Jeremiah 23:7-14: a reflection

7“Therefore, behold, the days come,” says the LORD, “that they will no more say, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;’ 8but, ‘As the LORD lives, who brought up and who led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ Then they will dwell in their own land.” 9Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken. All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of the LORD, and because of his holy words. 10“For the land is full of adulterers; for because of the curse the land mourns. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right; 11for both prophet and priest are profane. Yes, in my house I have found their wickedness,” says the LORD. 12Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness. They will be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation,” says the LORD. 13“I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. 14In the prophets of Jerusalem I have also seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one returns from his wickedness. They have all become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.”

Through Jeremiah, God brings a heavy charge against the prophets and priests of his people. They were not leading the people to God but away from him; they were profane, false, living in sin themselves. And God names one of the worst effects of their failure: They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his wickedness. Rather than calling people to turn from sin, these leaders confirmed people in it, encouraging them, telling them all was well, so that no one repented.

Notice the particular failure God names: they strengthened the hands of evildoers. Instead of calling people to repentance, warning them, turning them from the path of ruin, these leaders reassured people in their sin, propping them up, so that no one turned back. A message that soothes people in their wickedness, that never calls them to change, does them deep harm; it strengthens them in the very thing that will destroy them, and keeps them from repenting.

That is a warning about the kind of word we speak to one another. It is easy, and often more welcome, to reassure people in what they are doing, to tell them all is well, to avoid the harder word that calls them to turn. But a word that only comforts people in their sin strengthens the hands of evildoers; it keeps them from the repentance they need. Do not be one who strengthens others in their sin by never speaking the truth they need. Speak, in love, the word that calls people toward God and away from what harms them, even when it is harder than mere reassurance. True kindness sometimes calls for the word that leads to repentance, not the flattery that keeps people from it.

Lord, you charged the false prophets and priests with strengthening the hands of evildoers, so that no one turned from his wickedness; they confirmed people in their sin instead of calling them to repent. Keep me from that failure. It is easy, and often more welcome, to reassure people in what they are doing, to tell them all is well, to avoid the harder word that calls them to turn. But a word that only comforts people in their sin keeps them from the repentance they need. Help me not to strengthen others in their sin by withholding the truth. Give me the love and courage to speak, gently and truthfully, the word that calls people toward you and away from what harms them, even when it is harder than mere reassurance. Let my words lead others toward repentance and life, not keep them from it.