A Strong Delusion via Choice Instruments
A nearly successful revival of the Church was quickly redirected into a completely successful apostasy, and according to Jeremiah, who watched the events unfold, the false prophets were infamously and staggeringly responsible for it all!
“Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” – Lam. 2:14
My reader, do you think you are not vulnerable to flattery? What about flattery in the form of “the promises of God” that have been, as you have heard it said, “bought and paid for by the blood of Christ!”? What about the flattery that deceived Jehoiakim, in other words (in OT terms)? This flattery was nothing more than the preaching of misapplied promises according to the doctrine of Unconditional Eternal Security, and to who? To a man that walked with God for 13 years! A righteous man, recently backslidden. Also, in Jehoiakim’s case, flattery was a reckoning of Covenantal Ideals which would be the norm in former generations - like the Covenantal Ideals that were accessible to and reckoned upon by Moses and Samuel, or like the Covenantal Ideals revived in their seasons through the righteous judgment of Kings and Priests. Of them, the Covenantal Ideals, the LORD said, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My mind could not be toward this people…” (Jer. 15:1). How fearful! My reader, the undiscerning eyes of false prophets knew not the time in which they lived (Matt. 16:3)! Hence, in denial of the only true Prophet among them, the False Prophets preached and reckoned upon their intercessory powers to achieve what the Prophets of old exemplified. They thought of the Kings of Judah of pastime who were enabled by God to triumph against alien invaders, BUT NOT SO WITH BABYLON! Flattery is dangerous, my reader! Undiscerning eyes and misplaced promises are all that is required for the blind to lead the blind unknowingly into hellfire! Are you ready? “And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries…” (Dan. 11:32).
Consider it! The near restoration of the backslidden Nation was thwarted, by who? Jehoiakim, yes, but not so much him in respect to Jeremiah’s observation of the events. Jeremiah was shocked insomuch that he was (unrighteously) staggering in faith, and why? He was shocked at how successful the false prophets were to flatter and deceive the newly humbled people so as to quench the fires of revival that almost overtook the Nation and turned it back to God! Jeremiah said, “Ah, Lord GOD!”, speaking of the turn-around-victory of lies over truth, the whelming ministries of false prophets who were ready to confirm the actions of Jehoiakim and denounce the revival that was at work. How fearful! The unafraid King silenced the God-fearing Princes! In turn, Judah was unknowingly ushered into the silence of God! Jeremiah was so staggered by these events, he backslid.