(Jeremiah Chapter 35)
Sometime ago, I was with an elderly woman who is highly placed in the government. She told me an interesting story of an experience she had some months earlier. Her late father was a Pastor in a popular Church in Nigeria, so she had been a member of the church from an early age.
One day, a Pastor from the Church told her he wanted to travel out of the country on vacation and God told him to inform her He had placed the responsibility of buying his flight tickets on her, a figure running into millions of Naira. She replied: “Pastor, you may need to ask God to inform you on my monthly salary: He KNOWS how much I earn and He KNOWS I cant afford what you are asking me to pay for!”
We all have these experiences at some point, where a Man of God would want to use his spiritual influence to manipulate and control us. It is a very common occurrence in our Churches these days. But then, it has been happening from time immemorial, not just a recent occurrence.
In Jeremiah Chapter 35, we read the story of the Rechabites. God tested these folks through the Prophet, Jeremiah. He wanted to see how they would respond to Manipulation and Control. These folks (The Rechabites) were the descendants of a man called Rechab. He had left several standing instructions to his descendants before he died:
- Do not drink wine.
- Do not live in houses.
- Do not plant vineyards.
His descendants had obeyed these instructions for generations until God tested them through the Prophet Jeremiah.
God told the Prophet: “Go to the Rechabite family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.” (Verse 2).
So Prophet Jeremiah did just that: he took some of the Rechabites into the Temple, took them into one of the inner chambers and set bowls of wine in front of them and some cups. Then he said, “Drink some wine, guys!”
There is something interesting about what God told Prophet Jeremiah to do:
He told him to take the Rechabites into THE TEMPLE.
He told him to take them into THE INNER CHAMBERS.
He told him to give them WINE TO DRINK.
Now, Jeremiah was a Prophet of God. His ministry was not in doubt. His anointing was not questioned. The whole country knew him as God’s mouthpiece. His reputation was solid. So, this Man of God with an excellent reputation took these Rechabites into an inner chamber God’s Temple, put wine before them and asked them to drink.
But there is something you will notice: Prophet Jeremiah did not tell them it was God’s instruction! He did not tell them, “Thus saith the Lord: drink this wine”!
It was deliberate.
God wanted to see if they would be intimidated by the Office and the reputation of the Prophet who gave the instruction and the environment they were in (in an inner chamber in the Temple)!
But these men were not fazed by these things. They held on to the instructions they got from their forefather, Rechab. They refused to do as the Prophet said. They refused to drink the wine he gave them to drink.
And God COMMENDED (not CONDEMN) them for it!
These days, the average Christian in the shoes of the Rechabites in front of one Apostle or Bishop would find it difficult to stand his ground and not drink the wine. He would be intimidated by the Office and reputation of the man in front of him.
I have seen situations where Men of God use their Offices to control and manipulate the flock.
I have seen Men of God threaten their flock with curses if they don’t do what they want them to do.
I was once a victim of these shenanigans.
But I got to the point where I realized being a Man of God does not confer divinity on anybody.
Then I rebelled against manipulation and control by Men of God. I remember when a Church asked me to do a job for a fee. I delivered the job on completion and asked for my fee. The Pastor said, “But Architect, are you not a Christian? Can’t you do it for free? The Bible says God loves a cheerful giver…”
“I’m not a Christian, Sir.”
“Ok: even if you are a Muslim, the Quran says…”
“I am not a Muslim, Sir.”
He was surprised! “Ok, religion do you practice?”
“I’m HINDU!” I knew he couldn’t quote any Hindu literature. In his quest to manipulate me, I got the better of him. It was a battle of wits, and I won.
I got paid my money in full.
We MUST fight against manipulation and control in our Churches to live balanced Christian lives.
Shalom,
Haruna Daniels