Hananiah Opposes a Prophetic Message

God's Urgent Call
Calling of Prophets

Amos's Call 

Jeremiah 28:12-16 The Message

12-14 Later, sometime after Hananiah had smashed the yoke from off his shoulders, Jeremiah received this Message from God: “Go back to Hananiah and tell him, ‘This is God’s Message: You smashed the wooden yoke-bars; now you’ve got iron yoke-bars. This is a Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, Israel’s own God: I’ve put an iron yoke on all these nations. They’re harnessed to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They’ll do just what he tells them. Why, I’m even putting him in charge of the wild animals.’”
15-16 So prophet Jeremiah told prophet Hananiah, “Hold it, Hananiah! God never sent you. You’ve talked the whole country into believing a pack of lies! And so God says, ‘You claim to be sent? I’ll send you all right—right off the face of the earth! Before the year is out, you’ll be dead because you fomented sedition against God.’”

For Reflection

At God's request, Jeremiah tells the people to submit to the awful rule of King Nebuchadnezzar so that they might avoid inhalation. They are asked to trust God. The bondage will only last a short time (70 Yrs.), and then they will again be free.

But the people became fearful and angry at such an unreasonable idea. Had it not been for Jeremiah's supporters, he would have been attacked and killed.

Hananiah then speaks for the people and invokes God's name urging the resistance to Babylon's aggression. Hananiah is a false prophet, and Jeremiah reveals his treacherous lies.

Pray

Pray for the wisdom to discern true from false prophets. Pray that you will trust in God no matter how unreasonable God's call may seem. Pray that you will remember that God has only your best interest as God's first interest.