What is the meaning of Jeremiah 27:16? Then I said to the priests and to all this people Jeremiah addresses both the religious leadership and the ordinary citizens, underscoring that no one is exempt from God’s warning (Jeremiah 26:8–9; Luke 12:48). • Priests were expected to discern truth (Malachi 2:7), yet they too had drifted. • The “people” bear responsibility for whom they choose to hear (Matthew 15:14). • God’s message is public, not hidden, so all become accountable (Amos 3:7). “This is what the LORD says: The formula signals prophetic authority (Jeremiah 1:4; Isaiah 1:18). • Jeremiah is not voicing personal opinion; he relays divine revelation. • The phrase reminds hearers that rejecting the prophet equals rejecting God (1 Samuel 8:7). • It contrasts sharply with the man-made messages circulating in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 23:21-22). Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you God commands selective hearing (Deuteronomy 18:20-22; 1 John 4:1). • “Your prophets” hints at self-chosen spokesmen who tell the crowd what it wishes to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). • Disobedience occurs not only in speaking lies but also in choosing to heed them (Ezekiel 14:4). • True prophets urge repentance; false ones offer reassurance without righteousness (Jeremiah 6:14). saying, ‘Look, very soon now the articles from the house of the LORD will be brought back from Babylon.’ The lie focused on temple vessels taken in 597 BC (2 Kings 24:13; Daniel 1:2). • The claim promised a quick, painless reversal—no need for repentance or submission to Babylon (Jeremiah 28:3-4). • It flattered national pride, ignoring God’s decree of seventy years of exile (Jeremiah 25:11). • Believing this prediction would lead Judah to resist Babylon and thus rebel against God’s discipline (Jeremiah 27:8). They are prophesying to you a lie. God labels the message false, exposing its source (Jeremiah 23:16, 32). • A lie contradicts God’s clear word; sincerity does not sanctify error (1 Kings 22:13-23). • Tolerating false hope blinds people to necessary surrender and repentance (Lamentations 2:14). • The severity of calling something “a lie” shows God’s zeal for truth and His people’s welfare (John 8:44). summary Jeremiah 27:16 warns against embracing comforting but counterfeit prophecies. God, through Jeremiah, tells priests and people alike to reject voices that promise swift restoration of temple treasures. Such assurances contradict His declared plan of exile and discipline. Listening to flattering lies places hearers in direct opposition to the Lord, whereas discerning obedience aligns them with His redemptive purposes. |
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