Jeremiah 23:9
“Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken. All my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Yahweh, and because of his holy words.”
What does Jeremiah 23:9 mean?
Jeremiah is overwhelmed by the weight of God's message he's been called to deliver. He's not physically drunk, but emotionally and spiritually shaken to his core by the burden of warning people about their unfaithfulness and coming judgment. This is his honest admission that carrying God's word isn't a comfortable or easy thing, even for a prophet. His brokenness shows us that when we truly encounter God's holiness and see how far people have strayed from it, we can't help but be moved with deep concern for those we care about.