Even to this day and age, many have claimed to be prophets—those who speak for God. But not all prophets are true. Many speak to placate the itching ears of their hearers, proclaiming “Peace, peace” when there is no peace.
“If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, ‘I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,’ he would be the preacher for this people!”
But Jesus only ever spoke God’s words. Unlike Hananiah, He did not presume that the yoke of sin could be easily broken, but died according to His own promise so that our yoke could be easy and our burden light.
Even so, faithful prophets seldom meet a happy end, and Jesus stirred up hate and wrath like the prophets of old by His faithful message. He was crucified by the malice of those who did not believe: the Sanhedrin, Herod, Pilate, the soldiers. Even the people who benefited from His miracles and marveled at His teaching did not (and many still do not) believe:
“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
But it is not as if the word of God has failed. On the contrary, His word is established forever:
“Heaven and Earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away.”
Everything that Jesus has said will come to pass, and will be remembered and repeated forever by all those who hear His words and love them.
Lord, sanctify us in truth; Your word is truth!