The Oracle of 'Deaf-I'

Aim: To hunger for God's Word; and to treasure its genuineness.

Doctrine: When everyone is a ''God''-spokesman, no one benefits. God's true Word gets diluted, and God's revelation gets hindered.

Exegesis: The way God deals with usurpers of His ministry: He withholds Himself from them (vv. 33-34); He mocks their foolishness (vv. 35-36); He punishes their disobedience (vv. 37-40).

Further application: The godly person's attitude toward this subject: ''I will submit myself to God's ordained means, and I will revere the authentic Word of God.''

Key verse: v. 36 ''And the oracle of the LORD you shall mention no more. For every man's word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God.''