“Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” 10 For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in their own land,’ says the Lord, ‘and they shall till it and dwell in it.’ ” ” 12 I also spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live! 13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Therefore do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy a lie to you; 15 for I have not sent them,” says the Lord, “yet they prophesy a lie in My name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you.” Jeremiah 27:9-15 NKJV
Father God,
Meanwhile leaving Daniel and his friends in Babylon we come back to Jeremiah still speaking out Your message to those left behind in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas of Judah. The lone voice speaking against the united prophets, diviners, dreamers, soothsayers and sorcerers (Jeremiah 4:9). They were saying what people wanted to hear that everything would be OK again. Were they convinced it was true by general consensus? Did they feel they had to say something and went with the easiest? Where they afraid to stand with Jeremiah and also get punished?
It is not always easy to stand alone or to speak the truth when it will be costly. You God said we should not lie (Exodus 20:16). Jesus told us the Satan is called the father of lies and he can make them seem very convincing! (John 8:44). Your Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and will guide us in all truth (John 16:13). With You when we know the truth there is no going back to the lie.
Jeremiah could not stay silent even though he was a lone voice ( and you did provide him with the support of Baruch his secretary). Help us to not stay silent when we have the opportunity to share something of Your goodness, kindness and love. They may not listen – but that is not our problem. But they may.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Worship Thursday 23rd July 2026
O for a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace!
3esus! the name that charms our fears,
that bids our sorrows cease,
’tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’tis life and health and peace.
He speaks and, listening to his voice,
new life the dead receive,
the mournful broken hearts rejoice,
the humble poor believe.
Hear him, you deaf! his praise, you dumb
your loosened tongues employ;
you blind, now see your saviour come,
and leap, you lame, for joy!
My gracious Master and my God,
assist me to proclaim
and spread through all the earth abroad
the honours of your name.
Lyrics: Charles Wesley