Jeremiah 23

Jeremiah 23
1-4 Restoration after Exile

• Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter my sheep; I will attend to you.
• Then I will gather the remnant of my sheep, bring them back to the fold, where they will multiply, and I will appoint new shepherds.

5-8 The Righteous Branch of David

• The days will come when I will raise up a righteous branch of David, when Judah and Israel will live in safety, and his name will be "The LORD is our righteousness." What a comforting prophecy of Christ in the midst of all the dire warnings.
• The days are coming when the people will talk not of their escape from Egypt but of their escape from the land of the north.

9-40 False Prophets of Hope Denounced

9-12 My heart is crushed because of all the adultery in the land, because both prophet and priest are ungodly. The LORD has seen all their wickedness, and they will fall into darkness.
13-15 The LORD was disgusted by the prophets of Samaria who prophesied by Baal and led his people astray, but even more shocking were the prophets in Jerusalem who commit adultery and walk in lies. He will make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water.

• Do not listen to the prophets, for they speak visions out of their own minds, saying it will be well with those who despise the LORD's word.

18-20 Who has heeded the LORD's word to proclaim it? The storm of the LORD will burst upon the head of the wicked; his anger will not abate until he has executed judgment.
21-40 The prophets did not prophesy my words, says the LORD; if they had, they would have turned the people from their evil ways. God holds leaders responsible for the direction his people take.

• You can not hide from me, says the LORD . I see how you prophesy lies, making my people forget my name.
• If you have a dream, tell them it is a dream, but if it is my word, tell if faithfully. One is straw, and the other wheat. They are not the same.
• My word is like fire or a hammer, and I will punish the prophets who steal my words from each other, who attribute their lies to me, who prophesy lying dreams, who lead my people astray by their lies and recklessness.
• The people, prophets, and priests are "the burden of the LORD ," and I will cast them off.
• Therefore, whoever uses that phrase will suffer everlasting disgrace and shame. The people would ask this question of Jeremiah, not to learn what God has said of them, but in derision: "So! What bad news from God to you have today?"