===Jeremiah 23===

==jeremiah 23:1-6:

​Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord.
 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord.
 3 “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 
4 I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper,
And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 In His days Judah will be saved,
And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called:

​The words of Jeremiah challenge shepherds who lack a servant’s heart and who tend their flocks for their own benefit. Jeremiah is referring to political as well as religious leaders, and we see evidence of corrupt shepherds in certain televangelists, America first or Christian nationalist preachers, and prevaricating, violence promoting politicians. Leadership must go beyond self-interest and personal gain, even community interests at certain times, to privilege global loyalty.  Jeremiah dreams of faithful leadership that sacrifices and uplifts rather than dominates and destroys. A good shepherd will arise, replace these misguided leaders, and establish a safe and bountiful haven for the flock. Shepherding is about blessing and justice, not greed and self-promotion. The true shepherd serves rather than dominates and inspires his flock toward service and mutuality that promotes community, national, and planetary well-being. But can we count on such a shepherd in our time? What would such non-coercive shepherding look like in church or in the White House? What happened to the good shepherds in Jeremiah’s time? Did they differ the people, or are Jeremiah’s followers and us still waiting? --Bruce Epperly; Celebrating the Reign of Christ – Lectionary November 23; 11.16.25

​Jeremiah 23:16:
​"Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord" 

John Bevere Files

We must heed the warning of the Lord:
"Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord" Jer 23:16.
God warns that these words can be spoken from the prophet's heart, not by the mouth of the Lord. When this happens, the spoken word has the power to cause its hearer to become worthless. We must not forget that words have power to heal or destroy (Prov 18:21). Gods Word has the power to transform us to fulfill His purpose, while man's word has the power to destroy this purpose. This Hebrew word for "worthless" is "habal." It is a root word  that means "to be vain in act, word, or expectation."  The New American Standard reads "They are leading you into futility" (Jer 23:16, NSA). Other words that describe this Hebrew word are "useless" or "fruitless." 
​                                               -John Bevere; Thus Saith The Lord ; 1999

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Jeremiah 23:24:
​ "Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?" declares the LORD. "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the LORD."

​I get a kick out of the verse before this one: "Am I only a God nearby? ....and not a God far away?" It's like I can imagine one of the false prophets who thought he was getting away with what he was doing suddenly hit between the eyes "d'oh."..... The rest of the chapter has God laying out some pretty heavy judgments on false prophets. So, brother, if you are going to preach, preach it right...cuz there is no hiding place and God fills "the heaven AND earth!!" And that pretty much rules out ALL the hiding places:-)

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Jeremiah 23:29:​
"It not My word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" 

Arthur W Pink Files

First, "Godly sorrow" issues from a broken and contrite heart, which is something that no man possesses by nature. On the contrary, the heart of the unregenerate is like "the nether millstone." A miracle of grace has to be wrought before "a heart of flesh" is imparted. This is accomplished by means of the Word, under the immediate operations of the Holy Spirit. "It not My word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" (Jer 23:29). That speaks of an humbling and painful experience--the travail preceding the birth. Every genuine conversion is one in which the Word is received "in much affliction" (I Thess 1:6). That "affliction" is caused by the truth enabling the soul to view sin as God sees it--it's true nature, its heinousness, its infinite ill-desert.
                                                                                           --Arthur Pink

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