WEDNESDAY - 14TH DECEMBER, 2022
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola & Oreoluwa ADEJUMO
CHARACTERISTICS OF RABBLE ROUSERS - His Pleasure Series 015
THEY PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH A FALSE BELIEF AND DESTINATION
Read Acts 5:34-39
Acts 5:36, KJV
"For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought."
Any false minister does this. They act like the authentic would by providing people with a sense of purpose and destination but theirs is false. A false revolutionist, charlatan, rebel, rabble rouser, intruder has this as his attribute. "Who will follow you if there's no promise or destination you're calling them to?" This is why there are many fake and false ministers nowadays. They give people a false sense of hope: just a tingling, sweet sensation or tickling of their fancy. "Give them something to believe: something eternal, divine and out of this world. This will make them think and believe you're authentic. Same would even make you look like a saint or an ancient prophet of old and it would lend credence to you and your work in their sight." This is what many pseudo ministers and charlatans are operating with. They are ravenous wolves on the inside but they tend to have the outlook of a sheep on the outside. Their end has been predicted - destruction! Undiscerned however, they draw multitude after themselves like Theudas who drew four hundred to himself!
St. Luke, the writer of the Acts of the Apostles clearly places Theudas before Judas (Acts 5:36-37). But there's discrepancy in the fact that the only Theudas known to us to be a prophet, false teacher and rebel exists in the reign of Claudius in the year 44,45. According to Josephus, Theudas told his followers to pack all their goods and follow him to River Jordan. He said he would miraculously afford them a passage. However, the Roman procurator: Cuspius Fadus sent a troop of horse to meet him. While some of his followers were slain, others taken prisoners or scattered, he himself was beheaded and his head sent to Jerusalem. God was never with this man yet look at what he was promising. He was making himself somebody that has a divine destiny to fulfill and is fully sanctioned by God to be followed by many. This pretender looked so to many people and in St. Luke's account as recorded in Acts, we have an exact number of people he swayed with his falsity. You might say, "why were they so gullible? Four hundred of them? Aren't a thinker therein?" Then I should ask why we're being swayed and pranked by quick rich schemes that promise us great return on our money. They look big and well established. Many would even have Registration Numbers and sites. They might even partner with a popular bank but at the end, they'll crash and your money will be gone. You didn't see their end because you were too absorbed in the front they pushed forward. The pseudo always give their adherents a thing to believe also. They'll pump them with a sense of "we're on a journey to Canaan (destination)" and this is what they'll forever nurse until the founder or promiser dies. Since they're not from God or His Son: who enforces the will after His death, how could they have a share in the reality and blessings of saints (Heb.9:16-17). Knowing they've been excluded this way from all heavenly blessings, they concoction false beliefs, destination and blessings for people. If this falsity goes on into the next generation, it might become a religion or a great cause that people associate with worldwide. That's why you shouldn't be afraid of such falsity's growth because God has promised to make a separation between the wheat and the tares at the harvest. But be assured, their end has been prophesied. It is "the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous (Psalm 1:4-6).
PRAYER: Lord, we pray for the ignorant and charlatans who intentionally operate a fake/false calling or ministry, may they be convicted. Prevent all of us from error. May we not violate our conscience.
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