Jeremiah 28:2
"This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: 'I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says:
This phrase establishes the authority and divine origin of the message. "LORD of Hosts" emphasizes God's sovereignty and command over heavenly armies, underscoring His power and ability to fulfill His promises. The title "God of Israel" reaffirms His covenant relationship with Israel, reminding the people of His past faithfulness and ongoing commitment. This introduction is typical of prophetic declarations, lending weight and seriousness to the message that follows.

‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
The "yoke" symbolizes oppression and servitude, a common metaphor in the ancient Near East for subjugation. The king of Babylon, at this time, was Nebuchadnezzar II, who had subjugated Judah and taken many into exile. The breaking of the yoke suggests liberation and deliverance from Babylonian control. Historically, this prophecy was given during a time of great turmoil and uncertainty for Judah, as Babylon was the dominant power. This statement would have been seen as a message of hope and divine intervention. However, in the broader context of Jeremiah 28, this prophecy is revealed to be false, spoken by the prophet Hananiah, contrasting with Jeremiah's true prophecy of continued exile. This highlights the theme of discerning true prophecy from false, a critical issue in the biblical narrative.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. Known for his warnings about the impending Babylonian exile.

2. Hananiah
A false prophet who opposed Jeremiah, claiming that God would break the yoke of Babylon and restore the exiles within two years.

3. The LORD of Hosts
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty and command over the heavenly armies, underscoring His power and authority.

4. The King of Babylon
Refers to Nebuchadnezzar, the ruler of Babylon, who had conquered Judah and taken many of its people into exile.

5. The Yoke
Symbolizes the oppression and control of Babylon over Judah, which Hananiah falsely claimed would be broken by God.
Teaching Points
Discernment of True Prophecy
Believers must seek discernment to distinguish between true and false teachings, relying on Scripture and the Holy Spirit for guidance.

God's Sovereignty
Trust in God's ultimate control over nations and history, even when circumstances seem dire or contrary to human expectations.

The Danger of False Assurance
Beware of messages that promise peace and prosperity without repentance or alignment with God's will, as they can lead to complacency and spiritual danger.

Submission to God's Plan
Sometimes God's plan involves enduring hardship for a season. Believers are called to submit to His will, trusting in His greater purpose.

The Role of Suffering
Understand that suffering can be a tool for growth and refinement, drawing us closer to God and aligning us with His purposes.
Bible Study Questions
1. How can we discern between true and false prophets in today's context, and what role does Scripture play in this process?

2. In what ways does understanding God's sovereignty provide comfort during times of national or personal crisis?

3. How can we guard against the temptation to accept messages that promise easy solutions without requiring true repentance or change?

4. Reflect on a time when you had to submit to a difficult situation. How did you see God's hand at work through that experience?

5. How does the concept of a "yoke" in Jeremiah 28:2 compare to Jesus' teaching in Matthew 11:28-30, and what practical steps can we take to embrace Jesus' yoke in our daily lives?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Jeremiah 27
Provides context where God instructs Jeremiah to make a yoke and wear it as a symbol of submission to Babylon, contrasting Hananiah's false prophecy.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22
Discusses the criteria for true and false prophets, relevant to understanding the conflict between Jeremiah and Hananiah.

2 Kings 24-25
Chronicles the events leading to the Babylonian exile, providing historical context to the prophecies in Jeremiah.

Matthew 11:28-30
Jesus speaks of His yoke being easy and His burden light, offering a contrast to the oppressive yoke of Babylon.
A False Prophet and His FateD. Young Jeremiah 28:1-17
How to Answer Those Who Oppose the TruthA.F. Muir Jeremiah 28:1-17
People
Azur, Azzur, Gibeon, Hananiah, Jeconiah, Jehoiachin, Jehoiakim, Jeremiah, Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah
Places
Babylon, Gibeon
Topics
Armies, Babylon, Break, Broken, Hosts, Saying, Says, Spake, Speaketh, Speaks, Thus, Yoke
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 28:2-4

     4696   yoke

Library
Yokes of Wood and Iron
'Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.'--JER. xxviii. 13. I suppose that I had better begin by a word of explanation as to the occasion of this saying. One king of Judah had already been carried off to Babylon, and the throne refilled by his brother, a puppet of the conquerors. This shadow of a king, with the bulk of the nation, was eager for revolt. Jeremiah had almost single-handed to stem the tide of
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Two Yokes
With this, by way of preliminary observation, we will now come to the text, and endeavor to make some use of it for ourselves. Hananiah took off the symbolic yoke, the wooden yoke, from Jeremiah's neck and broke it. Jeremiah comes again, and says, "You have broken the yoke of wood, but God has commanded that ye shall now wear yokes of iron." They were not benefited, therefore, by the change, but the reverse. This is suggestive of a broad principle. From the symbol, which was applicable in one case,
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 18: 1872

Meditations of the Misery of a Man not Reconciled to God in Christ.
O wretched Man! where shall I begin to describe thine endless misery, who art condemned as soon as conceived; and adjudged to eternal death, before thou wast born to a temporal life? A beginning indeed, I find, but no end of thy miseries. For when Adam and Eve, being created after God's own image, and placed in Paradise, that they and their posterity might live in a blessed state of life immortal, having dominion over all earthly creatures, and only restrained from the fruit of one tree, as a sign
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

Links
Jeremiah 28:2 NIV
Jeremiah 28:2 NLT
Jeremiah 28:2 ESV
Jeremiah 28:2 NASB
Jeremiah 28:2 KJV

Jeremiah 28:2 Commentaries

Bible Hub
Jeremiah 28:1
Top of Page
Top of Page