DCLM Daily Manna 12 January 2021 – Counterfeit Prophets
Topic: Counterfeit Prophets
Text: Micah 2:6-13 (KJV)
6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob, is the spirit of the LORD straitened? are these his doings? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13 The breaker is come up before them: they have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it: and their king shall pass before them, and the LORD on the head of them.
Key Verse: “If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people” (Micah 2:11).
MESSAGE:
Detecting counterfeit money is quite a challenge, because the imitation looks so much like the original. Members of the American Banking Association train tellers never to look at a counterfeit bill. All they do day after day, is handle authentic currency until they are so familiar with the true currency that they cannot possibly be fooled with the false. This is the way we should handle the matter of false prophets.
From our text, Prophet Micah was consistent in his fearless message against the evils in society. He decried the plan to shut up the true prophets so that counterfeit prophecy would prevail. He warned of the futility of patronising prophets who give false hopes and assurances of God’s presence, when in effect He was angry with His people. The mockery of the honourable office of the prophet continued to the extent that prophets who prophesied of wine and strong drinks were well accepted as ministers of God. Micah told them it would all end in bitterness and regret when judged by God.
During Micah’s day, Israel’s spiritual condition had fallen to the lowest level that they could no longer discern between the original and the counterfeit. The result of their error in judgment was devastating. Perhaps, they actually chose to listen to the false prophets because their message was very comfortable. The same situation is prevalent today as we approach the end of the age. The pulpit is packed with counterfeit preachers who are ready to compromise God’s word in order to fill their church pews with a large congregation. It takes proper discernment to separate the chaff from the wheat and the original from the counterfeit. We must be very watchful about the kind of preachers and pastors we allow to influence us, as we prepare for the imminent return of Christ.
Thought For Today: Make your choices carefully. Counterfeits abound!
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
