How does Jeremiah 23:37 connect with warnings against false prophets in Matthew 7:15? Setting the Old Testament Scene - Judah is flooded with self-appointed prophets (Jeremiah 23:9–32). - The phrase “burden of the LORD” has become a catch-all slogan these men use to baptize their own ideas with divine authority. - In that context, Jeremiah 23:37 steps in: “This is what you are to say to the prophet: ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ And ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ”. Jeremiah 23:37—A Call to Test the Claim - God shifts the conversation away from a prophet’s self-styled “burden” to a simple, probing demand: “Show us the real word.” - Two pointed questions are prescribed: • “What has the LORD answered you?”—Has God actually responded? • “What has the LORD spoken?”—Is there verifiable content that aligns with prior revelation? - The verse establishes accountability: any prophetic message must be traceable to God’s own speech, not to personal imagination (cf. Deuteronomy 18:20-22). Matthew 7:15—The Same Call on Jesus’ Lips “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” - Jesus recognizes the same danger Jeremiah confronted—voices that look holy yet harbor deception. - His remedy continues the Old Testament pattern: discernment, vigilance, fruit-inspection (Matthew 7:16-20). Shared Themes • Divine Word vs. Human Invention – Jeremiah: Stop repeating “burden of the LORD”; verify what God actually said. – Jesus: Don’t be fooled by outward piety; judge by the fruit that springs from true obedience. • External Appearance vs. Internal Reality – Jeremiah exposes prophets who “speak visions from their own minds” (Jeremiah 23:16). – Jesus unmasks wolves dressed like sheep. • Responsibility of the Listener – In Jeremiah, the people must ask hard questions. – In Matthew, disciples must stay on guard. • Continuity of God’s Standard – Whether under the Old Covenant or during Jesus’ earthly ministry, the criterion never changes: authentic revelation lines up with God’s established Word (Isaiah 8:20; Acts 17:11). Practical Take-Aways for Today - Ask the Jeremiah 23:37 questions of every modern message: 1. “What has the LORD answered?”—Is Scripture clearly expounded, or is the speaker leaning on personal anecdotes and slogans? 2. “What has the LORD spoken?”—Can the teaching be traced, in context, to the Bible itself? - Combine those questions with Jesus’ Matthew 7:15 warning: examine long-term fruit—character, humility, doctrinal fidelity (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 4:1). - Reject any message, no matter how compelling, that contradicts or adds to the written Word (Revelation 22:18-19). |
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