August 24, 2001
"Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet,
"Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you
have persuaded this nation to trust in lies. Therefore, this is
what the LORD says: 'I am about to remove you from the face
of the earth. This very year you are going to die, because
you have preached rebellion against the LORD.'"
Jeremiah 28:15-16
This chapter holds an interesting account of a man who claims to be preaching in God's name and yet his message differs from Jeremiah's. He preaches that the time of trial and hardship will be over very quickly. The people certainly prefer this message over what Jeremiah has been preaching and they flock to this man, a false prophet. In the end he is revealed for what he is and as God is dealing with him we see that God is angered because of the lies, he has persuaded the people to believe in him when he is leading them in rebellion to God.
"A lying tongue hates those it hurts, and a flattering mouth works ruin."
Proverbs 26:28
God hates liars and false prophets (Proverbs 6: 16-17) for many reasons but one we need to take to heart is its because those who lie don't care, in fact this verse says they hate, the people they lie to. God tells us the truth no matter how painful because he love us.