Those Who "Steal" God's Words

In its various forms, the word “steal” appears over forty times in the Bible (not to mention other similar words such as rob, covet, etc.). Regardless of the object, stealing is seen to be wrong. It takes from another by stealth, cunning or force what is rightfully his. Obviously, God disapproves of stealing (cf. Ephesians 4:28).

There is an interesting passage in Jeremiah involving the idea of stealing. As with other such thoughts, this one condemns the thief. However, what makes the passage so interesting, is the object said to be stolen and the one who did the stealing. The object was God’s words, and the thieves were those who claimed to be prophets. The passage reads: “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, that steal My words every one from his neighbor” (Jeremiah 23:30).

When we consider the above passage in our modern setting, there are still those claiming to be “prophets” who “steal My words.” They can be seen on television, heard on the radio and read in printed form. They claim to be spokesmen for God, yet their teachings are foreign to His Word. Since they substitute their own words, they are stealing God’s. The results of such actions are devastating. Not only are they themselves ignorant, deceived, and dishonest, they endanger the souls of those who would hear and follow their teachings.

These so-called “prophets” of Jeremiah’s day were false prophets and spoke erroneously. They convinced the ignorant, gullible and hard-hearted, that their words were truthful to the detriment of their spiritual lives. Similarly, we have numerous “false prophets” of our day who likewise speak falsely. Sadly, they convince many to follow them, to the detriment of their souls.

Peter provides us a warning regarding these false prophets, as well as false teachers: “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive way, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Thus, the condemnation of God rests upon those who “steal his words.”

 —Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets