Daily Devotional, Year 2 – SEPTEMBER 12 ( Jeremiah & The Smooth Prophets, Part 2 (“Absalom The Great Flatterer!”)
By admin On February 5th, 2021.
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Daily Devotional, Year 2 – SEPTEMBER 12
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Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets,
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Part 2:
“Absalom The Great Flatterer!”
To read part 1, click here… April 1, (Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets, Part 1)
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Have you ever heard the expression, “Flattery will get you no-where”? Well, that may indeed be true with some people.
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But perhaps this next common saying is more accurate, “Flattery will get you every-where!”
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kissing hand – cropped image – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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FLATTERY IN VARIOUS FORMS
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Yes, by nature, we humans are quite susceptible to flattery in its various forms: sexual advances,
manipulative complimenting,
praising people,
giving inordinate attention to another person,
being “cutsie” or “coy”,
pretentiousness,
utilizing one’s charismatic personality,
using jokes and jests,
giving gifts,
promising future advancement, etc…
all in attempt to gain another person’s affection, loyalty, or trust.
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Yes, flattery can come in various forms. And it is a very powerful means to win the hearts and favor of others.
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Judas Betrays Jesus – courtesy Wikipedia – Public Domain
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ABSALOM’S FLATTERY
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Absalom, the son of King David, knew well how to use flattery to gain the favor of others…“Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice! And it was so, that when any man came nigh to him to do him obeisance, he put forth his hand, and took him, and kissed him. And on this manner did Absalom to all Israel that came to the king for judgment: so Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” 2nd Samuel 15:4-6
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Now in addition to Absalom’s pretentious flattery and kissing the hands of all who came to him, it is also written of him… “But in all Israel there was none to be so much praised as Absalom for his beauty: from the sole of his foot even to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him.” 2nd Samuel 14:25
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Now here we have been given the picture of a man who used his attractiveness and personality and pretentious “slobbering” affection to steal away the hearts of the citizens of Israel away from his father, King David.
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Absalom cropped image – – www.freebibleimages.org
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ABSALOM A PORTRAIT OF LUCIFER
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Now this true account of David’s son’s rebellion is also a picture of Lucifer’s rebellion in Heaven.
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Since David often represents Christ in Scripture, it is not hard to relate this story of how Lucifer stole the hearts of those angels who eventually fell from grace, as they transferred their allegiance from Jesus, to follow Lucifer.
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Lucifer – Mihály Zichy – 1887 – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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LUCIFER’S FLATTERY TRANSFERRED TO PLANET EARTH
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But this kind of flattery has continued to be used by earth’s inhabitants to this very day.
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After all, don’t we see politicians doing the same thing?
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Don’t we see them kiss babies, and shake everyone’s hand, and attempt to schmooze their hearers in every possible way?
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Gustave Dore – Paradise Lost illustration – Lucifer becomes Satan – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
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CHURCH LEADERS TOO!
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And of course, we also see church leaders do the same thing.
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Oh, not every church leader. But many church leaders have the same mentality as a politician! Kissing, and hand-shaking, and schmoozing flattery, is quite often seen in various church leaders today.
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Audience hands – cropped & altered – Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain
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TV & RADIO PERSONALITIES
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Yes, down through
the past decades, various TV and radio teachers and evangelists have been great flatterers! Many of these attempt to win the hearts of their viewers and hearers by means of their personality.
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Telling jokes, using their folksy wit and charm, using their musical abilities, or behaving in an alluring, sensual manner, these erring men unwittingly use the same strategy that Absalom used, and even as Lucifer used when back in Heaven to win the affection of others!
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Announcer with microphone – svg – Wikimedia – Public-Domain
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“A FLATTERING MOUTH WORKS RUIN”
Proverbs 26:28
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Listen to the Lord’s assessment of flattery, as He spoke through David… “They (the 
people of the world) speak vanity (empty words) every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:” Psalm 12:2, 3
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This above passage (and many other similar passages) reveals just how much God hates flattery! He who searches every heart sees the double-hearted deception and hidden motives of flatterers. And perhaps we might add the following words to that old expression, “Flattery will get you everywhere…but Heaven!” For this above verse from Psalms promises that all flattering tongues will be cut off!
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JESUS DEFINITELY NOT A FLATTERER
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As we read about the Lord Jesus, we behold a man who came with no flattering words,
but spoke the truth plainly. Jesus never once used his personality to win the hearts of His hearers.
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Listen to Isaiah… “He (Jesus) hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” Isaiah 53:2
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Jesus did not come into this world with charming wit, nor with outward beauty. He was a average-looking man and used His words sparingly with the sole desire to convict the hearts of His hearers with the plain and cutting eternal truths.
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Brooklyn Museum – The Pharisees Question Jesus – James Tissot – US Public Domain – Wikimedia
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HIS FOLLOWERS WILL IMITATE HIM
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And those who become followers of Jesus will pay close attention to the conduct of Jesus’ earthly ministry, in hopes of presenting the very same behavior and example to the world.
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Yes, as ambassadors for Christ, our great desire is to let the world see Jesus in us! And the true followers of Christ will be deathly afraid of using flattery in any of its forms, to win the hearts of our hearers.
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Anger during a protest – cropped image – by David Shankbone – Wikimedia – Share-alike-License
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FLATTERY IN FALLEN CHURCHES
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Unfortunately, these kinds of earthly, sensual, and devilish tactics are commonly used in today’s fallen churches.
Sensual singers: jesters in the pulpits: “charmers”:
prophets promising future earthly glory and financial prosperity:
preaching only the softer and more appealing passages of the Bible:
folksy witticisms:
affirming the Salvation of unregenerate parishioners:
putting on a pretentious air of personal holiness:
praising secular persons and worldly institutions:
approving various ungodly behaviors:
promoting various secular pursuits and amusements to parishioners:
and many similar types of flatteries.
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Rock Music Christian CHURCH Pomona – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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And so, just what is the remedy for such behavior?
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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THE GOOD NEWS!
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The very Good News is, that this is still the day of Salvation! Yes, the door of mercy and grace is still ajar! And considering the lateness of the hour, it is no time for delay. We must hurry along the upward pathway to the Celestial City of Heaven!
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And those of us who have used some form of flattery in the past can put all such deceitful tactics in the trash heap where they belong!
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And then, we can begin our exodus out of the fallen churches which practice such deceptions and take our stand with God’s faithful remnant.
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And then, we can beg God to allow us to read of Christ and contemplate His holy and loving ways!
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And our daily prayer should be that God might transform our hearts and conform our lives into the image of Christ.
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Upward-Pathway-by-böhringer-friedrich-for-Wikimedia-cropped image – Share-alike-License
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TO READ PART 3, GO HERE…
March 30 (Jeremiah & the Smooth Prophets, Part 3: “Soft Sermons”)
Audience hands – cropped & altered – Wikimedia – Universal Public Domain
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to consider how I may be guilty of using flattery in one form or another. Help me to put away any and all such manipulative tactics, and merely put on the Lord Jesus Christ for all the world to see…
Prayer for USA – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Attribution 2.0
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Fleeing to the Mountains: The Abomination in the Church, Part 1” or you can also read this shorter article… “JANUARY 26 (The False Prophet: Lying Eyes!)”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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VARIOUS SIGNS SPOKEN OF…
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Now as far as those who search Bible prophecy concerning “signs of the End”, most of us were expecting extraordinary heavenly phenomena; you know, such things as giant asteroids or other colossal cataclysmic occurrences.
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Comet Hale-Bopp-29-03-1997 – cropped image – wikipedia share-alike license
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VARIOUS SIGNS MENTIONED…
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But you see, God has mentioned various constellations in Scriptures: Orion, The Pleiades, Mazzaroth, etc.. But He also spoke in Revelation of “great signs” in the heavens: a woman with child, a dragon who swept a third of the stars, and Michael who fought against that dragon (see Revelation, Ch. 12).
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The Bible also speaks of other signs in the heavens, and it is the purpose of Signs Of Heaven website, to introduce these wonderful signs and to reveal the many Bible passages which explain them. And if you are one of the fortunate ones to receive this amazing message, then you too can begin to proclaim this heavenly love story to anyone willing to listen.
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“LAY UP…TREASURES IN HEAVEN”
Matthew 6:20
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“My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of 
righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.” Proverbs 8:19-21. This above passage speaks of a pathway which leads to riches and treasures.
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Yes, God is just now revealing the long-awaited signs, as it is written, “And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;” Luke 21:25. And God is just now opening up a pathway to the stars: a figurative gate to Heaven itself!
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Arcturus (the star that wise-men follow!)”
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TOMORROW
SEPTEMBER 13 (Cuttlefish & The False Prophet, Part 2: All Power, Signs & Lying Wonders)
ABOVE PICTURE: Satan, The False Prophet who now in these last days destroys the churches via a world-loving prosperity-driven false gospel – www.signsofheaven.org
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO JEREMIAH STUDY
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS IS STUDY #620 PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…
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Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.com – Public Domain
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Those who are interested in using photos on this page may click on the provided image credit link below each photo, to get to Wikimedia Commons for various licensing names, details, and tags, and all other necessary info on any particular photo.