What is the meaning of Jeremiah 23:38? But if you claim, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ • “Burden” (oracle) was a weighty, solemn declaration from God (Jeremiah 23:33). • False prophets in Jeremiah’s day hijacked the phrase to lend divine authority to their own imaginations (Jeremiah 23:25–27; Jeremiah 14:14). • By announcing, “This is the burden of the LORD,” they pretended their words were inspired, echoing the error warned against in Deuteronomy 18:20 and mirrored later in 2 Peter 2:1. • The literal text alerts us: whenever anyone uses God’s name to rubber-stamp personal opinion, they step onto forbidden ground (Matthew 7:21-23). then this is what the LORD says: • God Himself interrupts the counterfeit message, asserting His sole right to speak for Himself (Jeremiah 23:16; Isaiah 45:9). • The contrast is stark: human declarations versus the true, living voice of Yahweh (Jeremiah 1:9; 2 Peter 1:21). • Every time Scripture gives the formula “Thus says the LORD,” the reader is reminded to weigh all claims by the standard of revealed Scripture (Acts 17:11). • God’s intervention is an act of mercy—He unmasks lies before they destroy His people (Ezekiel 13:3-9). Because you have said, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ • The repetition underscores stubborn persistence; they kept parroting the line after being corrected (Jeremiah 23:34). • Sin is not only initial disobedience but also willful continuance after warning (Jeremiah 6:15; Hebrews 10:26-27). • Their misuse of “burden” turned a sacred term into a cliché, similar to calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20). • Such obstinacy invites judgment proportional to the misuse of God’s name (Exodus 20:7; Matthew 12:36-37). and I specifically told you not to make this claim, • The instruction was clear: stop using the phrase; they ignored it (Jeremiah 23:37). • Disregard for explicit divine command exhibits hardened hearts (Proverbs 1:24-25; Jeremiah 7:23-24). • Obedience demonstrates love for God (John 14:15); persistent rebellion proves the message did not originate with Him (1 John 2:4). • The coming verses (Jeremiah 23:39-40) announce the consequence: exile, disgrace, and forgetfulness—proof that God defends His name (Ezekiel 36:23). summary Jeremiah 23:38 exposes false prophets who carelessly stamped their self-made ideas with “This is the burden of the LORD.” God, jealous for His truth and glory, responds by reclaiming the microphone, condemning their brazen misuse, and warning of judgment. The verse challenges every reader to revere God’s Word, reject any teaching that twists His name for personal gain, and cling to the Scriptures as the sole, trustworthy burden of the LORD. |
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