Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"Prophets of the deceit of their own heart"
Text: Jeremiah 23:26
THE DREAMS OF THE PROPHETS
One of the ways in which God communicated with His prophets was through “special dreams”. Through these dreams important messages were given to the prophet. The false prophets sought to capitalise on the medium of “dreams”. They deceived many by their false claims!
“I have heard what the prophets have said
who prophesy lies in My name, saying,
‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’
How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies?
Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,
who try to make My people forget My name
by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbour,
as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.”
Jeremiah 23:25-27
1. “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying,
‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!'”
a) What the prophets claimed were known to God.
b) They drew people to hear the dreams they claimed to be from God.
c) The Lord rebuked the false prophets.
d) They were in fact prophesying lies!
2. “How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies?
Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart”
a) The LORD emphasised the fact that these prophets were lying!
b) They did not receive any dream from God.
c) They were false prophets.
d) They spoke to deceive people.
e) They were speaking out of the deceit of their heart!
3. “Who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbour, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal”
a) They caused people to forget the LORD and His name.
b) Their dreams distracted people from gaining further knowledge of God.
c) The people were like their fathers of old. These had forgotten God’s name through idolatry!
d) These false prophets were deceiving people deliberately!