Page 108 - Pentateuch - Student Textbook

adds a note about the timing of the two messages. “Before Isaiah had left the middle court, the word of
the LORD came to him (20:4). God did not let much time go by before responding to the king’s prayer.

The more frequent picture is that of conflict between true and false prophets. Jeremiah spoke a vivid
message to Israel about their coming defeat and bondage to the nation of Babylon. He spoke for over
twenty years (Jer. 25:2). They did not listen. He promised seventy years of captivity to the king of
Babylon (v. 11). To emphasize the message, Jeremiah wore a wooden yoke on his shoulders. We can
picture this lonely man walking about Jerusalem, even in the government buildings, with a yoke on his
shoulders to illustrate his message. On one occasion another prophet, Hananiah, came up to him and
said, “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke of Babylon… (28:2).’”
He proceeded to take the wooden yoke off Jeremiah and break it (v. 10). Jeremiah said, “Amen” and
went home (vv. 6, 11). God spoke to Jeremiah again. This time he returned with an iron yoke and a
reaffirmed prophecy. In addition he warns Hananiah: “Listen, Hananiah! The LORD has not sent you (v.
15).” Jeremiah adds a sign to his words. Hananiah would die within the year. His death in the seventh
month confirms the truth of Jeremiah’s prophecy.

The NT refers to these prophets as the
“foundation” of his temple, the collected
people of God (Eph. 2:20). As the
foundation their ministry is finished. As
God spoke through the prophets, he has
more recently spoken by his Son (Heb. 1:1-
2). The ultimate end of the line of
prophets was God’s greatest prophet,
Jesus Christ. On the mount of
transfiguration, a voice came out of
heaven to speak to Peter, James, and John.
The voice of God identifies Jesus as the
greatest prophet: “This is my Son, whom I
love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to
him (Matt. 17:5).” On the day of
Pentecost, Peter makes a similar reference
and the application: “Anyone who does
not listen to him will be completely cut off
from among his people (Acts 3:23).” The
people of Israel of that day expected just Fig. 71: Ancient Foundation stones
such a prophet would come and if Jesus
might be the one (John 6:14).

As with so many warnings in the Pentateuch, this one about listening to God’s prophet speaks of Jesus
and the great salvation that is in him. Blurring the definition of a prophet or blurring the ultimate
message of the prophets brings into jeopardy the gospel itself. It is just as dangerous today as in the day
of Jesus or all the way back to the day of Moses. We are not called to execute false prophets, but we are
called to confront them.

Along these lines the NT warns about false prophets and false teachers. “But there were also false
prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you (2 Pet. 2:1). Many false
prophets will appear in the end times (Matt. 24:11). The core test remains the same, their teaching

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