The Prophet Hananiah

“And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,

Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.

Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:

And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”

Jeremiah 28:1-4

There is much about Hananiah that instills confidence

1) His name:

It is a compound name. The first part means “grace” or “favor”,

the last part means “God”. According to Strong’s Concordance,

the compound name means “God has favored”.

2) His lineage:

He was the son of a prophet.

3) His place of origin:

Gibeon:

• Gibeon became a Levitical town (Joshua 21:17) 

• The tabernacle was there for a time (I Chronicles 16:39) 

• It was an important place of worship in Solomon’s day (I Kings 3:4)

4) His place of speaking:

(“in the house of the LORD”)

5) His audience:

It was large and included the leaders of the day (“the priests and of all the people”)

6) His claim:

He spoke for God:

(“Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts”).

7) His message 

• Liberating (“I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon”) 

• Persuasive (“Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel”) 

• Promising (“Within two full years”) 

• Restorative

o “I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD’S house”

o “I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of

Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah,”

Let’s look at the remainder of the chapter

5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD,

6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD’S house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;

8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.

9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.

10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake it.

11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

12 Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

13 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.

14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.

15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD.

17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

Would you have believed Hananiah?