What actions can we take to ensure alignment with God's true word? Setting the Scene Jeremiah 28 records a showdown between the true prophet Jeremiah and the false prophet Hananiah. Hananiah’s words in Jeremiah 28:4 sounded wonderful: “And I will restore to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” Yet the Lord quickly exposed the message as a lie (Jeremiah 28:15-17) and confirmed that the true captivity would last seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). From this clash we learn how to keep ourselves anchored to God’s authentic word. Lessons Drawn from a False Promise • Pleasant words are not proof of divine origin. • A “prophecy” that contradicts earlier revelation cannot be from God. • Timing may test allegiance; God’s timetable often differs from human desires. Practices That Safeguard Alignment with God’s Word • Immerse in the whole counsel of Scripture – Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” – Daily reading keeps the heart trained to recognize off-notes. • Examine context diligently – Like the Bereans, “examined the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11). – Reading before and after a verse guards against isolated misapplication. • Test every message and messenger – 1 John 4:1 commands, “test the spirits.” – Deuteronomy 18:20-22 sets the standard: fulfilled accuracy and faithfulness to prior revelation. • Submit interpretations to established doctrine – 2 Peter 1:20-21: no prophecy is a private invention. – Scripture interprets Scripture; the clear governs the unclear. • Watch for fruit and fulfillment – A true word produces repentance, holiness, and eventual confirmation. – Hananiah’s death within the year proved the falseness of his “promise.” • Resist ear-tickling messages – 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warns of teachers who cater to “itching ears.” – Choose truth over comfort, even when the truth predicts hardship. • Depend on the Spirit’s discernment – John 16:13 promises the Spirit will “guide you into all truth.” – Prayerful reliance guards against intellectual pride and fleshly bias. • Stay accountable within the covenant community – Hebrews 10:24-25 urges believers to gather for mutual exhortation. – Wise elders and mature believers provide safeguards against error. • Obey promptly what God has already revealed – James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.” – Obedience sharpens perception; rebellion dulls it. • Wait patiently for God’s timing – Jeremiah’s seventy-year prophecy required endurance and faith. – Trust grows when believers cling to God’s Word despite long delays. Living It Out Holding fast to the literal, inerrant Scriptures means hearing the whole message, welcoming its hard edges, and measuring every new claim by the unchanging standard God has already set. Through consistent study, Spirit-led discernment, and humble obedience, believers remain securely aligned with God’s true word—no matter how persuasive counterfeit voices may sound. |
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