23:1-4 Those responsible to lead Israel in God’s path were the very ones responsible for Israel’s present plight, and so God had decreed harsh judgment against them. Leaders are held responsible for those entrusted to their care. Whom has God placed in your care? Remember that you are accountable to God for those you influence and lead.
23:5, 6 Jeremiah contrasted the present corrupt leaders with the coming Messiah, the perfect King, who would come from David’s line to reign over Israel.
23:9-14 How did the nation become so corrupt? A major factor was false prophecy. The false prophets had a large, enthusiastic audience and were very popular because they made the people believe that all was well. By contrast, Jeremiah’s message from God was unpopular because it showed the people how bad they were.
There are four warning signs of false prophets—characteristics we need to watch for even today: (1) They may appear to speak God’s message, but they do not live according to God’s Word. (2) They water down God’s message in order to make it more palatable. (3) They encourage their listeners, often subtly, to disobey God. (4) They tend to be arrogant and self-serving, appealing to the desires of their audience instead of being true to God’s Word.
23:14 Sodom and Gomorrah were sinful cities destroyed by God (Genesis 19:23, 24). In the Bible they typify the ultimate in depraved, sinful behavior and rebellion against God.
23:20 “In the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly” means that the people would see the truth of this prophecy when Jerusalem fell.
23:21-24 In Jeremiah’s time, those who claimed to speak for God were often guilty of representing a deity they thought of as limited and localized—a neighborhood god. Their gods frequently had limited interests and shortsighted awareness. God declares his omnipresence with a question: “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” We make the same mistake those would-be prophets made when we assume God doesn’t know or care about the situations in our lives or when we question his ability to handle things beyond our control. How big is the God you worship?
23:28 True prophets and false prophets are as different as chaff and wheat. Worthless chaff blows away with the wind, while wheat remains to nourish many. To share the gospel is a great responsibility because the way we present it and live it will encourage people either to accept it or reject it. Whether we speak from a pulpit, teach in a class, or share with friends, we must accurately communicate and live out God’s Word. As you share God’s Word with friends and neighbors, they will look for its effectiveness in your life. Unless it has changed you, why should they let it change them? If you preach it, make sure you live it!
23:33-40 People mocked Jeremiah by saying sarcastically, “What is the burden of the LORD?” It seemed that Jeremiah brought nothing but God’s burden (his sad news of condemnation). But this sad news was the truth. If they had accepted it, they would have had to repent and turn to God. Because they did not want to do this, they rejected Jeremiah’s message. Have you ever rejected a message or made fun of it because it would require you to change your ways? Before dismissing someone who brings sad news, look carefully at your motives.