Jeremiah 23:27
who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal?
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's striking here is that forgetting God's "name" isn't just forgetting a label, but forgetting the very essence and character of who God is. The false prophets' dreams are so compelling that they're attempting to erase God's true nature from people's minds, just as their ancestors replaced the knowledge of God with the worship of Baal.
Jeremiah is exposing the dangerous lies of false prophets who are leading God's people astray with their pronouncements. These prophets claim divine insight through their dreams and visions, seeking to replace the true knowledge of God's character and commands with their own fabricated messages. This deceptive practice is not new; it echoes the way their ancestors abandoned God's name for the worship of the pagan deity Baal.
False prophets in Jeremiah's day had a dangerous agenda: to make God's people forget Him. How did they plan to do it?
Jeremiah calls out prophets who use their personal dreams as a tool to distract people from the true God. They tell these dreams to "one another," spreading their misleading messages within the community.
The Danger of Self-Generated Messages
These aren't divine revelations, but rather human fabrications designed to capture attention and build followings. The focus shifts from God's character and commands to the exciting, imaginative narratives of these false prophets. It's a strategy to replace the "name of God" – His very identity and authority – with something they've conjured up themselves.
Jeremiah draws a stark parallel between the false prophets' tactics and a historical spiritual betrayal. What was this dangerous precedent?
The prophet doesn't just point out a new problem; he reminds his audience of an old, grievous sin. He says the false prophets' efforts to make people forget God are just like "as their fathers forgot my name for Baal."
The Allure of the Familiar
"Baal" was a widely worshipped Canaanite deity, associated with fertility and storms. For the Israelites, turning to Baal wasn't just adopting a new god; it was a wholesale abandonment of Yahweh, the God who delivered them. This historical "forgetting" of God's name (and thus His character, His power, His covenant) for a popular, tangible idol is the very pattern these false prophets are repeating. They are leading people down the same path of spiritual amnesia.
Understand the original words
shem · Hebrew Noun
The personal name of the self-existent, covenant-keeping God of Israel (YHWH). It signifies His presence, authority, and His reputation as revealed to His people.
Ba'al · Hebrew Noun
A pagan deity whose worship was a recurring snare for Israel; associated with fertility and storm-god cults, representing apostasy and spiritual infidelity.
Jeremiah's accusation that false prophets make people forget God's name by their dreams echoes a historical pattern where idolatry, like the ancient worship of Baal, led people away from true devotion. The threat of exile loomed large as God's judgment for this spiritual forgetfulness.
c. 9th Century BC
Rise of Baal Worship in Israel
Following the division of the kingdom, the northern tribes, particularly under influence from Phoenicia, embraced the worship of Baal. This syncretism led many to neglect the worship of Yahweh.
c. 8th Century BC
Prophetic Warnings Against Idolatry
Prophets like Elijah and Elisha fiercely opposed the pervasive Baal worship, calling Israel back to faithfulness to Yahweh and denouncing the spiritual corruption of the era.
722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Assyrian Exile
The northern kingdom of Israel fell to the Assyrian Empire. This devastating event served as a judgment for their unfaithfulness, including their widespread idolatry.
c. 626 BC - 586 BC— this verse
Jeremiah's Ministry and Exile
Jeremiah prophesied during a tumultuous period leading up to the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem, warning against false prophets and urging repentance.
This passage directly echoes Jeremiah 23:27 by referencing Israel's past idolatry and confusion of God's name with the Canaanite deity Baal, highlighting a persistent pattern of spiritual unfaithfulness.
Jeremiah 23:32This verse directly contrasts the false prophets' deceptive dreams with God's true message, reinforcing Jeremiah 23:27's critique of prophets who lead people astray with their own imaginings instead of God's word.
1 Kings 18:28This passage shows the prophets of Baal engaging in frantic rituals, mirroring the deceptive fervor of Jeremiah's false prophets who, like their idolatrous ancestors, distract people from the true God.
Ezekiel 13:6Ezekiel strongly condemns prophets who 'see false visions and practice lying divination,' a clear parallel to the false dreams and deceptive messages Jeremiah addresses in 23:27.
Deuteronomy 18:20This verse establishes a crucial test for prophets: a prophecy spoken falsely in God's name is punishable, underscoring why Jeremiah so fiercely condemns those who invent messages and make people forget the true God, as described in 23:27.
cambridgeJeremiah 23:27: "Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal."
27 . to forget my name ] not literally, but to forget the essential character of Him who bears the name. So their fathers confused Baal with Jehovah. See on Jeremiah 2:23 . The nature of the sin was the same. every man to his neighbour ] one to another , each prophet to those who will listen.
pulpitJeremiah 23:27: "Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal."
Verse 27. - Every man to his neighbor. Not merely one prophet to another prophet, for it is "my people" whom they cause to forget my Name (comp. ver. 32), but the prophet to his fellow man. Have forgotten my name for Baal; or, forgot my name through Baal.
What's striking here is that forgetting God's "name" isn't just forgetting a label, but forgetting the very essence and character of who God is. The false prophets' dreams are so compelling that they're attempting to erase God's true nature from people's minds, just as their ancestors replaced the knowledge of God with the worship of Baal.
Jeremiah is exposing the dangerous lies of false prophets who are leading God's people astray with their pronouncements. These prophets claim divine insight through their dreams and visions, seeking to replace the true knowledge of God's character and commands with their own fabricated messages. This deceptive practice is not new; it echoes the way their ancestors abandoned God's name for the worship of the pagan deity Baal.
Jeremiah is exposing the dangerous lies of false prophets who are leading God's people astray with their pronouncements. These prophets claim divine insight through their dreams and visions, seeking to replace the true knowledge of God's character and commands with their own fabricated messages. This deceptive practice is not new; it echoes the way their ancestors abandoned God's name for the worship of the pagan deity Baal.
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597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled many Judean leaders, craftsmen, and common people to Babylon, including the prophet Ezekiel. This event marked a significant step toward Jerusalem's destruction.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its sacred Temple, exiling most of the remaining population. This was the ultimate consequence of prolonged disobedience.
"who think to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, even as their fathers forgot my name for Baal?" — What's striking here is that forgetting God's "name" isn't just forgetting a label, but forgetting the very essence and character of who God is. The false prophets' dreams are so compelling that they…
