What does Jeremiah 23:35 teach about the importance of seeking God's guidance? Verse in focus “ This is what each of you is to say to his friend and to his brother: ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ” (Jeremiah 23:35) The setting • Jeremiah addresses a nation plagued by false prophets who claimed special revelations while peddling their own imaginations (Jeremiah 23:16–32). • God counters their empty “oracle of the LORD” slogans with a simple directive: ask what He has actually said. • Verse 35 shifts attention from self-appointed spokesmen to everyday believers, urging them to turn conversations toward genuine divine guidance. Key insights from the verse • “What has the LORD answered?” assumes God speaks and answers—He is not silent. • The question is communal: friends and brothers spur one another to seek God’s voice, not private speculation. • God’s guidance is presented as objective (“spoken,” “answered”) rather than subjective impressions. • It implies accountability: once we know what God has said, we are responsible to obey it. Seeking guidance—why it matters • Guards us from deception: comparing every claim to God’s revealed word protects against false teaching (Acts 17:11). • Cultivates humility: asking rather than declaring keeps us dependent on the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6). • Strengthens fellowship: believers grow together by discussing God’s answers (Colossians 3:16). • Produces obedience: Scripture is given “so that the man of God may be complete” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Practical ways to live this out 1. Open the Bible first. Before accepting counsel or making decisions, search for clear scriptural instruction. 2. Frame conversations with believers around the verse’s two questions: – “What has the Lord answered?” (specific passages) – “What has the Lord spoken?” (broader biblical principles) 3. Test impressions and advice by Scripture, not feelings (1 John 4:1). 4. Invite the Holy Spirit to illuminate God’s word (John 16:13). 5. Keep a record of passages God uses to guide you, reviewing them when choices arise. 6. Submit promptly: guidance is given to be followed, not debated (Psalm 119:60). Complementary Scriptures • Psalm 119:105 – God’s word as “a lamp to my feet.” • Psalm 32:8 – “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go.” • Isaiah 30:21 – “This is the way; walk in it.” • James 1:5 – God gives wisdom generously when asked. Takeaway reminders • God still answers; our role is to ask, listen, and obey. • Every believer can—and must—seek God’s guidance directly through His written word. • Healthy Christian community revolves around shared pursuit of “What has the Lord spoken?” |
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