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Atlanta, 9 November 2016
We're home, after what was probably our best time in Israel ever! I couldn't resist including a picture of the whole group, plus a couple of other great shots.
Everywhere we went everyone wanted to know how a group from over 20 nations knew (and liked) one another. It surely helped that the vast majority of the group were Christians, positive and outgoing. And the more we explored the Holy Land, the more our faith grew.
The family feel was strengthened through many of the family units present: 7 or 8 father-daughter and mother-daughter combinations, 2 extended family groups (13 members), sets of physical brothers, and lots of married couples. Not to say there weren't a boatload of singles! (Through the years, there have been several marriages from BST attendees!) There were a dozen participants from the UK, and a dozen signed up from our local church (North River). If you're interested in the 2017 tour, just click on the group photo below.
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Lie No. 3: "I had a dream!" x 2
Last week we identified the second lie that Jeremiah exposed in the religious leadership of ancient Israel: the belief that all would be well with those who went to the Temple, regardless of how they lived their daily lives. Today we examine the third (and final) lie exposed by the prophet.
25 “I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ 26 How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions of their own minds?"
- These persons constitute a "charismatic movement" within Judaism -- but not one from the Lord.
- They claim to be truly spiritual, yet theirs is a pseudo-spirituality, not unlike that of some in the church at Colossae, who loved to share in great detail about their experiences (Col 2:18-19). See 2 Cor 12:4 and esp. 11:16-33: Paul shares about his weaknesses, not his strengths.
- Convinced God is speaking to them through their dreams, they wrongly claim divine authority for their all-too-human agendas.
- Fabricating messages / dreams from God dulls the senses and serves as cheap replacement for genuine spirituality.
29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" 30 “Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. 31 Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’
- The Lord compares the fluffy, insubstantial and fallacious "dreams" of the false prophets with his solid, true, and substantial Word -- a hammer and a fire which exposes, smashes, and destroys all lies.
- Jeremiah lands in direct conflict with the leaders of the religious establishment (see Jer 36-38), who borrow from each other words supposedly from the Lord. Thus an authoritative culture is created, intimidating dissenters.
We have now identified the principal lies of the religious establishment. (Can you remember all three?)
Moreover, there is an important connection between Jeremiah, Jesus, and their respective messages. We will probe this connection next week.
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Images below: Sea of Galilee; 2016 Israel Biblical Study Tour group; 1st-C Jerusalem model
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Yours in Him,
Douglas
IBTM, T&R, AIM
www.douglasjacoby.com
   
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