Jeremiah 23:25-29: a reflection

25“I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I had a dream! I had a dream!’ 26How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart? 27They intend to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they each tell his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name because of Baal. 28The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?” says the LORD. 29“Isn’t my word like fire?” says the LORD; “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

God speaks against the false prophets who prophesy the delusions of their own hearts, telling their dreams as though they were God's word, and he draws a sharp distinction: The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? God's word and our own notions are as different as wheat and straw; and the one who has God's word is to speak it faithfully, not to mix it with or replace it by the imaginings of his own heart. And God adds: Is not my word like fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

Notice the distinction God draws, and the description of his word. The false prophets spoke their own dreams, the notions of their own hearts, as though they were God's word; but God distinguishes sharply between the two, as between straw and wheat. His word is to be spoken faithfully, as it is, not diluted or replaced by our own imaginings. And his word is not weak or empty; it is like fire, like a hammer breaking rock, having a force our own words do not. To speak our own notions in place of God's word is to offer straw instead of wheat, and to lose the force that belongs to God's word alone.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can confuse our own notions with God's word, and dilute his word with our own imaginings. We can mistake the thoughts of our own hearts for God's word, or mix his word with our own notions, offering straw as though it were wheat; but God calls us to speak his word faithfully, as it is, not replacing it with our own ideas. Do not confuse your own notions with God's word, or dilute his word with your own imaginings; hold to his word as it is, and speak it faithfully, distinguishing it, as wheat from straw, from the mere thoughts of your own heart. Value God's word for what it is, having a force our own words lack, like fire and like a hammer; hold to it faithfully rather than substituting the straw of your own notions for the wheat of God's word, as God distinguished his word from the dreams of the false prophets.

Lord, you speak against the false prophets who prophesy the delusions of their own hearts, telling their dreams as though they were your word, and you draw a sharp distinction: the prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat? Your word and our own notions are as different as wheat and straw; and the one who has your word is to speak it faithfully, not to mix it with the imaginings of his own heart. And you add: is not my word like fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? Show me the distinction you draw, and the description of your word. The false prophets spoke their own dreams as though they were your word; but you distinguish sharply between the two, as between straw and wheat. Your word is to be spoken faithfully, as it is, not diluted by our own imaginings. And your word is not weak or empty; it has a force our own words do not. Take that to my heart, for I can confuse my own notions with your word, and dilute your word with my own imaginings. I can mistake the thoughts of my own heart for your word; but you call me to speak your word faithfully, as it is. Keep me from confusing my own notions with your word, or diluting your word with my own imaginings; help me hold to your word as it is, distinguishing it, as wheat from straw, from the mere thoughts of my own heart. Help me value your word for what it is, Lord, and hold to it faithfully.