Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 7 · Jeremiah · Chapter 28
CHAP. XXVIII.
HEre is a Prophecy in the fourth year of Zedekiah, which was the last King of Judah: for he did not onelyonly evill as other Kings had done, but worse; Vers. 1.for he swore to Nebuchadnezzar, that made him King, and brake his Oath by rebelling against him; yet a false Prophet Hananiah was so impudent, as that Vers. 3.in opposing Ieremiah, that threatned him, he presumed to prophesy the breaking of the yoak of Nebuchadnezzar within two years, and the bringing back of Vers. 10.the Vessels of the Lords house; and to purchase more credit to his Prophecy, he breaks the yoke from Ieremiah his neck, and saith, Thus will the Lord break the Vers. 13.yoke of the King of Babylon; but for it Ieremiah makes an Iron yoke, hereby signifying a more strong subjection to him, and threatens the false Prophet with death the same year, which came to pass accordingly. Whereas verse 6. Ieremiah Vers. 16. 17.saith to Hananiah his prophecy (Amen) when he knew it to be false, and if not, he must needs be a false Prophet, It is to be understood, that his meaning is nothing else, but that he could wish it might be so for the love that he bare to his Countrey, although he knew by the spirit where with he was indued, that it should not be so. So Moses, as Calvin noteth, offered to have his name blotted out of the Book of life; and Paul could wish himself an Anathema Calvin.for the Jews his kinsmen, so Ierom, Raban, &c. But Vatable thinks, that he spake thus, as uncertain, whether God would give the people repentance and Hieron. Vatabl.change his former decree, and spare the people, notwithstanding the former threatnings; for which cause verse 7, 8. he speaks as one expecting the event to prove or disprove it; and as if Ieremy for the present knew not whether he Vers. 7, 8.said true or false, it is said verse 11. That he went away; and verse 12. That the Word of the Lord came unto him to the contrary, and this is most probable, and then the submiss and lowly minde, that was in Ieremiah more than in Ionah, shewed it self, in that he could be content to be disgraced, as a Prophecyer of things not coming to pass, so that God might be glorified in saving so many thousands of his Countrey men from ruine.
The Prophet that prophesieth of peace, when his word is come to pass, it shall be known that the Lord sent him. This is not alwayes a true rule, for Deut. 13. a Vers. 9.case is put of a Prophet not sent of God, but of the Devill, to seduce to Idolatry, that yet might give a Signe, which afterwards cometh to pass: how then doth Ieremiah give this as a rule here? Answ. Moses giveth the same Deut. 18. also. Wherefore it is to be understood, that this is for the most part a certain rule to know a true Prophet, when the event answers his Prophecy; because that God onelyonly that sendeth such, knoweth before what shall come to pass, and neither devil nor man, but only by conjecture, foretelling things therfore sometimes true, and sometimes false; For let them tell what shall come, and we will say they are Gods. This then is the common rule to know a true Prophet by, and if by this we cannot know him, then we must observe at what he aimeth, if at the turning of men away from God to Idols, then he is a false Prophet, although his signe be true; and this is permitted only to try the constancy of Gods people in cleaving to him. Now Ieremiah propoundeth the first and most common mean of triall; to the time of manifesting which it would not be long; for he pitcht upon two years; and this tryall was fittest in the present case, when two Prophets speaking contraries, contend whether of them is the true Prophet.
Hananiah the Prophet took the yoke from Ieremiah his neck, and brake it, saying, &c. He carryed himself most insolently and boldly; insomuch that the pecple Vers. 10.being ready to hear any thing, whereby it might be detracted from Jeremiah his prophesying, were in danger to be seduced to think him a false, and Hananiah a true Prophet. For how else durst he have gone on from prophesying to so high a degree of opposing Ieremiah in his signe, breaking it, and saying, In the Name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, that so the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar should be broken within two years? For if the yoke taken and worn by Ieremiah were a signe appointed of God, his breaking it was a plain fighting against God; and therefore they might think he durst not do so, except God had sent him. It was therefore a most desperate fact in him, and a most dangerous temptation to the people to subvert their Faith in Ieremiah his words. Yet for the present Jeremiah departed, as not thinking it best to contend, till he knew further of the minde of the Lord, and then he came again, and threatned him with death, as he was well worthy.
Thou hast broken the yokes of wood, thou hast made for them yokes of Iron. That Vers. 13.is, tell Hananiah according to the first words, and do thou Jeremiah according to the last: make and wear Iron yokes in token of an harder subjecton of all the Nations threatned to Nebuchadnezzar. For whereas wooden yokes were Vers. 14.appointed before, that were weaker and lighter; to shew, that if they would have yielded at command, their servitude should have been the lighter; but now being hardned to stand out, it should be more grievous by being carried into other lands; whereas yielding, they should have been still permitted to dwell in their own land, onelyonly paying to Nebuchadnezzar a Tribute. If it be said, But how had the people deserved to have their misery thus aggravated by the petulancy of one man Hananiah? I answer, he was a means to harden them more thereby, and this was also cordiall to them; therefore it was just with God too deal thus by them. And all that desire to hear pleasing things spoken unto Note. them, and reject sound Doctrine, because it crosseth their humours, shall be likewise left to obduration and horrible destruction. And it is to be noted, that this fact of a false Prophet, took such impression in their corrupt hearts, that although Hananiah dyed the same year as Ieremiah threatned, yet there followed after that no relenting in them, but they persisted in their obstinacie to the end.