The battle of the prophets. Here it seems like these two prophets, Hananiah and Jeremiah, are in some religious form of a political debate. The first speaks of deliverance; the other predicts enslavement. The first sooths the fear of the people; the other promises the approaching nightmare. Jeremiah’s response to Hananiah’s prophecy intrigue me:
“Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place…”
But then he puts on a clause: “May it happen; but only when it happens will we know it is true.”
It’s almost like he’s saying, “Sure, go ahead, fly off the building, and when you do, come back and tell me.”
He doesn’t out rightly put merit in Hananiah’s words.
“The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”
You’ll know the true prophet and the true prophecies when they happen. Until then, just wait?
So we’re supposed to wait around to see what happens? How long? How long are we to decide which are true and which are false? This seems like a pretty horrible answer, actually. Not that I would argue with its validity, but come on!
I’m not sure how long we’re supposed to wait for the Lord’s promises. Hebrews makes it clear that many of the people only saw their promises from a distance, and ultimately the promise of Christ came many generations after the initial promises of a Messiah.
Why’d they have to wait so long? Why did the Lord lay out the foundation of Christ, only for him to come many many generations later?
I don’t know.
But in this passage, Jeremiah’s “test” proves it’s point, at least when it comes to the true or false prophet. After the debate, Jeremiah goes to Hananiah basically to say, “You’re not the true prophet; and in fact, because you’re not true and you’re leading my people astray, you’re going to die within the year.”
And he does. Within 2 months, Hananiah is dead.
I’m not sure if the people knew of this prophecy against Hananiah. It seems like Jeremiah goes to him outside of the debate and the public eye. So were the people affected by his death? Did it then register, “Oh, well, this prophet died, so his words must be dead too.”
But ultimately, the source of the prophecy ends. It was a pretty short debate in the long run of which prophet would remain standing, especially as Jeremiah had been spared his life from his previous death threats. So, in this case (unlike the last one), both prophets were threatened with death: first from the people, second from the Lord. And look who’s left standing?
In Your word, You have shown your power. I will know the true prophecies in my life when they occur, and You will make it clear. You will kills those promises that are false so that I may clearly see Your truth. And you can do this swiftly, within two months or two years, or two minutes. Father, I ask for your mercy and forgiveness for perhaps holding hope out for promises I have taken as my own. But please Father, make it clear.
“Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord confirm your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place…”
But then he puts on a clause: “May it happen; but only when it happens will we know it is true.”
It’s almost like he’s saying, “Sure, go ahead, fly off the building, and when you do, come back and tell me.”
He doesn’t out rightly put merit in Hananiah’s words.
“The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then that prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”
You’ll know the true prophet and the true prophecies when they happen. Until then, just wait?
So we’re supposed to wait around to see what happens? How long? How long are we to decide which are true and which are false? This seems like a pretty horrible answer, actually. Not that I would argue with its validity, but come on!
I’m not sure how long we’re supposed to wait for the Lord’s promises. Hebrews makes it clear that many of the people only saw their promises from a distance, and ultimately the promise of Christ came many generations after the initial promises of a Messiah.
Why’d they have to wait so long? Why did the Lord lay out the foundation of Christ, only for him to come many many generations later?
I don’t know.
But in this passage, Jeremiah’s “test” proves it’s point, at least when it comes to the true or false prophet. After the debate, Jeremiah goes to Hananiah basically to say, “You’re not the true prophet; and in fact, because you’re not true and you’re leading my people astray, you’re going to die within the year.”
And he does. Within 2 months, Hananiah is dead.
I’m not sure if the people knew of this prophecy against Hananiah. It seems like Jeremiah goes to him outside of the debate and the public eye. So were the people affected by his death? Did it then register, “Oh, well, this prophet died, so his words must be dead too.”
But ultimately, the source of the prophecy ends. It was a pretty short debate in the long run of which prophet would remain standing, especially as Jeremiah had been spared his life from his previous death threats. So, in this case (unlike the last one), both prophets were threatened with death: first from the people, second from the Lord. And look who’s left standing?
In Your word, You have shown your power. I will know the true prophecies in my life when they occur, and You will make it clear. You will kills those promises that are false so that I may clearly see Your truth. And you can do this swiftly, within two months or two years, or two minutes. Father, I ask for your mercy and forgiveness for perhaps holding hope out for promises I have taken as my own. But please Father, make it clear.
Habakkuk 2:1-4
1 I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
2 Then the LORD answered me and said:
“ Write the vision and make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
4 “ Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith.
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