Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"What has the LORD answered?"
Text: Jeremiah 23:35
SEEKING ANSWERS FROM GOD
Many searched for “oracles” from God as “answers” to their prayers. The search for “oracles” of God was almost obsessive.
“Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbour,
and every one to his brother,
‘What has the LORD answered?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’
And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more.
For every man’s word will be his oracle,
for you have perverted the words of the living God,
the LORD of hosts, our God.”
Jeremiah 23:35-36
1. Who were the ones who sought answers from God?
a) It could be a neighbour.
b) It could be a family member (a brother).
2. What were they looking for?
a) An answer from the LORD to prayers offered.
b) A word from the LORD that would give some direction in life.
c) Everyone kept seeking “answers” and “words” from God.
3. The problem
a) The Scriptures that were given by God were ignored.
b) The messages from true prophets like Jeremiah were swept aside.
c) Everyone wanted a special word or a spectacular sign from God.
4. “And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more”
a) God forbade the people to use the phrase “the oracle of the LORD”.
b) The people were not really interested in obeying God at all.
5. “For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.”
a) Human oracles
i) “Human oracles” were mistaken for oracles of the Lord!
ii) “The words of the living God” were being perverted by the people.
b) Divine oracles
i) The words of God were powerful messages from the LORD of hosts,
but the people had corrupted them.
ii) Hence, God forbade them to speak of “the oracles of the LORD”. They were misleading people by using that phrase.