Following the Right Leaders

Following the Right Leaders
Jeremiah 21-25
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you.  They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord.” (23:16).
We live in the age of noise. Not physical noise, but spiritual and moral noise. The radio and TV fill the airwaves with talk shows where celebrities and news commentators give us their opinions on every moral, cultural, and political issue we can think of. We turn to the internet, and “social influencers” clamor for our clicks to push their profits. Surveys indicate that 51% of Americans follow macro-influencers (those with 100,000 to 1 million followers). 25% of people listen to mega influencers (1 million+ followers). They influence people in many ways, from the food we eat to the political and social views we embrace. The tragedy is that even those who claim to be Christians are more influenced by the world we live in than by the teachings of scripture itself. Barna research reveals that only 17% of those who consider their faith important and attend church regularly actually have a biblical worldview, one that is grounded in scripture.
Yet, the misguided deception of false teachers is not new. From the very beginning of time, when Eve listened to the whispering of Satan in the form of a serpent, we have turned to false teachers for our instruction. This was also true during the time of Jeremiah. In chapter 23, Jeremiah again confronts the people with the danger of false prophets who would proclaim what the people wanted to hear rather than the biblical truth they needed to hear. In this chapter, we again find characteristics of false teachers. False teachers are more concerned about their own success than they are about communicating the truth (vs 1-2). What drives the social influencer is not the desire to share the truth, but the desire for clicks on their site, so they say what we want to hear. This was also true of the false teachers during the time of Jeremiah. While they claim to speak a prophecy from God, in reality, they were only proclaiming visions of their own imagination. Instead of warning of sin and calling people to repentance, they promised peace and prosperity (23:16-17). Instead of confronting sexual immorality, they promoted it (vs 10). Tragically, we see this in many churches today. Instead of teaching the truth of God’s Word, their message focuses on why we should not believe it. They conform the message to their own opinions.
However, we are not without hope. In chapter 23, we find Jeremiah not only warning of false shepherds but also providing the assurance that God remains vigilant in protecting His people. When we trust God and listen to His word, He will shield us from the deception of our world. He takes personal responsibility for us. Furthermore, He promises that a time will come when He will raise up a new shepherd, one who will “reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land” (5-6). This points us forward to the coming of Christ, who will come proclaiming God’s message and leading us in righteousness.
So, how do we have discernment in the age of misinformation? In this passage, we find a two-fold answer. First, a genuine shepherd will be grounded in the teachings of scripture and will call us to a life of purity and holiness. Instead of justifying sin, he will challenge us to turn from sin by warning of its consequences and calling us to repentance (vs 22). Second, a genuine shepherd will point us back to the true shepherd of Israel (vs 4). Their message will be centered on Christ, grounded in his teachings, and will direct us to the salvation he brings. In our age of information, political pundits, and social commentators, we need to ensure we are listening to the right voice: Are they calling us to a life of holiness? Are they pointing us to Christ? If not, there is only one thing left to do: hit the off button.