Jeremiah 28:5-9

It is hardly possible to conceive, what were the feelings of Jeremiah upon this occasion. He could not indeed, but know in himself, that what Hananiah had said, must be false; but yet from the natural unbelief that is by nature in every man's heart, he might for the moment, be tempted to doubt, whether the Lord had not indeed sent Hananiah. Besides the heart of Jeremiah as well as the hearts of all the people, naturally leaned to a wish, that what Hananiah had prophesied might prove true. So that under these circumstances, Jeremiah no doubt felt himself most dreadfully exercised. And as the false prophet Hananiah had very artfully referred the decision of his prophecy to two full years; of consequence, if the matter rested upon the event, before it could be determined, the minds of the people would not be enabled to discover, on which side the truth was, until the period had fully run out. Ministers of Jesus in the present hour, as well as the faithful Prophets of old, know what it is to be so exercised.