23:1-4Those responsible to lead Israel in God's path were the very ones responsible for Israel's present plight, and so God had decreed harsh judgment against them. Leaders are held responsible for those entrusted to their care. Whom has God placed in your care? Remember that you are accountable to God for those you influence and lead.
Life Application Study BibleJeremiahChapter 23
Jeremiah 23
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1241, 1242, 1243, 1244
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
23Jeremiah 23
The Righteous Descendant
123 “What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the LORD. 2Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to these shepherds: “Instead of caring for my flock and leading them to safety, you have deserted them and driven them to destruction. Now I will pour out judgment on you for the evil you have done to them. $But I will gather together the remnant of my flock from the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their own sheepfold, and they will be fruitful and increase in number. 4Then I will appoint responsible shepherds who will care for them, and they will never be afraid again. Not a single one will be lost or missing. I, the LORD have spoken!
5“For the time is coming,”says the LORD,“when I will raise up a righteous descendant*from King David's line.He will be a King who rules with wisdom.He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
6And this will be his name:‘The LORD Is Our Righteousness.’*In that day Judah will be saved,and Israel will live in safety.
7“Tn that day,” says the LORD, “when people are taking an oath, they will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lor» lives, who rescued the people of Israel from the land of Egypt.’ 9Instead, they will say, 10As surely as the Lor lives, who brought the people of Israel back to their own land from the land of the north and from all the countries to which he had exiled them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”
Judgment on False Prophets
9 My heart is broken because of the false prophets,and my bones tremble.I stagger like a drunkard,like someone overcome by wine,because of the holy wordsthe LORD has spoken against them.10 For the land is full of adultery,and it lies under a curse.The land itself is in mourning—its wilderness pastures are dried up.For they all do eviland abuse what power they have.
11“Even the priests and prophetsare ungodly, wicked men.Ihave seen their despicable actsright here in my own Temple,”says the LORD.
12“Therefore, the paths they takewill become slippery.They will be chased through the dark,and there they will fall.For I will bring disaster upon themat the time fixed for their punishment.I, the LORD, have spoken!
13“T saw that the prophets of Samaria were terribly evil,for they prophesied in the name of Baaland ted my people of Israel into sin.
14But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse!They commit adultery and love dishonesty.They encourage those who are doing evilso that no one turns away from their sins.These prophets are as wickedas the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were.”1STherefore, this is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says concerning the prophets:“T will feed them with bitternessand give them poison to drink.For it is because of Jerusalem's prophetsthat wickedness has filled this land.”
16This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies says to his people:“Do not listen to these prophets when they prophesy to you,filling you with futile hopes.They are making up everything they say.They do not speak for the LORD!
17They keep saying to those who despise my word,‘Don’t worry! The LORD says you will have peace!’And to those who stubbornly follow their own desires,they say, ‘No harm will come your way?’
18“Have any of these prophets been in the LORD’s presenceto hear what he is really saying?Has even one of them cared enough to listen?
19Look! The LORD’s anger bursts out like a storm,a whirlwind that swirls down on the heads of the wicked.
20The anger of the LORD will not diminishuntil it has finished all he has planned.In the days to comeyou will understand all this very clearly.
21“J have not sent these prophets,yet they run around claiming to speak for me.Ihave given them no message,yet they go on prophesying.
22If they had stood before me and listened to me,they would have spoken my words,and they would have turned my peoplefrom their evil ways and deeds.
23Am 1a God who is only close at hand?” says the LORD.“No, I am far away at the same time.
24Can anyone hide from me ina secret place?Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?”says the LORD.
25“I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name. 26How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say. 2” By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal.
28“Let these false prophets tell their dreams,but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word.There is a difference between straw and grain!
29Does not my word bum like fire?”says the LORD.“Ts it not like a mighty hammerthat smashes a rock to pieces?
30“Therefore,” says the LORD,“I am against these prophets who steal messages from each other and claim they are from me. 5I am against these smooth-tongued prophets who say, ‘This prophecy is from the LORD!’ 321 am against these false prophets. Their imaginary dreams are flagrant lies that lead my people into sin. I did not send or appoint them, and they have no message at all for my people. I, the LORD have spoken!
False Prophecies and False Prophets
3333“Suppose one of the people or one of the prophets or priests asks you, ‘What prophecy has the LORD burdened you with now?’ You must reply, ‘You are the burden!* The LORD says he will abandon you!’ 34If any prophet, priest, or anyone else says, ‘I have a prophecy from the LORD,’I will punish that person along with his entire family. 35You should keep asking each other, ‘What is the LORD’s answer” or ‘What is the LORD saying?’ 36But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the LORD.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the LORD of Heaven's Armies. 37“This is what you should say to the prophets: ‘What is the LORD‘s answer?’ or ‘What is the LORD saying?’ 38But suppose they respond, ‘This is a prophecy from the LORD!’ Then you should say, ‘This is what the LORD says: Because you have used this phrase, “prophecy from the LORD,” even though I warned you not to use it, 39I will forget you completely. I will expel you from my presence, along with this city that I gave to you and your ancestors. 40And I will make you an object of ridicule, and your name will be infamous throughout the ages.’”
Textual footnotes
- spelling of Nebuchadnezzar.
- Tsidgenu.
- 23:5 Hebrew a righteous branch.
- 23:6 Hebrew Yahweh
- 23:33 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew reads What burden? 24:1a Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, a
Life Application Notes 8 notes
23:5,6Jeremiah contrasted the present corrupt leaders with the coming Messiah, the perfect King, who would come from David's line to reign over Israel.
23:9-14How did the nation become so corrupt? A major factor was false prophecy. The false prophets had a large, enthusiastic audience and were very popular because they made the people believe that all was well. By contrast, Jeremiah’s message from God was unpopular because it showed the people how bad they were. There are four warning signs of false prophets—characteristics we need to watch for even today: (1) They may appear to speak God's message, but they do not live according to God's Word. (2) They water down God’s message in order to make it more palatable. (3) They encourage their listeners, often subtly, to disobey God. (4) They tend to be arrogant and self-serving, appealing to the desires of their audience instead of being true to God’s Word.
23:14Sodom and Gomorrah were sinful cities destroyed by God (Genesis 19:23, 24). In the Bible they typify the ultimate in depraved, sinful behavior and rebellion against God.
23:20“In the days to come, you will understand all this very clearly” means that the people would see the truth of this prophecy when Jerusalem fell.
23:21-24in Jeremiah’s time, those who claimed to speak * for God were often guilty of representing a deity they thought of as limited and localized—a neighborhood god. Their gods frequently had limited interests and shortsighted awareness. God declares his omnipresence with a question: “Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” We make the same mistake those would-be prophets made when we assume God doesn’t know or care about the situations in our lives or when we question his ability to handle things beyond our control. How big is the God you worship?
23:28True prophets and false prophets are as different as Straw and wheat. Straw is useless for food and cannot compare to nourishing wheat. To share the gospel is a great responsibility because the way we present it and live it will encourage People either to accept it or reject it. Whether we speak from @ pulpit, teach in a class, or share with friends, we must accurately communicate and live out God’s Word. As you share God’s Word with friends and neighbors, they will look for its effectiveness in your life. Unless it has changed you, why should they let it change them? If you preach it, make sure you tive it!
23:33-40People mocked Jeremiah by saying sarcastically, “What prophecy has the LORD burdened you with now?” It seemed that Jeremiah brought nothing but God’s sad news of condemnation. But this sad news was the truth. If they had accepted it. they would have had to repent and turn to God. Because they did not want to do this, they rejected Jeremiah’s message. Have you ever rejected a message or made fun of it because it would require you to change your ways? Before dismissing someone who brings sad news, look carefully at your motives.