Jeremiah 28:5-9
Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord; and the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord fulfil the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles. But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in 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 prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.’
Reflection
Jeremiah had a tough job at a tough time. He had to proclaim the word of the Lord to a people that had left all of what God had told them to follow. A people that worshipped many gods and did not do or behave the laws given to the Chosen People that God had rescued from the Egyptians. Jeremiah brought a message as a yoke from God to tell these people the truth. The truth that God had chosen a Babylonian government to rule over them as they were to live in exile from the land given to them by God.
How many prophets came and went with the easy message of how everything would be just fine... don't worry... don't do anything... don't believe this word of Jeremiah. This prophecy was the prophecy that Jeremiah surely wanted to tell the people, but God had a true message that needed to be told that was exactly the opposite of these soothing messages that the favored prophets were telling the people. Jeremiah had a truthful message from God and a message that would not be easy to hear or even to endure. But God's message from Jeremiah was truth.
There will be a time when the prophets will prophecy peace. And when that time comes we will know and understand the prophecy to be true. True prophecy is fulfilled and God's Word will always stand.
So, as we listen to people of this day throw about what will happen and how it will happen... how do we know the truth?... how do we understand truth? We must wait to see the results of the words of these so called prophets.
I don't put much weight into the words of prophets today. I know that I can turn to God and seek the true message and the true hope and the true faith and the true prophecy in the Word set before and given to all people in the Bible. I don't need to be a Bible thump-er to see that God has given us all the hope we need and all the warnings we need and all the messages we need for life through God's Word, the sacraments and in the Holy Spirit in the community of God's Church. That's enough for me... way more than this humble man can handle. Thanks be to God!
Song
We stand to proclaim the God that all people may come to and see salvation. All to the glory of God not to ourselves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-Ycvifm7T4
Prayer
Lord, show me your will and your way for my life that I may act and say what pleases you... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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