No, that’s not a typographical error. Perish Pastors is correct. “For the Pastors have become stupid and have not sought the Lord. Therefore they shall not prosper and all their flocks shall be scattered” –Jeremiah10:21. The pastors are stupid; why would they not perish?
The Hebrew lexicon defines this word as: “brutish, stupid, dull-hearted, unreceptive, inhuman, cruel, barbarous.” Our Bible translations reflect these sentiments and we experience the reality of it.
Why are the pastors stupid? Because they have not sought the Lord. Why will they perish? Because they are brutish, foolish, dull-hearted, stupid, unreceptive, inhuman, cruel, and barbarous. What will happen to the ignorant and misguided flocks who follow them? They will be scattered.
So, Perish Pastors seems to be quite fitting, don’t you think? All references to “Pastors” in the KJV Bible are: 7 in Jeremiah and 1 in Ephesians 4:11. That’s all. And the picture they paint is not pretty.
“The Pastors also transgressed against Me and did not know Me” –Jeremiah 2:8. Sinful Pastors who do not know the Lord and His Word will perish. “Many Pastors have ruined My vineyard” –Jeremiah 12:10. Pastors who spoil the fruitfulness of God’s own pleasant inheritance, His people, will perish.
“The wind will sweep away all your Pastors because of all your wickedness” –Jeremiah 22:22. “‘Woe to the Pastors who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture: Pastors who have driven them away and not attended to them! I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done’” –Jeremiah 23:1,2. Wrath is the portion of these wicked Perish Pastors.
“Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! You butcher the best sheep, but let your flocks starve! You’ve not taken care of the weak or tended the sick: nor bound up the injured, nor sought those who have wandered and are lost; but with harshness, force and cruelty you dominated them!
“The Lord God says: ‘I consider these shepherds My enemies. I will stop them! I will rescue My flock from their mouths; the sheep will no longer be their prey’” –Ezekiel 34:1-10.
Perish Pastors hire comedians because the church to them is a joke; but the flock is not laughing. Perish Pastors orchestrate concerts and sensual amusing entertainment while the sheep starve. Prosperity is prophesied by Perish Pastors while extorting money from impoverished harassed followers.
“Pasture the flock doomed for slaughter. Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I have become rich!’ Even their own shepherds have no compassion for them. Woe to the worthless shepherd who abandons the flock!” –Zechariah 11:4,5,17.
Jesters and jugglers, charlatans and cheats, barbarians and businessmen: All proudly recline, cushioned at their shrines’ high-tables. Dens of thieves, houses of merchandise, corrupted cathedrals: Therein the reigning Reverends of riches reside. Peddling the Word of God for profit, extorting the flock with false words, infamous for filthy lucre: These are the despicable Perish Pastors.
Ranking first among them in the pages of the New Testament was the autocrat, Diotrephes. He was the CEO of an empire of envy: enforced by sanction, and controlled by coercion. In his tyrant petty kingdom, he served as lord, legislator, judge, jury, and executioner all in one. None dared to challenge or contradict him except John, an apostle. But John himself fared no better at his hands than even the least.
“I wrote something to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, will have nothing to do with us. Therefore, if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, talking nonsense about us and maliciously gossiping with wicked words. And not being satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brethren himself, but hinders and stops those who want to do so and throws them out of the church!” -3 John 9,10. Jesus the Lord has “first place in everything” –Colossians 1:18, but Diotrephes shoulders Christ aside to occupy that place. Christ welcomes the brethren, but this Perish Pastor throws them out.
O God, deliver us from worthless wicked Perish Pastors! He will. “I Myself will search and find My sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered. I will bring them back home in pleasant places and feed them in lush pastures. I Myself will tend My sheep and give them a place to lie down in peace. So I will rescue My flock and they will no longer be abused” –Ezekiel 34:11-22.
“Then I will give you Pastors according to My own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding” –Jeremiah 3:15. But then the Perish Pastors will have been no more.