DO YOU TRUST IN LIES?
- Olufunmilayo Adekusibe
- 11 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Today’s Reading:
Jeremiah 28:1-17
“Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, ‘Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make the people trust in a lie.” (v.15)
Many will agree that lies have become the order of the day, especially in this digital age. This is partly because communication has become very easy, with information flying at the speed of light. This is compounded by the current era of Artificial Intelligence, which allows information to be easily distorted or faked. There are lies everywhere! A “Lie” is said to be a false statement made with the intention of deceiving. It is anything misleading or of the nature of imposture. It is untrue and is usually given to give a false impression. The one who lies or speaks a lie is known as a “Liar”. It is interesting to read in the scripture that Moses, in Num. 23:19, dissociates God from lies. He said God is not a man that He should lie! This verse also points out that man lies. This confirms the scripture in Gen. 4:9 in which God asked Cain where his brother Abel was, and he responded with a lie that he did not know, though he had killed him. Man had continued to lie since then. Even before man was caught as a liar, the devil had exposed himself to God and man as a liar. He lied to Eve in the Garden of Eden and thereby made man to sin against God, which resulted in being chased out and losing Eden (Gen. 3:1-24). It is not surprising, therefore, that Jesus, while accusing the Pharisees and scribes, said they were of their father the devil, who has no truth in him and that when he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, because he is a liar and the father of it. (John 8:44).
Over thousands of years after the fall in Eden, mankind has learnt and mastered lies and has become a part of regular life. This, however, is very contrary to the law and command of God. It is so bad that people not only lie, but also trust in lies told to each other and even to God. In Today’s reading, we are faced with a typical example of how the children of Israel, God’s chosen nation, were lied to and how they trusted in the lies. While the Israelites were serving their punishment of disobedience to God in exile, they were sold lies by many prophets, and because of their unbelieving hearts, they trusted in those lies. One of such was prophet Hananiah, who lied to the Israelites in captivity that God sent him to tell them that He had broken the yoke He had put on their necks through the king of Babylon. He further said that within two full years, the vessels of the house of God taken by the king of Babylon would be brought back, including the King of Judah – Jeconiah carried away (v 3-4). Hananiah also demonstrated his prophecy by breaking the wooden yoke on Jeremiah’s neck, a symbol God had asked him to wear to drive home his points to the Israelites in exile in Babylon. Confronting Hananiah, the prophet Jeremiah, in the presence of many of the people, said that the Lord had not sent him, but that he made the people trust in a lie.
Like many sins committed by mankind, there are consequences derived from speaking lies, and worst still, making others believe or trust in the lies. One of such is death to the one who speaks the lie. In Today’s reading, God through Jeremiah said to Hananiah that He would cast him from the face of the earth and that he would die that year. God considered the act of lying by Hananiah to be rebellion against him, the God of Israel. As was spoken, Hananiah was recorded to have died that same year in the seventh month (v17). This confirms verses in Prov. 19:9 and 21:6. Aside from death, speaking and trusting in lies also attract a disconnect from God, because a relationship with him is broken or ruined. Also, lack of trust from people occurs and scripture in Rev. 21:8 says all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire – the second death. It is said in 2 Thess. 2:12 that believing a lie can cost men their souls. Beware, do not speak or trust in lies.
CHRISTIE KUPOLUYI
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! You are welcome to the body of Christ. Prayerfully look for a living church and meet the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
Our Eternal God, thank you for loving us with an everlasting love.
Father in heaven, we are eternally grateful for the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ, who reconciled us with You.
Precious Lord, as we believe and live for you, teach us to be truthful and desist from trusting in lies.
Father, please deliver the church leaders of our day who are misleading the people by lying to them. Purge the church from all evil and focus it on you only, and your assignment of winning souls.
Almighty God, please deliver our nation and the world at large from the spirit of lies and all evil.
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