Jeremiah 29:20-32: a reflection

20Hear therefore the LORD’s word, all you captives whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in my name: “Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he will kill them before your eyes. 22A curse will be taken up about them by all the captives of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘The LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;’ 23because they have done foolish things in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken words in my name falsely, which I didn’t command them. I am he who knows, and am witness,” says the LORD. 24Concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, 25“The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26“The LORD has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the LORD’s house, for every man who is crazy and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles. 27Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you, 28because he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, The captivity is long. Build houses, and dwell in them. Plant gardens, and eat their fruit?”’” 29Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30Then the LORD’s word came to Jeremiah, saying, 31“Send to all of the captives, saying, ‘The LORD says concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I didn’t send him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie,” 32therefore the LORD says, “Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring. He will not have a man to dwell among this people. He won’t see the good that I will do to my people,” says the LORD, “because he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.”’”

In his letter to the exiles, Jeremiah warns against false prophets who were speaking lies in God's name and leading the people to trust in falsehood. God speaks against those who prophesy a lie to you in my name, Jeremiah writes; I have not sent them, says the LORD. These false prophets claimed God's authority for words he had not given, telling the people what they wanted to hear, and so causing them to trust in a lie. The harm was real: people trusted these false words as though they were God's, and were misled. Speaking falsely in God's name, claiming his authority for what he has not said, and so leading others to trust a lie, is a grave wrong that God takes seriously. Those who prophesy falsely in God's name lead others astray, causing them to trust in a lie; and God is against such falsehood. To speak falsely in God's name is to lead people to trust a lie, a serious harm. God is against those who claim his authority for words he has not given.

Notice the harm the false prophets did, and God's judgment on it: they caused the people to trust in a lie. These prophets spoke in God's name, claiming his authority; but God had not sent them, and their words were lies. The people, trusting that these were God's words, were led astray, made to trust in falsehood. This is the danger of those who speak falsely in God's name: they lend the authority of God to what is false, and so lead others to trust a lie, which is a grave harm. God takes this seriously; he declares himself against such false prophets and their falsehood. The wrong is not only in speaking falsely, but in doing so under God's name, so that people trust the lie as if it were divine truth. To claim God's authority for what he has not said, and to lead others to trust it, is to do real spiritual harm. This warns us both against becoming those who speak falsely in God's name, and against too readily trusting every voice that claims his authority. Not everyone who speaks in God's name speaks God's truth; and to trust a lie dressed in his authority is to be led astray. Words spoken falsely in God's name lead people to trust a lie.

That is worth taking to heart, for those who speak falsely in God's name lead others to trust a lie, and we must beware of it, both in ourselves and in others. We can be tempted to claim God's authority for our own words or wishes, or too readily trust every voice that speaks in his name; but Jeremiah warns against false prophets who spoke lies in God's name and caused the people to trust in falsehood, and God declared himself against them. To speak falsely in God's name, or to trust a lie dressed in his authority, is a real danger. Do not speak falsely in God's name, nor too readily trust every voice that claims his authority; beware of those who lead others to trust a lie. Beware of speaking falsely in God's name and of too readily trusting every voice that claims his authority, for those who prophesy falsely in his name lead others to trust a lie, as Jeremiah warned against the false prophets whom God had not sent and who caused the people to trust in falsehood; for to claim God's authority for words he has not given, and so to lead others to trust a lie, is a grave spiritual harm that God takes seriously and stands against, and we do well both not to become such voices ourselves and not to trust every voice that speaks in God's name, since not all who claim his authority speak his truth.

Lord, in his letter to the exiles, Jeremiah warns against false prophets who were speaking lies in your name and leading the people to trust in falsehood. God speaks against those who prophesy a lie to you in my name, Jeremiah writes; I have not sent them, says the LORD. These false prophets claimed your authority for words you had not given, telling the people what they wanted to hear, and so causing them to trust in a lie. The harm was real: people trusted these false words as though they were yours, and were misled. Show me the harm the false prophets did, and your judgment on it: they caused the people to trust in a lie. These prophets spoke in your name, claiming your authority; but you had not sent them, and their words were lies. The people, trusting that these were your words, were led astray. This is the danger of those who speak falsely in your name: they lend your authority to what is false, and so lead others to trust a lie. You take this seriously; you declare yourself against such false prophets. This warns me both against becoming one who speaks falsely in your name, and against too readily trusting every voice that claims your authority. Not everyone who speaks in your name speaks your truth. Take that to my heart, for those who speak falsely in your name lead others to trust a lie, and I must beware of it, in myself and in others. I can be tempted to claim your authority for my own words or wishes, or too readily trust every voice that speaks in your name; but Jeremiah warns against false prophets whom you had not sent. Keep me from speaking falsely in your name, Lord, and from too readily trusting every voice that claims your authority, that I may not lead others to trust a lie nor be led astray by one, since not all who claim your authority speak your truth.