Without
Bibles, the Old Testament people of God had no basis on which to question the
representation of Yahwism by religious authorities. Priests, prophets, Levites, and even kings
could say what true theology, ethics, and worship entailed, but they most often
misrepresented these to the people. King
Josiah himself had to learn about the true faith from a discovery of the Law in
the temple (2 Kings 22-23). Upon doing
so, he deposed or slaughtered the idolatrous priests as part of his religious
reform (2 Kings 23.5, 20; 2 Chronicles 34.5).
The priests had made offerings to Baal, the sun, moon, constellations,
and heavenly hosts (2 Kings 23.6). Not
long after Josiah, Judah’s wicked King Zedekiah, with unfaithful officers and
priests, led the people in following the ‘abominations of the nations’ (2
Chronicles 36.14).
In
the northern kingdom, King Jeroboam set up two places of worship with golden
calves and non-Levitical priests (1 Kings 12.31; 13.33; 2 Chronicles 13.8-9). Israel’s priests under King Ahab served
Baal. When Jehu gained power, he had
them struck down (2 Kings 10.11, 19).
After Israel fell to Assyria, priests served various gods, including
YHWH, in a syncretistic religion (2 Kings 17.32-33). Religious syncretism rather than uncompromising
devotion to God was the norm in both kingdoms of Israel.
Isaiah
decries the state of the priests and prophets, saying they reel with strong
drink (28.7). Jeremiah repeatedly
addressed the corruption of officials, priests, and prophets. He said,
The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’
Those who handle the law
did not know me;
the shepherds transgressed against
me;
the prophets prophesied
by Baal
and went after things that do not profit (Jeremiah 2.8, cf. v. 26; 5.31; 6.13; 8.10; 13.13; 14.18).
Again, we read,
Both
prophet and priest are ungodly;
even in my house I have found their
evil,
declares the LORD (Jeremiah 23.11; cf. 32.32).
Lamentations attributes the blood of the righteous to the hands of prophets and priests (4.13). Ezekiel explains that God’s exiling Judah was due to total corruption of the priests, officials, prophets, and people:
Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned
my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common,
neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and
they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. 27 Her princes in her midst are
like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest
gain. 28 And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing
false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD,’
when the LORD has not spoken. 29 The people of the land have
practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and
needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice. (22.26-29).
Other
Old Testament prophets confirm the wickedness of Israel’s priests and
prophets. Zephaniah, for instance, says
that Jerusalem’s officials, judges, prophets, and priests were all sinful. ‘The priests profane what is holy; they do
violence to the law’ (3.5). We often
speak of the sinfulness of ‘Israel’ and of God sending them into exile for
their sins, but great blame must be laid at the feet of priests and prophets
who misled the people. They failed in
their duty to represent God’s law and speak His words to the people, preferring
rather other religions and their own wicked ways. The people followed them.
The
problem with false prophets or dreamers could not be resolved by whether they
worked wonders or their prophecies were fulfilled. (Israel had known enough of this in
Egypt.) The test for a true prophet was
theological and ethical: were they enticing people to go after other gods and
serve them (Deuteronomy 13.1-5). False
prophets might prophecy in the LORD’s name, present a false vision, or practice
worthless divination, but none of this was proof of their prophecies. They could be lying or self-deceived
(Jeremiah 14.14). They could ‘commit
adultery and walk in lies’ and ‘strengthen the hands of evildoers’ (23.14).[1]
Lessons
from Israel ring true today as well.
Those entrusted with responsibility to present true faith to the people
often use their authority to represent an entirely different faith. While people can read Scripture for
themselves in our day, too few people are familiar with the Bible and even
fewer are able to interpret it. With
sermons focussed on pithy little messages for daily living, little teaching
takes place in the Church. Even in a
literary and educated culture, people are like sheep in the hands of unfaithful
shepherds. What causes those with
authority and responsibility to distort the theology and ethics of the Church
is another question, but the fact is that this is only to be expected if the
lessons of the Old Testament remain instructive for later generations. The early Reformers understood this, calling
for continuous reformation of the Church.
Such reformation must continually involve a challenge to bishops,
priests, elders, teachers, prophets, and Church administrators (whatever the
terms used in a particular denomination) rather than uncritical following of
what they represent as the faith. Their
faith is, often enough, not the faith once for all delivered to the saints, as
Jude wrote in what were still early days of the Church:
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you
about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to
contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4
For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for
this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into
sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ (Jude 3-4).
As
Jesus warned, ‘Matt. 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to
you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves’ (Matthew 7.15). Paul’s final message to the Ephesian elders
similarly warned,
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come
in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your
own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples
after them (Acts 20.29).
The distortion of true faith and ethics by religious authorities is a
sad fact. This was not only a major
cause of Israel’s going after other gods but also of the abandonment of the
faith throughout Church history and today.
The antidote to this lies at hand.
‘Lord, give us ministers of Your Word who are faithful and true.’
[1] The problem of false prophets continued in Jesus’ time and in the
early Church: Matthew 7.15; 24.11, 24; Mark 13.22; Luke 6.26; Acts 13.6; 2
Peter 2.1; 1 John 4.1.
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