Jer 28.1-17 tells us about a false prophecy given by a man named Hananiah. He breaks a wooden yoke off of Jeremiah and said that the Lord was going to break the yoke of Babylon off of Judah. In turn, Jeremiah gives a prophecy about an iron yoke being on the people that cannot be broken.
v 1…Now it came about in the same year (that Jeremiah was told to make yokes and bonds), the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month (Av), that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet (false), who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord (Temple) in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying,
v 2…”Thus says the Lord (Yehovah) of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon (he tells them what they wanted to hear).
v 3…Within two years (he was confident but it was a lie) I am going to bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon.
v 4…I am going to bring back to this place Yeconiah the son of Yehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon (he knew this would please the people because Zedekiah was seen as a deputy of Nebuchadnezzar and not a proper king. He also knew Zedekiah could do nothing but act pleased).'”
v 5…Then the prophet Jeremiah (a true prophet) spoke to the prophet (a false one) Hananiah in the presence of all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord (they were waiting and worshiping),
v 6…and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen (so be it, let it happen as you have said)! May the Lord do so; may the Lord confirm (give meaning to) your words which you have prophesied to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all the exiles, from Babylon to this place (Jeremiah gives a great answer in v 6-17 and he knows Hananiah is a false prophet).
v 7…Yet hear now this word which I am about to speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people!
v 8…The prophets who were before me and before you from ancient times prophesied against many lands and against many great kingdoms, of war and of calamity and or pestilence.
v 9…The prophet who prophesies peace when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then that prophet will be known as the one whom the Lord has truly sent (there are two tests for a prophet; the event-Deut 18.21-22 and by the word of God-Isa 8.20).”
v 10…Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it.
v 11…And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people (why he did this), saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Even so will I break within two years, the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.'” Then the prophet Jeremiah went his way (to show his dissent, he would let time be the judge).
v 12…And the word of the Lord (Yehovah) came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
v 13…”Go and speak with Hananiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, “You have broken yokes of wood (27.2), but you have made instead of them yokes of iron (Hananiah’s rash and false prophecy will only increase the resolve of Yehovah to fulfill the prophecy through Jeremiah).”
v 14…’For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations (unbreakable), that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. And I have also given him the beasts of the field (to show everything has been handed over to Nebuchadnezzar. Had they obeyed the Lord and Jeremiah they could have stayed in the land with their domesticated animals used for planting and reaping, enjoying the produce).”
v 15…Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie.
v 16…Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to die, because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord.'”
v 17…So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year (that he delivered the false prophecy) in the seventh month (Tishri-Hananiah said two years in v 3 of his false prophecy. He was dead in two months, from Av to Tishri).
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