耶利米先知心中的悲苦、與預言耶穌基督降生對真假先知的審判（耶23章）

論到那些先知、我心在我裏面憂傷、我骨頭都發顫．因耶和華和他的聖言、我像醉酒的人、像被酒所勝的人。地滿了行淫的人．因妄自賭咒、地就悲哀、曠野的草場都枯乾了．他們所行的道乃是惡的、他們的勇力使得不正。（耶 23：9）

耶利米先知當時面對的問題，最主要的就是帶領者本身的問題，也就是身為牧者的毫無真理，不但自己不追求信仰，而且還使其他百姓因他自己對神命令的胡言亂語而死亡。先知為此心裡憂傷，難過到骨頭都發顫。

當讀到先知說：「因耶和華和他的聖言、我像醉酒的人、像被酒所勝的人。」讓人不太能理解他的意思。或許先知是在形容他心的傷痛，因為曾有人也是心中愁苦，像喝酒醉的人一樣，那就是哈拿。

哈拿在耶和華面前不住的祈禱、以利定睛看他的嘴。原來哈拿心中默禱、只動嘴唇不出聲音、因此以利以為他喝醉了。以利對他說：「你要醉到幾時呢？你不應該喝酒。」哈拿回答說：「主阿、不是這樣、我是心裏愁苦的婦人、清酒濃酒都沒有喝、但在耶和華面前傾心吐意。不要將婢女看作不正經的女子．我因被人激動愁苦太多、所以祈求到如今。」（撒上 1：12-16）

先知當時的情形，可能因為心中極度傷痛，禱告到像是喝醉的人只動嘴唇、發不出聲音；也像喝醉的人一樣，因為過度傷痛，幾乎站立不穩，甚至俯伏在地，久久站不起來。

當時的假先知，任意妄為，講預言是出於本心的貪婪，為了要出名斂財。先知應該是要引領群羊到有豐盛草場的地方才是，正如今天的牧者應該要能按時分糧，時時可以從口中、從筆下用真理造就群羊，讓主的羊像有草吃的草場一樣才是。當時因為沒有真理，沒有草吃，「曠野的草都枯乾了」。

而且這些假先知越認真，對神的家傷害越大，所以說「他們的勇力使得不正」。就像今天傳不純正話語、謬講真理的教派、甚至是真教會中也會出現的假牧者，當他們越認真傳「假福音」，墜落陰間的人就越多。不傳則已，越傳對神的家敗壞越大。偏偏這些人總是非常殷勤。

這裡預言，將來真先知、假先知，真牧者、假牧者，都要在耶穌基督面前被試驗出來：

「我必設立照管他們的牧人、牧養他們．他們不再懼怕、不再驚惶、也不缺少一個。」這是耶和華說的。耶和華說：「日子將到、我要給大衛興起一個公義的苗裔、他必掌王權、行事有智慧、在地上施行公平、和公義。在他的日子、猶大必得救、以色列也安然居住．他的名必稱為耶和華我們的義。」（耶 23：4-6）

這裡預言彌賽亞，也就是主耶穌基督，將成為人的樣式，來到人間，除了要成全救恩，也要定立真理的規範。祂就是神「給大衛興起一個公義的苗裔」，因為耶穌肉身的家譜就是大衛王的後代。祂才是真牧人，祂「行事有智慧、在地上施行公平、和公義。在他的日子、猶大必得救、以色列也安然居住．他的名必稱為耶和華我們的義。」

主的羊，聽主的聲音，而且一隻都不會失落，所以這裡說：「也不缺少一個」。因為主說：「我的羊聽我的聲音、我也認識他們、他們也跟着我。我又賜給他們永生．他們永不滅亡、誰也不能從我手裏把他們奪去。我父把羊賜給我、他比萬有都大．誰也不能從我父手裏把他們奪去。」（約 10：27-29）

不是主的羊的假牧人，永遠不會傳真理，因為不聽主的聲音，也是因為他們根本不是主的羊。今天我若是主的羊，就會聽主的聲音，也就是熱愛聖經真理，在每次讀經、聚會聽道理時，只要是講台講純正話語，我心就喜樂！

在真假牧者充斥教會的末世，唯有回到聖經真理面前才能做分別。成熟的基督徒會自己覓食，也就是自動自發地追求真理，會有查考聖經的習慣；幼稚如嬰兒的基督徒只會被動等著餵食，沒有餵食，靈命就因此衰亡。所以，我們是成熟的基督徒？還是等著餵食的幼稚基督徒？

聖經都是神所默示的、〔或作凡神所默示的聖經〕於教訓、督責、使人歸正、教導人學義、都是有益的。（提後 3：16）

By Isaiah Kao

Jeremiah's Deep Sorrow and the Prophecy of Jesus Christ's Coming to Judge True and False Prophets (Jeremiah 23)

July 21, 2026

"Concerning the prophets: My heart is broken within me, all my bones tremble. Because of the LORD and because of His holy words, I have become like a drunken man, even like a man overcome with wine. For the land is full of adulterers; because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right." (Jeremiah 23:9, NASB 2020)

The most important thing is the problems of the leaders themselves. The shepherds had no regard for the truth. Not only did they pursue their own faith, but through their careless and false words about God's commands, they led many people to destruction. Because of this, the prophet's heart was filled with grief, and even his bones trembled.

When we read the prophet's words, "Because of the LORD and because of His holy words, I have become like a drunken man, even like a man overcome with wine," it is not easy to understand what he meant. Perhaps he was describing the deep sorrow within his heart. There was another person in the Bible whose grief made her appear like someone who was drunk—Hannah.

"Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. Then Eli said to her, 'How long will you make yourself drunk? Get rid of your wine from you.' But Hannah replied, 'No, my lord, I am a woman oppressed in spirit; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the LORD. Do not consider your slave a worthless woman, for I have spoken until now out of my great concern and provocation.'"

(1 Samuel 1:12–16, NASB 2020)

Jeremiah may have been in a similar condition. His heart was so overwhelmed with grief that he prayed like a drunken man, moving only his lips without making a sound. Because of much sorrow, unable to stand, falling to the ground and remaining there for a long time.

The false prophets of Jeremiah's day acted however they pleased. Their prophecies came from their own greedy hearts, seeking fame and wealth. A true prophet should lead God's flock to rich pasture. Likewise, today's shepherds should faithfully give them their portion of food in due season, building up God's people through both their preaching and their writing with the truth. God's sheep should be like a flock feeding in green pastures. But because there was no truth, there was no grace to eat. Therefore, "the pastures of the wilderness have dried up."

The more diligent these false prophets were, the greater the damage they caused to God's house. That is why Scripture says, "their might is not right." The same is true today. Whether spreads impure words and truths in false religious groups or even among false shepherds who may appear within the true church, the more earnestly they preach a false gospel, the more people are led toward destruction. If they remained silent, the damage would be less. But the more they spread false teaching, the greater the ruin they bring upon God's house. Sadly, such people are often very hardworking.

This chapter also foretells that one day true prophets and false prophets, true shepherds and false shepherds, will all be tested before Jesus Christ.

"'I will also raise up shepherds over them and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing,' declares the LORD. 'Behold, days are coming,' declares the LORD, 'when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and He will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, "The LORD Our Righteousness."'"

(Jeremiah 23:4–6, NASB 2020)

This is a prophecy of the Messiah—our Lord Jesus Christ. He would come into the world in human flesh, not only to accomplish salvation but also to establish the standard of truth. He is the One whom God promised to "raise up for David a righteous Branch," because Jesus' human genealogy came through the line of King David. He is the true Shepherd. He "will reign as king and act wisely and do justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will live securely; and this is His name by which He will be called, 'The LORD Our Righteousness.'"

The Lord's sheep hear His voice, and not one of them will be lost. That is why this passage says, "nor will any be missing." As the Lord Himself said:

"My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."

(John 10:27–29, NASB 2020)

False shepherds who do not belong to the Lord's flock will never faithfully preach the truth, because they do not listen to the Lord's voice. The reason is simple—they are not His sheep. If I truly belong to the Lord, I will listen to His voice. That means I will love the truth of the Bible. Whenever I read the Bible or hear sound teaching from the pulpit, my heart will rejoice.

In these last days, when both true and false shepherds exist within the church, the only way to discern the difference is to return to the truth of God's Word. Mature Christians learn to feed themselves spiritually. They willingly seek the truth and develop the habit of studying the Bible. Christians as childish as babies, however, wait passively to be fed. If no one feeds them, their spiritual lives gradually wither away.

So, are we mature Christians, or are we still spiritual infants waiting for someone else to feed us?

"All Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness."

(2 Timothy 3:16, NASB 2020)

 

By Isaiah Kao