Be Not Deceived
This past weekend, I was invited to be the (capitulatory) preacher at a patriotic event to give it that Christian(ish) vibe. You can likely assume that, true to my modus operandi, many of the things I spoke were not relished among the pro-political crowd. I challenged the authenticity and effectiveness of a person who keeps their Christianity in a fearful, peripheral place while foolishly thinking they can effect change in our wicked and perverse generation. Most impactful was the realization in that crowd how easily and successfully the general population (and by default, they as well) could be so badly deceived.
There were a few folks, though, who embraced repentance and approached me afterward in sincerity. A well-intended gentleman approached me and asked, “How did you know the pandemic was a scam-demic so early?” I knew he was serious because he bought a stack of ten of my books and wanted me to sign them for different guys he knew should be more courageous.
It is a totally valid question that I honestly wish more folks would ask, especially internally. If entire national populations can be convinced to embrace physical, blatant lies, then how much more devastating is their acceptance of spiritual mendacity.
This man [anti-christ] will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NLT, brackets mine
… they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them…
Yes, both of those.
A failed humanistic and modern character trait that has been picking up momentum seems to be the likely culprit. There is not a specific diagnosis of this particular psychosis, but it is easily perceivable all around if you squint just right. It looks like a church-i-anity kinda guy who is focused on the new national motto of, “you do you.” You know this fella… he is in every crowd and in every gathering as just another number on the attendee checklist. You will recognize him by his subtle demeanor hiding behind some shameful experience, powerful alpha female, or job-function in society that gives the faux portrayal of value. He has his head bowed low in emasculated uncertainty, walking fast to avoid painful interactions, mouth zipped shut so as to not engage in difficult conversations, and likely believes he is living his life the right way… well, his right way, anyway. He has been beaten into submission by an abusive, unrelenting culture with hip-sounding terms like, “toxic masculinity,” “systemic racism,” “modern oppressor,” and, “Christian nationalism.” Or worse yet, he has no name at all because he has faded into the wallpaper of a constantly redecorated Matrix-styled progressive prison cell.
All it would take for this poor shlub to awaken is to ask that same type of question… “How did I get so deceived?” He has to ask it in humble sincerity and genuine desire though, and therein lies the real problem. It is much easier to just remain in deception than to admit you have been deceived. In our narcissistic culture, no one wants to admit they have been hoodwinked, no matter how simple or elaborate the trap was. It is not just the demonic PRIDE movement that is efficiently changing the divine identity of humanity, it is also the old-fashioned pride like Lucifer had that makes people want to falsely think more highly of themselves than they ought.
Jeremiah lived in a time of national disgrace and failure of the once-favored nation of Israel. This once great kingdom was hand-picked by God’s love and mercy to be His own, personal prized-possession and a people of peculiar value to Yahweh. He was a prophet who was passionately and resolutely committed to starting an awakening among his fellow countrymen. Yet, like in our day, the population of his day was deceived, lethargic, and hopeless. This was due to external forces (government, secularism, oppression, poverty, captivity) mixed with powerful internal forces (false prophets, feel-good preaching, distracting pulpit tactics, and, famously, the clergy was calling good evil and evil good). They embraced that, “you do you,” attitude towards their environment that made Jeremiah and his irritating messaging as unpopular as the scam-demic truths today. Like large chunks of fecal matter sliding down an open sewer, so were the anointed words of that prophet to the masses.
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah had prophesied to you when I did not send him, and has made you trust in a lie, therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants. He shall not have anyone living among this people, and he shall not see the good that I will do to my people, declares the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.’”
Jeremiah 29:30-32 ESV
Shemaiah the Nehelamite was a potent false prophet who publicly opposed Jeremiah’s message of repentance and hope for the people of Judah. Shemaiah is mentioned in three passages in Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 29:24-32: In this passage, God tells Jeremiah to confront Shemaiah for sending letters to the people in Babylon, urging them to put Jeremiah in stocks and neck irons. God declares that Shemaiah is a false prophet and that his words will not come to pass.
Jeremiah 36:10-19: In this passage, Shemaiah is one of the priests who tries to stop Jeremiah from reading his scroll to the people. Shemaiah accuses Jeremiah of treason and says that he should be put to death. (Read that again with present contexts in mind).
Jeremiah 43:2-3: In this passage, Shemaiah is one of the prophets who tries to convince the people not to go to Egypt. He says that they will be captured by the Babylonians if they go to Egypt.
Shemaiah’s opposition to Jeremiah is an example of the conflict between true and false prophecy, the embracing of the Word of the Lord versus rejecting it, the call for national repentance verses same-ole-same-ole, and the merciful covenant commitment of God to redeem His people versus their unwillingness to submit. Jeremiah’s message of hope was often met with opposition from preachers, talking heads, circumstantial pressures, and Babylonian-sized deception. This all culminated in a hopeless and subservient population willing to remain chained by lies and tyrants.
Please notice in the above passage that God defines the rejection of His Word and the adoption of lies as rebellion. Yikes!
Scripturally, there are a ton of examples of the infinite amount of mercy showered down on innocently deceived and manipulated folks… especially God’s people. But, that is totally untrue about those poor souls who dare to engage in rebellion. Their fate is renowned in the Biblical narrative. From becoming the main-course lunch of the earth itself in Numbers 26 to the SADS instance of Ananias and his accomplice wife Sapphira in Acts 5. Rebellion dams the flow of mercy.
It is clear to me (and others better than me) that God has declared THE Great Awakening is awaiting His remnant people of our generation. These are the people who WILL NOT be deceived no matter how grandiose the lying wonder, who will humbly reject the self-centered pressures of rebellion, who are unafraid to stand in courage for righteousness and truth, and who are disgusted with the overt pride marching through the innocent vision of our children and the sacred places of our once-pure hearts.
Where ya at on this, Beloved?
I believe I stand among heroes who are doing the hard things for the Kingdom!
In love and honor,
Steve
