June 28, 2026 Text: Jeremiah 28:5-9
Dear Friends in Christ,
In my almost 35 years as a Pastor I have seen many so-called new movements pop in cultural Christianity. These have ranged from Promise Keepers to the contemporary worship movement to The Purpose Driven Life and to “What Would Jesus Do?” Everybody is out to save the world for Jesus – with conflicting theologies and goals. In the book Dining With the Devil, a book now over 30 years old, but still relevant, Os Guinness wrote this, “The problem is not that Christians have disappeared, but that Christian faith has become so deformed.”
What to believe. More importantly, who to believe. In our text, this is the quandary. Is it Jeremiah or is it Hananiah? Who has the message of God?
“WILL THE REAL PROPHET PLEASE STAND UP”
We need to understand the background. The time of our text is prior to 586 B.C. and the fall and captivity of Jerusalem by the hands of the Babylonians. God sent Jeremiah to warn the people of Jerusalem’s impending destruction and their captivity as a result of their Godlessness, refusal to listen to the Word of God and rebellion. Into Jeremiah’s clear prophecies stepped false prophets who were telling the people they could have the “good life” here and now. One of those charlatans was Hananiah. Here is a portion of his lie from the beginning of chapter 28:
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar took away…I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah…king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the Lord, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’” (Jer. 28:2-4)
Nice sentiments. But they were all lies. Hananiah was a deceiver. He wanted to win the approval and following of humans. He fed them what they wanted to hear. Our text is Jeremiah’s response to this delusional man. He said:
“May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true…Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophecies peace, when the word of that prophet came to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” (v. 6-9). Will the Real Prophet Please Stand Up.
As you already know, nothing that Hananiah “prophesied” came to pass. He was, as most of Israel was, ignorant of God’s Word.
Now, here are the questions: Do you think anything has really changed? Do you think that everyone who cries out the name ‘Jesus’, writes a book and prances around a stage in the name of Jesus is really from Jesus? Do you think this world really has a chance to become better and attain peace by itself?
The peace the world offers is peace of mind through possessions and a secure financial future. The peace the world offers is through tolerance and political correctness. If we buy into these, we are following the wrong prophet.
God’s Word shows the falseness of this peace. Possessions can become insecure. Glossing over hatreds and jealousies can never bring peace as long as sin remains.
God gives a peace we can believe in through his Word. His final word through Jeremiah announced hope for the future. God promised a new covenant. Jesus is the Messiah who established the new covenant and has given us true peace. Born of the line of David, Jesus’ death and resurrection has defeated sin, death, and the devil and given us true peace. We can be at peace with God and others. We don’t want the false peace being spouted by others.
Let’s tell the false prophets to please sit down. We don’t want your prosperous life falsehoods. We don’t want your false separation of church and state, and secular teachings. We don’t want the tearing down of God’s Word. Isaiah wrote this, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes.” (Is. 5:20-21)
Os Guinness was right. The Christian faith is deformed. Little flock, let’s hear the Word of God and inwardly digest. For in it is truly comfort and hope and peace. All of it directs us to the true prophet Jesus the Christ.
Amen.