Jeremiah 29:21
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you lies in My name: "I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your very eyes.
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says
This phrase emphasizes the authority and sovereignty of God. The title "LORD of Hosts" signifies God's command over the armies of heaven, indicating His supreme power. The "God of Israel" highlights His covenant relationship with the nation of Israel, reminding the audience of His faithfulness and the special bond He shares with His chosen people.

about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah
These individuals are identified as false prophets. The mention of their lineage serves to distinguish them from other figures with similar names and underscores their personal accountability. Ahab and Zedekiah were common names, but their association with false prophecy sets them apart in a negative light within the biblical narrative.

who are prophesying to you lies in My name
This phrase highlights the serious offense of false prophecy. Claiming to speak in God's name while delivering false messages is a grave sin, as it misleads the people and dishonors God. The Bible consistently condemns false prophets (Deuteronomy 18:20-22), and this instance serves as a warning against those who would misuse divine authority for personal gain or deception.

I will deliver them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
God's judgment is pronounced through the agency of Nebuchadnezzar, the Babylonian king. This reflects the historical context of the Babylonian exile, where God used foreign powers to execute His judgment on Israel for their disobedience. Nebuchadnezzar is a significant figure in biblical history, known for his conquests and the eventual destruction of Jerusalem.

and he will kill them before your very eyes
The execution of Ahab and Zedekiah serves as a public demonstration of God's judgment against false prophets. This phrase underscores the seriousness of their sin and the certainty of divine retribution. It also serves as a warning to the exiled community in Babylon, reinforcing the importance of discerning true prophecy and remaining faithful to God's word.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ahab son of Kolaiah
A false prophet in Jerusalem who misled the people by prophesying lies in the name of the Lord.

2. Zedekiah son of Maaseiah
Another false prophet alongside Ahab, spreading deceitful messages to the Israelites.

3. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon
The ruler of Babylon who was used by God as an instrument of judgment against the false prophets.

4. Jerusalem
The city where these false prophecies were being proclaimed, leading the people astray.

5. The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel
The sovereign God who pronounces judgment on the false prophets for their deceit.
Teaching Points
Discernment in Prophecy
Believers must exercise discernment and test the spirits to ensure that teachings align with Scripture.

Consequences of False Prophecy
God takes false prophecy seriously, and there are severe consequences for those who lead others astray.

God's Sovereignty in Judgment
God uses even foreign rulers and nations to accomplish His purposes and execute judgment.

The Importance of Truth
Upholding truth is crucial in our walk with God; we must be vigilant against deceit and lies.

Faithfulness to God's Word
We are called to remain faithful to God's Word, even when false teachings are prevalent.
Bible Study Questions
1. How can we discern between true and false prophets in today's context, and what tools does Scripture provide for this discernment?

2. What are the potential consequences of following false teachings, both personally and within the church community?

3. How does understanding God's sovereignty in judgment, as seen in Jeremiah 29:21, affect our view of current world events?

4. In what ways can we ensure that we are upholding truth in our daily lives and interactions with others?

5. How do the warnings about false prophets in Jeremiah 29:21 relate to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles in the New Testament?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 18:20-22
This passage outlines the criteria for true and false prophets, emphasizing the seriousness of speaking falsely in God's name.

Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus warns about false prophets, describing them as wolves in sheep's clothing, and teaches how to recognize them by their fruits.

2 Peter 2:1-3
Peter warns the early church about false teachers who will introduce destructive heresies, similar to the false prophets in Jeremiah's time.
The Punishment of False ProphetsA.F. Muir Jeremiah 29:20-32
People
Ahab, Anathoth, David, Elasah, Eleasah, Gemariah, Hilkiah, Jeconiah, Jehoiada, Jeremiah, Kolaiah, Maaseiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Shaphan, Shemaiah, Zedekiah, Zephaniah
Places
Anathoth, Babylon, Jerusalem, Nehelam
Topics
Ahab, Armies, Babylon, Behold, Death, Deliver, Falsehood, Falsely, Giving, Hands, Hosts, Kill, Kolaiah, Kola'iah, Lie, Lies, Maaseiah, Ma-asei'ah, Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuchadrez'zar, Prophesy, Prophesying, Saying, Says, Slay, Smite, Smitten, Thus, Zedekiah, Zedeki'ah
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 29:21

     4123   Satan, deceiver
     4125   Satan, agents of

Jeremiah 29:21-23

     7774   prophets, false

Library
Finding God
Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.' (Jeremiah xxix. 13.) The words of Jeremiah in their relation to God are very appropriate for men and women in whose hearts there is any longing after personal Holiness. Look at them: 'Ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart'. I like this word, because it turns our minds to the true and only source of light and life and power. We speak of seeking and getting the blessing; but,
T. H. Howard—Standards of Life and Service

The Secret of Effectual Prayer
"What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye have received them, and ye shall have them."--MARK xi. 24. Here we have a summary of the teaching of our Lord Jesus on prayer. Nothing will so much help to convince us of the sin of our remissness in prayer, to discover its causes, and to give us courage to expect entire deliverance, as the careful study and then the believing acceptance of that teaching. The more heartily we enter into the mind of our blessed Lord, and set ourselves simply
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

The Spirit of Prayer.
Text.--Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints, according to the will of God.--Romans viii. 26, 27. My last lecture but one was on the subject of Effectual Prayer; in which I observed that one of the most important attributes of effectual
Charles Grandison Finney—Lectures on Revivals of Religion

The Costliness of Prayer
"Lord, teach us to pray."--Luke xi. 1. "And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart."--Jer. xxix. 13. IN his fine book on Benefits, Seneca says that nothing is so costly to us as that is which we purchase by prayer. When we come on that hard-to-be-understood saying of his for the first time, we set it down as another of the well-known paradoxes of the Stoics. For He who is far more to us than all the Stoics taken together has said to us on the subject of prayer,--"Ask,
Alexander Whyte—Lord Teach Us To Pray

Putting God to Work
"For from of old men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen a God beside thee who worketh for him that waiteth for him."--Isaiah 64:4. The assertion voiced in the title given this chapter is but another way of declaring that God has of His own motion placed Himself under the law of prayer, and has obligated Himself to answer the prayers of men. He has ordained prayer as a means whereby He will do things through men as they pray, which He would not otherwise do. Prayer
Edward M. Bounds—The Weapon of Prayer

The Iranian Conquest
Drawn by Boudier, from the engraving in Coste and Flandin. The vignette, drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a statuette in terra-cotta, found in Southern Russia, represents a young Scythian. The Iranian religions--Cyrus in Lydia and at Babylon: Cambyses in Egypt --Darius and the organisation of the empire. The Median empire is the least known of all those which held sway for a time over the destinies of a portion of Western Asia. The reason of this is not to be ascribed to the shortness of its duration:
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 9

The Seventh Commandment
Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Exod 20: 14. God is a pure, holy spirit, and has an infinite antipathy against all uncleanness. In this commandment he has entered his caution against it; non moechaberis, Thou shalt not commit adultery.' The sum of this commandment is, The preservations of corporal purity. We must take heed of running on the rock of uncleanness, and so making shipwreck of our chastity. In this commandment there is something tacitly implied, and something expressly forbidden. 1. The
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

I Will Pray with the Spirit and with the Understanding Also-
OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER; WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--the Spirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happiness than prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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