Call to Commitment

  

Chapter 28

 

Hananiah challenges Jeremiah… and his God  

      1.      And it happened in the same year, at 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, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 

 2.      "Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: 'I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 

 3.      Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 

 4.      And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,' says the LORD, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.' " 

 We have come to the chapter, to which I referred in chapter 25 – the controversy between Jeremiah and Hananiah. We will look closer and examine more details. I remarked then that men come under the curse of deception, when they refuse to accept truth. I often point to the fact that Paul showed this divine principle in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 and 10: “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 

 The incident took place in the same year as in chapter 27, but more specifically, this chapter names the fourth year and the fifth month of Zedekiah’s reign. Hananiah is introduced in verse 1 and he is from Gibeon, a notable city in Bible history. It lay in the northern part of the territory of the tribe of Benjamin and was one of the cities given exclusively as a habitation for priests. Therefore, it is entirely logical to conclude that Hananiah (as Jeremiah) was a priest. 

 

 Hananiah uses the importance of his native city and his priestly heritage as prestige, to gain reputation. People are often impressed by this kind of position and citizenship, giving place and audience to the one, who holds them. Hananiah dares to challenge Jeremiah to his face, in essence calling his prophecy a lie. He chooses a time, perhaps a Sabbath or a New Moon, when there would be many of the general populace of Jerusalem and priests in the temple (1).

 He follows the characteristics of the false prophets that both Peter and Jude define: “These dreamers (see Jer.23:25) defile the flesh (Jude 8) … They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries (2 P.2:10)…  Flattering people to gain advantage (Jude 16)… they allure through the lusts of the flesh… While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 P.2:18 & 19).

 

Self-confident as to his calling, Hananiah is even emboldened to defy the emperor of Babylon in the name of the Lord (2). Very pompously, he continues, “In two full years” the temple treasures, taken by Nebuchadnezzar will be restored (3). Also, the dethroned and imprisoned king of Judah, Jeconiah, along with all the captives of Judah, will return. As in verse 2, he defies the symbol of the yoke that God gave to Jeremiah, saying that it would be broken. Let me clarify, what that means in truth… he is presuming to take God’s yoke and break it. This is arrogant blasphemy (4).   

 

 Characteristics of legitimate prophecy

 5.      Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the LORD,

 6.      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. 

 7.      Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 

 8.      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. 

 9.      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." 

 Now it is Jeremiah’s turn to speak under the same circumstances; that is, in the temple with the priests and people present (5). Let us consider a possible social contrast between Jeremiah and Hananiah. We could conjecture that Jeremiah is, although it cannot be proven, a descendant of Abiathar, whom Solomon  disgraced from being high priest. “Go to Anathoth, to your own fields, for you are deserving of death” (1 K.2:26). He sent him out of Jerusalem to a place, which was also a city of priests, but certainly was not on a level with Gibeon, Hananiah’s native city. Jeremiah was a priest, born in Anathoth.

 Any citizen of Judah would be very happy, if Hananiah’s prophecy were true, and Jeremiah was no exception. “Amen!” he says. Matthew Henry notes that Christ prayed in Gethsemane, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will" (Mt.26:39). Jesus drank the bitter cup and the yoke of Babylon will not be broken, the treasures will not be returned, nor will the king come back to take his throne. It was all wishful thinking (6).

 However, we will notice the reasoning of Jeremiah against Hananiah’s prophecy. He commands the people to hear him, because the principle bears more weight, than pitting his word against Hananiah’s (7). He refers to divine principle, which no true prophet can ever break.

 Jeremiah notices an inconsistency in Hananiah with the word of all true prophets. They always foretold negative consequences to sin. Seventy years of captivity was coming for the Jews, because of their unfaithfulness and sin. As Peter and Jude proclaimed, the false prophet is catering to the approval of the people. He is flattering and alluring, promising a liberty that he cannot deliver, and certainly something that God will not perform. He is presumptuous and self-willed, in no way submissive to the Lord.

 

 Hananiah’s word says nothing about sin and repentance. The holiness and righteousness of God is thrown aside, and what is left is something that we would call humanism today… man’s happiness over God’s holiness. Man cannot be happy before an offended God and that principle stands totally true today. The word of the false prophet is in line with the spirit of this present fallen world. No matter to what sinful people the prophets of old spoke, they spoke of war, disaster, and pestilence, as righteous judgment against their iniquity. Can we not see the true nature of a word from the Lord? (8)

 Can we not understand the need for the cross to deal with sin? There is such a thing as true restitution and peace with God. There is a gospel of peace that true prophets, truly sent from God, will declare. Jeremiah affirms that it will be proven by its fruits, which will come to pass by supernatural results in the hearts of men and women (9).  All glory be to God for the cross! “It pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief.” Thanks be to the Lord Jesus Christ, Who was slain on it:  “The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Is.53:5,10). 

 

Bold defiance of God’s word

 10.  Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah's neck and broke it. 

 11.  And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, "Thus says the LORD: 'Even so I will 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. 

 12.  Now the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 

 13.  "Go and tell Hananiah, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: "You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron." 

 14.  For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. I have given him the beasts of the field also." ' " 

 The false prophet removes the wooden yoke that God had put on Jeremiah’s neck, and breaks it (10).  The broken wooden yoke symbolizes his claim of liberation from Nebuchadnezzar at the end of two years. It is a type of man’s attempt to bring about his own salvation, but he cannot remove, what God has put in place. A long captivity is on the way from the king of Babylon. There is a long-lasting captivity, placed as a curse upon every sinner. All of man’s efforts to lighten the weight of punishment to mean purgatory or a temporal span in hell, will only strengthen its hold and will result in his own condemnation. Watch what happens to Hananiah.

  There is a damning deception, which has been used by malicious men down through the centuries and it is still employed to this day, perhaps more than ever. It is the ploy of repeating a lie, until it becomes so accepted, that men believe it to be true. You can hear the media using a phrase, perhaps, and, if possible, will persuade others to adopt it, as well. The general public will be brainwashed, hearing the same thing reported so many times, by so many reporters. It is an art of the enemy.

 In verse 11, this false prophet repeats his lie, originally given in verse 2-4. Other false prophets and priests will join in, and many in government join, as we are seeing and as they will continue to be exposed, throughout Jeremiah’s book. They will add deeds to their words, as we witness what Hananiah already did to the yoke. Their words and thoughts may be put into laws, forcing the removal of that which God has ordained:

 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces And cast away Their cords from us"  (Psa.2:3). The Psalmist rightly assessed the efforts of feeble man against almighty God. He prophesied the opposition of the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem against the apostles. They prayed that the Lord would give them boldness to speak truth in the face of the opposition. David also declared heaven’s reaction to the enemies’ efforts, where man’s futile efforts are seen as laughable. Jeremiah’s “amen” to Hananiah’s word might be seen as derision: “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The LORD shall hold them in derision” (Psa 2:4).  

 The lying attempt to reduce the Babylonian captivity from 70 years to 2 years, is met with an immutable reaffirmation from heaven. The iron yoke symbolizes these seventy years of captivity. The physical effort to break the wooden yoke is met with ironclad resolve on God’s part. Hananiah is held personally responsible for strengthening the bondage of the symbolic yoke. He has broken the wooden yokes and, because of his defiance of God’s purpose, he has replaced them with iron yokes and Jeremiah’s prophecy is reinforced (13).

 Notice the difference between the prophet’s approach in verses 13-16 and that in verses 6-9, after he leaves the meeting in the temple and then meets with the Lord (12). The prophet is sent with the same heavenly boldness as the disciples experienced. On heaven’s part, the derision has turned to wrath: “Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure” (Psa 2:5).

 In chapter 27, a symbolic wooden yoke was sent to each of five kings in nations, which surrounded Israel. These and more would feel the iron yoke upon their necks, because God, in infinite wisdom, purposes that at this time in history, Babylon will grow into an empire, ruling over the Middle East and beyond. The emperor will possess their livestock and the wild animals in the mountains and forests of those nations (14).

 Two empires, Egypt and Assyria, have already ruled and four will follow Babylon, a total of seven. They are depicted in the book of Revelation (17:10). These have governed and will continue to govern over the kingdoms of men and will miserably fail eventually. Then God will set up His Kingdom on earth, to show the world the ultimate success of His plan in creation. No man is worthy to take the scroll of titleship from the hand of the Creator. The mighty Lion of the tribe of Judah, is presented in the meekness of a Lamb, slain to redeem the world and claim it as His own. He is worthy to take the scroll (Rv. Chap. 5), and discovers the final events of man’s rulership (beginning in Rv. Chap. 6). He returns to earth to destroy the final emperor, Antichrist, and his false prophet (Rv.19:11-21), and sits on the throne in Jerusalem to reign for a thousand years (Rv. Chap.20).

 

The false prophet dies

15.  Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, "Hear now, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. 

 16.  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.' " 

       17.  So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. 

Jeremiah does what he had not done previously in the chapter. He boldly exposes Hananiah as a false prophet and declares his doom. The true man of God publicly defies Hananiah’s presumed authority and the popularity that he has gained through his pleasant message. God has not sent him and lies are in his mouth, not the truth of the Lord’s word. The people have chosen his positive message over truth (15).

 Jeremiah expresses the wrath of God, personally, upon the false prophet. He pronounces the curse of death upon him and the time, when it will take place. Hananiah will die within a year and the charge against him is teaching rebellion against the Lord. It is a high crime, worthy of death, above anything that could be done against a mere man, whatever may be his stature (16).

 To offend God is the sin over all sins and every sinner must face this offence. It is not the harmful deeds that have destroyed his life or the guilt caused by the grief to his parents, his wife or his children. The sin against his fellow man is not to compare with his rebellion against God. He is not to assume God’s friendly help to repair all the earthly damage. He must first face the fact that the Lord is his enemy and, above all, his relationship with God must be reconciled. I must pause to ask the reader, if he has stared this truth in the face. We must!

 This chapter began in the fourth year and the fifth month of Zedekiah’s reign. Hananiah died in the seventh month (17), only two months later, before he saw two full years go by, which he claimed to be the extent of Nebuchadnezzar’s control over Judah. God’s wrath fell upon the false prophet and he went into eternity. What became of the popularity of his message? How did the honor of Gibeon, the city of priests, help him then? All fame, all earthly advantages, all rank and influence are vanity, the preacher taught in Ecclesiastes. All that is gained under the sun ends in a cemetery.