Why does the Lord say that the prophets “think to make my people forget my name by their dreams”?

The deceitful nature of the prophets’ message is seen in the fact that they think to make my people forget my name by their dreams. The Hebrew word used is hasab, translated here as think and it means to reckon. It is often used to describe a person’s harmful intentions (1 Samuel 18:25; Esther 9:24; Nehemiah 6:2, Nehemiah 6:6: Psalm 140:5). The prophets’ belief was that by preaching their message of peace, they would cause the people to forget that the Lord had promised judgment on those who broke the covenant. A disobedient people would easily change their minds about who the Lord is if they are told that all is well, and that the Lord will keep them safe in the land despite their disobedience.¹ The prophets themselves believe their own deception. They tell one another their dreams. They have affirmed one another in their self-deception and constructed their message together.

This is also not the first time this has happened. Rather, it is a well-established pattern with the Lord’s people. Their fathers have also forgotten the Lord’s name in exchange for Baal. Previous generations had their own false prophets who led them astray in idolatry. This also exposes the essential nature of false prophesy in Israel. The covenant itself says that any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods is a false prophet and must be put to death. It should seem obvious to the people that the faithful Lord of the covenant would not send a prophet that leads them to be unfaithful to him, but that is exactly what happened throughout Israel’s history and was certainly happening in Jeremiah’s time.