Prophets of Deceit

INTRODUCTION: One of the devices Satan uses to turn people away from the true words of the living God is to provide false prophets and teachers who will lead them into the paths of sin (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). When God’s people stray away from the words of God they often end up following these false prophets. This passage tells us much about the working and the ways of these men. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

1. THE DEPRAVITY OF THE PROPHETS (Jeremiah 23:9-15); practicing the wickedness of the world
1. They Follow After the Sins of the Land (Jeremiah 23:10, 14)
2. They Bring Wickedness into the House of God (Jeremiah 23:11)
3. They Discourage the Faithful Saints of God (Jeremiah 23:9)
4. They Lead Others in their Ways of Sin (Jeremiah 23:13, 15)
5. They Strengthen the Hands of the Wicked (Jeremiah 23:14)
2. THE DECEITFULNESS OF THE PROPHETS (Jeremiah 23:16-20); leading Gods people to error and sin
1. They Refuse to Hear the Word of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:18)
2. They Speak a Vision of their own Heart (Jeremiah 23:16)
3. They Comfort those who Need to Repent (Jeremiah 23:17)
4. They Make their Followers Vain (Jeremiah 23:16)
3. THE DREAMS OF THE PROPHETS (Jeremiah 23:21-27); speaking of things not given to them by God
1. They Go though God did not Send Them (Jeremiah 23:21)
2. They Fail to do the Work of a Prophet (Jeremiah 23:22)
3. They Forget that God Sees All Things (Jeremiah 23:23-25)
4. They Deceive Themselves as they Deceive Others (Jeremiah 23:26)
5. They Cause Gods People to Forget His Name (Jeremiah 23:27)
4. THE DENIAL OF THE PROPHETS (Jeremiah 23:28-32); denying the plain words of the Lord
1. They Trade the Wheat of Gods Word for the Chaff of their own Visions (Jeremiah 23:28)
2. They Forget the Power of the Word of God (Jeremiah 23:29)
3. They Steal Gods Words from the People (Jeremiah 23:30)
4. They Claim Gods Authority for their own Words (Jeremiah 23:31)
5. They Cause Gods People to Err (Jeremiah 23:32)
1. By their lies
2. By their lightness
5. THE DENOUNCEMENT OF THE PROPHETS (Jeremiah 23:33-40); mocking those who speak the words of God
1. They Mock the Negative Message of the True Prophets (Jeremiah 23:33)
2. They Claim the Authority of the True Prophets (Jeremiah 23:34)
3. They Forget that God has Already Spoken (Jeremiah 23:35-37)
4. They Perverted the Words of the Living God (Jeremiah 23:36)
5. They Bring Everlasting Shame on Themselves (Jeremiah 23:37-40)

CONCLUSION: We must be ready to follow the words of the living God and to test the prophets by the words of God that have already been given.