Where are the prophets?

Jesus was all about love, compassion, and unconditional acceptance, right? He would never judge anyone, right? Wrong!

Although Jesus was certainly was about love and compassion, he was also fiery preacher who was not shy about calling out his generation’s sin and calling them to repentance (Mark 7:20-23; Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:32).

In the process, Jesus attacked his entire generation, not just religious leaders (Luke 7:31-35//Matthew 11:16-19). He called them an evil, adulterous, sinful, faithless, and perverse generation (Luke 11:29-32//Matthew12:39-45; 16:4 17:17; Mark 8:38; 9:19; Lk 9:41).

Jesus warned that they “would be thrown into outer darkness” where people would “weep and gnash their teeth” (Matthew 8:12). Jesus told the crowd they “belong to their father the devil” who “was a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:12-58). He even publicly maligned the king (Luke 13:32)!

More specifically, Jesus attacked the leaders of his nation calling them hypocrites, fools, greedy self-indulgent hypocrites, and sons of hell (Matthew 23; They were not just “religious leaders.” There was no separation of Temple and state)!

Jesus was simply following the examples in his Bible, our Old Testament. Old Testament prophets were not at all shy about calling out the sin of their nation. Moses accused his generation of being rebellious and hard-hearted; a “crooked and twisted generation,” a “foolish and senseless people” (e.g. Exodus 15:24; 16:2-3; 17:2-4; Leviticus 26:41; Numbers 14:1-44; 20:3-5; Deuteronomy 31:15-18; 32:5-6).

Isaiah called his generation a “sinful nation,” “offspring of evildoers,” who were “laden with iniquity” (Isaiah 1:4). He accused his generation of drunkenness, parading their sin like Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah 3:8-9; 5:11,22). He condemned them for making unjust laws and issuing oppressive decrees against the poor, widows and fatherless (Isaiah 10:1-2). He said they were liars, that their hands were stained with blood, and that no one calls for justice (Isa 59:2-4).

Jeremiah accused his generation of being a “foolish and senseless people” (Jeremiah 5:21) who have “stubborn and rebellious” hearts (Jeremiah 5:23). He said they had “defiled the land with [their] prostitution and wickedness” (Jeremiah 3:2). Speaking for God, Jeremiah accused them of dishonesty, adultery, lies, evil, and wickedness (Jeremiah 4:22; 5:1). He accused them of being like Sodom and Gomorrah (Jeremiah 23:14).

Ezekiel called his generation obstinate, stubborn, and rebellious (Ezekiel 2:3-5; 5:6) and accused them of wicked and detestable practices (Ezekiel 6:11). He said they shed blood, commit lewd acts, violate women, commit adultery and incest (Ezekiel 22:9-12).

Hosea accused his generation of “swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery…” (Hosea 4:1-4; 10, 13). Joel calls his generation to repentance saying, “Wake up you drunkards, and weep!” (Joel 1:5). Micah pronounced woe on those who oppress others and “devise wickedness and work evil on their beds” (Micah 2:1-2). Zephaniah condemned Jerusalem saying, “Woe to the city of oppressors, rebellious and defiled!” Malachi condemned the sorcery, adultery, perjury, and oppression of his generation (Mal 3:5).

I don’t know how anyone can read this and not recognize the sins of our own nation! Our leaders openly promote, celebrate and demand acceptance for wicked behaviors the Bible calls abomination! The things for which God destroyed Sodom/Gomorrah and the Canaanites are taught in our schools!

They groom our kids with sexual trans dances, and they sexually mutilate minors in the name of health care! They drag your brothers and sisters into court and destroy their businesses. Other businesses fire those who disagree with their evil policies. Corrupt attorneys-general punish the innocent and exonerate the guilty—even those guilty of violent crimes.

The wickedness and corruption of this nation cry out to heaven, and with few exceptions, the silence of our pastors is absolutely deafening—just like most pastors were silent during Hitler’s rise to power. After all, it’s safe to give self-help or prosperity sermons and to preach about love and compassion. It’s safe to go along with the culture—or at least to keep your head down and not oppose it.

But where are the prophets today? And why aren’t the pastors following Jesus in exposing the sins of our generation and calling people to repentance?