Jeremiah 23:33-40 – Handle God’s Word responsibly

The word “oracle” literally means “burden.” When prophets declared the word of God they were essentially declaring the burden of the Lord. Here in Jeremiah 23:33, God specifically instructed Jeremiah on how to respond to the people, prophets, or priests when they come deceptively to him asking for God’s burden. He was to respond firstly by asking them rhetorically, “What burden.” Then he should proceed to tell them that “God would be abandoning them.” In other words, Jeremiah’s response to any inquiry on the burden of G0d should be: “God has no other message for them except that He would be abandoning them.”

In verses 34-37, we see a warning to those prophets, priests, and people who dared to continue to falsely claim to proclaim the burden of the Lord.  If they persist in misleading and misguiding the people with their false claims, God would be punishing them along with their family members.  Apparently, the word “burden” had been grossly misused and perverted by the false prophets. Anything they declared was claimed to be the burden of the Lord. Hence Jeremiah and true prophets were instructed to avoid using the word “burden” in their proclamation.

Verses 38-40 declared the end of those false prophets who persist in proclaiming falsely “the burden of the Lord.” Since they would display their defiance toward God with the intention to deceive the people they would be dealt with by God. What they were doing, were in effect becoming the burden of God. He would punish them by casting them away. They would be taken away as captives into a distant foreign land.

To proclaim God’s word is serious business. There should be no impropriety in handling God’s truth. God abhors anyone who would twist and contort His Word to mislead and misguide His people. God will hold everyone accountable for the careless words one has spoken. Jesus tells us in Matthew 12:36 saying, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.”  We must be careful that what we proclaim and share does not stumble other believers. This is Jesus’ warning in Matthew 18:6, “but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” So be careful what we share.