Jeremiah 18:18 – Real truths are usually hard truths.

Jeremiah had a challenging role which he did recoil from doing. He spoke as God directed him and did not mince his words. Some of the people of Judah could not take his message kindly so they plotted to get him. So in Jeremiah 18:18, they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah. Surely the law is not going to be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the sage, nor the divine word to the prophet! Come on and let us strike at him with our tongue, and let us give no heed to any of his words.”

What was their plot? They refused to acknowledge him and his God-ordained ministry. Bear in mind that they had been listening to other spokesmen who were giving them comforting and sugar-coated messages that were not from God. They, therefore, felt that those official priests, counselors, and prophets could not be so too far wrong. So they deluded themselves with false assurances that they still could rely on those spokesmen to provide direction concerning the way of God and the law. So they decided to malign and slander Jeremiah and ignore the message God had given through Him. To them, Jeremiah was a troublemaker, whom they could do without.

 

As in the day of Jeremiah, there are also many spokesmen who purported to be God’s messengers in the church world today. Go to the internet and you will find a proliferation of false teachers and teachings that are not only stimulating but also seemingly palatable to life. Look deeper and we will realize that the Scriptural texts they would quote are often taken out of context, stretched, and extrapolated to suit the false teacher’s motive. What we really need is God’s plain truth. Plain truths are often hard truths. They are not meant to pander to our carnal desires. They are intended to get us to align with our walk with God. Hard truths are transforming. 

In our internet world, we sense the need today to examine the credential of teachers or preachers whose message we are listening to. It is better that we stick to listening to teachers, whose character we can attest. We need to be watchful with what we are being fed.  We live in a world where many false messages are lined with just a bit of “poison” that may not kill us instantly. But when receive undiscerningly, we will eventually be harmed. False messages  subtly alter our view of God and affect our relationship with Him. We need to discern what we hear.