift of the prophet is clearly the means by which the Truth is guarded and the Body protected from false doctrine and unscriptural behavior.
What has happened to the necessary desire to seek the truth at any cost, to be “Berean,” to be of a “fair-minded, noble heart” at any cost? Yes, we were taught that there would be false prophets and false teachers among us, but we were not taught to cut off exhortation. We were taught instead to hear “the low as well as the great,” and to test the spirit(s), and to use the Word as our test and our protection. But this is no longer done. If someone says something that sounds scriptural and makes us “feel good,” it seems to us that what the person said must be from God. And That is how Satan tried to tempt Jesus.

But don’t you see that it was usually the opposite, that God wants to use the exhortation of the prophet to turn us from our will (that makes us feel good) to His will for our own good and protection? God rarely raised a true prophet up when everything was “A-okay.” He would raise His prophets of Truth to warn His people and turn them from their ways (that made them “feel good”) and keep them in His ways which, while asking them to give up “control”, or self will, also kept them from ungodly heresies and destruction.

There was a period of time, from Malachi to John the Baptist, that God silenced the prophets even though everything wasn’t okay, because the people wouldn’t listen and learn. The common theme, however, is that many times the people wouldn’t listen and they suffered the consequences of their own making, while those who did listen, and repented, were kept from physical or spiritual harm and blessed (Jonah 3:8-10). It is obvious, though, that today’s ecclesia hasn’t listened and repented.

 

What can we then do? I must address the leaders.

Pastors must give up “control” enough to let people speak, to give all who wish to speak a “Berean” hearing. They must also, when they speak, refrain themselves from their own words and speak only the Word of God (When you speak, speak as the oracle of God…)

God told us that in the end times He would send watchmen to raise the alarm, so to speak, to His people. It’s not really that difficult to discern a true prophet from a false prophet. First, are they telling you what you (in terms of the flesh) want to hear? False prophet.

Are they saying, “Don’t worry if you’ve sinned; God delights in you anyway, after all, you’re His poema, His masterpiece” False prophet (Mal. 2:17)

Are they telling you that it’s okay with God if you have worldly goods while others do without? False prophet.

On the other hand, if they’re telling you to turn from your sin, or to deny yourselves, or to humble yourselves, or to leave your church because of false teaching, or pointing out that the pastor/teacher is teaching outside of the Word, or if they’re saying to separate, or sanctify yourselves from the world, they’re more likely to be someone with the gift of exhortation, a prophetic gift.

But still, don’t be deceived. Check out every word they say in the full context of the Word of God even, and especially if, what they say makes you very uncomfortable. They could be right or wrong and you have everything to gain by checking it out thoroughly in the Word.

Another (dangerous) theme in the ministry today is the idea that big is good. The truth of the matter though, if one takes the time to examine the issue closely, is that large followings or congregations are not beneficial to a healthy body environment. For one thing, it puts the “control” of the many into the hands of a few. Those few cannot possibly see to the spiritual, much less the day-to-day practical needs of the “many.” Also, this practice tends to lend to the “we can’t let everybody get up and talk” syndrome. “We’re on a schedule; we have the music, and then we have the sermon, and then we have the altar call, and then we have more music. Afterwards, I’ve got a brunch commitment. Why don’t we meet privately the week after next on Tuesday at 2:00 to discuss what’s troubling you?”

Pastors, the Holy Spirit doesn’t make appointments!

By operating in this manner, we’ve quenched the exhortative manifestation of God! We want Him to “show up” at our beck and call when we want a healing or some other answer to prayer, but when He shows up to talk to us, we’re too busy! (“When I spoke to you, you would not listen. Therefore, when you speak to Me, I will not hear.”)

Another thing about “big”: big bodies need big maintenance, which requires big money. There’s more on this in the chapter entitled “The Tithe,” but let it suffice for now to say that there is no indication in the Word of God that we’re to build larger congregations to “fund” larger “machines.” Big ministries drain the resources, both spiritually and financially, of their people, and often then the needs of the needy in the congregation go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Do you remember that John-what’s-his-name? I haven’t seen him for awhile. Have you?” “I’m not quite sure who you’re talking about.” “Well, if we don’t see him next week, we’ll send him a card.” Many times “John’s” name isn’t even known, much less is he noticed.

Furthermore, there are many “big” congregations in christendom that are downright heretical, and the bigger they are, the more they are in the public’s eyes. There are two problems with this. One is that Yeshua is misrepresented on a large scale. The other is that when the “leaders” of these congregations “fall” (= get caught), the worldly media then has a golden opportunity to slander Yeshua (“They blaspheme God because of you.”). Add these factors, and many more, to the fact that there’s not time to hear and meet the needs of the people, and you see a primary contributor to the reason why “the love of many has waxed cold.” The “fire” has gone out, the “wax” has hardened, and the light is missing.

Any “congregation” in today’s world that has over a hundred people total (including children) turns into an out of control, many-headed hydra, and begins consuming the very people it is meant to edify. So what am I suggesting? That you destroy your ministry? In a word, YES! Seeds must die in order to bear fruit! Don’t you see that, by the very nature it’s taken, it’s already destroyed? Make it God’s ministry and give it new Life.

And listen to the people that God brought to you, on His Time, without an appointment. In this way, you’ll be able to observe the spiritual pulse of those you are teaching, you’ll know them well enough to know not only their needs but what benefit they can be to the rest of the Body, and perhaps the Holy Spirit will no longer be quenched. Allow them to speak publicly, even if you believe they’re wrong. Let the Body exercise discernment and search the Word for True Answers. Allow them to get to know each other personally as the True Family of Christ.

If you’re congregation starts getting big, cut it in half! Or even quarters! The Word will go out to those who need to hear it much more quickly and much more accurately, because God’s people will be heard.

Pastors, teachers, and church “members,” what I’ve written above is true, as can be seen in the Word of God. It was prophesied to us through the Prophets, by Yeshua, and through the writers of the New Testiment. One big problem is that many of us don’t think these things apply to us; we think we’re “just fine,” that we’re warm and clothed and fed. We are warned to be careful if we think we stand, lest we fall. We were warned to examine ourselves to be sure that we’re in the Faith, the Way. We were told what the signs would be, both in our congregations and in our leaders, and told that it would happen, not that it could happen. To doubt the warnings is unbelief, not trusting the Words of God. The signs are evident in the church of the world today.
What will it take to make us listen and obey?