The phrase “the oracle of the Lord” appears several times throughout the Old Testament, including in Jeremiah 23:36. In the original Hebrew, this phrase is “massa YHWH” which literally means “burden or utterance of Yahweh.” It refers to a divinely inspired prophetic message from God.
In Jeremiah 23, God is speaking through the prophet Jeremiah to condemn the false prophets who were misleading the people of Judah. In verse 36, God instructs Jeremiah to no longer refer to these deceptive messages as “the oracle of the Lord,” because they did not actually come from Him.
Jeremiah 23:36 states: “But ‘the oracle of the Lord’ you must not mention again, because every man’s own word becomes his oracle and so you distort the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.” (ESV)
There are a few key things we can understand from this verse:
- The false prophets were falsely claiming to speak “the oracle of the Lord” when their messages really came from their own imaginations.
- True oracles or prophecies from God are His words, divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit.
- False oracles are merely human words, not God’s words.
- Claiming human words as divine prophecy is distorting God’s words and misrepresenting Him.
- Jeremiah should no longer refer to these false messages as “the oracle of the Lord” because they did not come from Him.
The ESV Study Bible notes that the phrase “oracle of the Lord” refers to “an authoritative declaration from God or a heavy ‘burden’ from God that a prophet was obligated to deliver.” The false prophets had irresponsibly assumed the authority to declare their own words as divine revelation, when they did not come from God at all.
Throughout Scripture, true prophets began their messages with phrases like “This is the word of the Lord” or “Thus says the Lord” to indicate their words were not their own but directly from God (see Jeremiah 1:9, Ezekiel 2:4). The false prophets did not have this kind of divine authority, but pretended as if their words had the weight and authority of God’s true oracles.
Characteristics of False Prophets in Jeremiah’s Time
Jeremiah 23 condemns the ungodly characteristics and practices of the false prophets in Jerusalem:
- They spoke visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord (v.16).
- They said things that were delusions from their own hearts (v.26).
- They prophesied lies and falsehoods (vv.25,32).
- They led God’s people astray into ungodliness (v.13).
- They committed adultery and walked in lies (v.14).
- They encouraged evildoers and did not turn them from their sins (v.14).
- They profaned God’s name among His people (v.15).
These false prophets did not have the fruits of true, God-ordained prophets. They lived in open, unrepentant sin and rebellion. They fabricated positive prophecies about God’s judgment just to gain popularity and tell people what they wanted to hear (see Jeremiah 5:31). But they completely lacked the Holy Spirit and did not actually hear from God.
Principles for Discerning True Prophets Today
While there are no longer Old Testament-style prophets today, the New Testament does teach that prophecy is a spiritual gift that God still gives to some believers for the edification of the church (1 Corinthians 14:1-5). However, we must be discerning, as false prophets still exist as well.
Here are some biblical principles for discerning true prophets today:
- Their words must agree with Scripture (Isaiah 8:20).
- Their prophecies must come true 100% of the time (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
- They must affirm Jesus Christ has come in the flesh (1 John 4:1-3).
- Their lives will display the fruits of the Spirit and godliness (Matthew 7:15-23).
- The church leadership will affirm their gifting (1 Corinthians 14:29).
- Their words will line up with facts and align with wisdom (Jeremiah 23:28).
- They will give glory to God, not themselves (Jeremiah 23:16).
In addition to these safeguards, 1 Corinthians 14:29 teaches that the gift of prophecy should be tested and weighed carefully by church leadership. Prophetic words today can encourage and at times give guidance, but are not equivalent to infallible Scripture. Utmost discernment is needed to ensure prophecies are truly from the Lord.
Examples of True and False Prophets in the Bible
Looking at other examples of true and false prophets in Scripture can shed light on distinguishing God’s words from man’s words:
True Prophets
- Moses – Led Israel out of Egypt through God speaking directly to him (Exodus 3:4, 7:1-2).
- Samuel – “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel through his word” (1 Samuel 3:21).
- Elijah – Prophesied accurately about drought and other events (1 Kings 17:1, 18:1-2).
- Elisha – Spoke God’s words, predicted future events (2 Kings 3:11-17).
- Isaiah – Began prophecies with “This is what the Lord says” (Isaiah 7:7).
- Jeremiah – Declared “This is the word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 1:4, 11:1).
- Ezekiel – Explicitly stated when he was conveying God’s words (Ezekiel 3:16-17).
False Prophets
- Hananiah – Contradicted Jeremiah’s prophecies, wrongly predicted peace for Judah (Jeremiah 28:1-4).
- False prophets of Baal – Challenged by Elijah, prophesies failed (1 Kings 18:17-40).
- False prophets of Ahab – Predicted victory he did not receive (1 Kings 22:1-28).
- Prophets in Jerusalem – Condemned by Jeremiah for lying (Jeremiah 23).
- False prophets of peace – Contradicted Jeremiah, wrongly promised security (Jeremiah 23:16-17).
- Prophets of Asherah – Part of idolatry condemned by Elijah (1 Kings 18:19).
This sample shows that true prophets faithfully spoke God’s words and accurately predicted future events, while false prophets fabricated lies and failed to speak truthfully.
Applying These Principles Today
How can believers apply these principles today when hearing people claim to speak prophetic words from God? Here are some suggestions:
- Examine their lives and character to see if they live with integrity and bear good spiritual fruit (Matthew 7:15-20).
- Compare their words carefully against Scripture to see if they align with biblical truth or veer away from it (Isaiah 8:20).
- Consider whether their past prophecies have proven consistently accurate or if they have made errors (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).
- Evaluate if they give undue focus to themselves and their gifts versus pointing people to Jesus Christ and the Word (Jeremiah 23:16).
- Submit prophetic words to church leadership and allow it to be tested, confirmed, or refuted by multiple mature believers (1 Corinthians 14:29).
Especially for personal guidance, prophecy should be weighed carefully. Scripture must remain the ultimate authority in discerning God’s voice from misleading ones. The wise approach is one of caution, testing all prophecy and focusing on what is certain – the infallible Word of God.
Conclusion
Jeremiah 23:36 condemns the false prophets who spoke presumptuously in God’s name messages that did not come from His Spirit. In His Word, God gives us timeless principles for discerning true prophets from false ones, centered around their character, the spiritual fruit they bear, and the accuracy and biblical alignment of their words. Believers must be vigilant in testing prophecies, never elevating supposed revelation from God above the Bible itself, which is our final authority of divine truth.