Niels Prip – Blog

Is There No Shame?

I suppose I am a late comer in the discussion about the prophetic words that were given prior to the last presidential election. Many of the charismatic prophetic voices were predicting a victory for their side, and then they turned out to be wrong. Most of those voices never admitted that they were totally wrong, coming up with all sorts of excuses. Some persisted in saying their candidate is still going to get into office. A very sad commentary on the charismatic movement. And what is worse is, the gospel is again maligned, it says in 2 Peter 2:2 “…because of them the way of truth will be spoken evil of”. There is much to be said about this, but not at this time.

Why this struck me after 2 years is this, I was recently meditating on the book of Micah and came across this verse. Micah 3:7 “Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God”. They were ashamed because what they had spoken in God’s name had not come to pass. In verse 5, God is referring to the prophets, the seers.

Barnes notes on the Bible on Micah 3:7 “They shall cover their lips – Literally, the hair of the upper lip. This was an action enjoined on lepers Leviticus 13:45, and a token of mourning Ezekiel 24:17, Ezekiel 24:22; a token then of sorrow and uncleanness. With their lips they had lied, and now they should cover their lips, as men dumb and ashamed. “For there is no answer of God,” as these deceivers had pretended to have. When all things shall come contrary to what they had promised, it shall be clear that God did not send them. And having plainly no answer of God, they shall not dare to feign one then”. The Targum puts it this way, “for there is not in them a spirit of prophecy from the Lord.”

What stuck me was this, today’s prophets have no shame! There is no owning up to the fact that they did not hear from God! At least the false prophets in Micah’s time covered their lips and were ashamed. They knew they were shamed, most of today’s so-called prophets know no shame. It is staggering to think about. And millions continue to follow them like it’s no big deal, like truth doesn’t matter. On to the next YouTube video or podcast, after all, it’s their ministry that must go on.

That is a sad commentary on Christianity. We are to love truth, and walk in the Spirit and Truth. That is who God seeks after. Lord help us!

Zechariah 13:4 “And on that day every prophet who prophesies will be ashamed of his vision, and he will not put on a hairy cloak in order to deceive”.

Is there no shame?