Hananiah – The Lying Prophet

Not unlike what occurred in the ancient nation of Judah some 2600 years ago, so it is happening in the United States today. A type of Hananiah, the lying prophet, is alive and well, dispersing deceit throughout a beleaguered and apprehensive, seemingly dystopian nation.

The Word of God, which we call the Christian Bible, contains many profound lessons and enduring principles, which if heeded and regarded as inspired revelation from God, are lifesaving. Not just lifesaving from the perspective of salvation and eternal life but lifesaving in that these lessons will preserve us as we live life in the flesh. In every respect, lessons that could very well keep us safe during the tribulation soon to come.

Over a third of the Bible is prophecy, written about events that are yet to occur. Many of the prophets’ utterances written back then became reality at the time or shortly after to the generation, nations, and peoples at whom they were directed. However, the majority of Biblical prophecy was written for the “end time,” or as the Scriptures calls it, the “time of the end,” the “latter days” or “last days”; the time revealed as occurring just before the return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God. Most of the prophecies in the Bible will be fulfilled and are record of events that will occur in the years just ahead.

Jeremiah 28 reveals an event that we should deeply consider. There are certain attitudes of the heart that are constant, unless one becomes converted. As God sees it, “The heart is the most deceitful thing there is and desperately wicked. No one can really know how bad it is. Only God knows! He searches all hearts and examines the deepest motives so he can give each person his right reward, according to his deeds––how he has lived” (Jeremiah 17:9-10, The Living Bible). Jesus Christ revealed more when He taught, “But evil words come from an evil heart and defile the man who says them. For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, lying, slander” (Matthew 15:18-19).

When God said, “For the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21), He knew what He was talking about. When the Apostle Paul stated, “The carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject to the laws of God” (Romans 8:7). That was and is a statement of fact.

Those who oppose God’s truth, who are not subject to His will, do not want God interfering in their lives. They give witness to the fact they believe themselves to be smarter than God or they simply do not trust God. That is if they even believe in God. From their hearts, their motives are revealed. Whether articulated from ignorance of the truth or in conscious resistance to the truth, they reveal their heart’s intent.

Opposition to the truth of God and His true prophecies has long existed and has always burdened the prophets of old as well as the true Church of God today. Those resisting and opposing the true and faithful words of God are constant thorns in the sides of God’s true servants. Displaying opposition to the truth of God was clearly evident in the actions of Hananiah, the lying prophet. The lessons provided from this historical event, preserved for us today, bears circumspection and careful consideration.

Jeremiah, a called, certified and faithful, true prophet of the Living God of Israel, prophesied to the Children of Judah of their sins and rejection by God. Complete captivity in the land of Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar was inevitable. To provide an object lesson, visible to the leadership at that time, Jeremiah used a wooden yoke, much like what you would see placed around the neck of oxen plowing in a field, placing it around his neck. Jeremiah warned the leaders and the people that God would cause this yoke of bondage to be placed around their necks and God would cause them to go into captivity because of their sins and disobedience toward God.

Jeremiah continued to explain that it was God’s will for Nebuchadnezzar to conquer Judah and take them captive. It would be under King Nebuchadnezzar that Judah would obtain protection and be kept secure. However, as their fit and just punishment, Judah would go into captivity. It had to be that way; Because Judah’s sins were so egregious, God had no choice but to punish them. Later, through Jeremiah, God told the Children of Judah that after seventy years of captivity, they would return to their country, that God would be merciful to them. God was and they did return.

Even though God was merciful, God did punish His nation––His people. Why? Because of their sins and evil behavior and lifestyle. Even though they claimed to be godly, faithful, a God-fearing nation, the truth revealed differently. They were disobedient, treacherous, disrespectful and irreverent to God and His covenant. They broke God’s Sabbath day and His laws. They treated their fellow-citizens poorly. Their leadership and government officials were corrupt, contrary to the commands of God with respect to governing the people. Their priests and ministers were just as corrupt, self-serving and liars, rejecting the veracity and honor of God’s Laws and the righteous words of God and His judgments. In place of God’s truth, they preached paganism, sun worship, idol worship and infidelity toward God. Judah was a perverted nation in God’s sight, deserving of rejection and punishment; deserving of captivity.

Jeremiah further told the leaders and the people that they were not to listen to the lying prophets who told them that the future was going to look up, becoming bright and better. The lying prophets told the people that their wealth (as symbolized by the treasures of the Temple) would come back to them and their land.

The lying prophets, those in opposition to the truth of God and rejecting His prophesies which God said must happen (i.e., rejecting God’s righteous judgment), lied to the people, in effect saying, “The nation of Judah will not go into captivity; they would not go to Babylon.” The lying prophets in effect said, “God would not punish us for our sins; the will of God and His righteousness shall not prevail.”

Notice Jeremiah’s characterization of these lying prophets. “Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, dreamers, mediums and magicians … they are all liars” (Jeremiah 27:9-10; 14-15). The lying prophets, deceiving the people, were effectually saying, “God will save us; after all, we are God’s people. We are too good to have bad things happen to us. Jeremiah is really the one you should not listen to.” However, God’s word, His truth, and His will won out. As shocking as it was to the people, to the leaders and to the religious folk of that day, and to the lying prophets, the Children of Judah went into captivity.

Jeremiah warned the people. Now to Jeremiah 28 and Hananiah. Hananiah mocked Jeremiah. Hananiah, in essence said, “God will not do what you say. God will bring back the wealth of the Temple. God will bring those already captive back to this land. God will break off this yoke of wood from our necks. God will make us great again. This will all occur within two years.” Hananiah lied. God did not send him. Hananiah was a lying prophet.

Jeremiah’s response to Hananiah and all the leaders of the people was simple and reinforced the truth of God. Because you mock God and reject His judgments, because you took off this yoke of wood, God will now put a yoke of iron on the nation. Notice Deuteronomy 28:48. “Therefore thou shalt serve thine enemies which the Eternal shall send against thee, in hunger, in thirst and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he have destroyed thee.”

God will not be mocked. If His covenant people, who He has blessed, are disobedient to Him and His laws, then curses and punishment will follow. And punishment followed. Not only did God’s word, His truth become a reality for the Children of Judah some 2600 years ago, it also has an “end time” fulfillment. The cause and effect, as well as interventional blessings and curses from God, written in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 have meaning for and will occur to the modern-day Children of Israel. Specifically in this modern era, Great Britain and the United States of America are the two nations which have clearly prospered, being great, as a result of God’s promises and His direct blessings.

Hananiah, the lying prophet met a disastrous fate. “Hear now Hananiah, The Lord hath not sent thee, but thou makest the people to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the Lord: Behold I will cast thee from off the face of the earth, this year thou shalt die because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month” (Jeremiah 28:15-17).

For over 80 years now, almost two times longer than Jeremiah’s tenure, the truth of God, as revealed in the Christian Bible and corroborated by history, concerning the United States of America (along with Great Britain, Canada and Australia) has been preached, both the good and bad. The realities of the United States of America have been well explained. The Blessing came. However, obedience to God and His Laws has been shaky since the nation’s inception and continually diminishes. Over the past 241 years, God has been merciful and patient with the United States. Yet, as His word clearly expresses, He waits only so long.

What is right with America? Those who are honest with the Bible and with the truth of God, looking from God’s perspective, can only conclude, little. From head to toe, heart and soul, White House Executive and Cabinet, Congressional Leaders to its Businessmen and women, to rural middle-class families in Kansas, Texas or Iowa. From New York, Chicago, San Francisco to Seattle, very few are subject to the laws and will of God, in obedience to God. Isaiah 1 is a chapter well known and oft repeated by faithful ministers of God’s Church. It is understood that unless God leaves the United States a very small remnant (Isaiah1:9; Romans 9:27-29, 11:5), the modern-day Children of Israel, specifically the United States would simply be eliminated instead of just being punished, just being sent into their soon coming captivity.

Why did God communicate a lesson like that of Hananiah? The answer is obvious. Anyone who circumvents God’s truth or preaches rebellion against God by teaching that His people will not get the punishment due them, will they themselves suffer a punishment from God. What a hard lesson to learn.

Given the realities the United States now faces and the character of its 45th President. Given the divisions, the civil unrest, the challenges to free speech, the distrust of media, of the White House, of the bigotry and hatred ramping up within the country, along with the growing distrust of its allies, not to mention the increased hatred of its enemies. Given the rapidly evolving shape of nations soon to play their role in the fulfillment of Biblical “end time” prophecy. Given the growing irreverence and disobedience toward the truth and laws of God, those who understand prophecy know what is in store for this nation.

God’s prophecies are His revelations, which He has provided to His servants. God has given His secrets to His servants (Psalm 25:14; Proverbs 3:32; Amos 3:7), availing them an understanding of what the future holds, which is not of any private or personal interpretation (2 Peter 1:21).

Just as Jeremiah brought the truth to, warning the Children of Judah, likewise the truth of God, the prophecies of God must and will be preached, directly to and directly for the modern-day descendants of Israel, those peoples within God’s promised and blessed nation, the United States of America.

Opposition will come when the truth of God is preached. Just as did occur some 2600 years ago, so today in 2017, modern-day Hananiahs are rising up, religious and non-religious, evangelical Christian minsters and those with no ministerial credentials. All are giddy, bubbling in excitement, with predictions that happy days are here again; America will be great again. Oh what lying prophets they are! Nothing can be further from the truth. What they envision is not at all what God has prophesied; not at all, what will befall the United States of America.