Flattery and the Prophetic

The following study was hard on me! Since I have done this study I have been struggling with the change that Father has shown me needs to happen. In the USA we are a “flattering” people. Through what I found as I did this study I have had to recognize the difference between encouragement, edifying, equipping and flattery. Flattery exalts a person, encouragement builds confidence and faith as well as directs people to a better place with Father. Flattery brings an expectation of being noticed and being special. Flattery separates a person from their peers and brings an anticipation of having favor above others.
I realized through this study that the American church is built around “flattery” and words of exaltation. I have repented and am working at NOT being a flatterer, but instead, an encourager.

Flattering shows up in the Word 9 times, flattery twice. Not one single time are they a positive thing. In the OT the meanings are: properly, smoothness (of the tongue); also an allotment: — flattery, inheritance, portion. flattering inheritance, partaker. In the NT it is; to flatter, flattering. So I looked in my English dictionary and it says this of flattering and flattery; make someone feel honored or pleased, Give an unreasonable impression of, full of praise or compliments, gratifying, words spoken to please the ear or eye, i.e. “tickle the ear”

You should take the time to look up the bible addresses on these words; Flattery; Job 17:5 Dan. 11;32. Flattering; Psm. 12:2-3, Pro. 6:24, 7:21, 26:28, Eze. 12:24, Rom. 16:18, 1Thes. 2:5 and Jude 1:16.

Father has been hounding me a bit on the subject of prophets, the prophetic and flattering words said to be from God. He told me to look at Jer.23, Ezk.12 and Rev.2-3. In so doing I have put a stronger watch on my mouth and am much more careful to speak truth and encouragement but not flattery to those I encounter, even though the flattery may be true. The truth is a word that directs and corrects with the goal of bringing a person closer to and in alignment with Jesus. It edifies, encourages and comforts people because it is the truth, the foundation of real love!.

Father asked me, “how should flattery relate to the prophetic and prophecy”?. As a result of this study I have been brought to the place where I had to rethink 1 Cor. 14:3, “prophecy speaks edification, exhortation and comfort to men.” I also have had to place the definition I found in-line with the examples of God’s prophetically spoken words given by our bible prophets. Their “words” have to be the example of what is edification, exhortation and comfort. I have also had to look at the word flattery and flattering that I have found used in a lot of prophecy given these days afresh. Flashy and glorious sounding words that I hear given as prophetic utterances may need to be weighed against what Father seems to think of “flattering” words.

Jer.23 is about Israel – “and the church” as The Lord brings up Jesus in verses 5-8 and in verse 20 says “in the Latter days…” In verse 9 Father shifts gears from “sheppards” and begins to talk of the “prophets and priests” of His people. In verse 11 He calls them “profane”. Profane means to be corrupt, defiled, soiled. The rest of the words in these verses really need no additions or explanations.
I have highlighted portions of the following passages in ‘bold” print for emphasis and put some in red also.
These are the scripture portions that stood out as I was reading what He had told me to; parts I had ignored before.

Father is telling me that these scriptures in this study are for now as it was for the time they were written in.. ( we also have 2 Tim.3:16-17).
God’s People all need to hear, not just listen to His words!

Jeremiah 23 (NKJV,)

1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. 3 “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord. 5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. 6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely; Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. 7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.”

False Prophets and Empty Oracles

9 My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, And like a man whom wine has overcome, Because of the Lord, And because of His holy words. 10 For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right. 11 “For both prophet and priest are profane; Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord. 12 “Therefore their way shall be to them Like slippery ways; In the darkness they shall be driven on And fall in them; For I will bring disaster on them, The year of their punishment,” says the Lord. 13 “And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal And caused My people Israel to err. 14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah. 15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets: ‘Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, And make them drink the water of gall; For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ” 16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord. 17 They continually say to those who despise Me, “The Lord has said, ‘You shall have peace” ’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ” 18 For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? 19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury— A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. 20 The anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly. 21 “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. 22 But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings. 23 “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord,
“And not a God afar off? 24 Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord. 25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal. 28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord. 29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? 30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord. 33 “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is the oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, ‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. 34 “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 And the oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 But since you say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” 39 therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”

GOD DOES NOT CHANGE NOR DOES HIS WORD. HE IS THE FAITHFUL GOD WHO KEEPS HIS COVENANT AND MERCY FOR A THOUSAND GENERATIONS, with those who love Him and KEEP HIS COMMANDS!. DEUT.7:9 (NKJV).

Ezekiel 12:21 – 13:10 (NKJV,) (bold highlights emphasis mine)

21 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 22 “Son of man, what is this proverb that you people have about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision fails’? 23 Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I will lay this proverb to rest, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel.” But say to them, “The days are at hand, and the fulfillment of every vision. 24 For no more shall there be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25 For I am the Lord. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass; it will no more be postponed; for in your days, O rebellious house, I will say the word and perform it,” says the Lord God.’ ” 26 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 27 “Son of man, look, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many days from now, and he prophesies of times far off.’ 28 Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “None of My words will be postponed any more, but the word which I speak will be done,” says the Lord God.’ ”

Woe to Foolish Prophets

1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, ‘Hear the word of the Lord!’ ” 3 Thus says the Lord God: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! 4 O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts. 5 You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the Lord. 6 They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. 7 Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.”
8 Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God. 9 “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord God.
10 “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace…

1 Thessalonians 2:1-6 (NKJV,) (highlights in bold and red are mine)

For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. 2 But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict. 3 For our exhortation did not come from error or uncleanness, nor was it in deceit. 4 But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 5 For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, …

{To exhort or bring an exhortation is to bring a word that implores or entreats you to change—thus bringing comfort.}

In James the Word says;; “in the Father there is no variation or shadow of turning”. Hebrews says Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever. So why are we always trying to have God changed from the OT to the NT? Our covenant has changed but He is the same!

Jesus says of John the Baptist that He was a prophet and the greatest of men born of a woman, and that he came in the Spirit of Elijah. What was John’s message? How many flattering “words” do we find in the NT?
What are Apostle John’s words to the Church in the Revelation book? God is Love and He says, “The Truth sets us free”. Father does not speak but to edify us, equip us and save us! (an edifying word is one that brings us into the “right” relationship and position with Father, to a safe place.) He has never changed, nor will He. God has not become a flatterer, but is still about telling us the truth; where we are and how to get where He needs us to be.
In His words to the “churches” we see His warnings and directions to stand and overcome during the coming time! Like in the OT, here in Revelations He warns us so we won’t miss the mark.

(Rev. 2:1, NKJV,) To the angel of the church of Ephesus write,… 4-Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

Rev. 2:8, “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write,… 10. Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

(Rev.2:12 NKJV,) “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write,… 14. But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. 15 Thus you also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. 16 Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

(Rev. 12:18 NKJV,) And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, …
20. Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols, 21. And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she did not repent.… 23 and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.

(Rev.3:1 NKJV,) “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, … 2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

(Rev. 3:7 NKJV,) And to the angel of the Church of Philadelphia write, … 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

(Rev. 3:14, NKJV) And to the angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write, … 15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. 16 So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

Jesus speaks plainly through John. He says a few good things to the churches and then exhorts them to change, stand or repent, speaking “hard” words of advice to them on what to do to be pleasing to Father- to preserve their future with Father!. Then says to all of them, “to him who overcomes….” That probably means it will not be easy!
The NT prophetic utterances we have written for us are not flattering. John’s message was repent. Jesus words were filled with warnings of persecution, things to watch for, and suffering to come. Ananias was to tell Paul “what things he must suffer for the sake of the gospel”. Agabus told Paul what he was to suffer in Rome. Apostle John shows us an interesting picture of the Church and end times.

The time of THE TRUTH is upon us. Sin in the Church is going to be exposed more. The prophetic is going to be judged. Flattering, exalting words that please the flesh and sound awesome may need to be evaluated by what scripture says of them. The priests, prophets and leaders will be held accountable by The Lord. We the Church will be responsible to stand up for The Truth and be whom we are saved to be!
There IS a cost to walking with Jesus. It is to trust and obey! As a leader, to see where we are truly at as Christ’s Church, we need only look at what the people we are leading are living and realize what they are doing is really what we have taught them is acceptable, no matter what we are saying!

In Scripture there are a lot of encouraging words given and much direction is given to so many. This letter is only about what the Lord is showing me to beware of. – and the Church to beware of receiving; “flattery”. There is a difference in encouragement and flattery and flattering words. Encouragements help us through – and thus do not cause us to believe in “no-cost” callings and expectations of fame for obedience.

Receiving Jesus is free but our walk is not. Jesus tells us the costs many times and in many ways. HE IS THE PROPHET. I pray we begin to understand that not all “words of God” are from His heart. I pray we find the truth, will know the Truth, and the True, as “judgment begins in the House of God”. “ There is nothing hidden which will be not be revealed nor has anything been kept secret that shall not come to light” (Mk. 4:22 NKJV)

I pray we hear! Help us Lord in our war with traditions and the truth. Holy Spirit guide us into all truth and show us things to come according to what is written of you! (Jn14:26, 15:26, 16:13)

Thank you Jesus!