Musing 168

Reading Jeremiah 28 as today’s devotional, I was struck that Hananiah is the prophet of nationalism.

Preaching in a day when the Babylonians loom ever larger, and have already ravaged Israel once, it is understandable why the people want to hear that Babylon is about to fall. After all, Assyria had been crushed after destroying the northern kingdom, wasn’t it?

And so enters Hananiah. I would like to say we would be immune to Hananiah’s preaching in our day, but honestly, I think we are even more ravenous for his brand of prophecy.

He opposed Jeremiah, that dour man, constantly depressed, only working up the crowd with his talk of Jerusalem’s destruction. Really, how could a real man of Judah talk that way? We’re God’s chosen people! He’ll bring down Bablyon just like Assyria was brought down after Israel was destroyed! Sure, we sinned, but God’s chastisement has come with the exile of the old king. A new king has come, our time has come! That Nebuchadnezzar will experience the same destruction that Ninevah did! He’ll feel the breaking of the very yolk he put on others.

And yet. . . Hananiah was a false prophet. Sure, he could mimic the comforting speeches of God’s true prophets, but there was a critical element missing from his prophecying - the call to repentance. Despite being in the midst of a people who would kill Jeremiah for calling them to repent of their sin, he saw no problem. His message was “just trust the promises God gave us! He won’t abandon us like Jeremiah is saying He will!”

Given how often we look at ourselves as a chosen nation, there are often many teachers and preachers I come across on social media that I think would feel right at home with Hananiah. Just feel good about America! God has blessed us and He’ll continue to do so! So preached to crowds who would in a heartbeat happily pick up stones if their pet sins were addressed. If our national sins were brought to light. If their “guy” in office was called out as being a shame to the church.

Like Hananiah, who could not see Israel’s sin, so to does nationalism in every era often blind oneself to the sins of their home as a means of comfort. It is why a Christian’s nationalism should be directed to bringing new citizens into the kingdom of heaven.