How does Jeremiah 28:11 connect to Deuteronomy 18:20-22 on false prophets? Setting the Stage Jeremiah 28 opens with two prophets standing in the temple: Jeremiah, who has proclaimed seventy years of Babylonian exile (Jeremiah 25:11), and Hananiah, who contradicts him with a message of swift liberation. Hananiah’s Claim (Jeremiah 28:11) “and in the presence of all the people Hananiah proclaimed, ‘This is what the LORD says: “In two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.”’ At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.” Key details • Spoken “in the presence of all the people” – a public assertion of divine authority • Time–bound promise: relief “within two years” • Offered “in the name of the LORD” The Standard for Prophets (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) “But if any prophet dares to speak a message in My name that I have not commanded him to speak … that prophet must be put to death. … When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.” Divine test • Content: Must match God’s revealed will • Fulfillment: Must come true exactly • Accountability: Death for false prophecy; no fear of the pretender Connecting the Dots • Same arena: Both passages deal with prophets claiming “This is what the LORD says.” • Same criterion: Verifiable fulfillment. Hananiah’s two-year timetable provides a clear deadline for evaluation (cf. Deuteronomy 18:21-22). • Same consequence: Deuteronomy prescribes death; Jeremiah records it (Jeremiah 28:16-17). Outcome: The Fail-Safe Test in Action “Then the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, ‘Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in a lie. Therefore, this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This very year you will die, because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.’ And in the seventh month of that very year, the prophet Hananiah died.” Result • Prophecy unfulfilled: Babylon’s domination continued (Jeremiah 29:10; 2 Chronicles 36:20-21). • Prophet judged: swift death, aligning with Deuteronomy’s penalty. • People warned: a living demonstration of Deuteronomy 18’s safeguard. Key Lessons for Today • God’s word is self-authenticating: it proves true in history (Isaiah 55:10-11). • Time-specific predictions are testable; failures expose presumption. • Spiritual discernment demands Scripture as the plumb line (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). • Confidence rests in prophets whose words align with prior revelation and unfailingly come to pass (Numbers 23:19). Supporting Scriptures • Jeremiah 23:16-32 – warning against prophets who “speak visions from their own minds” • Matthew 7:15-17 – “Beware of false prophets… by their fruit you will recognize them.” • Ezekiel 13:1-9 – condemnation of prophets who “follow their own spirit” • Revelation 22:18-19 – severe judgment on adding to God’s word |
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