In Jeremiah 40, we are told the story of a conversation between Johanan and Gedaliah. Johann was a soldier of that era, and Gedaliah was the governor put in place by King Nubuchadnezer. In this conversation, there is a dire warning given to Gedaliah, that a man named Ishmael is determined to kill Gedaliah. Both publicly and privately the warnings are given!
Surprisingly Gedaliah refuses to accept this warning, claiming that Ishmael, who is of the lineage of David, would never do such a thing. He even goes so far as rebuke Johanan for thinking such thoughts about Ishmael.
Yet, in spite of the fact that Gedaliah does not believe the advice of Johanan, Ishmael does come and does kill him. Whether Gedaliah chose to believe the truth of the warning or not, it could not change the reality of Ishmael's plans!
Surprisingly Gedaliah refuses to accept this warning, claiming that Ishmael, who is of the lineage of David, would never do such a thing. He even goes so far as rebuke Johanan for thinking such thoughts about Ishmael.
Yet, in spite of the fact that Gedaliah does not believe the advice of Johanan, Ishmael does come and does kill him. Whether Gedaliah chose to believe the truth of the warning or not, it could not change the reality of Ishmael's plans!
In ancient Greek culture, there is a woman known as "Cassandra". She was said to have red curly hair, blue eyes and fair skin. Her beauty was considered to be second only to Helen of Troy!
Because of her beauty, she caught the eye of the god Apollo, who was accustomed to getting everything that he wanted. When Cassandra rebuffed his advances, He cursed her with a gift of prophecy with a very cruel twist:
He guaranteed that she would always be right, but that no one would ever believe her.
Thus Cassandra is said to have foretold the destruction of Troy and other disastrous happenings, but while doing so, she was ignored.
While none today would claim the gift of Cassandra... There is a voice that is always correct!! The Word & The Spirit. As a minister of the Gospel, we are commissioned to be a vessel through which that voice may speak. Yet, at times, we feel the sting of the "Cassandra Curse!"
Just like Johanan, we hear a "Gedaliah" tell us, “No - Ishmael would never kill me”.
Because of her beauty, she caught the eye of the god Apollo, who was accustomed to getting everything that he wanted. When Cassandra rebuffed his advances, He cursed her with a gift of prophecy with a very cruel twist:
He guaranteed that she would always be right, but that no one would ever believe her.
Thus Cassandra is said to have foretold the destruction of Troy and other disastrous happenings, but while doing so, she was ignored.
While none today would claim the gift of Cassandra... There is a voice that is always correct!! The Word & The Spirit. As a minister of the Gospel, we are commissioned to be a vessel through which that voice may speak. Yet, at times, we feel the sting of the "Cassandra Curse!"
- It is the Cassandra Curse that keeps the preacher awake in the middle of the night.
- It is the Cassandra Curse that frustrates the will of God.
- It is the Cassandra curse that tears the heart and soul out of every message preached from an apostolic pulpit!!
- To stand in the presence of God and humanity and to declare the WORD!
- To sit across a table and counsel the WORD!
Just like Johanan, we hear a "Gedaliah" tell us, “No - Ishmael would never kill me”.
- "No preacher - there’s no judgment coming."
- "No preacher - God does not care about these things."
- "No preacher - Sin won’t change me."
- "No preacher - I can handle this."
- I do not want to be a part of a generation that has no love for the truth and therefore believes a lie.
- I do not want to fall into the curse mentioned in Romans 11:8; "God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear".
- I do not want to hear TRUTH preached to me and reject it because of vain tradition, or fleshly passions.
- My prayer is that the Cassandra Curse would be broken in every pulpit.
- My prayer is that the Cassandra Curse would be broken in every Home Bible Study.
- My prayer is that the Spirit of Truth would work mightily to lead all men into TRUTH!
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