Jeremiah 23:29

Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

Is not my word like as a fire? - as the "fire" consumes the "chaff," so "my word" will consume the false prophets (; ). "My word," which is "wheat" - i:e., food-to the true prophet and his hearers, is a consuming "fire" and a crushing "hammer" to false prophets and their followers (, "On whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder"). On this two-fold a power of the Gospel-word, "a savour of life" to believers, "a savour of death" to unbelievers, see . The word of the false prophets may be known by its promising men peace in sin. "My word," on the contrary, burns and breaks the hard-hearted (). The "hammer" symbolizes destructive power, (; , margin)