What is the meaning of Jeremiah 29:31? Send a message • The initiative is God’s, not Jeremiah’s (Jeremiah 1:7-9; Isaiah 55:11). • His servants must relay the exact words He gives (Jeremiah 23:28-29; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2). • The same principle governs gospel proclamation today (2 Timothy 4:2). telling all the exiles • The entire captive community needs the warning (Jeremiah 29:1; 24:5-7). • Even under discipline, God shepherds His people (Psalm 23:4; Hebrews 12:6-7). • Truth must reach believers wherever they reside (Daniel 1:1-2; 1 Peter 1:1). what the LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite • “The LORD says” anchors authority in God alone (Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 40:8). • God names deceivers and holds them accountable (Jeremiah 28:15-17; Acts 5:1-5). • Authentic prophecy flows from divine commission (Deuteronomy 18:18; 2 Peter 1:21). • The flock must test every voice (1 John 4:1; Matthew 7:15-20). Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you—though I did not send him—and has made you trust in a lie • Unauthorized messengers invite judgment (Jeremiah 14:14; 23:21-22). • False words redirect trust away from God’s truth (Genesis 3:4-5; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-11). • Shemaiah’s fate mirrors Hananiah’s (Jeremiah 29:32; 28:16-17). • Guard against any message contradicting Scripture (Galatians 1:8-9; Acts 17:11). • Trusting God’s Word brings hope and future (Jeremiah 29:11; Proverbs 3:5-6). summary Jeremiah 29:31 shows the LORD directing Jeremiah to broadcast a warning to every exile: Shemaiah, a self-appointed prophet, spoke without God’s sending and lured the people into deception. The verse underscores God’s absolute authority, the duty to transmit His Word faithfully, and the necessity for believers to discern and reject teaching that strays from His clear, written revelation. |
    |