Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Jeremiah 23: Bad Prophets

Jeremiah unloads on the false prophets leading the people astray in chapter 23.

He begins by talking about the shepherds who are destroying and scattering God's flock in verses 1 through 4.  Those who have led the people astray will be punished, and God will gather them back from wherever they have been scattered.

The prophets and priests of Judah have committed the sins from those in Israel before them.  They lie, commit adultery, and are on the side of evil rather than good.  It's so bad that God says, "They are all like Sodom to me; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah" (vs. 14).  Because the prophets have spread ungodliness, the Lord plans to punish them with poisoned water and bitter food.

We find out more about the message of these false prophets in the second half of the chapter.  They are prophesying peace when there is no peace.  They are telling a nation at war with their God that God is planning good things for them.

Jeremiah contrasts the weak dreams and oracles of the false prophets with the strong word of God which is what true prophets traffic in.  The Lord mocks them, saying, "I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies in my name.  They say, 'I had a dream! I had a dream!' (vs. 25).  But a dream doesn't cut it with God.  Consider how powerful God's word is in comparison to a mere dream.  "'Is not my word like fire,' declares the Lord, 'and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?'" (vs. 29)

Likewise, the talk of "oracles" is offensive and brings Him to wrath.  "But you must not mention 'the oracle of the Lord' again, because every man's own word becomes his oracle and so you distort of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God" (vs. 36).  The Lord promises shame and disgrace for those who engage in such empty oracles.

Nevertheless, there is a ray of hope in this chapter amid all the negative talk of false prophets.  Verses 5 through 8 contain the promise of a restoration and the establishment of a Messiah, the One who will reign over a revitalized Judah as King in the line of David.  There are strong overtones of divinity here, as Jeremiah reveals that His name will be "The Lord Our Righteousness" (vs. 6).  Christians understand this to be a prophecy of Jesus, the One who came to set things right.

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