1 Then I said, “Listen, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice, 2 you who hate good and love evil; who tear the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones; 3 who eat my people’s flesh, strip off their skin and break their bones in pieces; who chop them up like meat for the pan, like flesh for the pot?” 4 Then they will cry out to the LORD, but he will not answer them. At that time he will hide his face from them because of the evil they have done. 5 This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead my people astray, if one feeds them, they proclaim ‘peace’; if he does not, they prepare to wage war against him. 6 Therefore night will come over you, without visions, and darkness, without divination. The sun will set for the prophets,
and the day will go dark for them. 7 The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.” 8 But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression,
to Israel his sin. 9 Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel,
who despise justice and distort all that is right; 10 who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. 11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.” 12 Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.
(Crowds in former USSR holding pictures of Stalin the dictator and Marx the philosopher/prophet of Communism)
Thoughts: Just because someone is in a leadership position does not mean they are good (think Hitler, Stalin, or Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania, or Pol Pot of Cambodia). Popularity doesn't always translate into goodness. The Harry Potter DVD came out today. In it an evil puppet was put in charge of the ministry of magic while another one (supposedly) was put in charge of the education system. Some leaders who hate good and love evil, will only use the people for their power. They do not seek to build up the country (for they do not seek to sacrifice themselves, only to hold onto their little bit of fading power). The priests are easily bribed and only help those who help them physically. God does not answer their prayers or give them visions. He leaves them because they have rejected Him. They have chosen evil over good.
Today there are those in leadership who do not care about the good of the church, or that the church keep to its foundational principles of holiness, love, and the Word of God. Instead people choose to open the church up to moral relativism (in the name of not being narrow or old fashioned), idolatry (pluralism in the name of tolerance), and sexual immorality (in the name of inclusiveness). Poor leadership can lead the people in the wrong direction. In an election year, it is important to obtain wise and godly leadership.
Prayer: Lord, we pray for our leaders that they would lead us in the paths of righteousness.
and the day will go dark for them. 7 The seers will be ashamed and the diviners disgraced. They will all cover their faces because there is no answer from God.” 8 But as for me, I am filled with power,
with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression,
to Israel his sin. 9 Hear this, you leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel,
who despise justice and distort all that is right; 10 who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. 11 Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD and say, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.” 12 Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.
(Crowds in former USSR holding pictures of Stalin the dictator and Marx the philosopher/prophet of Communism)Thoughts: Just because someone is in a leadership position does not mean they are good (think Hitler, Stalin, or Nicolae Ceausescu of Romania, or Pol Pot of Cambodia). Popularity doesn't always translate into goodness. The Harry Potter DVD came out today. In it an evil puppet was put in charge of the ministry of magic while another one (supposedly) was put in charge of the education system. Some leaders who hate good and love evil, will only use the people for their power. They do not seek to build up the country (for they do not seek to sacrifice themselves, only to hold onto their little bit of fading power). The priests are easily bribed and only help those who help them physically. God does not answer their prayers or give them visions. He leaves them because they have rejected Him. They have chosen evil over good.
Today there are those in leadership who do not care about the good of the church, or that the church keep to its foundational principles of holiness, love, and the Word of God. Instead people choose to open the church up to moral relativism (in the name of not being narrow or old fashioned), idolatry (pluralism in the name of tolerance), and sexual immorality (in the name of inclusiveness). Poor leadership can lead the people in the wrong direction. In an election year, it is important to obtain wise and godly leadership.
Prayer: Lord, we pray for our leaders that they would lead us in the paths of righteousness.
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