Jeremiah 23:31

Jeremiah 23:31 presents a stark declaration from the LORD, expressing His direct opposition to those who falsely claim to speak in His name. This verse exposes the deceptive practices of prophets who invent messages and attribute them to God, thereby misleading the people and undermining true divine communication.

Context

This verse is part of a larger section in Jeremiah 23 where the prophet Jeremiah denounces the false prophets prevalent in Judah during his time. These prophets offered comforting but deceitful messages, promising peace and prosperity when God was, in fact, pronouncing judgment due to the nation's idolatry and sin. Their false prophecies often contradicted Jeremiah's true, albeit unpopular, warnings of impending exile and destruction. The Lord's condemnation here highlights His indignation at those who presume to speak for Him without His authorization, a theme consistently found throughout this chapter. Jeremiah continually warned against such deceit, as seen throughout this very chapter, particularly in Jeremiah 23:21-22.

Key Themes

• Divine Judgment on Deception: The verse unequivocally states, "Behold, I am against the prophets," demonstrating God's active and personal opposition to those who misuse His name for their own ends. This is not a passive disapproval but a declaration of divine judgment.
• Misuse of Divine Authority: False prophets are condemned for speaking their own words ("use their tongues") and then falsely asserting them as God's ("and say, He saith"). This is a profound violation of trust and an insult to God's holy character.
• The Nature of False Prophecy: It is characterized by human invention disguised as divine revelation. These prophets rely on their own desires, imaginations, or even "dreams" (Jeremiah 23:25) rather than genuine encounter with God, yet they mimic the authentic prophetic formula.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "use their tongues" emphasizes that the words spoken originated from the prophets themselves, not from God. It highlights the human origin of their pronouncements. The subsequent phrase, "He saith," translates the Hebrew formula commonly rendered "Thus saith the LORD" (koh amar YHWH or similar). This was the standard authoritative declaration used by true prophets to introduce a message directly from God. By falsely appending this sacred formula to their own words, these prophets committed a grave sin, effectively stealing God's words and deceiving His people.

Related Scriptures

• This condemnation is consistent with God's warning in Deuteronomy 18:20, which states that any prophet who presumes to speak a word in God's name that God has not commanded shall die.
• The Lord's strong disapproval of those who speak falsely in His name is also echoed in Jeremiah 14:14 and Jeremiah 23:32, where He declares Himself against those who prophesy false dreams.
• In the New Testament, similar warnings against false teachers and prophets are given by apostles, such as in 2 Peter 2:1.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 23:31 serves as a timeless warning against spiritual deception. For believers today, it underscores the critical importance of discerning truth from error. We are called to test the spirits and evaluate all teachings against the standard of God's revealed Word, the Bible. Anyone claiming divine authority must be scrutinized to ensure their words align with the character and truth of God as revealed in Scripture. This verse reminds us that true spiritual authority comes only from God, not from human ambition or invention, and those who claim to speak for Him bear a profound responsibility to speak accurately and truthfully.