What is the meaning of Jeremiah 29:23? For they have committed an outrage in Israel The Lord opens with a blunt charge—what these men have done is not a minor lapse but an “outrage.” • Jeremiah has used the same strong language before (Jeremiah 5:30: “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land”). • The wording echoes the way Israel’s history records moral shockers, such as Judges 20:6 or 2 Samuel 13:12, emphasizing that God’s covenant people should know better. The verse is setting the tone: God is personally offended, and the community itself is endangered. By committing adultery with the wives of their neighbors Their sin is first physical and relational. • Exodus 20:14: “You shall not commit adultery.” This is the covenant standard they are trampling. • Proverbs 6:32-33 warns that adultery “destroys himself” and brings “a wound and dishonor.” The prophets Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah (Jeremiah 29:21) have broken trust not only with God but with fellow Israelites. • Their behavior mirrors the leadership corruption in Jeremiah 23:10-11, where “the land mourns” because of unclean prophets. The point: their private sin is public rebellion. And speaking lies in My name The second charge is spiritual. Pretending God endorsed their words multiplies the offense. • Deuteronomy 18:20 pronounces death on “the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name that I have not commanded.” • Jeremiah 27:15 repeats God’s verdict: “I have not sent them… they are prophesying a lie in My name.” • Revelation 22:18-19 shows the same seriousness about adding to God’s word. Their lips claim divine authority while their lives contradict His character—double deception. Which I did not command them to do God underscores that He never authorized their message. • Isaiah 8:20 gives the test: “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, there is no light in them.” • 1 John 4:1 calls believers to “test the spirits” because counterfeits abound. The Lord is drawing a bright line: authentic prophecy aligns with revealed Scripture and holy living; anything else is self-made religion. I am He who knows Nothing has slipped past the Lord’s gaze. • Psalm 139:1-4 celebrates that God “perceives my thoughts from afar.” • Hebrews 4:13 adds, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.” This omniscience comforts the faithful and terrifies pretenders. Even when lies seem persuasive, the Lord’s knowledge is perfect and immediate. And I am a witness God is not just an observer; He is the key witness in court, ready to testify and judge. • Malachi 3:5: “I will come to put you on trial… against those who commit adultery and perjure themselves.” • Revelation 1:5 calls Jesus “the faithful witness,” assuring ultimate accountability. The false prophets may silence critics on earth, but they cannot silence the heavenly Witness. Declares the LORD The closing signature guarantees every charge will stand. • Isaiah 40:8: “The word of our God stands forever.” When God speaks, the matter is settled beyond appeal. summary Jeremiah 29:23 exposes two false prophets whose private immorality and public deception violated both the seventh commandment and the call to truthful proclamation. God labels their actions an “outrage,” reminds the exiles that He neither authorized their messages nor overlooked their sins, and affirms His role as omniscient Witness who will judge. The verse teaches that God’s servants must match holy living with truthful speech, because the Lord knows, sees, and will hold every person accountable. |
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