How should Jeremiah 23:38 influence our approach to sharing God's word? Setting the Scene Jeremiah is confronting prophets who keep stamping their own opinions with the impressive-sounding label, “The burden of the LORD.” The phrase once meant a genuine, weighty revelation from God (Isaiah 13:1), but in Jeremiah’s day it had become a catchy slogan for spiritual showmanship. God’s verdict is severe. What Jeremiah 23:38 Actually Says “But if you say, ‘The burden of the LORD,’ then this is what the LORD says: Because you say this phrase, ‘The burden of the LORD,’ after I have sent word to you, saying, ‘You shall not say, “The burden of the LORD,”’…” The sentence continues in verse 39 with the judgment that follows, but verse 38 captures the core issue: God explicitly forbids using a holy label to package human ideas. Timeless Warnings for Anyone Who Speaks for God • Never attach divine authority to something God has not said. • Treat flippant use of “God told me” as rebellion, not minor error. • Once God draws a boundary (“You shall not say…”), repeated violation invites judgment. • A catchy religious phrase can mask disobedience; sincerity is no substitute for accuracy. Positive Guidance for Sharing God’s Word Today • Anchor every teaching in clear Scripture, carefully interpreted (2 Timothy 2:15). • Check motives: aim to please God, not gain applause (1 Thessalonians 2:4). • Let the text speak; resist the urge to add sensational claims (Deuteronomy 4:2; Proverbs 30:6). • Embrace the “burden” of truth humbly—remember James 3:1. • Speak with compassion, yet without shaving off the sharper edges of God’s message (2 Timothy 4:2). Cross-References That Reinforce the Lesson • Jeremiah 14:14—False prophets “prophesy a lie in My name.” • Ezekiel 13:6—They “claim, ‘The LORD declares,’ when the LORD has not sent them.” • Galatians 1:8—Even an angel who preaches another gospel is accursed. • 1 Peter 4:11—“Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God.” Take-Away Summary Jeremiah 23:38 calls us to handle Scripture with holy fear and honest lips. When we share God’s word, we refuse to stick His name on our notions, and we carefully, joyfully pass on what He has truly said—no more, no less. |
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