Focus

Let yourself become open to God and the knowledge that comes from the Word. Ask God for peace at this time.

---

Read

Jeremiah 28:10-17 (NRSV)

Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, and broke it. And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the LORD: This is how I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

Sometime after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: Go, tell Hananiah, Thus says the LORD: You have broken wooden bars only to forge iron bars in place of them! For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations so that they may serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and they shall indeed serve him; I have even given him the wild animals. And the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you made this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the LORD: I am going to send you off the face of the earth. Within this year you will be dead, because you have spoken rebellion against the LORD.”
In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

---

Reflect

Now more than at any time I can remember, people don’t know who or what to believe. We hear vastly different versions of information from people whom we should be able to trust. One government leader says it is safe to reopen our states and resume a semblance of our former life. Another leader says that if states reopen, they will prolong the continuation of the virus, causing more people to die. Others say that the virus is a political ploy to sway voters, while yet others are so cautious that they wear masks any time they step out the door. How do we know who to believe?

From my understanding of the scripture, God had not sent Hananiah to the people of Israel who were living in exile. Maybe he had the best of intention, but God saw things differently. He sent Jeremiah to set the matter straight. God was punishing the people for their disobedience and wanted them to learn not to disobey again. Had the yoke of punishment been removed, they might have strayed back to their old ways even sooner than history tells us they did.

What might God be wanting us to learn from the extreme turmoil in our society? How will we know whom God has sent to be a messenger to God’s people?

---

Pray

O, God, help us to discern what is from you and what is not. Give us eyes to see and ears to hear your words of truth and comfort. Call us to act in ways that are pleasing to you. Amen.

Go with God!