“Don’t prophesy to us what is right and true...tell us smooth and pleasant things; prophesy to us deceits and illusions.” (Isa. 30:10)

This is what God communicated through Isaiah, His prophet, what the people were saying in regard to His counsel. God accused them of being ‘rebellious children’ who ‘take counsel and devise plans’ ...but not from Him.(30:1)

One translation spelled it out this way: “Don't tell us what God has shown you and don't preach the truth. Just say what we want to hear, even if it's false.” (CEV)

They actually told the prophet to ‘get off this path in telling us what the Holy One of Israel wants!’ (11)

I know...more of that ‘old testament stuff’. We certainly would not be guilty of falling into such a place today now, would we?

And yet...Paul exhorts Timothy in his second letter to him: “Preach the word!...convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables (fiction)” (4:2-4)

So what kind of message do you think was being preached that would cause God’s people to be so resistant to receiving? Surely it’s not the popular message of “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life”...is it? What is it about that theme that would cause men to want to stone and kill those who came declaring it?

Jesus told that first group of followers - “you will be hated by all for My name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matt. 10:22). In fact, if you read vs.16-39 in that same chapter, you would quickly conclude that this was not some ‘feel-good-recruitment-message’ aimed at gathering many people to sign up to be ‘preachers’.

I have a pretty good idea what the theme of the message both Isaiah and Paul came preaching consisted of, and it most likely had to do with ‘repenting/turning’ and pursuing a life of holiness before God. That passage we first looked at in Isa. 30 was pretty clear as they people rose up against the ‘Holy One’ of Israel. They were tired of hearing this message of ‘law’ and judgement and being ‘holy as He is holy’. And friends...do you really think times have changed much?

Before Paul wrote those words of admonition to Timothy, he reminds him in the previous chapter...”All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3:12)

Do you recall why the city of Jerusalem fell to Babylon and the temple was destroyed? Lamentation 2:14 sums it up rather well: “Your prophets have seen for you false and deceptive visions; they have not uncovered your iniquity (sin), to bring back your captives, but have envisioned for you false prophesies and delusions.”

Jeremiah gave plenty of warning prior to the fall of the great city, pointing once again to the prophets who spoke ‘worthless’ words...sharing visions from their own hearts and not from God’s. You might go take a quick peek at Jer. 23:16-27. Ezekiel 13 would be a good chapter to follow up on. These ‘pillow prophets of peace and safety’ were basically promising the people of God that nothing ‘bad/evil will come upon them’...even though they continued to walk according to the dictates of their own hearts’. (Jer. 23:17). That’s another way of saying to modern day NT ‘believers’...you can still walk according to the flesh and nothing bad will happen to you’. Friends...that is just the opposite of what God’s words clearly warns us of in Rom. 8:13 & Gal. 6:7-8.

Did Peter not admonish us to “Be holy in ALL our conduct”...’even as He is holy’? (1 Pet. 1:15-16)

Did Paul not inform us that today, the ‘wrath of God IS being revealed from heaven against ALL ungodliness and unrighteousness of men...” (Rom. 1:18)? What was his warning in Ephesians 5:5-6?

Were we not admonished by Paul that since we ‘had these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from ALL filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness...in the fear of God”? (2 Cor. 7:1). And ‘without this holiness, no man shall see the Lord!” (Heb. 12:14)

Do yourself a favor right now and imagine a 12-year-old coming up to you and asking this question: “What exactly does it mean to live...or to be ‘holy and righteous’?”

How would you explain that to them? And no condemnation or judgement coming from me here, but if you find yourself stumbling to explain that in simple terms, you might not be in a very good place yourself. And I only say that because you are not alone; the message of holiness and righteousness has been lost today and for a host of reasons

Oh...and for all those waiting to be 'raptured out' of here as the 'bride of Christ'...what kind of bride is He coming back for, according to Eph. 5:27?