God's Judgment Against Error is Not Asleep

Is it not a human tendency for man to hope in vain that in time God will forget any sin he has committed for which he has not repented or asked God for forgiveness?

The apostle Peter tells of false prophets who arose in the OT among God’s people who secretly introduced destructive heresies, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.  Many followed their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth would be maligned; and in their greed they would exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

For example, King Ahab murdered Naboth and took possession of his vineyard. God sent Elijah to Ahab and said: “In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth the dog will lick up your blood,  even yours.”  Meanwhile, Ahab surrounded himself with 400 false prophets who said, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.”  Zedekiah, the leader of the 400 false prophets, made horns of iron and pranced up and down before the king saying, “Thus saith the Lord, with these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.”

But the king sent and called for Micaiah, a true prophet of the Lord, who told Ahab that he would be defeated.  Ahab hated Micaiah and placed him on bread and water until he returned.  Ahab was killed and the dogs licked his blood where he died (1 Kgs. 21:19; 22:6, 11, 27, 38).

The policy of a false teacher is to be popular and tell the people what they want to hear rather than to tell them the truth. Jeremiah said: “For from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for gain, and from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely. They have healed the brokenness of my people superficially, saying   “Peace, but there is no peace.” They were not ashamed and even forgot how to blush. At the same time Ezekiel was saying about God: “Thus I will spend My wrath on the wall and on those who have plastered it over with whitewash; and I will say to you. ‘The wall is gone and its plasterers are gone, along with the prophets of Israel who prophesy to Jerusalem, and who see visions  of peace for her when there is no peace,’ declares the Lord God (Jer. 6:13-15; Ezek. 13:15-16).

When a false prophet is not condemned quickly, he thinks he is getting away with false prophesying and becomes worse.  Solomon observed: “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men are fully set in them to do evil”  (Ecc. 8:11).  NOTE:  Don’t ever think that God does not hear and see everything we do.

Asaph records God’s words to the wicked: “What right do you have to tell of My statutes and take My covenant in your mouth? For you hate discipline and cast My words behind you. When you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you associate with adulterers.  You let your mouth loose. These things you have done and I   kept silence;  You thought I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case before your eyes.  Now consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, and there will be none to deliver” (Psa. 50:16-18, 21-22).

Paul writes in his last letter to Timothy of the coming time when men will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths (2 Tim. 4:2-4).  That time is now! 

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