Jeremiah's Dungheap

From time to time, I come across weird religious movements peddling new light. From time to time, they feel the need to write to me to share their wonderful, newly discovered truth. The latest arrived through our chapel post-box last week. Neatly addressed, but with no contact details, the letter made a few claims before pointing to a website, which said little more.

It advised me that we were in the Third Age. This allegedly commenced in 1950, cancelling the need for all religious buildings, rabbis, imams and priests. All holy days and festivals are abolished apart from the sabbath and are to be replaced by ‘universal love’. Just in case I wish to live aright in this new, third age, an updated list of commandments were helpfully typed onto the back of the letter, but instead of 10 there were 22. The website explains:

It began in 1866. A small group of believers in Mexico under a man called Roque Rojas were chosen by God for the revelation of the start of this Era. The prophet Eliyahu/Elijah returned to earth and announced 22 Commandments for this Third and Final Era.

I can find little on Roque Rojas, other than he was a Catholic priest-cum-spiritist, who rather liked to identify with the great Hebrew prophet. Not only is there a new set of commandments (nothing especially radical or noteworthy among them, incidentally) but there is also a new set of scriptures for our shiny new age: The Third Testament which has 366 teachings, also named The Book of True Life. If I were a more dedicated pastor and investigator of cults, I should love to pore over the various YouTube videos which the website links to. In fact, I watched a few for a few minutes and simply got bored. You see, I’ve heard it all before. The cults and the nutjobs, the charlatans and the deceivers all basically say the same thing:

• A new age has started or is about to begin
• Some individual has been granted some extra revelation which only a few will understand
• A new set of scriptures have been given to replace or supplement our existing ones.

They all:

• Denigrate or neglect Christ’s divinity and authority
• Ignore or despise His atoning work at Calvary
• Offer salvation based upon human merit or membership of some group.

For example, one of these videos claims that Elijah is interceding for his people. No. Elijah received Christ’s intercession, and is as much saved by His atoning blood as we are. This particular site is called Jeremiah’s Field, for reasons that are not made clear. The website’s introduction, however, offers sound advice:

The purpose of this website is to enable you to both see and hear the words of THE LORD. He speaks very clearly and requires no explanation or interpretation. If you doubt what is contained here,  speak to him directly. If you have ears to hear He will speak to you.

Indeed, it is the only part of the content with which I may agree. Compare what it (and all the other cults, sects and religions) teaches, to God’s word, the Bible. Through that book, the Lord speaks, and nowhere else. In Jeremiah 32, the chapter from which this cult’s name comes, we read:

‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.” ’ (vv14-15)

In other words, there will be continuity between past and present. Though the Babylonians come to destroy and pillage, the city shall rise again, for God’s covenants are secure. I have more in common with old Jeremiah the prophet of the 'first age' who is saved by God’s grace through Christ’s blood, than with contemporary false prophets who peddle well-worn lies.

And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Jeremiah 14:14