Jeremiah 23

15–18 Next to the evil kings, the lying prophets were most responsible for spreading ungodliness throughout the land (verse 15). Their words did not come from God but from their own minds (verse 16). Their main message was: “You will have peace” (verse 17); “the Lord will not punish you for your sins” (see Jeremiah 6:14). These false prophets were like the false teachers in the New Testament who preached a different gospel (Galatians 1:6–9). These prophets had never stood in the council of the LORD (verse 18)—that is, among the faithful beings in heaven to whom God reveals His plans; they had never heard God’s voice and therefore could not speak His words.

Do we have such false prophets and false teachers today? Sadly, yes; they have been present in every age. How can they be recognized? In this chapter, Jeremiah suggests three ways. First, their personal behavior does not meet God’s standard of faithfulness and HOLINESS: false prophets commit adultery and live a lie (verse 14). Second, they do not call for complete commitment and obedience to the Lord; in effect, therefore, they strengthen the hands of evildoers (verse 14). Third, they teach only what people want to hear; they promise peace, health and prosperity in this life, but these are visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD (verse 16). Instead of warning about the dangers of sin, they tell people: “No harm will come to you” (verse 17).

Jesus also taught us how to recognize false prophets: “By their fruit you shall recognize them” (Matthew 7:15–16). It is easy to be deceived by pleasing words; we must examine the “fruit” of those words. Do they lead people to live lives of greater commitment and holiness, or do they lead to the spread of ungodliness . . . throughout the land? (verse 15). We may not recognize false prophets by their words, but we should be able to recognize them by their fruit.

19–24 The Lord asks rhetorically if the false prophets think they can hide from Him (verse 24). Of course, they cannot. God is not merely a local deity nearby from whom one can escape; He is also a God far away (verse 23)—a God of the entire universe (see Psalm 139:7–10). He lives “far away” in a high and holy place, but He is also “nearby” with him who is . . . lowly in spirit (Isaiah 57:15).

25–32 In these verses, the Lord further emphasizes that the words of the false prophets do not come from Him. Instead, they come from dreams, from delusions of their own minds⁸² (verses 26–27).

In verses 28–29, God reveals the difference between His word and the words of the false prophets. His word is like grain, which feeds and nourishes; their words are like straw (verse 28). God’s word is also like fire (verse 29); it purifies the godly and consumes the ungodly (Jeremiah 5:14). God’s word is also powerful like a hammer—or a sword (Hebrews 4:12)—which “crushes” the hardened heart to bring one to repentance (verse 29).

False oracles and False Prophets (23:33–40)

33–40 In this section, the Lord condemns the false prophets who pretend they are declaring an oracle of the LORD ⁸³ (verse 34). He forbids them to use the term “oracle of the Lord” and thereby make people think they are speaking the Lord’s words. Because they do not speak God’s words, they will be cast ... out, together with the city of Jerusalem (verse 39); they will suffer everlasting disgrace (verse 40).