Jeremiah 23:29
"Is not My word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that smashes a rock?"
Is not My word like fire
The phrase "Is not My word like fire," uses the Hebrew word "אֵשׁ" (esh) for "fire." In the ancient Near Eastern context, fire symbolizes purification, judgment, and the presence of God. Fire consumes impurities, leaving behind what is pure and valuable. In the context of Jeremiah, God's word is portrayed as a purifying force, burning away falsehood and sin. This imagery is powerful, suggesting that God's word is not passive but active, transformative, and purifying. It challenges believers to allow the word of God to refine their hearts and minds, burning away anything that does not align with His holiness.

declares the LORD
The phrase "declares the LORD," uses the Hebrew "נְאֻם־יְהוָה" (ne'um-YHWH). This is a prophetic formula that asserts the authority and authenticity of the message. It is a reminder that the words spoken are not Jeremiah's own but are directly from God Himself. This declaration emphasizes the divine origin and the ultimate authority of the message. For believers, it underscores the importance of receiving and responding to God's word with reverence and obedience, recognizing it as the ultimate truth.

and like a hammer
The phrase "and like a hammer" uses the Hebrew word "כַּפַּטִּישׁ" (kappatish) for "hammer." In ancient times, a hammer was a tool of strength and power, used to break and shape hard materials. This imagery suggests that God's word has the power to break through the hardest of hearts and the most stubborn of circumstances. It is a tool of construction and destruction, capable of breaking down barriers and building up righteousness. For believers, this is a call to allow God's word to shape and mold their lives, breaking down the hardness of sin and building up a life of faith and obedience.

that shatters a rock?
The phrase "that shatters a rock?" uses the Hebrew "סֶלַע" (sela) for "rock." Rocks are often symbols of strength, stability, and permanence. However, the imagery here is that even the most solid and seemingly unbreakable obstacles can be shattered by the power of God's word. This is a profound reminder of the omnipotence of God and the transformative power of His word. For believers, it is an encouragement that no situation is too difficult, no heart too hard, and no sin too entrenched that it cannot be overcome by the word of God. It calls for faith in the power of God's word to bring about change and transformation in every aspect of life.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, called by God to deliver His messages to the people of Judah. He is known for his prophecies of judgment and restoration.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, who speaks through Jeremiah, emphasizing His authority and power.

3. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, which was often the recipient of Jeremiah's prophecies due to its persistent idolatry and disobedience.

4. False Prophets
Individuals in Jeremiah's time who claimed to speak for God but led the people astray with lies and false assurances of peace.

5. The Word of God
The divine message delivered through prophets like Jeremiah, characterized as powerful and transformative.
Teaching Points
The Power of God's Word
God's word is not passive; it actively works to purify, refine, and transform lives, much like fire.

The Authority of Scripture
Just as a hammer breaks rock, God's word has the authority to break down strongholds and barriers in our lives.

The Purifying Nature of God's Word
Like fire, God's word purifies and refines, removing impurities and leading us to holiness.

The Call to Listen and Obey
We are called to heed God's word, recognizing its power and authority in our lives.

Discernment Against False Teachings
Just as Jeremiah warned against false prophets, we must discern and hold fast to the true word of God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the imagery of fire and a hammer in Jeremiah 23:29 help us understand the nature of God's word?

2. In what ways can we allow God's word to "smash" the hard places in our hearts?

3. How can we discern between true and false teachings in our current context, as Jeremiah had to do with the false prophets?

4. Reflect on a time when God's word acted as a refining fire in your life. What changes did it bring about?

5. How can we ensure that we are not only hearers of the word but also doers, as emphasized in James 1:22?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Hebrews 4:12
This verse describes the Word of God as living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, which connects to the imagery of God's word as a powerful force.

Isaiah 55:11
This passage speaks of God's word accomplishing what He desires, similar to the imagery of fire and a hammer in Jeremiah 23:29.

Psalm 29:7
The voice of the LORD is described as powerful and majestic, akin to the fire imagery in Jeremiah.

Matthew 3:11-12
John the Baptist speaks of Jesus baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire, reflecting the purifying and transformative power of God's word.
Fire and a Hammer Symbolical of the Law and the GospelR. P. Buddicom.Jeremiah 23:29
Fire and HammerHomilistJeremiah 23:29
God's Fire and HammerJeremiah 23:29
Human Resistance and Divine PowerW. Darwent.Jeremiah 23:29
The Power of God's Word Needful for National EducationBp. Samuel Wilberforce.Jeremiah 23:29
The Word of God Compared to a HammerJ. B. Courtenay, M. A.Jeremiah 23:29
The Giving Forth of the Word of Man as the Word of GodD. Young Jeremiah 23:23-32
Chaff or WheatW. M. Taylor, D. D.Jeremiah 23:28-29
God not in the Preacher's CodeJeremiah 23:28-29
Lessons of the Harvest FieldJ. M. Dryerre.Jeremiah 23:28-29
Ministerial FidelityN. Emmons, D. D.Jeremiah 23:28-29
Religious Truth and ErrorHomilistJeremiah 23:28-29
The Chaff and the WheatJohn Hall, D. D.Jeremiah 23:28-29
The Chaff and the Wheat ComparedR. P. Buddicom, M. A.Jeremiah 23:28-29
The Faithful Utterance of Divine RevelationA.F. Muir Jeremiah 23:28, 29
The Faithful Utterance of the Divine WordJohn T. Wills, D. D.Jeremiah 23:28-29
The Word and the DreamR. A. Hallam, D. D.Jeremiah 23:28-29
What is the Chaff to the Wheat?J. Richardson, M. A.Jeremiah 23:28-29
Winnowing-TimeJeremiah 23:28-29
People
David, Israelites, Jeremiah
Places
Babylon, Egypt, Gomorrah, Jerusalem, Samaria, Sodom
Topics
Affirmation, Bits, Breaketh, Breaks, Declares, Fire, Hammer, Isn't, Pieces, Rock, Says, Shatters, Smashing, Thus
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 23:29

     4354   rock
     4826   fire
     5548   speech, divine
     5583   tools

Jeremiah 23:25-32

     7734   leaders, spiritual

Jeremiah 23:29-30

     1690   word of God

Library
Jehovah Tsidkenu: the Lord Our Righteousness
Having introduced the doctrine of imputed righteousness, I proofed to map out my subject. First, by way of affirmation; we say of the text--it is so--Christ is the Lord or righteousness; secondly, I shall exhort you to do him homage; let us call him so: for this is the name whereby he shall be called; and thirdly, I shall appeal to your gratitude; let us wonder at the reigning grace, which has caused us to fulfill the promise, for have been sweetly compelled to call him the Lord our righteousness.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 7: 1861

Justification
'Being justified freely by his grace.' Rom 3:34. Q-xxxiii: WHAT IS JUSTIFICATION? A: It is an act of God's free grace, whereby he pardons all our sins, and accepts us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, and received by faith alone. Justification is the very hinge and pillar of Christianity. An error about justification is dangerous, like a defect in a foundation. Justification by Christ is a spring of the water of life. To have the poison of corrupt doctrine
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

A Defence of the Doctrine of Justification, by Faith in Jesus Christ;
SHEWING, TRUE GOSPEL-HOLINESS FLOWS FROM THENCE; OR, MR. FOWLER'S PRETENDED DESIGN OF CHRISTIANITY, PROVED TO BE NOTHING MORE THAN TO TRAMPLE UNDER FOOT THE BLOOD OF THE SON OF GOD; AND THE IDOLIZING OF MAN'S OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS AS ALSO, HOW WHILE HE PRETENDS TO BE A MINISTER OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, HE OVERTHROWETH THE WHOLESOME DOCTRINE CONTAINED IN THE 10TH, 11TH, AND 13TH, OF THE THIRTY-NINE ARTICLES OF THE SAME, AND THAT HE FALLETH IN WITH THE QUAKER AND ROMANIST, AGAINST THEM. BY JOHN BUNYAN
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

A vision of Judgement and Cleansing
'And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. 2. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire? 3. Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel. 4. And He answered and spake unto those that stood before Him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him He said,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Discourse on the Good Shepherd.
(Jerusalem, December, a.d. 29.) ^D John X. 1-21. ^d 1 Verily, verily, I say to you [unto the parties whom he was addressing in the last section], He that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. [In this section Jesus proceeds to contrast his own care for humanity with that manifested by the Pharisees, who had just cast out the beggar. Old Testament prophecies were full of declarations that false shepherds would arise to
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Conversion --Varied Phenomena or Experience.
We have spoken of the meaning of this term, inquired into the nature of the change, and noted its essential elements. We have also learned that there are some who do not need it because they are in a converted state, and that all who are not in such a state of Grace, do need conversion, regardless of anything that may or may not have taken place in the past. We inquire now as to the agencies or means by which this change is brought about. For it is a change which man can certainly not effect by his
G. H. Gerberding—The Way of Salvation in the Lutheran Church

The Trinity
Q-6. HOW MANY PERSONS ARE THERE IN THE GODHEAD? A: Three persons, yet but one God. 'There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.' I John 5:5. God is but one, yet are there three distinct persons subsisting in one Godhead. This is a sacred mystery, which the light within man could never have discovered. As the two natures in Christ, yet but one person, is a wonder; so three persons, yet but one Godhead. Here is a great deep, the Father
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Nature of Spiritual Hunger
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness Matthew 5:6 We are now come to the fourth step of blessedness: Blessed are they that hunger'. The words fall into two parts: a duty implied; a promise annexed. A duty implied: Blessed are they that hunger'. Spiritual hunger is a blessed hunger. What is meant by hunger? Hunger is put for desire (Isaiah 26:9). Spiritual hunger is the rational appetite whereby the soul pants after that which it apprehends most suitable and proportional
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12

A vision of the King.
ONE of the most blessed occupations for the believer is the prayerful searching of God's holy Word to discover there new glories and fresh beauties of Him, who is altogether lovely. Shall we ever find out all which the written Word reveals of Himself and His worthiness? This wonderful theme can never be exhausted. The heart which is devoted to Him and longs through the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to be closer to the Lord, to hear and know more of Himself, will always find something
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

Interpretation of Prophecy.
1. The scriptural idea of prophecy is widely removed from that of human foresight and presentiment. It is that of a revelation made by the Holy Spirit respecting the future, always in the interest of God's kingdom. It is no part of the plan of prophecy to gratify vain curiosity respecting "the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in his own power." Acts 1:7. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God"--this is its key-note. In its form it is carefully adapted to this great end.
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Concerning Justification.
Concerning Justification. As many as resist not this light, but receive the same, it becomes in them an holy, pure, and spiritual birth, bringing forth holiness, righteousness, purity, and all those other blessed fruits which are acceptable to God: by which holy birth, to wit, Jesus Christ formed within us, and working his works in us, as we are sanctified, so are we justified in the sight of God, according to the apostle's words; But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
Robert Barclay—Theses Theologicae and An Apology for the True Christian Divinity

The Providence of God
Q-11: WHAT ARE GOD'S WORKS OF PROVIDENCE? A: God's works of providence are the acts of his most holy, wise, and powerful government of his creatures, and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.' John 5:17. God has rested from the works of creation, he does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works;' Gen 2:2; and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence: My Father worketh and I work.' His kingdom
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Lord's Prayer.
(Jerusalem. Thursday Night.) ^D John XVII. ^d 1 These things spake Jesus; and lifting up his eyes to heaven [the action marked the turning of his thoughts from the disciples to the Father], he said, Father, the hour is come [see pp. 116, 440]; glorify thy Son, that the son may glorify thee: 2 even as thou gavest him authority over all flesh, that to all whom thou hast given him, he should give eternal life. [The Son here prays for his glorification, viz.: resurrection, ascension, coronation, etc.,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Unity of God
Q-5: ARE THERE MORE GODS THAN ONE? A: There is but one only, the living and true God. That there is a God has been proved; and those that will not believe the verity of his essence, shall feel the severity of his wrath. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.' Deut 6:6. He is the only God.' Deut 4:49. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thy heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath, there is none else.' A just God and a Saviour; there is none beside
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Jehovah. The "I Am. "
WHEN Moses in the desert beheld the burning bush God answered his question by the revelation of His name as the "I Am." "And God said unto Moses, I am, that I am: and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you" (Exod. iii:14). He who spake thus out of the bush to Moses was the same who in the fullness of time appeared upon the earth in the form of man. Our Lord Jesus Christ is no less person, than the I AM. If we turn to the fourth Gospel in which the Holy
Arno Gaebelein—The Lord of Glory

His Future Work
The Lord Jesus Christ, who finished the work on earth the Father gave Him to do, who is now bodily present in the highest heaven, occupying the Father's throne and exercising His priesthood in behalf of His people, is also King. To Him belongeth a Kingdom and a kingly Glory. He has therefore a kingly work to do. While His past work was foretold by the Spirit of God and His priestly work foreshadowed in the Old Testament, His work as King and His glorious Kingdom to come are likewise the subjects
A. C. Gaebelein—The Work Of Christ

A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising
'If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.' - Col 1:23. Intending next Lord's day to enter upon the work of catechising, it will not be amiss to give you a preliminary discourse, to show you how needful it is for Christians to be well instructed in the grounds of religion. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled.' I. It is the duty of Christians to be settled in the doctrine of faith. II. The best way for Christians to be settled is to be well grounded. I. It is the duty of Christians
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Repentance
Then has God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.' Acts 11: 18. Repentance seems to be a bitter pill to take, but it is to purge out the bad humour of sin. By some Antinomian spirits it is cried down as a legal doctrine; but Christ himself preached it. From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent,' &c. Matt 4: 17. In his last farewell, when he was ascending to heaven, he commanded that Repentance should be preached in his name.' Luke 24: 47. Repentance is a pure gospel grace.
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Its Instrument
"Being justified freely by His grace" (Rom. 3:24); "being now justified by His blood" (Rom. 5:9); "being now justified by faith" (Rom. 5:1). A full exposition of the doctrine of justification requires that each of these propositions should be interpreted in their Scriptural sense, and that they be combined together in their true relations as to form one harmonious whole. Unless these three propositions be carefully distinguished there is sure to be confusion; unless all the three are steadily borne
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

An Exposition on the First Ten Chapters of Genesis, and Part of the Eleventh
An unfinished commentary on the Bible, found among the author's papers after his death, in his own handwriting; and published in 1691, by Charles Doe, in a folio volume of the works of John Bunyan. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR Being in company with an enlightened society of Protestant dissenters of the Baptist denomination, I observed to a doctor of divinity, who was advancing towards his seventieth year, that my time had been delightfully engaged with John Bunyan's commentary on Genesis. "What,"
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

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