What can we learn about discerning truth from Jeremiah 28:4's context? Setting the scene • In the fifth month of King Zedekiah’s fourth year, Jeremiah is wearing a wooden yoke to dramatize God’s warning that Babylon’s domination will last (Jeremiah 27). • Hananiah, a popular prophet, contradicts Jeremiah in the temple courts. He promises that within two years God will shatter Babylon’s power, return the temple articles, the exiles, and King Jeconiah. • Jeremiah 28:4 records Hananiah’s climactic claim: “And I will restore to this place Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” Jeremiah’s immediate response • Jeremiah answers, “Amen! May the LORD do so” (v. 6). He hopes for mercy but will wait to see if the word proves true. • He reminds the people that prophets of peace must be verified by fulfillment (vv. 8-9). • After Hananiah theatrically breaks Jeremiah’s wooden yoke, God tells Jeremiah that Babylon’s yoke will actually become iron (vv. 13-14). • Jeremiah delivers God’s verdict: “The LORD has not sent you, and you have persuaded this people to trust in a lie” (v. 15). Hananiah dies that year (v. 17), proving the prophecy false. Spotting false assurance • Good news that contradicts God’s revealed word is not from God. Jeremiah had already prophesied seventy years of exile (Jeremiah 25:11-12). • Emotional appeal and public drama (breaking the yoke) can mask deception. • Popularity and confidence do not equal divine authority. • True prophecy stands the test of time; false prophecy collapses under God’s timetable. Principles for discerning truth today • Compare every message with the whole counsel of Scripture. – Deuteronomy 18:22: “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD and the message does not come to pass … the prophet has spoken presumptuously.” • Look for consistency with what God has already spoken. God never contradicts Himself (Malachi 3:6). • Examine motives: is the speaker catering to “itching ears” (2 Timothy 4:3) or calling for repentance? • Assess the fruit over time—fulfilled promises, transformed lives, enduring faithfulness (Matthew 7:16-20). • Test the spirits (1 John 4:1). The Holy Spirit magnifies Christ and aligns with Scripture. • Hold fast to the good, reject the evil (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). Scripture echoes that reinforce these lessons • Numbers 23:19—God does not lie or change His mind. • Psalm 12:6—The LORD’s words are flawless, like silver refined seven times. • John 17:17—“Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.” • Hebrews 13:9—Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. Living it out • Cultivate daily Bible intake so counterfeit voices are obvious. • Submit difficult or “too good to be true” claims to careful, prayerful study before embracing them. • Value correction; Jeremiah welcomed the possibility that Hananiah might be right, yet he waited for God’s confirmation. • Stay humble. Even seasoned believers must continue testing messages against Scripture, trusting God to vindicate His truth in His time. |
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