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JEREMIAH  22,23

I. GOD'S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE KING - LEADERS.

(13. A. "He had built his house with unrighteousness."
                1. Used his office for own personal gain.
                2. Seeking their own greatness and strength - yet weakening those who they
                   reigned over.

(2. B. "Prosperity had deafened their ear to voice of God."
                1. The time of national prosperity is the time of greatest spiritual peril.
                2. They trust in material things.
                        a. The strength of a nation lies not in the strength of arms.
                        b. To be truly strong we must be spiritual.
                3. Warning of Moses. Deut. 8:12-14;17,18.
                        a. Our own policies and skill have brought this wealth.

II. GOD'S COMPLAINT AGAINST THE PASTORS - PROPHETS.

(2. A. "They have scattered my flock."
                1. The early church was marked by koinonia.
                        a. Differences of opinion did not create new denominations.
                        b. Early Corinthian attempts rebuked as mark of carnality - spiritual
                           infancy.
                        c. They accepted the name Christian and wore it proudly.
                                1. Tragedy of identifying with worldly systems.
                2. Schools of prophets - shame.
                        a. Professionalism had entered into prophetic work.

(16. B. Charged with vanity - "They fool you."  "They speak a vision of their own heart."
                1. They were professionals.
                        a. Their message came not of their own heart, their own observations 
                           of their day were their inspirations for prophecy.
                        b. We are sometimes told that we need to catch the spirit of the age
                           to be successful.
                                1. That might produce a crowd - doesn't change men for God.
                                2. Need to catch mind of Spirit of God - quality over quantity.
        C. They were profane - they said that "God hath said," - when God did not
                speak.
                1. "This is the burden of Jehovah."
                        a. True prophets forbidden this phrase.
                2. Speaking with spiritual terms yet changing the meaning of the words so as 
                   to deceive.
                3. Using the language of orthodoxy in a false way so as to change the meaning.

Better to have no kings than kings uninspired.

Better to have no prophets than prophets patronized.

"O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of Jehovah!"

Vs.37 "What hath the Lord answered thee - what hath the Lord spoken?"