Council for Counsel

“Both prophet and priest are ungodly;
    even in my house I have found their evil,
declares the Lord…
They commit adultery and walk in lies..,
    so that no one turns from his evil…

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord. They say continually to those who despise the word of the Lord, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’

“For who among them has stood in the council of the Lord
    to see and to hear his word,
    or who has paid attention to his word and listened?..

“I did not send the prophets,
    yet they ran;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in my council,
    then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have turned them from their evil way,
    and from the evil of their deeds.

“Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name… Let him who has my word speak my word faithfully… Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, declares the Lord, who steal my words from one another.., who use their tongues and declare, ‘declares the Lord…’ I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all.” Jeremiah 23:11,16-18,21-25a,28b,30-32

With hard message after sober judgment followed by more of the same, Jeremiah spoke stinging words for lying prophets who led God’s people astray. He would hold them accountable for the ungodly, evil course they espoused, forth told, and condoned. If they despised God’s true word and avoided standing in His council, He would despise them and the fallout of their wicked counsel. (Psalm 1:1-6)

It is one thing to determine and give counsel from a gathered popular line of thought, according to feelings and preferences, or that benefit personal ends. It is a stark quite another to take counsel in the council of God and be prepared with His wisdom and words. Our lives generally follow one course or the other. The danger with the selfish secular way is deception into idolatry and wrong thinking about God that results in separation, fear, and bitterness. The triumph of God’s way is freedom in the knowledge and application of truth that results in security and peace.

Before deciding on counsel, either to take or give, where do we look? What is our foundation, our filter? Taking time in the council of God, we observe His ways and glean from His mind. His Spirit can help us know what course would be best. If we seek those who avoid biblical truth or controversy, or prophesy for selfish profit, we’ll find them a detriment. When and how will I search the true word?

Lord, give me discernment to know and understand Your word, and to declare it for others’ good and Your renown.