Jeremiah 28
Jeremiah 28 deals with the conflict between Jeremiah and the false prophet Hananiah. This chapter addresses the truth of a prophecy related to the period of the Babylonian exile, beginning with a scene in which the two prophets each deliver different messages, and it goes on to show how God determines whose words are right.
1verseThat same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the LORD’s house, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
2verse“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3verseWithin two full years I will 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 to Babylon.
4verseI will bring again 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.’”
5verseThen the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in the LORD’s house,
6verseeven the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the LORD do so. May the LORD perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’s house, and all those who are captives, from Babylon to this place.
7verseNevertheless listen now to this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people:
8verseThe prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, of evil, and of pestilence.
9verseAs for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet happens, then the prophet will be known, that the LORD has truly sent him.”
10verseThen Hananiah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.
11verseHananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “The LORD says: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from off the neck of all the nations within two full years.’” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12verseThen the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the bar from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
13verse“Go, and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘The LORD says, “You have broken the bars of wood, but you have made in their place bars of iron.”
14verseFor the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says, “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they will serve him. I have also given him the animals of the field.”’”
15verseThen the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie.
16verseTherefore the LORD says, ‘Behold, I will send you away from off the surface of the earth. This year you will die, because you have spoken rebellion against the LORD.’”
17verseSo Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Chapter Structure and Key Content
| Section | Content summary |
|---|---|
| Hananiah's prophecy (vv. 1-4) | The false prophet Hananiah prophesies that Babylon will fall within two years and that the exiles and the temple furnishings will return. |
| Jeremiah's rebuttal (vv. 5-9) | Jeremiah explains that whether the prophecy of peace truly came from God will be determined by its outcome. He also mentions that in the past, prophets predicted calamity and judgment. |
| Hananiah's actions (vv. 10-11) | Hananiah prophesies again, saying that Jeremiah will have the yoke placed on his neck taken away and broken, and that God will break the yoke. |
| God's word (vv. 12-17) | Through Jeremiah, God tells that instead of wooden yokes, an iron yoke will be put on the people's necks. He also declares that Hananiah will die that very year because Hananiah prophesied a lie that went against God's will. In fact, Hananiah dies that same year. |
Overall Meaning and Message
This chapter emphasizes the truth of God's word and the danger of false prophecy. That is, even when people's desires or the hopes of the public do not come true, God's will and plan do not change. True prophecy is eventually revealed in its outcome, and it contains a warning against the temptation to follow a message that goes against God's will.
Points for Reflection
- Am I seeking God's will, or am I interpreting God according to my own desires?
- Think about how you can distinguish the voices of the world from God's true word.
- Let’s reflect on why a life of obedience to God is important by contrasting Jeremiah and Hananiah.
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Let’s examine whether the message I hear, believe, and follow is truly based on God’s will in the course of my life.
- Even in difficult circumstances or amid confusion, let’s cultivate an attitude of faith in which we ask God and practice patience rather than embracing easy-sounding hopeful messages.
