How should Jeremiah 23:31 influence our approach to teaching and preaching? Setting the context “Yes,” declares the LORD, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and proclaim, ‘He says it.’ ” (Jeremiah 23:31) • The verse sits in a larger denunciation (Jeremiah 23:16-32) where God exposes prophets who claim to speak for Him yet invent messages from their own hearts. • God’s opposition is personal: “I am against.” The issue is not style or popularity, but falsifying divine speech. What God condemns in Jeremiah 23:31 • “Wag their own tongues” – speaking from personal imagination, not revelation. • “Proclaim, ‘He says it’” – attaching God’s name to those inventions. • Result: deception of hearers (Jeremiah 23:32); the prophets “lead My people astray with their reckless lies.” Implications for today’s teachers and preachers • Do not claim, imply, or hint at “a word from the Lord” unless the source is unmistakably Scripture. • Resist the temptation to cloak opinions, political views, or cultural trends in divine authority. • Recognize that novelty can be spiritually deadly; accuracy matters more than originality. Scriptural confirmations • James 3:1 – “Not many of you should become teachers… for we who teach will be judged more strictly.” • 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Present yourself to God as one approved… correctly handling the word of truth.” • 1 Peter 4:11 – “Whoever speaks, let him speak as one speaking the very words of God.” • Deuteronomy 18:20-22; Galatians 1:8-9; Revelation 22:18-19 reinforce the same standard. Practical safeguards before speaking 1. Saturate preparation in the text: observe, interpret, apply. 2. Check cross-references; let Scripture interpret Scripture (2 Peter 1:20-21). 3. Guard the pulpit language: say “The Bible says” or “Scripture teaches,” not “God told me,” unless reading an actual verse. 4. Invite accountability: elders, study partners, and congregation members who know the Word can keep doctrine sound (Acts 17:11). 5. Submit every outline to prayerful self-examination: is any part driven by ego, trending topics, or desire for applause? Marks of faithful teaching • Text-rooted: exposition flows naturally from the passage (Nehemiah 8:8). • Christ-centered: shows the fulfillment of Scripture in Jesus (Luke 24:27). • Spirit-empowered: dependent on the Spirit’s illumination, not rhetorical flair (1 Corinthians 2:1-5). • Edifying: builds up believers in truth and love (Ephesians 4:12-15). • Honest: willing to preach the “whole counsel of God,” even hard truths (Acts 20:27; 2 Timothy 4:2-4). Living under divine scrutiny • Every sermon or lesson will be weighed by the One who said, “I am against” counterfeit voices. • Faithfulness may seem less impressive now, yet it carries eternal reward (1 Corinthians 3:12-15). Takeaway Let Jeremiah 23:31 press us to open our mouths only when the text itself speaks, to close them when it is silent, and to remember that the God who opposes false prophets delights to empower humble, Scripture-anchored messengers. |
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