Prosperity Prophets 3

Jeremiah 28 presents us with a terrifying case of Jeremiah and Hananiah.

From the Torah both of them conclude:

A. God is faithful

B. God is a warrior

Both of their theological foundations are the same. They are starting with the same premise, but this is where they part ways:

Hananiah says: because of A and B, God will not forsake his elect: Israel. And God will destroy the enemy: Babylon.

Jeremiah says because of A and B, God will not forsake his elect: the Repentant. And God will destroy the enemy: wicked (the Israelites).

Both of them have a high view of God and use the same premises, but both have a very different understanding/application of these theological truths in their own day. I have no doubt that Hananiah thought that he was a sincere prophet of God, that He was proclaiming the message God wanted him to proclaim, after all, who thinks they're a false prophet?

But if you read the rest of Jeremiah you know how this turns out, Hananiah dies for being a false prophet. This is an alarming passage and terrifies me about making statement like, "God told me" or especially to proclaim a mishap or disaster as judgment from the Lord when I have not received a direct word from the Lord as Isaiah and Jeremiah did. Jeremiah says that it would be better if you were a prophet of Baal than a false prophet of Yahweh. This goes either way, proclaiming peace when there is no peace, or proclaiming judgment when you just don't know. When you speak for God, there is a risk involved. It makes me realize that when you assume leadership why Paul would say you will be judged more harshly.