"DECEIVED AND DECEVING" (An Article by Donny Meyer) ~ 12/23/25

“Then they said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words.” Jeremiah 18:18 (ESV)

Jeremiah reveals to us the words of men in his day. These were the words of men who were very religious, who believed they were the people of God, who believed that they knew the truth, but were utterly deceived. Jeremiah declared to these men the truth of God and these men rejected God’s Word. Jeremiah sought to teach these men the way of salvation and they would not listen. Jeremiah sought to teach these men the character of the true and living God, reveal to them His works, and teach them what is pleasing to Him, but they would not listen. After the Word of God had come to them, they said, “That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (vs 12). Although they were very religious and believed they knew the truth, we see clearly that their hearts deceived them because their hearts were stubborn and evil! They wanted what they wanted, and no one would tell them otherwise. These men were not willing to listen to God’s Word, but immediately rejected it because it was contrary to what they desired! Therefore, they held fast to what they had considered to be true, but was a lie, and they closed their ears to the prophet of God. They set their hearts to no longer hear from the prophet. In doing so, they set their hearts upon no longer hearing from God!

Sadly, this is the condition of many in America. Many claim to know the truth but remain in darkness. Because of their stubborn and evil hearts. Many in America want what they want and are not willing to give up in their pursuits. The stubborn and evil reject God’s gracious Word only to hold fast to what they believe so that they can continue in the ways that are pleasing to them but destructive to their lives and to the present society. There are many religious men, some very religious, who submit to no one and follow the Lord in their own ways only to do greater harm than the pagan who never sought to follow after God. We have many religious men in America who have no desire to truly know what is pleasing to God nor to walk in His ways. These are men who will only listen to “teachers” who teach them what they want to hear, or they are men who will have no teacher at all because they alone have the truth. They are men who can listen to others as long as others do not speak about the things they do not want to hear! They are men who can listen to others as long as others do not speak against the things they love or against the things they desire. These religious rebels do greater harm than the pagan because they declare to the world that the way they are living is the way of the Lord. The ungodly professor deceives himself by believing he is walking in the way of the Lord and deceives others who will not listen to God’s Word. Therefore, they do greater harm than the pagan because he causes himself and others to believe that they are safe while they remain in the path of destruction!

Oh, if Americans would just humble themselves before the Lord and learn from Him!!! Oh, if America would just listen to God’s Word and walk in His ways. If we would but repent of our stubbornness, self-will, and evil hearts then God would relent of the disaster that He plans against us! Instead of destruction, God would give everlasting life! America crumbles, the American crumbles, because every man does what is right in his own eyes and rejects the Word of God! If America will not repent and turn to God; if the American will not repent and turn to God, then disaster is sure to come and come quickly!