Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"What is the oracle of the LORD?"
Text: Jeremiah 23:33
WHAT IS AN “ORACLE?”
There was a specific word concerning the matter of an “Oracle of the LORD”. It is important to understand the meaning of this word, “oracle”.
1. An oracle:
a) It is seen as a special and specific prophecy from God.
b) It may be in the form of:
i) A dream
ii) A sign
iii) Or some obscure word that needs to be carefully explained by a prophet.
2. The people of Judah were obsessed by the idea of:
a) Receiving an oracle of God.
b) They asked Jeremiah if he had received an oracle from God.
c) God had already spoken to the people so many times already.
i) But they had failed to take heed.
ii) They continued to sin grievously.
iii) Yet, they were asking for oracles from God.
ANSWERING THE QUERIES OF THE PEOPLE
The LORD sent this word to Jeremiah concerning the queries about an oracle of the LORD!
“‘So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying,
‘What is the oracle of the LORD?’ you shall then say to them,
‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,’ says the LORD.
‘And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say,
‘The oracle of the LORD!’
I will even punish that man and his house.'”
Jeremiah 23:33-34
1. Who were the people who were asking about an oracle of God?
a) The people
b) The prophets
c) The priests
2. “What is the oracle of the LORD?”
a) They obviously had no word from the LORD.
b) They knew that God spoke to Jeremiah.
c) They wanted Jeremiah to tell them what the LORD had said to him (“oracle”).
3. “‘You shall then say to them, ‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,’ says the LORD.”
a) Jeremiah was to give the people God’s oracle.
b) That word (oracle) was sober and grim! “I will even forsake you.”
c) This word came from the LORD Himself.
4. “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’
I will even punish that man and his house.”
a) This word from God was rejected outrightly!
i) By the prophet.
ii) By the priest.
iii) By the people.
b) They proclaimed their own oracle.
i) They declare that God has given them His word (oracle).
ii) They prefaced their words by saying, “The oracle of the LORD”.
c) The LORD had this word of warning to be given to them “I will even punish that man and his house.”
i) It is dangerous to be presumptuous.
ii) This is nothing short of “recklessness”.