For those of you close to my age (born around 1980), you’ll probably catch that the title of this section is named after the famous song (and album) that was released in 1989 by the band Motley Crue. The song is about a cocaine drug dealer who, for obvious reasons, gains the moniker “Dr. Feelgood.”
For whatever strange reason, my brain dredged this song up from the deep, deep recesses of my memory as I read the first few chapters of the Old Testament book of Micah this morning. At first, I was puzzled why my brain would ever make the connection between these two seeming disparate elements. But, the more I thought about it, the more the odd connection made sense to me. Here, let me quote some verses from Micah 2.
6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” 7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Does he do such things?”
“Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright? 8 Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle. 9 You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever. 10 Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy. 11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ he would be just the prophet for this people!
Here, Micah blasts the false prophets who were roaming the countryside of Judah (the southern portion of Israel after the country split into two). In his time, Micah was known as a prophet who shared the unpleasant prophecies of Israel’s destruction and the fall of Jerusalem because of the abhorrent sinning that God’s tribe was doing. (See verses 8-10 above. In addition to those examples, there were also idol worship, child sacrifice and general wickedness. You can read more in 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles.)
However, there were false prophets who wouldn’t have any of it. “Do not prophesy,” they said. “Ruin and disgrace won’t overtake us. God isn’t angry! He doesn’t do these things! Don’t worry about things. Things will be all right.” These false prophets that Micah rightfully calls liars and deceivers were prophesying false, feel-good messages to the Israelites living in the area at the time. Micah even sarcastically says in verse 11 wine and beer would be the perfect payment for these “eat, drink and be merry” prophets.
Just like dangerous drugs like cocaine and its pushers that help mask and distort the reality of life for its users, so were the false prophets and their messages. Instead of warning Israel and declaring the reality of things, those prophets were lulling Israel into a dangerous sinful stupor, and the Israelites were hooked. They didn’t want to hear the reality of what Micah said. Micah was “harshing their buzz.” It was easier to believe – and hear – that things were all right.
Unfortunately, these false prophets, just like today’s drug dealers, cost a lot of people their lives. Israel and Judah would eventually be overrun, Jerusalem would fall and the Israelites taken into exile. Many lives were lost in the process. A high price was paid.
Sometimes, feeling good isn’t worth the price, especially when it comes from falsehood and a distorted sense of sin and reality. May we always be on guard for those Dr. Feelgoods in our lives.
– Matt
deceivefalse prophetsfalsehoodfeelJerusalemMicahrealitytruth
Dr. Feelgood
January 27, 2011
Calvary
Comments Off on Dr. Feelgood
Matt
For those of you close to my age (born around 1980), you’ll probably catch that the title of this section is named after the famous song (and album) that was released in 1989 by the band Motley Crue. The song is about a cocaine drug dealer who, for obvious reasons, gains the moniker “Dr. Feelgood.”
For whatever strange reason, my brain dredged this song up from the deep, deep recesses of my memory as I read the first few chapters of the Old Testament book of Micah this morning. At first, I was puzzled why my brain would ever make the connection between these two seeming disparate elements. But, the more I thought about it, the more the odd connection made sense to me. Here, let me quote some verses from Micah 2.
6 “Do not prophesy,” their prophets say. “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” 7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the LORD angry? Does he do such things?”
“Do not my words do good to him whose ways are upright? 8 Lately my people have risen up like an enemy. You strip off the rich robe from those who pass by without a care, like men returning from battle. 9 You drive the women of my people from their pleasant homes. You take away my blessing from their children forever. 10 Get up, go away! For this is not your resting place, because it is defiled, it is ruined, beyond all remedy. 11 If a liar and deceiver comes and says, ‘I will prophesy for you plenty of wine and beer,’ he would be just the prophet for this people!
Here, Micah blasts the false prophets who were roaming the countryside of Judah (the southern portion of Israel after the country split into two). In his time, Micah was known as a prophet who shared the unpleasant prophecies of Israel’s destruction and the fall of Jerusalem because of the abhorrent sinning that God’s tribe was doing. (See verses 8-10 above. In addition to those examples, there were also idol worship, child sacrifice and general wickedness. You can read more in 1 & 2 Kings and 1 & 2 Chronicles.)
However, there were false prophets who wouldn’t have any of it. “Do not prophesy,” they said. “Ruin and disgrace won’t overtake us. God isn’t angry! He doesn’t do these things! Don’t worry about things. Things will be all right.” These false prophets that Micah rightfully calls liars and deceivers were prophesying false, feel-good messages to the Israelites living in the area at the time. Micah even sarcastically says in verse 11 wine and beer would be the perfect payment for these “eat, drink and be merry” prophets.
Just like dangerous drugs like cocaine and its pushers that help mask and distort the reality of life for its users, so were the false prophets and their messages. Instead of warning Israel and declaring the reality of things, those prophets were lulling Israel into a dangerous sinful stupor, and the Israelites were hooked. They didn’t want to hear the reality of what Micah said. Micah was “harshing their buzz.” It was easier to believe – and hear – that things were all right.
Unfortunately, these false prophets, just like today’s drug dealers, cost a lot of people their lives. Israel and Judah would eventually be overrun, Jerusalem would fall and the Israelites taken into exile. Many lives were lost in the process. A high price was paid.
Sometimes, feeling good isn’t worth the price, especially when it comes from falsehood and a distorted sense of sin and reality. May we always be on guard for those Dr. Feelgoods in our lives.
– Matt
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deceivefalse prophetsfalsehoodfeelJerusalemMicahrealitytruth