People who are distressed go to him. Many things he says are great encouragement and inspiration for many. He also predicts about the future. Many of his forecasts do not come true. Yet, people used to flock to him. One woman said: “He gives a positive message. Certainly, he kindled our hope. What he says about the future may not happen that gives us joy and it generates wild imaginations. I am satisfied with such imagination.” Perhaps this is called: “Building a castle in the air.” This fortune-teller does not rebuke or discern what is wrong, just buries the past and gives an imaginary future.
A patient goes to a medical doctor. He asks several questions ranging from his appetite, water intake, sleep, rest, work, tension, relationships…apart from doing some lab investigations to find the real cause of illness. However, the fortune teller does not investigate, but inflate the ego of the listener promising a great future ahead.
Jeremiah writes about the False prophets, who are like fortune tellers. “They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.” (Jeremiah 6:14) The false prophets give promises of prosperity, peace, and great future and refuse to deal with the wounds and the consequences of sin. Instead of doing a surgery or cleansing of wounds or applying medicine and binding them, they simply declare that the wound is healed.
In contrast, true prophets like a good surgeon have the welfare of the patient and his healing as the priority. Not giving them a feel-good factor, they work towards healing. True prophets confront sin as Nathan did with David; condemn unrighteous encroachment of land by Ahab; publicly condemn adultery of Herod and confront Ananias and Sapphira as Peter did. False prophets condone the insatiable selfish quests, aspirations, and pursuits. True prophets turn the attention of people towards the Kingdom of God and righteousness. (Matthew 6:33) Paul writes that people will heap upon themselves such teachers who satisfy their itching ears, the ears that have turned away from truth. (I Timothy 4:3)
Do I have itching ears or listening ears?