What is the meaning of Jeremiah 23:31? “Yes,” Jeremiah opens this sentence with a divine “Yes,” underscoring that what follows is not speculation but settled fact. • The word functions like a solemn “truly” (Matthew 5:18) that confirms God means exactly what He is about to say. • Scripture often prefaces weighty pronouncements with an affirming particle—note Jesus’ “Amen, Amen” (John 3:3). • This immediate affirmation reminds us that “every promise of God finds its ‘Yes’ in Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:20). God’s Word is never tentative; it is eternally dependable (Isaiah 55:11). declares the LORD, The authority behind the message is explicitly stated. • “Declares the LORD” appears repeatedly in Jeremiah, reinforcing that the prophet is merely the mouthpiece (Jeremiah 1:9). • Because “the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8), any claim to speak for Him carries absolute responsibility (James 3:1). • Paul commended the Thessalonians for receiving his preaching “not as the word of men but as the word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). God alone sets the standard. “I am against the prophets Here God positions Himself in direct opposition to certain prophets—an alarming statement. • Similar warnings echo in Ezekiel 13:8–9, where God says, “I am against you, O prophets.” • Jesus likewise cautions, “Beware of false prophets” (Matthew 7:15). • The Lord’s stance reveals that religious titles do not guarantee divine approval; fidelity to truth does (Jeremiah 14:14–15). who wag their own tongues An expressive image of prophets manufacturing words rather than receiving revelation. • They “speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD” (Jeremiah 23:16). • Peter warns of teachers who “exploit you with fabricated words” (2 Peter 2:1–3). • Jude describes such self-promoters as “grumblers, malcontents…their mouth speaks arrogant things” (Jude 16). • The phrase indicts self-styled messengers who treat prophecy like talk-show commentary—loose, opinionated, unrestrained. and proclaim, ‘The LORD declares it.’” The crime is not mere error; it is attaching God’s name to human invention. • Deuteronomy 18:20–22 sets the standard: anyone who presumes to speak a word God has not commanded “shall die.” • In 1 Kings 22, Zedekiah’s theatrical horns (“This is what the LORD says…”) stand opposite Micaiah’s lonely but true word. • John urges, “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits” (1 John 4:1). Discerning listeners weigh every claim against the unchanging canon of Scripture (Acts 17:11). • Falsely saying “The LORD declares” misrepresents His character, leading people astray and inviting judgment (Jeremiah 23:32). summary Jeremiah 23:31 is God’s firm denunciation of anyone who invents prophecies, attaches His name, and misleads His people. The verse highlights: • God’s unequivocal affirmation of truth (“Yes”) • His supreme authority (“declares the LORD”) • His active opposition to deceitful leaders (“I am against the prophets”) • The human source of their messages (“wag their own tongues”) • The deadly presumption of claiming divine endorsement (“The LORD declares it”). For every generation the lesson is clear: cling to the written Word, test every teaching, and revere the God who guards His truth with jealous love. |
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