The Eternal Truth

In the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta, two men competed for power during the 6th century BC. One of them, Cleomenes, decided to eliminate his rival, Demaratus.

To settle the issue, the men submitted their dispute to the oracle at Delphi. But instead of waiting for a judgment, Cleomenes decided to fix the outcome, secretly paying a bribe. As a result, a prophetess announced a decision that led to Demaratus’ banishment.

Cleomenes thought he had won. But when his bribery became public, he was forced to flee. Eventually, he went insane and committed suicide. This whole process was possible only because so many Spartans trusted their gods and oracles like the one at Delphi.

The prophet Zechariah spoke of a similar time when God’s people stopped trusting in Him, but looked to various “teraphim,” which could be employed in divination. They also trusted in diviners, who employed demonic powers to discern their answers.

These diviners saw “lying visions” and told “false dreams.” In fact, these “diviners” could be bribed and manipulated. They might have provided temporary “comfort” but their words were “in vain”…deceptive and misleading. In reality, none of these people spoke for God.

Today, the world is filled with voices offering answers, and many claim to know the future. But remember that there is only one God. Make sure to place your faith in Him. He cannot be manipulated or bribed. He always speaks the truth. The uncompromising truth. The eternal truth.