1 August 2022

And the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, ‘Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you made this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the Lord: I am going to send you off the face of the earth. Within this year you will be dead, because you have spoken rebellion against the Lord.’

In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

From Jeremiah 28:1-17, NRSV

In today’s reading, we hear about a succession of kings and of the opposition that Jeremiah met from another prophet – Hananiah. Hananiah believed that Jeremiah’s message was too gloomy and he publicly contradicted Jeremiah and told the people that God would destroy the might of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and that the exiles of Judah would be able to come home. He further claimed that he would bring back all the sacred vessels that had been stolen from the Temple and that he would restore the King of Judah. This prophecy would have been music to the ears of an oppressed people, but Jeremiah knew that it was not true. Jeremiah reminded Hananiah that he came from a long line of prophets who had needed to speak truth – even when this was difficult to hear. Hananiah insulted Jeremiah who responded by walking away. Subsequently, Jeremiah was assured by the Lord that his was the true message. He returned and confronted Hananiah and told him that the consequence for his false prophecy would be death.

• • Why do you suppose that Jeremiah walked away from Hananiah?
  • How can we distinguish true from false prophecy?

Pray for the grace to trust in those who prophesy in God’s name – especially when they bring a message that is hard to hear.