Who are today’s false prophets?
Among them are those in leadership positions who keep denying the increasing threat of the climate crisis. Whether they speak for faith or the economy, the resistance of world leaders to what would help us survive what’s yet to come - is an irresponsible disaster of global proportions and not enough accountability. When David Malpass resigned from his position as the president of the world bank earlier this year - it was only after extreme pressure by government and media, following up on his earlier evasive position on the role of fossil fuels in hastening air pollution. Appointed by Trump, Malpass finally had to go - but how many in his position are still around to tell us lies that only rely on profit? This list of top Climate Deniers barely scratched the surface.
For Jeremiah, living in Jerusalem, the ongoing drought becomes a clear sign of divine displeasure. We can’t be sure of when exactly the terrible drought described in today's chapter happened - but it was not that unusual for the region that relies on rain for its annual yield. And when the rains stop - it’s seen as punishment and a call to repentance. But not this time. The drought is severe but it’s too late for prayers. YHWH rejects the gestures and pleas, fasts and prayers. Judah is doomed.
כִּ֣י יָצֻ֗מוּ אֵינֶ֤נִּי שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ אֶל־רִנָּתָ֔ם וְכִ֧י יַעֲל֛וּ עֹלָ֥ה וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי רֹצָ֑ם כִּ֗י בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ וּבָרָעָ֣ב וּבַדֶּ֔בֶר אָנֹכִ֖י מְכַלֶּ֥ה אוֹתָֽם׃
“When they fast, I will not listen to their outcry; and when they present burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. I will exterminate them by war, famine, and disease.”
Jeremiah tries to negotiate. It’s not the people’s fault! The false prophets who calm the people with false promises instead of naming the truth are the ones to blame. But even this approach is not helpful - the dialogue between divine and human leads to a deadend:
וָאֹמַ֞ר אֲהָ֣הּ ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה הַנְּבִאִ֜ים אֹמְרִ֤ים לָהֶם֙ לֹא־תִרְא֣וּ חֶ֔רֶב וְרָעָ֖ב לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־שְׁל֤וֹם אֱמֶת֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י
שֶׁ֚קֶר הַנְּבִאִים֙ נִבְּאִ֣ים בִּשְׁמִ֔י לֹ֤א שְׁלַחְתִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א צִוִּיתִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א דִבַּ֖רְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם חֲז֨וֹן שֶׁ֜קֶר וְקֶ֤סֶם וֶאֱלִיל֙ וְתַרְמִ֣ית לִבָּ֔ם הֵ֖מָּה מִֽתְנַבְּאִ֥ים לָכֶֽם׃ לָכֵ֞ן כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה עַֽל־הַנְּבִאִ֞ים הַנִּבְּאִ֣ים בִּשְׁמִי֮ וַאֲנִ֣י לֹֽא־שְׁלַחְתִּים֒ וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים חֶ֣רֶב וְרָעָ֔ב לֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את בַּחֶ֤רֶב וּבָֽרָעָב֙ יִתַּ֔מּוּ הַנְּבִאִ֖ים הָהֵֽמָּה׃
“I lamented, “OH, my Sovereign GOD ! The prophets are saying to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, famine shall not come upon you, but I will give you unfailing security in this place!’”
YHWH replied: It is a lie that the prophets utter in My name. I have not sent them or commanded them. I have not spoken to them. A lying vision, an empty divination, the deceit of their own contriving—that is what they prophesy to you!
YHWH spoke: Concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name though I have not sent them, and who say, “Sword and famine shall not befall this land”; those very prophets shall perish by sword and famine.”
Jeremiah 14:12-15
How awful it is that so little has changed since those droughts ravaged the land 2,700 years ago as they still do today? And what about those persistent false messengers - whose cynical abuse of the truth sinks our collective ship? What do we do about that??
Binyamin Cohen, a Jewish educator, brings today’s chapter in sync with today’s chilling and growing concerns:
“The message of this chapter unfortunately parallels events in the world today. Climate crises are on the horizon in much of the world. Temperatures are on the rise, environments are changing, agriculture is failing, animals are disappearing. Our “sins” are different than the Israelites sins: we worship plastics and impermanence, not the Baalim and Asherot. We too love to stray: it is so easy to throw out that plastic cutlery, to sip our coffee from a single-use cup.
We have our false prophets as well. They tell us that it’s natural, that’s it's not really as bad as we think it is, that it’s not happening here, so it’s not really happening. They tell us we’re safe in our cities, that the effects of climate change can’t touch us in the developed world. But, just like Jeremiah says, none of that means it isn’t happening, out there. We can just look at the world around us to see the truth of this. In 2018 there were more than 17.2 million “climate migrants”, people forced from their homes by natural disasters and climate change. This number could skyrocket to 143 million by 2050.
Jeremiah would tell us to look out at these people, at the world that we don’t usually (and often don’t want to) see.
If we don’t change our ways, we’ll see these things at our doorstep before we know it.”
What can each of us do today to silence the false prophets who only seek profit and raise up the valiant efforts to combat climate crisis denial, doing whatever we can for survival and change?
One way you can step up? Join me and the Lab/Shul community on 9/17 - the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah at The March to End Fossil Fuels!
I can’t think of a more urgent and sacred way to begin this new year. Details coming soon for the meet-up we’ll be leading with the Jewish delegation and other faith communities. Join us - in the spirit of Jeremiah.
Breaking the Bottle: Jeremiah’s Prophetic Performance Art
OUR NEXT BELOW THE BIBLE BELT ZOOM TALK - NOW AT 5PM ET.
Was Jeremiah a performing artist protesting social ills? Was he a poet speaking truth to power or a madman everybody tried to avoid?
What does his story have to teach us today, on the eve of a new Jewish year?
All are invited to join me on Zoom for our next Monthly Conversation, - just in time for a new Jewish year and continued political challenges - everywhere.
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