JEREMIAH 28
OPENS WITH...Broken Yokes and Iron Yokes
Verses 1-4 tells us Hananiah contradicts Jeremiah.
"And it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lords house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon, says the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon."
At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah...
Zedekiah was the puppet king put on the throne of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. In this season Nebuchadnezzar was distracted by problems in other parts of his empire. Judah and some of the surrounding nations thought it was a smart time to rebel against what seemed to be a weakened king of Babylon. In Jeremiah 27, the prophet spoke to a gathering of representatives of those kingdoms, who came to Zedekiah to plot their strategy.
Hananiah...
This prophet and son of a prophet did NOT like Jeremiah's gloomy message to the gathered kings from The Lord (Jeremiah 27:1-11). Jeremiah came to them wearing the yoke an animal would use, to show that they would remain subjected to Nebuchadnezzar and their dreams of successful revolt would be unfulfilled.
Hananiah's name means Yahweh has been gracious. It was an appropriate name for a prophet who CHOSE to disbelieve Jeremiah strongly, & CHOSE to believe that Judah's fortunes would soon be restored.
Who was from Gibeon...
DID YOU KNOW...Hananiah came from a place with a reputation for deception and violence. It had a number of important historical associations. The Gibeonites had deceived the Israelites in Joshua's day (Joshua 9:1-15). It was the scene of a contest between Saul's men and David's men (2 Samuel 20:12-17). Here Joab killed Amasa (2 Samuel 20:8-10).
Hananiah was a native of Gibeon, the modern El-Jib, five miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was one of the priestly cities; so, like Jeremiah, Hananiah may have been a priest confirmed in Joshua 21:17.
I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon...
Hananiah FALSELY spoke in the name of the Lord, contradicting the message The Lord gave Jeremiah recorded in the previous chapter. Jeremiah said they would be under the yoke of the king of Babylon; Hananiah said the Lord had broken the yoke.
I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lords house...
Hananiah's supposed prophecy explained that because the power of Nebuchadnezzar had been broken, the vessels of the temple would be returned, King Jeconiah would return, along with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon. All this would happen within TWO full years. This was a big, dramatic message - something the frightened people of Judah would LOVE to hear.
Nevertheless, this was another direct contradiction to Jeremiah's previous prophecy. When Jeremiah prophesied exile and captivity, Hananiah prophesied return and restoration. They both spoke in the name of the Lord, and BUT both could NOT be right.
Verses 5-6 tells Jeremiah responds with an amen.
"Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the Lord, and the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen! The Lord do so; the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord's house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place."
Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke...
Jeremiah responded publically to Hananiah. Hananiah had publically contradicted him, essentially calling Jeremiah a false prophet. Therefore Jeremiah publically responded.
Amen! The Lord do so...
The words to come would make it clear that Jeremiah did not believe this, but he began by agreeing with Hananiah that it would be nice if it were true. If the vessels of the Lord's house and the exiled captives came back, Jeremiah would be happy. He would be glad to be wrong.
Jeremiah's reply to this is an ironic Yes indeed! Would that God might do so, probably conveying his sense of doubt by his tone of voice.
When someone tries to minimize the judgment of God, it is appropriate for the Christian to say, I hope you're right.
Verses 7-9 tells us Jeremiah responds by defending his prophetic ministry.
"Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms—of war and disaster and pestilence. As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent."
The prophets who have been before me and before you...
Jeremiah had wished Hananiah's words were true. Then he challenged Hananiah, starting with the word nevertheless, and reminding everyone that most of the prophets before them had negative, unwelcome messages.
Which of The Lord's prophets is Jeremiah referring to?
Namely, Joel, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and others; all of whom denounced similar evils against a corrupt people.
These verses should not be interpreted to mean that the entire message of all the prophets before Jeremiah was one of judgment. Jeremiah's meaning was that the usual message of the earlier prophets was one of doom, and that the when he spoke of judgment he was more in the line of the predecessors than Hananiah.
As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass...
Jeremiah did NOT deny that sometimes God's messengers bring a word of peace. He simply said that such a word should be believed when it actually comes to pass, especially when it has a time associated with the prophecy (within two full years, 28:3).
Verses 10-11tells us The broken yoke.
"Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah's neck and broke it. And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus says the Lord: Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way."
Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah's neck and broke it...
Jeremiah had this yoke when he spoke to King Zedekiah and the messengers from other nations (Jeremiah 27:1-3). Apparently some days or weeks later (Jeremiah 27:1 and 28:1) he walked the temple courts still wearing the yoke, as a public illustration of his prophecy. Hananiah did NOT like the message of the yoke, so he took it from Jeremiah and broke it.
A visual prophecy like the yoke made a great impression on the people. So Hananiah took the yoke from Jeremiah's neck and smashed it, to show that Nebuchadnezzar's power would be shattered in two years.
Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar...
Hananiah said this in the name of the Lord. He illustrated his message that the revolt against Nebuchadnezzar would succeed by breaking the yoke and explaining the meaning of the broken yoke, again giving a time measure for it to happen.
It seems plain from the words and actions of Hananiah that he really believed his prophetic word was a message from the Lord. He seemed sincere and invested in the message. Yet none of that made it true, and in fact it was not true. Yet we know that Satan and his demons can give visions, whisper instructions, can prophesy too.
REMEMBER OUR STUDY OF 1 JOHN 4:1-5, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them."
SO WE KNOW FALSE PROPHETS, PROPHETESS, & PRIESTS PLAGUED THE WORLD IN THE OLD & NEW TESTAMENT, AND THEY STILL SEEK TO DECEIVE AND PLAGUE US TODAY.
The prophet Jeremiah went his way...
By all appearances Hananiah won this public dispute between the prophets. He seemed to overpower Jeremiah, he said the last word, and Jeremiah walked away without a response. In this case, appearances were NOT true and neither was Hananiah.
WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE LORD TOLD JEREMIAH TO TELL THEM ALL HIS WORDS, HIS WARNINGS, AND OF HIS COMING JUDGMENTS. THE LORD DID NOT SAY ARGUE AND FIGHT UNTIL YOU ARE HOARSE. THE LORD SAID TELL THEM. JEREMIAH DID. ONCE AGAIN, THEY REJECTED JEREMIAH'S WORD, AND CHOSE TO TRUST AND BELIEVE HANANIAH. SO JEREMIAH KNEW THE LORD'S TRUTH, WORD, WILL AND WAY WOULD PROVE OUT IN TIME.
Verses 12-14 tells us A yoke of iron to replace a yoke of wood.
"Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus says the Lord: You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also."
You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron...
We are NOT told how Jeremiah felt when he left the confrontation with Hananiah at the temple. Yet later God gave him a message to send to Hananiah, who could break the wood yoke Jeremiah wore as a prophetic illustration, but could never break the yokes of iron God would set upon those who opposed Nebuchadnezzar.
Notably, Jeremiah said, you have made in their place yokes of iron. The people made their own yokes, much stronger than the yokes of wood God appointed for them. The inference is that the people, having rejected the wooden yoke of submission laid upon them for their sins, would find the indestructible iron yoke of servitude infinitely more uncomfortable.
The yokes of iron can be understood as God's stricter discipline upon His people. If we resist God's gentler discipline - yokes of wood - we may find ourselves under much more unpleasant yokes of iron. It is far better to surrender the better yoke of Jesus Christ (Matthew 11:28-30).
The yokes of iron may also be expressed in sinful habits that we allow to enslave us. Yokes are instruments of servitude. Do you think it will be easy to serve the base-born parts of your nature, when you set them on the throne and tell them to govern you?
Happily, the power of God can break even an iron yoke - if we will only turn to Him and trust Him again.
I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations...
Their proposed rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar would fail. They would serve him, and Nebuchadnezzar's dominion would be so complete that he would rule over the beasts of the field.
A symbolic wooden yoke could be broken, but the Babylonian overlordship was certain.
Verses 15-17 tells us The word to Hananiah.
"Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the Lord. So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month."
Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust a lie...
Jeremiah felt it important to directly and publicly tell Hananiah that whatever his intentions, he was a false prophet. Worse, he harmed the people of Judah, leading them to trust in a lie - a lie that they wanted to believe, because it was a much more positive message than Jeremiah's.
This was a bold speech in the presence of those priests and people who were prejudiced in favour of this false prophet, who prophesied to them smooth things. In such cases men wish to be deceived.
What we might describe as wishful and unorthodox teaching, God more briefly calls a lie (Jeremiah 28:15) and rebellion (Jeremiah 28:16). He condemns it not only as offending against truth and against his authority, but as doing a fatal disservice to the hearers: you have made this people trust in a lie (Jeremiah 28:15).
You make this people to trust in a lie...
How much of human prophesying is covered by that word! All those philosophies which attempt to interpret life without the light of revelation -- all so-called theologies, which result from speculations which invalidate the revelation; make men trust in lies, and that because they are the utterances of men not sent by The Lord.
DO YOU HEAR THE FURY OF THE LORD IN THIS WORD TO HANANIAH, WHO REPRESENTS ALL THOSE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE PRIESTS, PASTORS, PROPHETS, PROPHETESS, AND EVANGELISTS WHO MAKE THEIR FLOCK BELIEVE A LIE, AS TRUTH? WHO USE THE LORD'S NAME, AND SAY THE LORD TOLD ME, THE LORD VISITED ME, THE LORD GAVE ME NEW REVELATIONS. THE LORD ASKS MY OPINION. THE LORD ASKS ME TO SAVE.
THEN AND NOW THE LORD IS SAYING, YOU MAKE THIS PEOPLE TRUST IN AND BELIEVE A LIE. THEN AND NOW, THE LORD SAYS YOU MAY GAIN FAME, WEALTH, AND A MASS FOLLOWING, BUT YOU FORFEIT YOUR SOUL. YOU WILL NOT SPEND ETERNITY WITH ME, BUT YOU WILL DIE AND SPEND ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE FOR YOUR LIES TO THE LOST, THE SEEKING, THE IGNORANT THAT YOU HAVE LED INTO THE GATES OF HELL, INSTEAD OF POINTING THEM TO JESUS, WHICH LEADS TO THE GATES OF HEAVEN.
This year you shall die...
This was God's message to Hananiah. He gave a time measure for his prophecy, so God gave him a time measure in return: Hananiah would die within the year, and he did.
He died in the seventh month, only two months after this confrontation (Jeremiah 28:1). Two months is not a long time, but it is plenty of time to repent if one has any inclination to repent.
God, in mercy, gave him about two months, in which he might prepare to meet his Judge. Here, then the true prophet was demonstrated, and the false prophet detected. The death of Hananiah, thus predicted, was God's seal to the words of his prophet; and must have gained his other predictions great credit among the people.
Because you have taught rebellion against the Lord...
It is impossible to say what Hananiah's intentions were, but it is not impossible to measure the effect of his lies. Whether he meant to or not, he taught rebellion against the Lord, and God would stop him from continuing to do so.
THINK ABOUT THIS....
IN THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT, FEW IF ANY HAD OR COULD AFFORD SCROLLS OF THE BIBLE. THE PEOPLE RELIED ON THEIR PRIESTS, PROPHETS, SCRIBES TO READ TO THEM, TO TELL THEM WHAT THE WORD OF THE LORD WAS. THE LORD WAS TIRED OF THE DECEPTION, SO HE MADE SURE IN THE FUTURE THAT HIS COMPLETE WORD, FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION WOULD BE MASSIVELY PRINTED, WOULD BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE POOREST. THAT NONE WOULD HAVE AN EXCUSE. AND THAT NONE COULD BE DECEIVED. IT THEY TOOK THE TIME TO SEEK OUT WHAT THE LORD SAYS, COMMANDS, TEACHES, PROPHECIES IN HIS WORD.
SO MANY TEACH OVERVIEW OF A CHAPTER OR VERSE TODAY. THEY PREFER A SYNOPSIS OR CLIFF NOTES OF A CHAPTER. AND IN DOING SO THEY MISS THE FULL TRUTH, FULL WORD, THE REASONS, THE WHYS OF THAT CHAPTER.
I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT. I READ A VERY ABBREVIATED OVERVIEW OF JEREMIAH 28. WHICH SAID, "JEREMIAH WORE A WOOD YOKE, SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE. PROPHET HANANIAH BROKE IT, JEREMIAH LOST THE ARGUMENT AND LEFT."
IS IT FACTUAL IN ITS BREVITY.YES IT IS. BUT IT OMITS SO MANY IMPORTANT AND NECESSARY TRUTHS, WARNINGS, PROMISES, AND JUDGMENTS OF THE LORD.
WHY?
SO PEOPLE WILL REMAIN IN IGNORANCE. THESE OVERVIEWS TICKLE THE EARS, BUT DO NOT TELL THE FULL AND REST OF THE STORY. JUST AS SATAN PREFERS. SATAN AND THE ARROGANT LOST WORLD DO NOT CARE IF YOU READ OVERVIEW OR BITS AND PIECES OF SCRIPTURE AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT READ THE FULL STORY. THE FULL TRUTH. THE FULL WHYS OF IT.
THE TRUTH IS THE LORD WILL NOT REWARD THESE LIARS, THESE TWISTERS, THESE RE-CREATORS, THESE EDITORS OF HIS WORD. IN THE LORD'S EYES THEY ARE LIARS, WHO WILLINGLY AND KNOWINGLY MISLEAD THEIR PEOPLE, AND LEAD THEM STRAIGHT INTO THE GATES OF HELL, INSTEAD OF THE GATES OF HEAVEN.
SO AGAIN, OLD TESTAMENT AND NEW TESTAMENT, THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, OUR JESUS CHRIST DOES NOT CHANGE. THESE FALSE PRIESTS, PROPHETS, PROPHETESS, PASTORS, AND EVANGELISTS THAT TEACH THEIR WORD, INSTEAD OF THE LORD'S WORD WILL LOSE THEIR SOULS. WILL SPEND ETERNITY IN THE LAKE OF FIRE.
SO DO NOT BE DECEIVED. DO NOT AUTOMATICALLY TRUST ANYONE STANDING IN THE PULPIT. GET YOUR BIBLE OUT AND SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES, CONFIRM THEIR WORDS AND THEIR TEACHINGS FOR YOURSELVES.