Who to Believe?
“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in My name. I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 29:8-9 (NIV)
One of the fallouts from the pandemic has been confusion over who to believe and what to believe! One day “science” says this is the thing to do and the next day it’s different. Whatever happened to the idea of “hard” science? Then there are the “prognosticators” who forecast everything from the stock market to the end of the world. Will the future bring a bear market or a bullish one? What about my personal future? Who do you listen to? What do you believe? Only one person knows the future. He is the one who has been there. God is the one who was, and is, and is to come! He is the God of your past, present, and future! You can trust your future to the God who is already there!
When Israel was in captivity to Babylon after the fall of Jerusalem, prognosticators were calling themselves “prophets” and they sent mixed messages to the people they claimed from God. One group of false prophets offered a doomsday message with no hope. Another group offered false hope that Israel’s captivity in Babylon would be brief and that they would soon find deliverance. But there was one prophet who was truly from God. His name was Jeremiah, and his counsel gave them real hope. He spoke on behalf of the Lord Almighty. In a letter to those exiled, he warned them in Jeremiah 29:8-9, “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.”
When you are worried about the future and don’t know what to do or who to believe, trust God’s Word over man’s opinion. God alone knows the future, and He tells us it is a hope-filled future! You can listen to the world and be filled with panic and fear, or you can listen to God’s Word and find peace and confidence.
One of the most unique and colorful prophets of the Old Testament was a man named Amos. In Amos 3:7 he said, “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”
Just as Jeremiah recorded his prophecy in a letter to those exiles, God has recorded His Word for us today! His word will guide us into the future with hope and confidence as we follow Him. Seek His counsel in His Word. Jeremiah added these words from the Lord, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
Seek God’s will in His Word for your life and trust Him to guide you. He has a hope-filled future for you.