And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. (Jeremiah 28:15 ESV)
Knowing
The people living during the time of Jeremiah and Hananiah were probably confused and concerned. BOTH prophets presented messages, and these messages contradicted each other. Hananiah encouraged the people that God would never forsake them, even in the face of the mighty Babylonian Empire.
Jeremiah challenged to people to repent of their pride, and trust that the One True Living God would do what the people truly needed.
How could they decide?
It must have been hard… we know the answer, because we have the Word of God declaring what was true, and what happened. But they did not have that, yet. They had to discern on their own. And for the most part, they chose poorly.
But what about us?
We, too, hear conflicting messages.
But we have the Words of Jesus Himself to discern other messages.
If the message does not point to Christ Jesus, that message is questionable. If any message directs us to trust in other things (the state, our abilities, our knowledge) than Christ alone, those messages are questionable. If messages give us hope in ourselves, our history, our own understanding, leave those messages behind.
Christ is necessary because HE is the way, the truth, and the life. Truth is find only in Christ, and Him crucified. HE is the litmus test of truth.
We need Him for that.