Why is the phrase "What has the LORD answered?" important in Jeremiah 23:35? Immediate Context Jeremiah 23 addresses self-appointed prophets who were trafficking in counterfeit revelations. Yahweh denounces their “lying visions” (v. 16), promises judgment (vv. 19-20), and twice forbids them to use the catch-phrase “the burden of the LORD” (vv. 33-34). Verse 35 prescribes the godly alternative: “Thus each of you shall say to his neighbor and to his brother, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ” (Jeremiah 23:35). Replacement of a Corrupted Formula 1. “The burden of the LORD” had become a slogan for sensationalism. The Hebrew מַשָּׂא (massaʾ, “oracle/burden”) originally marked a weighty revelation (Isaiah 13:1), but by Jeremiah’s day it functioned like click-bait. God therefore orders its retirement (vv. 36-38). 2. “What has the LORD answered?” re-centers communication on the content, not the packaging. The authoritative focus moves from a theatrical headline to the actual reply (מַה־עָנָה, mah-ʿanah) that God gives. Restoring Accountability The new question forces anyone claiming a message to submit it to communal scrutiny. Instead of grandstanding—“I have the burden!”—the claimant must state plainly what God said and then permit brothers and neighbors to weigh it (cf. Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:20-22; 1 Corinthians 14:29). The phrase therefore: • Dismantles the personality cult of false prophets. • Creates an evidentiary test: has Yahweh truly “answered”? • Invites corporate discernment, echoing Proverbs 11:14, “Victory is won through many counselors.” Emphasis on Divine Initiative The verbs “answered” (ʿānâ) and “spoken” (dibbēr) highlight that revelation originates with God, not the prophet’s imagination (Jeremiah 23:21). The prophet is a recipient, not a producer. This principle protects the canon’s integrity, a fact illustrated by the tight verbal links between Jeremiah and contemporaneous manuscripts like 4QJerᵇ from Qumran, where the divine-speech formulae track perfectly with Masoretic wording. Theological Weight 1. Truthfulness of God—If Yahweh has answered, His word cannot contradict itself (Numbers 23:19). This undergirds the doctrine of inerrancy and the unity of Scripture. 2. Mediator motif—Asking “What has the LORD answered?” anticipates the ultimate revelation in Christ, “the Word became flesh” (John 1:14). Hebrews 1:1-2 affirms the progression: many partial answers through prophets, the final answer in the Son. 3. Sola Scriptura precedent—The phrase compels hearers to compare any alleged word with the existing corpus of God’s answers, a hermeneutical posture later embraced by the Bereans (Acts 17:11). Historical and Archaeological Corroboration • Lachish Ostraca (6th c. BC) reveal military correspondence contemporaneous with Jeremiah, using cautious language about prophetic claims—evidence that his polemic resonated culturally. • The Tel Arad inscriptions include priestly exchanges that avoid massaʾ terminology, reflecting the shift Jeremiah mandated. • The Dead Sea Scrolls (e.g., 4QpHab) exhibit meticulous commentary practice: every interpretive gloss is tied back to “what God told Habakkuk,” mirroring Jeremiah 23:35’s demand for textual anchoring. Canonical Echoes Old Testament: • 1 Samuel 3:17 — Eli asks Samuel, “What was the word that He spoke to you?” Same two verbs as Jeremiah 23:35, establishing precedent. • Zechariah 1:6 — “My words and My decrees… overtook your fathers,” affirming that the real issue is God’s spoken word, not human delivery systems. New Testament: • Matthew 11:3 — John’s disciples ask Jesus, “Are You the One, or should we look for another?” They seek the LORD’s answer embodied in Christ. • Revelation 2–3 — Each letter ends, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches,” a direct heir of Jeremiah 23:35’s listening imperative. Practical Application for Modern Believers • Discernment: Measure every sermon, blog, or “prophetic word” against Scripture’s clear answers. • Humility: Speak of God’s message with sobriety, avoiding hype-language that magnifies self. • Community: Invite accountability—“Here is what I believe God has said; test it with me.” Conclusion The phrase “What has the LORD answered?” stakes three non-negotiables: revelation belongs to God, truth demands verification, and community must guard the purity of proclamation. In Jeremiah’s day it deflated false prophets; in every age it secures the church to the unbroken, consistent, and all-sufficient word of the living God. |
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