Jeremiah 28:6-9,16-17

In the previous chapter (chapter 27), God told Jeremiah to put a wooden yoke on his neck, before telling him that this yoke represented Judah, and how it was supposed to bend its neck to the Babylonians. Now, chapter 28 happens in the same year, although how far along in the year it does not say.

Hananiah the prophet was speaking in the Temple, to all the priests and the people, and also to Jeremiah. But what he was saying was contrary to what Jeremiah had prophesied. He was saying that within two full years, all the vessels of the Temple that had been taken would be brought back, and so would the king Jeconiah and all the captives (a.k.a everything). Now, you may expect Jeremiah to flip out over this and pronounce instant judgment upon Hananiah. However, what we read is this:

‘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. 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.” (Jeremiah 28:6-9)

I want to note two things:

1. Although Jeremiah obviously knew that Hananiah was wrong, he did not immediately proclaim judgment on him, rather he said ‘let it be so!’ For what Hananiah said would have been a good thing to happen (at least in the minds of men). So Jeremiah agreed with his desires, but he still says that nevertheless, prophets who have been from God in the past have only ever prophesied destruction and war and famine – judgment. So for this prophet who prophesies peace to be true, the word of his mouth must come to pass. We see that Jeremiah goes about his rebuke in a manner of love. It is not a scathing attack, but rather a solemn pronouncement that he is likely wrong.

2. The second thing comes into the first, but it is that specifically it is the prophets of judgment who were from God in the past. Let us look back into the Bible and even taking into account prophets after Jeremiah, which prophet prophesied mostly peace? There are a few inklings of it in Isaiah, with prophecies of the Messiah or the Messianic Kingdom, but on the whole, each prophet’s main task was to proclaim judgment, or warn against it. So let us not be fooled in this day with prophecies or teachings of peace and prosperity and the ‘good life’. We should say ‘Amen! Let that be true! Nevertheless, I don’t see how it could be.’

Now, after Jeremiah’s gentle rebuke, Hananiah does something really silly. He pulls of the yoke from Jeremiah’s neck (which he must still be wearing), and breaks it. This was a visible symbol of his message. Now Jeremiah goes away for a while and the LORD says to him that they have indeed broken the yokes of wood –but that they will be replaced with yokes of iron! Just imagine Jeremiah walking back to the Temple with Hananiah standing there, and all the priests and people, and on his shoulders is a massive iron yoke. ‘Ha! Hananiah, try and break this yoke!’

And as a finale to the story, we have some true prophecy:

‘[Jeremiah said] 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.’ (Jeremiah 28:16-17)

The LORD always wins. Always.

I noted that in the very last sentence, it says ‘so Hananiah the prophet…’. It doesn’t just say ‘and Hananiah the…’ as if it happened and thus the prophecy was fulfilled. It is worded more as if it happened because of the prophecy. This is the mark of the true prophet of the LORD, for His words are the LORD’s, and so when he speaks, it is the LORD declaring something that will happen. Therefore you could say it is the reason for its happening.

I hope we are all encouraged by the stories of God’s people, like Jeremiah, who trust in the LORD, and whom the LORD delivers and speaks to.