JEREMIAH CONFRONTED BY A FALSE PROPHET JEREMIAH 28:1-17

Transcription

1 1 JEREMIAH CONFRONTED BY A FALSE PROPHET JEREMIAH 28:1-17

2 2 JEREMIAH CONFRONTED BY A FALSE PROPHET Text: Jeremiah 28:1-17, 1. The following events occurred in that same year, early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. To be more precise, it was the fifth month of the fourth year of his reign. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the Lord s temple in the presence of the priests and all the people. 2. The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. 3. Before two years are over, I will bring back to this place everything that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from it and carried away to Babylon. 4. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiakim s son King Jeconiah of Judah and all the exiles who were taken to Babylon. Indeed, the Lord affirms, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. 5. Then the prophet Jeremiah responded to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the Lord s temple. 6. The prophet Jeremiah said, Amen! May the Lord do all this! May the Lord make your prophecy come true! May he bring back to this place from Babylon all the valuable articles taken from the Lord s temple and the people who were carried into exile.

3 But listen to what I say to you and to all these people. 8. From earliest times, the prophets who preceded you and me invariably prophesied war, disaster, and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms. 9. So if a prophet prophesied peace and prosperity, it was only known that the Lord truly sent him when what he prophesied came true. 10. The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah s neck and broke it. 11. Then he spoke up in the presence of all the people. The Lord says, In the same way I will break the yoke of servitude of all the nations to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon before two years are over. After he heard this, the prophet Jeremiah departed and went on his way. 12. But shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah s neck, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. 13. Go and tell Hananiah that the Lord says, You have indeed broken the wooden yoke. But you have only succeeded in replacing it with an iron one! 14. For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, I have put an irresistible yoke of servitude on all these nations so they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. And they will indeed serve him. I have even given him control over the wild animals. 15. Then the prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you! You are making these people trust in a lie!

4 So the Lord says, I will most assuredly remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord. 17. In the seventh month of that very same year the prophet Hananiah died. (NET) Introduction: I. Hamilton reminds us that Jeremiah from a unit involving a symbolic act. A. A yoke, first worn by Jeremiah, was removed by Hananiah, a false prophet. 1. The removal of the yoke from Jeremiah s neck was Hananiah s way of saying his prophecy was true and Jeremiah s prophecy was wrong. 2. Of course, the opposite was in fact true. 3. To show who was speaking the truth, God protected Jeremiah while Hananiah was dead within a matter of months. II. A failed attempt had been made on Jeremiah s life during the reign of Jehoiakim. (See Coffman.) A. Now Jeremiah s enemies publicly confronted him under the leadership of Hananiah. B. This was a clear attempt to discredit Jeremiah and promote their false message of peace, prosperity and restored glory for Judah. (See Coffman.)

5 5 Commentary: Jeremiah 28:1, The following events occurred in that same year, early in the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah. To be more precise, it was the fifth month of the fourth year of his reign. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the LORD s temple in the presence of the priests and all the people. (NET) I. The following events occurred in that same year, early in the reign of Zedekiah of Judah. A. This statement is evidence that the correct reading of Jeremiah 27:1 is Zedekiah rather than Jehoiakim. B. Evidently very little time elapsed between the closing events of Jeremiah 27 and the opening events of this chapter. (See Willis.) 1. These events, according to Clarke, corresponded with the first new moon of August. C. Coffman explained the meaning of early in the reign of Zedekiah of Judah as follows: Jews divided periods of time into two halves, the beginning and the end. Zedekiah reigned eleven years. The simple meaning of this passage is, In the first half of his reign. 1. Jeremiah 27:1, The LORD spoke to Jeremiah early in the reign of Josiah s son, King Zedekiah of Judah. (NET) II. To be more precise, it was the fifth month of the fourth year of his reign. A. Hamilton dates these events to 594 B.C.E.

6 6 III. The prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon, spoke to Jeremiah in the Lord s temple in the presence of the priests and all the people. A. Nothing more is known of Hananiah and his family other than what is said here. (Hamilton) 1. Hananiah was a false prophet or one who called himself a prophet. (See Clarke.) 2. Gibeon was located five miles north of Jerusalem. (Hamilton) a. Gibeon was a town assigned to priests which may indicate that Hananiah was a priest as were Jeremiah and Pashur. i. Jeremiah 1:1, The following is a record of what Jeremiah son of Hilkiah prophesied. He was one of the priests who lived at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. (NET) ii. Jeremiah 20:1, Now Pashhur son of Immer heard Jeremiah prophesy these things. He was the priest who was chief of security in the LORD s temple. (NET) b. People from Gibeon had deceived Joshua, King Saul massacred many of them and Joab treacherously slew Amasa there. i. Joshua 21:17, From the tribe of Benjamin they assigned Gibeon, Geba, (NET) ii. Joshua 9:23, Now you are condemned to perpetual servitude as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God. (NET)

7 7 iii. 2 Samuel 21:1-6, During David s reign there was a famine for three consecutive years. So David inquired of the LORD. The LORD said, It is because of Saul and his bloodstained family, because he murdered the Gibeonites. So the king summoned the Gibeonites and spoke with them. (Now the Gibeonites were not descendants of Israel; they were a remnant of the Amorites. The Israelites had made a promise to them, but Saul tried to kill them because of his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.) David said to the Gibeonites, What can I do for you, and how can I make amends so that you will bless the LORD s inheritance? The Gibeonites said to him, We have no claim to silver or gold from Saul or from his family, nor would we be justified in putting to death anyone in Israel. David asked, What then are you asking me to do for you? They replied to the king, As for this man who exterminated us and who schemed against us so that we were destroyed and left without status throughout all the borders of Israel let seven of his male descendants be turned over to us, and we will execute them before the LORD in Gibeah of Saul, who was the LORD s chosen one. The king replied, I will turn them over. (NET) iv. 2 Samuel 20:4-13, Then the king said to Amasa, Call the men of Judah together for me in three days, and you be present here with them too. So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him. Then

8 8 David said to Abishai, Now Sheba son of Bicri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure fortified cities for himself and get away from us. So Joab s men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bicri. When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out. Joab said to Amasa, How are you, my brother? With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa s beard as if to greet him with a kiss. Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab s other hand, and Joab stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa s intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal. Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bicri. One of Joab s soldiers who stood over Amasa said, Whoever is for Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab! Amasa was squirming in his own blood in the middle of the path, and this man had noticed that all the soldiers stopped. Having noticed that everyone who came across Amasa stopped, the man pulled him away from the path and into the field and threw a garment over him. Once he had removed Amasa from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri. (NET)

9 9 B. Smith wrote that Hananiah contradicted everything Jeremiah had said claiming erroneously that: 1. God had broken the yoke of the king of Babylon, 2. The temple vessels would be returned within two years, and 3. King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) and the ten thousand captives would soon be returning. C. Hananiah gave the official response to Jeremiah s prophesies. (See Willis.) 1. Hananiah may have been a priest as he lived in a sacerdotal city. (Clarke) D. This speech was delivered in the temple in the presence of the priests and all the people, a very large audience. (See Willis.) 1. Jeremiah had been telling the people not to listen to such imposters as Hananiah, but they did not heed Jeremiah s advice. (See Willis.) E. Coffman suggested Hananiah may have confronted Jeremiah on a special day such as a Sabbath or New Moon so as to be assured of a big crowd of people. Jeremiah 28:2, The LORD God of Israel who rules over all says, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. (NET) I. The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. A. Hananiah did not accept Jeremiah s advice that Judah should submit to servitude to Babylon which was symbolically represented by the yoke Jeremiah was wearing. (See Hamilton.)

10 10 B. Hananiah was a liar! He claimed to be speaking the words the Lord had commanded him to say, which was totally untrue! a gross lie. 1. Clarke described Hananiah as awfully impudent. C. Hananiah claimed to be God s prophet who spoke the truth. 1. Coffman wrote that this reminds us of Satan s flat contradiction of God s word when he said to Eve, You shall not surely die! 2. In regard to Hananiah and Jeremiah, this chapter leaves no doubt who is speaking the truth. Jeremiah 28:3, Before two years are over, I will bring back to this place everything that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from it and carried away to Babylon. (NET) I. Before two years are over, I will bring back to this place everything that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from it and carried away to Babylon. A. Jeremiah had spoken of a seventy year exile while Hananiah here disputed that prophecy by saying it would all be over in less than two years. (See Willis.) 1. Jeremiah 25:11-12, This whole area will become a desolate wasteland. These nations will be subject to the king of Babylon for seventy years. But when the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his nation for their sins. I will make the land of Babylon an everlasting ruin. I, the LORD, affirm it! (NET) 2. Jeremiah 29:10, For the LORD says, Only when the seventy years of Babylonian rule are over will I again take up consideration for you. Then I will fulfill my

11 11 gracious promise to you and restore you to your homeland. (NET) B. Within these two years, Hananiah claimed, all valuables and exiled King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) would be returned to Jerusalem. (See Willis.) 1. Obviously, these things did not happen showing Hananiah to be a false prophet. C. International events at that time seemed to support Hananiah s position because Nebuchadnezzar was involved in putting down a rebellion among his military officers. Also, numerous envoys from neighboring countries had just met with Zedekiah evidently to plan a revolt against Nebuchadnezzar. D. Clarke wrote that two years were enough time for the Chaldeans to destroy Jerusalem and to carry away the rest of the sacred vessels and this is what happened. 1. Hananiah, long before the end of two years, was dead and buried. E. Babylon would be destroyed, but nowhere near when Hananiah predicted it would occur. 1. Jeremiah 27:3, Use it to send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. Send them through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah. (NET) Jeremiah 28:4, I will also bring back to this place Jehoiakim s son King Jeconiah of Judah and all the exiles who were taken to Babylon. Indeed, the LORD affirms, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. (NET)

12 12 I. I will also bring back to this place Jehoiakim s son King Jeconiah of Judah and all the exiles who were taken to Babylon. * A. *NET footnote: Hananiah s message contradicted Jeremiah s message. 1. Jeremiah 17:16, 19-22, But I have not pestered you to bring disaster. I have not desired the time of irreparable devastation. You know that. You are fully aware of every word that I have spoken. 19 The LORD told me, Go and stand in the People s Gate through which the kings of Judah enter and leave the city. Then go and stand in all the other gates of the city of Jerusalem. As you stand in those places announce, Listen, all you people who pass through these gates. Listen, all you kings of Judah, all you people of Judah and all you citizens of Jerusalem. Listen to what the LORD says. The LORD says, Be very careful if you value your lives! Do not carry any loads in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. Do not carry any loads out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath day. But observe the Sabbath day as a day set apart to the LORD, as I commanded your ancestors. (NET) 2. Jeremiah 22:24-28, The LORD says, As surely as I am the living God, you, Jeconiah, king of Judah, son of Jehoiakim, will not be the earthly representative of my authority. Indeed, I will take that right away from you. I will hand you over to those who want to take your life and of whom you are afraid. I will hand you over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his Babylonian soldiers. I will force you and your mother who gave you birth into exile. You will be exiled to a country where neither of you were born, and you will both die there. You will never come back to this land to which you will long to

13 13 return! This man, Jeconiah, will be like a broken pot someone threw away. He will be like a clay vessel that no one wants. Why will he and his children be forced into exile? Why will they be thrown out into a country they know nothing about? (NET) B. Jeremiah had prophesied that King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) would never return from Babylonian captivity while Hananiah foretold his return within two years. (See Hamilton.) 1. Jeremiah 27:26-27, I will force you and your mother who gave you birth into exile. You will be exiled to a country where neither of you were born, and you will both die there. You will never come back to this land to which you will long to return! (NET) C. God s promises to Israel had always been based on their faithful obedience to God s will. 1. Hananiah evidently believed God s promises were unconditional and would be kept regardless of whether Israel was faithful or not. 2. Hananiah s position was clearly, totally, 100% wrong Chronicles 6:4-6, He said, The LORD God of Israel is worthy of praise because he has fulfilled what he promised my father David. He told David, Since the day I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from all the tribes of Israel to build a temple in which to live. Nor did I choose a man as leader of my people Israel. But now I have chosen Jerusalem as a place to live, and I have chosen David to lead my people Israel. (NET)

14 Psalm 78:66-72, He drove his enemies back; he made them a permanent target for insults. He rejected the tent of Joseph; he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim. He chose the tribe of Judah, and Mount Zion, which he loves. He made his sanctuary as enduring as the heavens above; as secure as the earth, which he established permanently. He chose David, his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds. He took him away from following the mother sheep, and made him the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and of Israel, his chosen nation. David cared for them with pure motives; he led them with skill. (NET) II. Indeed, the Lord affirms, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon. A. Jeremiah s position was point by point the opposite of what Hananiah was preaching. (See Hamilton.) Jeremiah 28:5, Then the prophet Jeremiah responded to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the LORD s temple. (NET) I. Then the prophet Jeremiah responded to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the Lord s temple. A. Jeremiah and Hananiah are now joined in debate. 1. The people were to decide whose position was correct. 2. Regrettably the people were not always objective in their decision making. 3. They often let emotions, prejudices and their personal desires affect their judgment.

15 15 Jeremiah 28:6, The prophet Jeremiah said, Amen! May the LORD do all this! May the LORD make your prophecy come true! May he bring back to this place from Babylon all the valuable articles taken from the LORD s temple and the people who were carried into exile. (NET) I. The prophet Jeremiah said, Amen! May the Lord do all this! May the Lord make your prophecy come true! May he bring back to this place from Babylon all the valuable articles taken from the Lord s temple and the people who were carried into exile. A. The Amen, meaning I hope so, so be it, and may it be so may have been sarcastically spoken. (See Hamilton.) B. Smith referred to this as a hearty Amen! which indicated that Jeremiah sincerely wished that Hananiah s prophecy would come to pass. (See Willis.) C. Coffman wrote that Jeremiah s response was not sarcastic because Jeremiah truly desired that such wonderful things as the false prophet had spoken might indeed be done by the Lord. 1. This does not indicate that Jeremiah believed these things would actually occur. 2. Clarke wrote that Jeremiah was saying, O that it might be according to your word. Jeremiah 28:7, But listen to what I say to you and to all these people. (NET) I. But listen to what I say to you and to all these people. A. Jeremiah had something of importance to say in response to Hananiah s claims and the people were here told they had better listen.

16 16 Jeremiah 28:8, From earliest times, the prophets who preceded you and me invariably prophesied war, disaster, and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms. (NET) I. From earliest times, the prophets who preceded you and me invariably prophesied war, disaster and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms. A. What Hananiah was saying did not comport with the messages of prophets going back to ancient times which were spoken of many lands and great kingdoms and which spoke of war, calamity and pestilence. (Smith) 1. Jeremiah, therefore, placed himself in the prophetic mainstream while Hananiah was clearly a false prophet. B. Related references: 1. Deuteronomy 13:1-5, Suppose a prophet or one who foretells by dreams should appear among you and show you a sign or wonder, and the sign or wonder should come to pass concerning what he said to you, namely, Let us follow other gods gods whom you have not previously known and let us serve them. You must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer, for the LORD your God will be testing you to see if you love him with all your mind and being. You must follow the LORD your God and revere only him; and you must observe his commandments, obey him, serve him, and remain loyal to him. As for that prophet or dreamer, he must be executed because he encouraged rebellion against the LORD your God who brought you from the land of Egypt, redeeming you from that place of slavery, and because he has tried to entice you from the way the LORD your God has commanded you to go. In this way you must purge out evil from within. (NET)

17 Isaiah 37:9-35, The king heard that King Tirhakah of Ethiopia was marching out to fight him. He again sent messengers to Hezekiah, ordering them: Tell King Hezekiah of Judah this: Don t let your God in whom you trust mislead you when he says, Jerusalem will not be handed over to the king of Assyria. Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands. Do you really think you will be rescued? Were the nations whom my predecessors destroyed the nations of Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden in Telassar rescued by their gods? Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the kings of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then Hezekiah went up to the LORD s temple and spread it out before the LORD. Hezekiah prayed before the LORD: O LORD who commands armies, O God of Israel, who is enthroned on the cherubim! You alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You made the sky and the earth. Pay attention, LORD, and hear! Open your eyes, LORD, and observe! Listen to this entire message Sennacherib sent and how he taunts the living God! It is true, LORD, that the kings of Assyria have destroyed all the nations and their lands. They have burned the gods of the nations, for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them. Now, O LORD our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD. Isaiah son of Amoz sent this message to Hezekiah: This is what the LORD God of Israel says: Because you prayed to me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria, this is what the LORD says about him: The virgin daughter Zion despises you she makes fun of you; daughter Jerusalem shakes her head after you. Whom have you taunted and

18 18 hurled insults at? At whom have you shouted and looked so arrogantly? At the Holy One of Israel! Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master, With my many chariots I climbed up the high mountains, the slopes of Lebanon. I cut down its tall cedars and its best evergreens. I invaded its most remote regions, its thickest woods. I dug wells and drank water. With the soles of my feet I dried up all the rivers of Egypt. Certainly you must have heard! Long ago I worked it out, in ancient times I planned it, and now I am bringing it to pass. The plan is this: Fortified cities will crash into heaps of ruins. Their residents are powerless; they are terrified and ashamed. They are as short-lived as plants in the field or green vegetation. They are as short-lived as grass on the rooftops when it is scorched by the east wind. I know where you live and everything you do and how you rage against me. Because you rage against me and the uproar you create has reached my ears, I will put my hook in your nose, and my bridle between your lips, and I will lead you back the way you came. This will be your reminder that I have spoken the truth: This year you will eat what grows wild, and next year what grows on its own. But the year after that you will plant seed and harvest crops; you will plant vines and consume their produce. Those who remain in Judah will take root in the ground and bear fruit. For a remnant will leave Jerusalem; survivors will come out of Mount Zion. The intense devotion of the LORD who commands armies will accomplish this. So this is what the LORD says about the king of Assyria: He will not enter this city, nor will he shoot an arrow here. He will not attack it with his shielded warriors, nor will he build siege works against it. He will go back the way he came he will not enter this city, says the LORD. I will shield this city and rescue it for

19 19 the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant. (NET) 3. The Lord certainly could deliver, save small, weak people from strong nations. 4. The question is not, Could God deliver Jerusalem from the Babylonians. The question is, Would he? a. Hananiah said, Yes. b. Jeremiah said, No. c. Jeremiah was in time found to be right! C. The prophets who had prophesied in keeping with what Jeremiah foretold, all of whom denounced similar evils against a corrupt people, included Joel, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, et.al., Clarke wrote. 1. War, evil and pestilence were the content of true prophecies even from anxious times. 2. Hananiah spoke smooth and enticing words to all who would listen; the opposite of what God s prophets had spoken. (See The Pulpit Commentary.) Jeremiah 28:9, So if a prophet prophesied peace and prosperity, it was only known that the LORD truly sent him when what he prophesied came true. (NET) I. So if a prophet prophesied peace and prosperity, it was only known that the Lord truly sent him when what he prophesied came true. A. The litmus test for prophets is: If what is prophesied comes to pass, in that matter the prophet is seen as a true prophet of God. If

20 20 what is prophesied does not come to pass, in that matter the prophet is seen to be a false prophet. 1. On this basis, Hananiah was definitely a false prophet! 2. and Jeremiah was found to be a true prophet of God! 3. Deuteronomy 18:22, whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him. (NET) B. Hananiah failed this prophetic test and showed himself to be a blustering fraud! Jeremiah spoke the message God had revealed to him. 1. Hananiah said, Clarke wrote, that Nebuchadnezzar would not overthrow Jerusalem, that the valuables previously taken would be promptly returned and that King Jeconiah and the exiles would return home within two years. a. Hananiah was 100% wrong!... again. 2. Jeremiah foretold the destruction of Jerusalem, the taking of the remaining valuables to Babylon and the long exile of those taken captive. a. Jeremiah was 100% right because he preached what God told him to say! Jeremiah 28:10, The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah s neck and broke it. (NET) I. The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah s neck and broke it.

21 21 A. This was to illustrate Hananiah s position that God would break Babylon s control of Judah and Jerusalem. 1. It was also a somewhat violent act to which Jeremiah meekly submitted. (See The Pulpit Commentary.) 2. Hananiah did this to persuade the people that what he said was true. (Clarke) B. At this point, the people likely felt Hananiah had won the debate. 1. However, Jeremiah had said very little to this point. 2. Before speaking further, Jeremiah patiently waited for the Lord to direct him. 3. What a marked contrast: Hananiah and Jeremiah! Jeremiah 28:11, Then he spoke up in the presence of all the people. The LORD says, In the same way I will break the yoke of servitude of all the nations to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon before two years are over. After he heard this, the prophet Jeremiah departed and went on his way. (NET) I. Then he spoke up in the presence of all the people. A. Hananiah was determined to be heard by all the people. 1. He raised his voice and, with authority, proclaimed his opinion. 2. Hananiah was a liar, a false prophet, a confidence man, B. Hananiah was evidently quite impressive in his loud presentation, arrogant, self-confident and totally wrong. (See Coffman.)

22 Interestingly, Hananiah means, The Lord is gracious. II. The Lord says, In the same way I will break the yoke of servitude of all the nations to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon before two years are over. A. Hananiah was certainly saying what the people wanted to hear and what they wanted to believe. 1. The trouble was that what Hananiah was saying was not true! III. After he heard this, the prophet Jeremiah departed and went on his way. A. To this point, who had won the debate? B. Why did Jeremiah leave the debate at this time by just walking away? 1. What impression did this make on the people? C. Hamilton stated that, at this point in the confrontation, God had not told Jeremiah what to say, so he departed and went on his way. D. Smith wrote, Since Hananiah had swayed the audience with his antics, Jeremiah simply walked away. This was not the time nor the place for a response. E. Willis wrote, Jeremiah s attitude here is quite commendable! 1. Jeremiah did not quarrel with Hananiah until he had heard from the Lord. 2. Jeremiah knew the Lord would reveal the truth in due time.

23 Timothy 2:14-26, Remind people of these things and solemnly charge them before the Lord not to wrangle over words. This is of no benefit; it just brings ruin on those who listen. Make every effort to present yourself before God as a proven worker who does not need to be ashamed, teaching the message of truth accurately. But avoid profane chatter, because those occupied with it will stray further and further into ungodliness, and their message will spread its infection like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are in this group. They have strayed from the truth by saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are undermining some people s faith. However, God s solid foundation remains standing, bearing this seal: The Lord knows those who are his, and Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from evil. Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use. So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart. But reject foolish and ignorant controversies, because you know they breed infighting. And the Lord s slave must not engage in heated disputes but be kind toward all, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance and then knowledge of the truth and they will come to their senses and escape the devil s trap where they are held captive to do his will. (NET)

24 Titus 3:9, But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, quarrels, and fights about the law, because they are useless and empty. (NET) 5. Jeremiah did not act presumptuously, but waited until he knew what God would have him say before addressing Hananiah. (See Willis.) F. Coffman spoke of the contrast between Hananiah s boisterous, loud and hypocritical behavior with Jeremiah s sincere, submissive and peaceful demeanor. Jeremiah 28:12, But shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah s neck, the LORD spoke to Jeremiah. (NET) I. But shortly after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah s neck, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. A. Shortly after the preceding events, the Lord spoke to Jeremiah and told him what to do and say. 1. Jeremiah had not acted presumptively, but waited for the Lord to tell him what to do and say. 2. Having heard the Lord s instructions, Jeremiah did exactly as directed. Jeremiah 28:13, Go and tell Hananiah that the LORD says, You have indeed broken the wooden yoke. But you have only succeeded in replacing it with an iron one! (NET) I. Go and tell Hananiah that the Lord says, A. God told Jeremiah to set the record right!

25 25 B. Jeremiah spoke both to Hananiah, the person, and his message. (See Willis.) II. You have indeed broken the wooden yoke. But you have only succeeded in replacing it with an iron one! A. Hananiah could break the wooden yoke Jeremiah had worn, but he could not break the iron yoke; that is, Nebuchadnezzar s control, dominion of Judah, Jerusalem and the surrounding nations. (Smith) 1. Jeremiah 27:2, The LORD told me, Make a yoke out of leather straps and wooden crossbars and put it on your neck. (NET) 2. Hananiah s prophecies would lead to rebellion and destruction for Judah and Jerusalem while Jeremiah s message of submission would spare them the death and destruction that otherwise was inevitable. (See Smith.) 3. Judah s rebellion could not break Babylon s iron yoke! 4. Nebuchadnezzar shall totally destroy Judah and Jerusalem and even subdue the beasts of the field. (See Clarke.) Jeremiah 28:14, For the LORD God of Israel who rules over all says, I have put an irresistible yoke of servitude on all these nations so they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. And they will indeed serve him. I have even given him control over the wild animals. (NET) I. For the Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, A. The Lord God rules the universe. What God says will come to pass.

26 26 II. I have put an irresistible yoke of servitude on all these nations so they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. A. God has decreed that all the nations in question would serve King Nebuchadnezzar. 1. This was now unavoidable. 2. The Babylonians were irresistible. III. And they will indeed serve him. I have even given him control over the wild animals. A. Control over wild animals may be a reference to the prominence of hunting by Babylonian royalty and as prominently depicted in Babylonian art. (See Hamilton.) 1. Jeremiah 27:6, I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him. (NET) Jeremiah 28:15, Then the prophet Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, Listen, Hananiah! The LORD did not send you! You are making these people trust in a lie! (NET) I. Then the prophet Jeremiah told the false prophet Hananiah, Listen, Hananiah! The Lord did not send you! A. Jeremiah clearly and to his face declared Hananiah was a liar, that God had not spoken to him, and that what he was prophesying was totally false. (Hamilton) 1. Jeremiah 29:31, Send a message to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, The LORD has spoken about Shemaiah the Nehelamite. Shemaiah has spoken to you

27 27 as a prophet even though I did not send him. He is making you trust in a lie. (NET) 2. Hananiah probably had been considered as a prophet by the people in general for some time prior to this. (The Pulpit Commentary) B. True prophets listen to God. They do not preach what they wish, hope would happen. 1. Micah 3:5-12, This is what the LORD says: The prophets who mislead my people are as good as dead. If someone gives them enough to eat, they offer an oracle of peace. But if someone does not give them food, they are ready to declare war on him. Therefore night will fall, and you will receive no visions; it will grow dark, and you will no longer be able to read the omens. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn to darkness over their heads. The prophets will be ashamed; the omen readers will be humiliated. All of them will cover their mouths, for they will receive no divine oracles. But I am full of the courage that the LORD s Spirit gives, and have a strong commitment to justice. This enables me to confront Jacob with its rebellion, and Israel with its sin. Listen to this, you leaders of the family of Jacob, you rulers of the nation of Israel! You hate justice and pervert all that is right. You build Zion through bloody crimes, Jerusalem through unjust violence. Her leaders take bribes when they decide legal cases, her priests proclaim rulings for profit, and her prophets read omens for pay. Yet they claim to trust the LORD and say, The LORD is among us. Disaster will not overtake us! Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed up like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of

28 28 ruins, and the Temple Mount will become a hill overgrown with brush! (NET) 2. Deuteronomy 18:20-22, But if any prophet presumes to speak anything in my name that I have not authorized him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. Now if you say to yourselves, How can we tell that a message is not from the LORD? whenever a prophet speaks in my name and the prediction is not fulfilled, then I have not spoken it; the prophet has presumed to speak it, so you need not fear him. (NET) 3. To prophecy falsely in the name of Jehovah was a capital offense. (Albert Barnes via Coffman) C. Hananiah had been talking a lot! Jeremiah told Hananiah, Listen to what the Lord has to say to you! 1. This is what all of us are to do; that is, listen to what the Lord has to say to us. II. You are making the people trust in a lie!* A. *NET Footnote: Or, You are giving these people false assurances! 1. The people wanted to believe what Hananiah was saying. B. In the second encounter between Jeremiah and Hananiah, Jeremiah did all the recorded talking and Hananiah did not say even one word! 1. This was a dangerous thing for Jeremiah to say because the people had already tried once before to kill Jeremiah.

29 29 Jeremiah 28:16, So the LORD says, I will most assuredly remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the LORD. (NET) I. So the Lord says, I will most assuredly remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord. A. Hananiah and the people would not have to wait two years to see who was speaking the truth. 1. Hananiah would be dead within that very year, the Lord said, and so he was! 2. Jeremiah spoke the truth and lying Hananiah was dead! B. Hananiah died because he had counseled rebellion against the Lord! and his revealed trust. (The Pulpit Commentary) 1. Deuteronomy 13:6, Suppose your own full brother, your son, your daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend should seduce you secretly and encourage you to go and serve other gods that neither you nor your ancestors have previously known, (NET) Jeremiah 28:17, In the seventh month of that very same year the prophet Hananiah died. (NET) I. In the seventh month of that very same year the prophet Hananiah died. A. This was strong evidence that Jeremiah was the faithful prophet of God and that Hananiah was a false prophet. B. At this point, who won the debate?

30 30 C. Smith wrote, A note appended to chapter 28 documents that Hananiah did in fact die two months later; that is, two months after Jeremiah had foretold his death. 1. This reminds the reader of the deaths of Pelatiah, Ananias and Sapphira. (Harrison via Coffman) a. Ezekiel 11:13, Now, while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I threw myself face down and cried out with a loud voice, Alas, sovereign LORD! You are completely wiping out the remnant of Israel! (NET) b. Acts 5:1-11, Now a man named Ananias, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. He kept back for himself part of the proceeds with his wife s knowledge; he brought only part of it and placed it at the apostles feet. But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back for yourself part of the proceeds from the sale of the land? Before it was sold, did it not belong to you? And when it was sold, was the money not at your disposal? How have you thought up this deed in your heart? You have not lied to people but to God! When Ananias heard these words he collapsed and died, and great fear gripped all who heard about it. So the young men came, wrapped him up, carried him out, and buried him. After an interval of about three hours, his wife came in, but she did not know what had happened. Peter said to her, Tell me, were the two of you paid this amount for the land? Sapphira said, Yes, that much. Peter then told her, Why have you agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at

31 31 the door, and they will carry you out! At once she collapsed at his feet and died. So when the young men came in, they found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. Great fear gripped the whole church and all who heard about these things. (NET) D. God, in his mercy, gave even wicked, lying Hananiah two months in which to repent. (See Clarke.) Conclusion: 1. The precision of Jeremiah s prophesies as to time, dates and content was proof that God was speaking through Jeremiah and that 2. Hananiah was a fraud. I. Hananiah, a false prophet, and Jeremiah a prophet of the Lord, engaged in public debate before the priests and all the people. A. Hananiah preached what the people wanted to hear. B. Jeremiah preached what God told him to say. C. Within two months Hananiah was dead and the people continued in their wicked ways.

32 32 Questions Jeremiah 28: The of the from s was s way of saying his was and s was. Of course, the was in. 2. A had been made on s during the of. Now s him under the of. 3. This was a to and promote their of, and for. 4. When did the events of Jeremiah 28 occur? 5. Who was Hananiah?

33 Hananiah was from Gibeon. List historical events which had happened there. 7. What did Hananiah prophesy? 8. In regards to these matters, what did Jeremiah prophesy? 9. Where did Hananiah deliver his attack on Jeremiah? How did he manage to gather a big crowd for his speech? 10. Describe Hananiah s character and personality.

34 had of a while that by it would all be over in less than. 12. claimed that within, all and ( ) would be to. Obviously, these things showing to be a. 13. What international events at that time seemed to support Hananiah s position? 14. When and by whom was Babylon conquered? Did this support Hananiah s or Jeremiah s position? Give reasons for your answer. 15. What was Hananiah s position regarding the return of King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin) and the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem? What was Jeremiah s position regarding these matters? Who was correct?

35 Explain the difference between viewing God s promises as conditional and unconditional. How did Hananiah and Jeremiah view God s promises, conditional or unconditional? Give reasons for your answers. 17. Who said, Indeed, the Lord affirms, I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon? What actually happened? Who was right, Hananiah or Jeremiah? Explain your answer. 18. At the end of verse 4, who had won the debate, Hananiah or Jeremiah? Whom and why did the people believe had, up to that point, won the debate? 19. To the speech of Hananiah, Jeremiah said,! May the do all this! May the make

36 36 your come! May he bring back to this from all the taken from the s and the who were into. 20. Was Jeremiah sincere in saying these things? Did he believe what Hananiah had said would come to pass? Give reasons for your answers. 21. had something of to say to and to the. They were told to to what he had to say. 22. What did Jeremiah have to say? (See Verse 8.) What placed Jeremiah in the prophetic mainstream and Hananiah outside the mainstream? 23. What prophets had prophesied of war, disaster and plagues in regard to other situations now faced by Judah and Jerusalem? 24. What was the litmus test for determining if a prophetic pronouncement was from God?

37 Hananiah was % wrong in his prognostications. How could anyone be % wrong? 26. What did Hananiah s removal of the yoke Jeremiah was wearing signify? 27. Compare Hananiah s behavior with that of Jeremiah so far in the debate. Which one impressed the people more favorably? 28. was determined to be by all the. He his and, with, his. 29. What did Hananiah say in this loud voice?

38 What does Hananiah mean? Was this an appropriate name for this person? Give reasons for your answer. 31. Why did Jeremiah leave and go his way at this time? What did this say about Jeremiah s attitude? 32. Shortly after this God spoke to Jeremiah. What did he say to Jeremiah? 33. s would lead to and for and while s of would them the and that otherwise was. s could not s. shall totally and and even the of the.

39 What is meant by God s giving Nebuchadnezzar control over the wild animals? 35. clearly and to his declared was a, that had to him, and that what he was was. 36. What was the punishment for prophesying falsely in the name of the Lord? 37. had been a lot! told, to what the has to say to you! 38. You are making these in a! You are giving these! 39. In this between and, did all the and did not say even.

40 What was saying put him in because the people believed what had told them and the people had already tried one time before to. 41. The said to, I will most you from the of the. You will this because you have against the. 42. How long did Hananiah live after the Lord had decreed his death? What did his death tell the priests and all the people? 43. In what ways are the deaths of Pelatiah, Ananiah, Sapphers and Hananiah similar? 44., in his, gave even in which to. 45. What were the results, outcome of Hananiah s debate with Jeremiah?

41 41