False Prophets in the Land

In Old Testament, the Prophets warned God’s people when they were not acting as God’s people. They would tell them that if they continued to act against the ways of God, they would suffer the consequences. Most of what these men said was very practical advice from God. For example,if you are harsh and unjust rulers, then you can expect rebellion from your people and neighboring nations.

In recent years, a number of economists have prophesied, to the American People, that Wall Street investors, industrial CEOs, and wealthy stock holders would use their fortunes to produce jobs, if only they were given extended tax cuts. Their promise won over the congress during the Bush Administration. Now for over a decade we have suffered increasing budget deficits due, in part, to significant loss in revenue.

Over this past decade, while the top 2% of wealthiest Americans continue to amass greater personal fortunes, the average American worker still waits for wages to start keeping pace with the cost of living. And those presently unemployed wait for the jobs the prophets promised over ten years ago.

The problem is, the prophecies of new jobs, to be produced by tax cuts, were based on the good will of the wealthiest among us. We are waiting on the grace and mercy of powerful employers; and our hope is hanging on the social conscience of Industrial titans. Here lies the foundation of the false prophecy. The wealthy and the powerful are merely sinful humans. The business of businessmen (and women) is to make money. Most feel little pull to be socially responsible. A business will hire a new employee only when it will add to the corporate profits.

The way that God set up ancient Israel's economy assured that there would be no dynasties of wealth and privilege among his people. Interest rates were to be extremely modest. After the second generation of privilege, the accumulation of great wealth was to be redistributed; and the debts of the poor were to be wiped clean. The warning of the prophets, to the people of God was against high interest rates, against the accumulation of wealth for generation after generation, and against great gaps between the rich and the poor.

Today, the true prophets are those who encourage the wealthy to be responsible, to honor economic justice, and heed the warnings against greed.