64.
A most unfortunate situation was to be found among the people of that day. Those who declared themselves (self appointed) prophets were fools. They were not at all in contact or communication with the Lord. The so called prophetic utterances were not inspired by the Spirit of the Lord but they spoke from their own intellect or were inspired by lying spirits. Hos. 9:7d The Lord denied such as being His prophets, they were active, but not by the inspiration or call of the Spirit of the Lord. Jer. 23:21-22 The Lord warned them that the prophets would prophecy useless and vain words. Most definitely, not the Word of the Lord. Jer. 5:13 They prophesied words of falsehood, therefore the very thing which they proclaimed, would come upon them. Jer. 14:15 One of the spiritual sickness that the church of the last days will face is the word of false prophets. Mark 13:22.
In place of a sincere spirituality being manifest, the so called spiritual man was mad or troubled by insanity. They were not following after a true teaching founded upon the Word of the Lord. Therefore their spirituality was contrary to good and sane doctrine. There are of the class of persons who will be grossly mislead into strange ideas and teachings. All because there is a failure to love the truth. 2 Thess. 2:9-10 The cause being the great bulk of the works of iniquity with which they had become involved. Also, a great hatred which had been developed in their hearts. Most certainly in creating a division of the nation, Judah would have been one of the objects of their hatred. Strangely enough, when a person turns against the Lord, where there had been love, hated takes its place. To turn against the Lord could have developed what the prophet called the great hatred.
The Lord, because of His desire to correct them had instead become their enemy. Hos. 9:7.
The true prophet. The man and watchman for Ephraim, was on the side of the Lord. He was a man of truth and integrity. He came with the true Word of the Lord calling Israel to repentance and warning them of their impending punishment. The true watchman was faithful to the Lord and to the people for he spoke the Word of the Lord to them, without fear or favor. The false prophets were leading them deeper and deeper into their entrapment of the worship of false gods and idols. Where they had once worshipped the true and living God, now, hatred had taken over their hearts and was in control. Jesus said that in spite of the mighty works which He had wrought among them, they hated both He and His Father. John 15:24 Paul well defined the spiritual situation as being of one in our day, where the hearts are filled with hatred. It is a work of the flesh, and carnal. Gal. 5:20 The teachings of the Lord Jesus require that we love our enemies. Bless those who curse us and instead of hating do good to those who hate us. Mt. 5:44.