Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
False Fi opheis, and JEREMIAH XXIII. Mockers of Ike True Prophets.
to be followed by awful judgments, bones shake—(HabakKuk 3. 10.) drunken—God's judgments are represented as stupefying like wine. The effects of the Holy Spirit undertake a pastor's of Ree. [Calvin.] -Zi. stood In . . . counsel (v. 18.) they sliould liave turned tliem from tlielr evil way—they would have given such counsels to the people as would have turned them from their sins also' are compared to those of wme (Acts 2. 17). In both
(ch. 25. 5 ; Isaiah 55. 11), and so would have averted punishment. Their not teaching the law in which God's counsel crises ecstasy was produced. This accounts for the denial of wine to those likely to be inspired, Nazarites, Ac. (Luke
1. 15). It was -necessary to put it out of men's power to ascribe inspired ecstasy to the effects of wine, because of . . . words of . . ; holiness — because of Jehovah's holy words, wherewith He threatened severe penalties, soon to be inflicted, against the breakers of His law. 10. adulterers—spiritual, i. e., forsakers of God, Israel's true Husband (Isaiah 54. 5), for idols, at the instigation of the is set forth proves they are not His prophets, though they boast of being so (Matthew 7. 15-20). 23. Let not the false prophets fancy that tlieir devices {v. 25) are unknown to me. Are ye so ignorant as to suppo.se that I can only see things near me, viz., things in heaven, and not. earthly things as being too remote ? 24. (Psalm 139. 7, Ac. ; Amo.s
9. 2, 3.) ml heaven and eartli-with my omniscience, providence, power, and essential being (1 Kings 8. 27). 25. dreamed—I have received a prophetic communication by dream (Numbers 12. 6; Deuteronomy 13. 1, &c.
false " prophets" (u. 9, 15). Literal "adultery" and fornication, the usual concomitants of idolatry, are also meant, swearing—Maurer, &e., translate, " Because of the curse
Joel 2. 28). 26. prophets—a different Hebrew form from the usual one, " prophesiers." "How long," cries Jeremiah, impatient of their impious audacity, "shall these prophecy-mongers go on prophesying lies?" The answer
(of God on it),'the land mourneth" (Deuteronomy 27. 15-
26; 28. 1.5-6S; Isaiah 2i. 6). More than usual notoriety had been given to the curses of the law, by the finding and reading of it in Josiah's time (2 Kings 22. 11, &c.). But Hosea 4. 2, 3, favours English Vernon (cf. ch. 12. 4). A drought was sent by God on the pastures ("pleasant is given, v. 29-;}4. 27. They "think" to make my people utterly to forget me. But I will oppose to those dreamer.s. my true prophets, fathers . . . for Baal—(Judges 3. 7; 8.
places," oases) in the desert on account of the "profaneness" of the priests, prophets, and people (v. 11). course
33, 34.) 28. God answers the objection whicli might be started, ""What, then, must we do, when lies are spoken as truths, and prophets oppose prophets?" Do the same as when wheat is mixed with chaft": do not reject the wheat becauseofthechaff mixed with it, but discriminate between the false and the true revelations. The test is adherence to, or forgetfulness of, me and my law (v. 27). that hath a dream—that pretends to have a divine communication by dream, let him tell it " faithfully,'' that it may be compared with "my word" (2 Corinthians 4.2). The result will be the former (both the prophets and their fictions) will soon be seen to be chaff: the latter (the true prophets and the word of God in their mouth) wheat (Psalm 1. 4; Hosea 13.3). 29. As the "fire" consumes the "chaff," so "my word" will consume the false prophet« (Matthew 3. 12; Hebrews 4. 12). "My word" which la "wheat," i. e., food to the true prophet and his hearers, it a consuming "fire," and a crushing "hammer" (Matthew. . . evil—They (both prophets and people) ru.sh into wickedness (v. 21; Isaiah 59. 7). force . . . not right— Their powers are used not on the side of rectitude, but on that of falseliood. 11. profane—(EzA'kiel 23. 39; Zephaniah
3. 4.) in my house-(Ch. 7. 30.) They built altars to idols In the very temple (2 Kings Zi. 12; Ezekiel 8. 3-l(i). Cf. as to covetousness under the roof of the sanctuary, Matthew
21. 13 ; John 2. 16. 13. slippery ways in . . . darkness tlieir " way" is their false doctrine which proves fatal to them (ch. 13. 16; Psalm a5. 6; Proverbs 4. 19). I will bring evil . . . visitation— still more calamities than those already inflicted. See Note, ch. 11. 23; "visitation," viz., in
13. folly lit., insipidity, unsavouriness (Job 6. 6), not having the salt of godliness (Colossians 4. 6). in Baal —in the name of Baal ; in connection with his worship (see ch.
2. 8). caused ... to err—(Isaiah 9. 16.) 14. "Jerusalem" and Judah were even worse than "Samaria" and the ten tribes; the greater were the privileges of the former, the greater was their guilt. They had the temple in their midst, which the ten tribes had not; yet in the temple
21. 44) to false prophets and their followers (2 Corinthians
2. 16). The word of the false prophets may be known by its promising men peace in sin. "My word," on the contrary, burns and breaks the hard-hearted (eh. 20. 9). Th« "hammer" symbolizes destructive power (ch.50. 23; Unburn 2. 1, Margin). 30. steal my words—a twofold plagiarism ; one steals from the other, and all steal word.s from Jehovah's true prophets, but misapply them (see ch. 28. 2; John 10. 1; Revelation 22. 19). 31. use—rather, "take" their tongue: a second class (cf. i,-. 30) require, in order to bring forth a revelation, nothing more than their tongues, wherewith they say. He (Jehovah) sivlth : they binigle in the very formula instead of the usual "Jehovah soith," being onlj' able to say "(He) sailh." 33. Third class: inventors of lies. The climax, and worst of the three, liglitncss—wanton inventions (Zephaniah .3. 4). not proAt i. e., greatly injure. 33. "What is the burden —play on the double sense of the Hebrew: an oracle and i» burden. They scofflngly ask. Has he got any new burden (burdensome m'acle : for all his prophecies are disasta-s) to announce (Malachi 1. 1)? Jeremiah indignantly repeats their own question. Do you ask. What burden? This, then, it is, " I will forsake you." My word is burdensome in your eyes, and you long to be rid of it. You shall get your wish. There will be no more prophecy : J will forsake you, and that will be a far worse "burden" to yon. 34. Tile burden—Whoever shall in mockery call the Lonl's word "a burden," shall be visited (Margin) in wrath. 35. The result of my judgments shall be.ye shall address the prophet more reverentially hereafter, no longer calling his message a burden, but a Divine resp<nise or word: "What hath the Lord anmveredf" 30. every man's word . . . his burden—as they mockinglj c(ii< sU prophecies burdens, as if calamities were the sole sul)ject of prophecy, so it shall prove to them. God will take them at their own word, living God—not lifeless as their dunib Idols, ever living so as to be able to punish. 39. I will itself they practised idolatry, strengthen . . . hands of. evil-doers—(Ezekiel 13. 22.) as Sodom—(Deuteronomy
32. 32; Isaiah 1. 10.) 15. gall—powon (Note, ch. 8. 14; 9. 15.) 16. make you vain—they seduce you to vanity, i. e., idolatry, which will prove a vain trust to you (ch. 2. 5; 2 Kings
17. 15; Jonah 2. 8) [Ge.sisnius]. Rather, " they delude you witli vain promises of security" (d. 17; cf. Psalm 62. 10). [Mauher.] of . . . own lieart—of their own invention (d.
21 ; cli. 1 l.'lt). 17. say stiW—Hebreiv, say in saying, i. e., say incessantly, peace—(Ch. 6. 14; Ezekiel 13. 10; Zechariah 10.
2.) imagination Hebrew, obstinacy, no evil—(Mlcah 3.
11.) 18. A reason is given why the false prophets should not be heeded : They have not stood in the counsels of Jehovah (an image from ministers present in a standing posture at councils of Eastern kings) (cf. v. 22; Job 15. 8). The spiritual man alone has the privilege (Genesis 18. 17; Psalm 25.
14 ; Amos 3. 7 ; John 15. 15; 1 Corinthians 2. 16). 19. So far from all prosperity awaiting the people as the false propliets say (v. 17), wrath is in store for them, grievous lit., uddying, whirling itself about, a tornado. In ch. 30. 23, 'continuing" is substituted for "grievous." fall grievously— sAa/Z 6e AwWd on. /JO. in . . . latter days i.e., "tlu' year of their visitation" (v. 12). Primarily the meaning is, tlie Jews will not "consider" now God's warnings (Deuteronomy 3'2. 29); but when the prophecies shall be fultlllecl in their Bal)ylonlsh exile, they will consider and see, liy bitter experience, their sinful folly. Theultimate Boope of the prophecy Is, the Jews, in their final dispersion, shall at last "consider" their sin, and turn to Messiah " p('rfcctly" (Hosea 3.5; Zechariah r2. 5, 10-14; Luke
13. ;'..)). sent , . . spoken—" sent" refers to the primary call: "spoki'ii" to the subsequent charges given to be executed. A call is required, not only extern.'il, on the part of men, but also internal from God, that one should