Daily Devotions
Jeremiah
"What has the LORD spoken?"
Text: Jeremiah 23:37
THE STUBBORNESS OF THE PEOPLE
The stubbornness of the people was addressed by the LORD. The express commandment of the LORD was given to the people. They were forbidden to use the phrase, “The oracle of the LORD”. But they rejected this word!
“Thus you shall say to the prophet,
‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?’
But since you say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ therefore thus says the LORD:
‘Because you say this word, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’
and I have sent to you, saying, ‘Do not say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!”
therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you,
and the city that I gave you and your fathers,
and will cast you out of My presence.
And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you,
and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.””
Jeremiah 23:37-40
1. “Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ and, ‘What has the LORD spoken?'”
a) This reflected the obsession of the people.
b) They kept asking the prophets of God these two questions:
i) ‘What has the LORD answered you?’
ii) ‘What has the LORD spoken?’
c) This does not reflect a true desire to know what God had said!
2. “But since you say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!’ therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Because you say this word, ‘The oracle of the LORD!'”
a) The people seemed to love this phrase “The oracle of the LORD”.
b) They kept citing this phrase:
i) As if they had a word from God.
ii) As if they were obedient to the LORD.
iii) As if they really loved His Word.
3. “And I have sent to you, saying, ‘Do not say, ‘The oracle of the LORD!””
a) There was an express commandment from the LORD.
b) They were forbidden to say, “The oracle of the LORD!”.
i) Because they had perverted God’s word.
ii) Because they had taken God’s name in vain.
4. A terrible judgment was pronounced against the people. A five-fold Judgement would be meted out!
a) They would be forgotten.
b) They would be forsaken.
c) The city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants would be cast out of God’s sight.
d) An everlasting reproach. They will suffer this reproach.
e) Perpetual shame: They would have to bear much shame.