Jeremiah 28: Confronting False Hope with God's Truth
And it came to pass the same year, in 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, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:
And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord,
Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord’s house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.
Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;
The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.
Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.
And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Even so will I 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.
Then the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.
Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.
So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jeremiah 28 recounts a dramatic confrontation between the prophet Jeremiah and Hananiah, a false prophet who offered a comforting but ultimately deceptive message to the people of Judah. This chapter serves as a stark reminder of the importance of discerning truth from falsehood and the consequences of rejecting God's revealed will. The events of Jeremiah 28 highlight the tension between immediate comfort and long-term obedience, a struggle that resonates even today.
Hananiah's False Prophecy (Jeremiah 28:1-4)
In Jeremiah 28:1, we are introduced to Hananiah, a prophet who, in stark contrast to Jeremiah's somber warnings, proclaimed a message of imminent deliverance. Hananiah boldly declared, in the fourth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, that within two years, the Lord would break the yoke of the king of Babylon. He insisted that the exile would be short-lived, lasting only two years, not the seventy years Jeremiah had prophesied. He prophesied the return of King Jeconiah, the exiles, and the temple treasures to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 28:3-4). This message, delivered in the temple before the priests and the people, was undoubtedly appealing to a nation longing for freedom and restoration. Hananiah even co-opted Jeremiah's signature phrase, "This is the LORD’s declaration" (Jeremiah 28:4), adding a veneer of divine authority to his deceitful words.
Hananiah preached a prosperity gospel, promising success and restoration. Speaking lies is one thing; putting them in the mouth of the Lord is a whole other matter. Such audacity would cost Hananiah his life.
Jeremiah's Initial Response and the Test of a True Prophet (Jeremiah 28:5-9)
Jeremiah's initial response to Hananiah's prophecy is surprising. He declared, "Amen! May the LORD do that" (Jeremiah 28:6). This wasn't an endorsement of Hananiah's message but a reflection of Jeremiah's own desire for the people's suffering to end. He wished that Hananiah’s optimistic message could be true. However, Jeremiah knew that Hananiah’s prophecy was contrary to what God had revealed to him and other true prophets in times past.
Jeremiah then offered a crucial test for discerning true prophets from false ones: "Only when the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the LORD has truly sent" (Jeremiah 28:9; see Deuteronomy 18:20-22). This principle, rooted in Deuteronomy, emphasizes the importance of verifiable accuracy. A true prophet's words would align with God's character and purposes and would ultimately come to pass. Hananiah's prophecy wouldn’t meet the standard.
The Broken Yoke and the Iron Yoke (Jeremiah 28:10-14)
Adding to the drama, Hananiah physically confronted Jeremiah, taking the yoke that Jeremiah wore as a symbolic representation of Judah's submission to Babylon and breaking it (Jeremiah 28:10-11; see Jeremiah 27:2). This act was a powerful visual representation of Hananiah's message of liberation.
However, God was not impressed. He simply issued a new word through Jeremiah to Hananiah: "I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations that they might serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon" (Jeremiah 28:14). The broken wooden yoke would be replaced with an unbreakable iron one, signifying an even more severe and prolonged period of subjugation.
The Judgment on Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:15-17)
The Lord then pronounced judgment on Hananiah, declaring that because he had misled the people and encouraged them to rebel against God, he would die within the year (Jeremiah 28:15-17). The prophecy came to pass, and Hananiah died the same year, demonstrating the consequences of false prophecy and rebellion against God's revealed will.
Hananiah’s lying and strutting were pointless. The Lord God, the King of the universe, is sovereign. Any attempt to oppose his agenda will fail. He will always accomplish his purposes—with or without you.
Lessons for Today
Jeremiah 28 offers several important lessons for believers today. First, it reminds us to be discerning in our pursuit of truth. Not all messages that sound appealing are necessarily from God. We must test everything against the Word of God and the character of God. Second, it highlights the importance of humility and submission to God's will, even when it is difficult. God's plans may not always align with our desires, but they are always for our ultimate good. Finally, it underscores the consequences of rejecting God's truth and embracing falsehood. Choosing to believe what we want to believe, rather than what God has revealed, can lead to destruction.
Will you join his kingdom work and experience blessing, then, or oppose him and be put to shame?
And it came to pass the same year, in 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, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:
And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the Lord: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord,
Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord’s house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.
Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;
The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the Lord hath truly sent him.
Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.
And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Even so will I 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.
Then the word of the Lord came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.
Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The Lord hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the Lord.
So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jeremiah 28 recounts a dramatic confrontation between the prophet Jeremiah and Hananiah, a false prophet who offered a comforting but ultimately deceptive message to the people of Judah. This chapter serves as a stark reminder of the importance of discerning truth from falsehood and the consequences of rejecting God's revealed will. The events of Jeremiah 28 highlight the tension between immediate comfort and long-term obedience, a struggle that resonates even today.
Hananiah's False Prophecy (Jeremiah 28:1-4)
In Jeremiah 28:1, we are introduced to Hananiah, a prophet who, in stark contrast to Jeremiah's somber warnings, proclaimed a message of imminent deliverance. Hananiah boldly declared, in the fourth year of King Zedekiah’s reign, that within two years, the Lord would break the yoke of the king of Babylon. He insisted that the exile would be short-lived, lasting only two years, not the seventy years Jeremiah had prophesied. He prophesied the return of King Jeconiah, the exiles, and the temple treasures to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 28:3-4). This message, delivered in the temple before the priests and the people, was undoubtedly appealing to a nation longing for freedom and restoration. Hananiah even co-opted Jeremiah's signature phrase, "This is the LORD’s declaration" (Jeremiah 28:4), adding a veneer of divine authority to his deceitful words.
Hananiah preached a prosperity gospel, promising success and restoration. Speaking lies is one thing; putting them in the mouth of the Lord is a whole other matter. Such audacity would cost Hananiah his life.
Jeremiah's Initial Response and the Test of a True Prophet (Jeremiah 28:5-9)
Jeremiah's initial response to Hananiah's prophecy is surprising. He declared, "Amen! May the LORD do that" (Jeremiah 28:6). This wasn't an endorsement of Hananiah's message but a reflection of Jeremiah's own desire for the people's suffering to end. He wished that Hananiah’s optimistic message could be true. However, Jeremiah knew that Hananiah’s prophecy was contrary to what God had revealed to him and other true prophets in times past.
Jeremiah then offered a crucial test for discerning true prophets from false ones: "Only when the word of the prophet comes true will the prophet be recognized as one the LORD has truly sent" (Jeremiah 28:9; see Deuteronomy 18:20-22). This principle, rooted in Deuteronomy, emphasizes the importance of verifiable accuracy. A true prophet's words would align with God's character and purposes and would ultimately come to pass. Hananiah's prophecy wouldn’t meet the standard.
The Broken Yoke and the Iron Yoke (Jeremiah 28:10-14)
Adding to the drama, Hananiah physically confronted Jeremiah, taking the yoke that Jeremiah wore as a symbolic representation of Judah's submission to Babylon and breaking it (Jeremiah 28:10-11; see Jeremiah 27:2). This act was a powerful visual representation of Hananiah's message of liberation.
However, God was not impressed. He simply issued a new word through Jeremiah to Hananiah: "I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations that they might serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon" (Jeremiah 28:14). The broken wooden yoke would be replaced with an unbreakable iron one, signifying an even more severe and prolonged period of subjugation.
The Judgment on Hananiah (Jeremiah 28:15-17)
The Lord then pronounced judgment on Hananiah, declaring that because he had misled the people and encouraged them to rebel against God, he would die within the year (Jeremiah 28:15-17). The prophecy came to pass, and Hananiah died the same year, demonstrating the consequences of false prophecy and rebellion against God's revealed will.
Hananiah’s lying and strutting were pointless. The Lord God, the King of the universe, is sovereign. Any attempt to oppose his agenda will fail. He will always accomplish his purposes—with or without you.
Lessons for Today
Jeremiah 28 offers several important lessons for believers today. First, it reminds us to be discerning in our pursuit of truth. Not all messages that sound appealing are necessarily from God. We must test everything against the Word of God and the character of God. Second, it highlights the importance of humility and submission to God's will, even when it is difficult. God's plans may not always align with our desires, but they are always for our ultimate good. Finally, it underscores the consequences of rejecting God's truth and embracing falsehood. Choosing to believe what we want to believe, rather than what God has revealed, can lead to destruction.
Will you join his kingdom work and experience blessing, then, or oppose him and be put to shame?