Jeremiah 23:1-2,11,14,16-18,21-22,30-31 BSB (Berean Standard Bible)
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” declares the LORD. 2Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend My people: “You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your deeds, declares the LORD.
11“For both prophet and priest are ungodly;
even in My house I have found their wickedness,”
declares the LORD.14And among the prophets of Jerusalem
I have seen a horrible thing:
They commit adultery
and walk in lies.
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,
so that no one turns his back on wickedness.
They are all like Sodom to Me;
the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”16This is what the LORD of Hosts says:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They are filling you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
not from the mouth of the LORD.
17They keep saying to those who despise Me,
‘The LORD says that you will have peace,’
and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart,
‘No harm will come to you.’
18But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD
to see and hear His word?
Who has given heed to His word
and obeyed it?21 I did not send these prophets,
yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
yet they have prophesied.
22But if they had stood in My council,
they would have proclaimed My words to My people
and turned them back
from their evil ways and deeds.”30“Therefore behold,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who steal from one another words they attribute to Me.” 31“Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, ‘The LORD declares it.’”
The Shepherds
Who are the shepherds of God’s people today? They are supposed to be men of faith in Jesus Christ who meet the biblical qualifications for overseer (elder, pastor) within the gatherings of the church. But this doesn’t have to be limited just to men who serve as pastors/elders. For to shepherd is to guide, nurture, lead, encourage, instruct, and counsel others in the ways of the Lord and along a path of holiness and righteousness in walks of obedience to our Lord’s commands. And we Christians are to do this with one another, to help one another to grow to maturity of faith in Christ Jesus.
[Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 28:18-20; John 4:31-38; John 13:13-17; John 14:12; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:14-18,42-47; Acts 26:18; Romans 10:14-15; Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31; 1 Corinthians 14:1-5; Galatians 6:1; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:1-16; Ephesians 5:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-20; Philippians 2:1-8; Colossians 3:12-16; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:23-25; James 5:19-20; 1 Peter 2:9,21; 1 John 2:6]
The Shepherds Who Destroy
Now, this would mainly apply to men who are serving in positions of pastor and elders within the gatherings of the church. But since we are all to be ministers of the gospel of Christ who share the gospel message with others, and who encourage each other within the body of Christ, this can apply to anyone who shares the gospel or who encourages another Christian in their walk of faith, but in this case who does so deceitfully, spreading lies to the people, and who coddles people in their sin, not calling them to repentance.
This would be the ungodly leading the ungodly to continue in their sin and to not obey our Lord’s commands, while teaching them that a mere profession of faith in Jesus Christ is enough to secure them forgiveness of all sins and eternal life with God in heaven. For they themselves are those who commit adultery and who walk in lies, and so they strengthen the hands of evildoers so they do not turn from their sins to obey God, yet while many of them will come against the faithful to God for insisting on repentance and obedience.
Don’t Listen to Them
We who believe in Jesus Christ are not to listen to those who speak falsely about the teachings of Christ and of His apostles in the New Testament. We are to be people of discernment who test the spirits to see which ones are of God, who test their words against the teachings of the Scriptures taught in their correct biblical context. For so many who call themselves pastors and Bible teachers are teaching lies, and they are giving people false hopes of salvation based off lip service only, without repenting and obeying God.
And they are telling them that all their sins are forgiven, and they have heaven secured them for eternity, but while making no requirements of them that they deny self, die to sin, and obey God and His commands in life practice. For they call that “works salvation.” And so they convince them that even if they continue in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord that it will not count against them. But the Scriptures teach that if disobedience and sin are what we practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God.
Not of God
So, just because a man calls himself a “pastor” or an “elder,” it does not automatically mean that he is of God, that he is called of God, that he is being led by the Spirit of God, that he has the anointing of God, and that what he is teaching the people is of God and not of human flesh. For so many of them today are teaching a false gospel message, and they are being led by marketing schemes and business models in how to “grow their churches,” and so they are not of God; not called of God to His service.
So, just because a man has a degree from a Bible college or seminary, and he is recognized as an official worker of a particular church denomination, it does not mean at all that he is a true follower of Christ who is being led by the Spirit of God, who is teaching the truth of the gospel to the people. For so many of them are teaching lies in the name of God, who are proclaiming lies as though they are the truth of what the Scriptures teach. And many people are believing their lies which will end them in hell, not in heaven.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]
So, test everyone and everything against the Scriptures taught in their correct biblical context. Then obey God and leave your sins behind you.
The Shepherds Who Destroy
An Original Work / October 26, 2026
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Gentle Shepherd
By Gloria Gaither / William J. Gaither
Gentle Shepherd come and lead us
For we need You to help us find our way
Gentle Shepherd come and feed us
For we need Your strength from day to day
There’s no other we can turn to
Who can help us face another day
Gentle Shepherd come and lead us
For we need to You to help us find our way
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