Jeremiah 38

Jeremiah 38:1

The Horror of the Enemy

The LORD foretells that the apostate people will be overrun by a ruthless people from the north, which is Babylon (Jeremiah 6:22-23). Without any mercy they will cause death and destruction around them. The impetuosity with which they come crashing in is like the roaring of the sea, from which one wave follows another. Thus it goes on incessantly. This succession of waves cannot be stopped by any human power. They ride on horses, underlining the speed of their arrival. The men are lined up for battle, indicating their determination. It is all directed against “the daughter of Zion”, indicating that Jerusalem is a desirable target for the oncoming enemy.

The mere rumor of the arrival of this enemy causes panic and paralysis, there is total dismay (Jeremiah 6:24). All courage sinks in. Their throats are constricted by fear. They feel like a woman in childbirth. There is much sorrow that cannot be stopped or undone. There is no point in fleeing, for the sword of the enemy is everywhere (Jeremiah 6:25). Wherever one looks, there are enemies everywhere. There is literally “terror … on every side”.

In Jeremiah 6:26, the LORD speaks to His people. He calls for mourning and a lamentation in view of the coming of the destroyer (cf. Jona 3:8). Their mourning should be as profound as if it were the death of an only child. The grief over the death of a child is great, the grief over an only son is extremely great because with it all hope of continuation of the lineage is lost. Therefore it must also be a “most bitter” lamentation. In this deep mourning Jeremiah identifies himself with his people. We see this in the word “us”.

The LORD connects to this (Jeremiah 6:27). He has appointed Jeremiah as one who is completely identified with the people to assay them. His fellowship with the LORD enables him to know and test the way of the people, as the LORD knows it. This presupposes careful and sometimes lengthy examination. Judgment is not pronounced suddenly, in a fit of anger. Also, He has made Jeremiah a fortress [as the word for “tester” can also be translated] for them (cf. Jeremiah 1:18-19). That is, whoever listens to him will be safe.

The conclusion of the assayer Jeremiah is that of all the apostates, his fellow citizens are the worst (Jeremiah 6:28). This concerns their attitude toward the LORD. This has implications for their relationship to their fellow citizens. They blaspheme the Name of the LORD with unprecedented harshness, “bronze and iron”, and corrupt what is good. Whatever the LORD has tried to do by His judgments to turn His people from their evil ways, it has all been in vain (Jeremiah 6:29).

We can see the bellows as a picture of the means the LORD used to bring His people to repentance. Here we can think of the speaking of the prophets and of the enemies He has sent. The bellows have been burned, they no longer work. The lead did go into the fire and the smelter did his best to melt it and thus purify it, but all effort is in vain: “The wicked are not separated.”

On the contrary, it has been shown that the whole nation is made up of bad people, that there is no one who is an exception (cf. Jeremiah 5:1). There are no bad ones to be separated out at all, because there are no good ones. The people as a whole are a base metal. Jeremiah concludes that the LORD must reject them all as unrefined silver, as worthless metal (Jeremiah 6:30). The LORD cannot do otherwise; their incorrigibility compels Him to do so.

Jeremiah 38:3

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:4

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:5

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:6

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:7

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:8

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:9

Introduction

In Jeremiah 2-4 Jeremiah spoke of family life and in Jeremiah 5-6 of political life. In this chapter he speaks of religious life.

The speeches in Jeremiah 7-10 are known as the “temple speeches”, which, incidentally, need not all have been spoken on the same occasion. They are a frontal attack on the trust the people place in the temple as the sure protection of Jerusalem against all enemies. These speeches have earned Jeremiah lasting enemies.

Jeremiah 1-6 form a unity. They contain prophecies in the days of Josiah. In Jeremiah 7 we are in a later time. The temple speech in Jeremiah 26, which many commentators believe is the same as here, is given at the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim (Jeremiah 26:1). There, the reaction to the preaching is especially highlighted. Jeremiah’s preaching has lasted about eighteen years by then, so that he is around forty years old here.

Jehoiakim is a wicked man. He undoes all the reforms of his father Josiah. He serves idols and leads a life of luxury. This man becomes one of Jeremiah’s greatest enemies. In the midst of his life filled with the satisfaction of his own pleasures, Jeremiah suddenly appears. So far we have read about Jeremiah’s preaching, but not yet of opposition, of reactions. That is going to happen here.

Jeremiah preaches against the temple itself. This is the greatest insult to the Jew. He who attacks the temple attacks the deepest being of the Jew. In this speech, then, lies the seed of the hatred that takes root ever deeper and reveals itself ever more fiercely. The deadly hatred of the Jews about this is also experienced by the Lord Jesus when He speaks of the destruction of the temple (Matthew 26:59-68).

Misplaced Trust

The word of the LORD has come to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 7:1), meaning that Jeremiah has been given a commission by the LORD. He is to stand in the gate of the temple – thus ensuring a large audience – and proclaim the word to all who go to the temple to bow down before the LORD (Jeremiah 7:2).

Jeremiah is to proclaim the word to them on behalf of “the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel” (Jeremiah 7:3). It is as if God is addressing these people in all His greatness to make clear the contrast between what they are doing and Who He is. He knows them through and through. He sees what these people are doing. It appears good, but He knows their motives, and these are not good, nor are their actions. They can be recognized today in people who, when they go to church, believe that they are not all that bad. But God knows their ways and their deeds.

He calls them to repentance. The call is simple, direct and unmistakable. The point is not to keep up appearances that they are going in good ways and doing good deeds, but to really amend their ways and deeds. If they do that, He will let them “dwell in this place”, in Jerusalem, what is not to be taken for granted. The Jews presumptuously do take that for granted. The utterance of a triple “the temple of the LORD” does show how convinced they are of the presence of the LORD in their midst in the temple (Jeremiah 7:4). They believe that because they are God’s people, they have a right to the temple, while they are totally oblivious to the God of the temple.

Jeremiah’s voice thunders against it – surely these words must have sounded like that in their ears – that a temple without Godliness is deception. He tells them that these are lying words of false prophets. They are “deceptive words”, words that sound like a mantra. A mantra is the repetition of words over and over again, giving a person the feeling that the words spoken represent reality. If you repeat something often enough, it is so, they believe.

They feel themselves God’s chosen people. They think they have nothing to fear. Time and again God has delivered His people from the power of hostile nations. Thereby they cling to the promise of the eternal kingship to David (2 Samuel 7:11-17) and the LORD’s choice of Zion as His earthly dwelling place (Psalms 132:13-16). Therefore, in their opinion, nothing can happen to the temple.

Surely under Hezekiah God also worked a great deliverance, didn’t He (2 Kings 19:32-37)? This is, of course, because of the temple that stands there, they reason. How could it ever be surrendered by God? In their superstition, they see the temple as a mascot. It is the same superstition that Hophni and Phinehas have when they take the ark as a mascot into battle against the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:3-11). They also believe that ‘of course’ God will not let the ark fall into the hands of the Philistines. How wrong they are and how wrong the people of Jerusalem are. Hypocritically they pronounce it three times that this is the temple of the LORD. That is how blinded these people are.

We see this throughout the history of professing Christianity and also in our hearts. The roman catholic church has also thought that nothing can happen to it. Then God gives the work of reformation. The Reformation has thought the same thing. We hear it also in the further reformation, when it is said by some in the so-called ‘brethren movement’: ‘The testimony of the Lord, that is us, isn’t it? The Table of the Lord is with us!’ This is repeated over and over again and people believe it absolutely. When the heart no longer abides with God’s Word and it becomes only an outward religion, God must pronounce His judgment on it. Professing Christianity teaches us that what began faithfully may continue in name, but God can no longer connect with it because it is only outward appearance.

Jeremiah shakes them up from their false security. The LORD does not accept a mere keeping of outward statutes, but true piety. He seeks and “desires truth in the innermost being” (Psalms 51:6). Jeremiah holds out to them the ways in which they can truly amend their ways and deeds (Jeremiah 7:5). For this he refers to the words of Moses, to the ancient paths, to the words of the beginning. From these he quotes three precepts. If they act on them, they can show that they are sincere before the LORD.

1. Two precepts deal with the attitude toward one’s neighbor. The first is to truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, without regard to personal interest.

2. The second is that they do not oppress the vulnerable and defenseless, with the worst outgrowth being the shedding of innocent blood, murder, “in this place”, which is the temple (Jeremiah 7:6). These are people who are easy prey for exploiters, for people who know no compassion. The LORD specifically wants His mind toward the weak in His own to be shown (Deuteronomy 14:29; Deuteronomy 16:11; Deuteronomy 24:19; Psalms 94:6; Deuteronomy 19:10-13; Deuteronomy 21:1-9). What they are doing now is diametrically opposed to this.

3. The third precept concerns their attitude toward the LORD. At the moment they still taunt Him by pursuing other gods, which brings ruin on them. When they no longer walk after other gods, they will thereby show that they are serious about serving the LORD (cf. 1 Samuel 7:3).

The LORD, when He sees these good things with them, will respond (Jeremiah 7:7). He will not then drive them out of Jerusalem and the land, but let them live there. After all, it is the land He gave their fathers. They will continue to live there, “forever and ever”, that is, always. That means that He too will dwell there.

Jeremiah 38:10

Indifferent to Live God-Fearing Lives

The sharpness of Jeremiah’s words increases. With a powerful “behold” to emphatically draw their attention to it, the LORD’s rebuke is heard once again that the words the people rely on in view of their position are deceitful and therefore it is useless to rely on them (Jeremiah 7:8; Jeremiah 7:4). They are of no use, they have no basis and do not in any way justify their actions or protect them from God’s judgment.

Their actions reveal the true condition of their heart (Jeremiah 7:9). Nothing is present with them of the conditions the LORD had set for them to live in the land forever. They are guilty of violating several of the ten commandments and yet, while living this way, they also dare to express their trust in the temple.

They are even so audacious that they dare to come into God’s house in the presence of God and say there that they are delivered (Jeremiah 7:10). The LORD emphatically points out to them that they are in fact saying that they are using their deliverance as an occasion to commit all kinds of abominations. They are misusing what they have received from the LORD by grace as an opportunity to satisfy their carnal lusts (Galatians 5:13; Jude 1:4). But grace is not a license to sin.

By their conduct they make the house of the LORD a den of robbers, where they carry on their criminal business. They think that there they are safe from other robbers who want to take the spoils from them (Jeremiah 7:11a). They have made God’s house a den of robbers, as the Lord Jesus also reproaches them (Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; cf. Isaiah 56:7). They rob the LORD of what is His due and they do the same to their neighbors. The LORD has seen all the abominations His people commit, He says emphatically (Jeremiah 7:11b). Nothing escapes Him.

Jeremiah 38:11

Indifferent to Live God-Fearing Lives

The sharpness of Jeremiah’s words increases. With a powerful “behold” to emphatically draw their attention to it, the LORD’s rebuke is heard once again that the words the people rely on in view of their position are deceitful and therefore it is useless to rely on them (Jeremiah 7:8; Jeremiah 7:4). They are of no use, they have no basis and do not in any way justify their actions or protect them from God’s judgment.

Their actions reveal the true condition of their heart (Jeremiah 7:9). Nothing is present with them of the conditions the LORD had set for them to live in the land forever. They are guilty of violating several of the ten commandments and yet, while living this way, they also dare to express their trust in the temple.

They are even so audacious that they dare to come into God’s house in the presence of God and say there that they are delivered (Jeremiah 7:10). The LORD emphatically points out to them that they are in fact saying that they are using their deliverance as an occasion to commit all kinds of abominations. They are misusing what they have received from the LORD by grace as an opportunity to satisfy their carnal lusts (Galatians 5:13; Jude 1:4). But grace is not a license to sin.

By their conduct they make the house of the LORD a den of robbers, where they carry on their criminal business. They think that there they are safe from other robbers who want to take the spoils from them (Jeremiah 7:11a). They have made God’s house a den of robbers, as the Lord Jesus also reproaches them (Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; cf. Isaiah 56:7). They rob the LORD of what is His due and they do the same to their neighbors. The LORD has seen all the abominations His people commit, He says emphatically (Jeremiah 7:11b). Nothing escapes Him.

Jeremiah 38:12

Indifferent to Live God-Fearing Lives

The sharpness of Jeremiah’s words increases. With a powerful “behold” to emphatically draw their attention to it, the LORD’s rebuke is heard once again that the words the people rely on in view of their position are deceitful and therefore it is useless to rely on them (Jeremiah 7:8; Jeremiah 7:4). They are of no use, they have no basis and do not in any way justify their actions or protect them from God’s judgment.

Their actions reveal the true condition of their heart (Jeremiah 7:9). Nothing is present with them of the conditions the LORD had set for them to live in the land forever. They are guilty of violating several of the ten commandments and yet, while living this way, they also dare to express their trust in the temple.

They are even so audacious that they dare to come into God’s house in the presence of God and say there that they are delivered (Jeremiah 7:10). The LORD emphatically points out to them that they are in fact saying that they are using their deliverance as an occasion to commit all kinds of abominations. They are misusing what they have received from the LORD by grace as an opportunity to satisfy their carnal lusts (Galatians 5:13; Jude 1:4). But grace is not a license to sin.

By their conduct they make the house of the LORD a den of robbers, where they carry on their criminal business. They think that there they are safe from other robbers who want to take the spoils from them (Jeremiah 7:11a). They have made God’s house a den of robbers, as the Lord Jesus also reproaches them (Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; cf. Isaiah 56:7). They rob the LORD of what is His due and they do the same to their neighbors. The LORD has seen all the abominations His people commit, He says emphatically (Jeremiah 7:11b). Nothing escapes Him.

Jeremiah 38:13

Indifferent to Live God-Fearing Lives

The sharpness of Jeremiah’s words increases. With a powerful “behold” to emphatically draw their attention to it, the LORD’s rebuke is heard once again that the words the people rely on in view of their position are deceitful and therefore it is useless to rely on them (Jeremiah 7:8; Jeremiah 7:4). They are of no use, they have no basis and do not in any way justify their actions or protect them from God’s judgment.

Their actions reveal the true condition of their heart (Jeremiah 7:9). Nothing is present with them of the conditions the LORD had set for them to live in the land forever. They are guilty of violating several of the ten commandments and yet, while living this way, they also dare to express their trust in the temple.

They are even so audacious that they dare to come into God’s house in the presence of God and say there that they are delivered (Jeremiah 7:10). The LORD emphatically points out to them that they are in fact saying that they are using their deliverance as an occasion to commit all kinds of abominations. They are misusing what they have received from the LORD by grace as an opportunity to satisfy their carnal lusts (Galatians 5:13; Jude 1:4). But grace is not a license to sin.

By their conduct they make the house of the LORD a den of robbers, where they carry on their criminal business. They think that there they are safe from other robbers who want to take the spoils from them (Jeremiah 7:11a). They have made God’s house a den of robbers, as the Lord Jesus also reproaches them (Matthew 21:12-13; John 2:13-17; cf. Isaiah 56:7). They rob the LORD of what is His due and they do the same to their neighbors. The LORD has seen all the abominations His people commit, He says emphatically (Jeremiah 7:11b). Nothing escapes Him.

Jeremiah 38:14

The Example of Shiloh

The LORD reminds His people of Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12). Do they think they can claim His presence because they have the temple? Then they should go to Shiloh. They will see a warning example from which we too must learn. In Shiloh, Joshua established the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1; Judges 18:31). There he divided the land by lot. There Samuel began to prophesy (1 Samuel 1:24b).

Shiloh was the religious center for 300 years, until the days of Eli and Samuel. Then God gives up His dwelling because of the wickedness of His people, although He has made His Name dwell there (Psalms 78:60-61; 1 Samuel 4:11). He will do the same with the temple, also because of their wickedness and disobedience (Jeremiah 7:13-14).

He has tried again and again to bring them to repentance by sending His messengers, His prophets to them. It has all been in vain. He has always been early in sending His prophets to them and speaking to them (Jeremiah 7:25). He has spoken again and again and He has sent again and again (Jeremiah 25:3-4). He did everything He could to bring them back to the right path, the path of blessing. However, they did not want to listen. As zealous and persistent as the LORD has been in sending and speaking, the people have been stubborn in their refusal to obey. The cause of this is their reliance on the temple of God rather than the God of the temple.

He will do to them, the two tribes, the same as He did to the ten tribes, whom He calls “all your brothers” (Jeremiah 7:15). “All the offspring of Ephraim” has been carried away by the Assyrians. The two tribes will fall into the hands of the Babylonians and be taken into exile by them. In the past Shiloh was rejected and the LORD will now reject Zion; in the past the ten tribes were taken away and the LORD will now have the two tribes taken away. That God punished deviation from Him and His Word in the past shows that God will punish deviation from Him and His Word in the present. We must learn from the past (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:6).

Jeremiah 38:15

The Example of Shiloh

The LORD reminds His people of Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12). Do they think they can claim His presence because they have the temple? Then they should go to Shiloh. They will see a warning example from which we too must learn. In Shiloh, Joshua established the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1; Judges 18:31). There he divided the land by lot. There Samuel began to prophesy (1 Samuel 1:24b).

Shiloh was the religious center for 300 years, until the days of Eli and Samuel. Then God gives up His dwelling because of the wickedness of His people, although He has made His Name dwell there (Psalms 78:60-61; 1 Samuel 4:11). He will do the same with the temple, also because of their wickedness and disobedience (Jeremiah 7:13-14).

He has tried again and again to bring them to repentance by sending His messengers, His prophets to them. It has all been in vain. He has always been early in sending His prophets to them and speaking to them (Jeremiah 7:25). He has spoken again and again and He has sent again and again (Jeremiah 25:3-4). He did everything He could to bring them back to the right path, the path of blessing. However, they did not want to listen. As zealous and persistent as the LORD has been in sending and speaking, the people have been stubborn in their refusal to obey. The cause of this is their reliance on the temple of God rather than the God of the temple.

He will do to them, the two tribes, the same as He did to the ten tribes, whom He calls “all your brothers” (Jeremiah 7:15). “All the offspring of Ephraim” has been carried away by the Assyrians. The two tribes will fall into the hands of the Babylonians and be taken into exile by them. In the past Shiloh was rejected and the LORD will now reject Zion; in the past the ten tribes were taken away and the LORD will now have the two tribes taken away. That God punished deviation from Him and His Word in the past shows that God will punish deviation from Him and His Word in the present. We must learn from the past (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:6).

Jeremiah 38:16

The Example of Shiloh

The LORD reminds His people of Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12). Do they think they can claim His presence because they have the temple? Then they should go to Shiloh. They will see a warning example from which we too must learn. In Shiloh, Joshua established the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1; Judges 18:31). There he divided the land by lot. There Samuel began to prophesy (1 Samuel 1:24b).

Shiloh was the religious center for 300 years, until the days of Eli and Samuel. Then God gives up His dwelling because of the wickedness of His people, although He has made His Name dwell there (Psalms 78:60-61; 1 Samuel 4:11). He will do the same with the temple, also because of their wickedness and disobedience (Jeremiah 7:13-14).

He has tried again and again to bring them to repentance by sending His messengers, His prophets to them. It has all been in vain. He has always been early in sending His prophets to them and speaking to them (Jeremiah 7:25). He has spoken again and again and He has sent again and again (Jeremiah 25:3-4). He did everything He could to bring them back to the right path, the path of blessing. However, they did not want to listen. As zealous and persistent as the LORD has been in sending and speaking, the people have been stubborn in their refusal to obey. The cause of this is their reliance on the temple of God rather than the God of the temple.

He will do to them, the two tribes, the same as He did to the ten tribes, whom He calls “all your brothers” (Jeremiah 7:15). “All the offspring of Ephraim” has been carried away by the Assyrians. The two tribes will fall into the hands of the Babylonians and be taken into exile by them. In the past Shiloh was rejected and the LORD will now reject Zion; in the past the ten tribes were taken away and the LORD will now have the two tribes taken away. That God punished deviation from Him and His Word in the past shows that God will punish deviation from Him and His Word in the present. We must learn from the past (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:6).

Jeremiah 38:17

The Example of Shiloh

The LORD reminds His people of Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12). Do they think they can claim His presence because they have the temple? Then they should go to Shiloh. They will see a warning example from which we too must learn. In Shiloh, Joshua established the tabernacle (Joshua 18:1; Judges 18:31). There he divided the land by lot. There Samuel began to prophesy (1 Samuel 1:24b).

Shiloh was the religious center for 300 years, until the days of Eli and Samuel. Then God gives up His dwelling because of the wickedness of His people, although He has made His Name dwell there (Psalms 78:60-61; 1 Samuel 4:11). He will do the same with the temple, also because of their wickedness and disobedience (Jeremiah 7:13-14).

He has tried again and again to bring them to repentance by sending His messengers, His prophets to them. It has all been in vain. He has always been early in sending His prophets to them and speaking to them (Jeremiah 7:25). He has spoken again and again and He has sent again and again (Jeremiah 25:3-4). He did everything He could to bring them back to the right path, the path of blessing. However, they did not want to listen. As zealous and persistent as the LORD has been in sending and speaking, the people have been stubborn in their refusal to obey. The cause of this is their reliance on the temple of God rather than the God of the temple.

He will do to them, the two tribes, the same as He did to the ten tribes, whom He calls “all your brothers” (Jeremiah 7:15). “All the offspring of Ephraim” has been carried away by the Assyrians. The two tribes will fall into the hands of the Babylonians and be taken into exile by them. In the past Shiloh was rejected and the LORD will now reject Zion; in the past the ten tribes were taken away and the LORD will now have the two tribes taken away. That God punished deviation from Him and His Word in the past shows that God will punish deviation from Him and His Word in the present. We must learn from the past (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:6).

Jeremiah 38:18

Worship of the Queen of Heaven

After the clear depiction of the people’s total disobedience, the LORD has a personal word for Jeremiah that He introduces with the words “as for you”. Jeremiah is told by the LORD not to lift up cry or prayer to Him on behalf of this people or intercede with Him for them (Jeremiah 7:16; cf. Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11-12). They are so stubborn that prayer is useless. God’s purpose is certain. Any approach to God to pray for this people is pointless.

For the true prophet, the point is not the downfall of the people, but their salvation. The true prophet, therefore, in addition to preaching judgment to the people, will at the same time also seek God’s presence in intercession on behalf of that same people (Exodus 32:10-11; Amos 7:2-3; 5-6). The fact that the LORD tells him not to intercede with Him does show strongly how earnestly and persistently the prophet prayed. The true prophet is first and foremost an intercessor. How do we look at professing Christianity on which God’s judgment is also coming? Does it make us intercessors, that many will still return to God?

The LORD tells Jeremiah to just look at what is happening in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, that is, in all of Judah and all of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:17). Is Jeremiah blind to it? Certainly not, but the LORD lets him know by this that what is happening there is too bad, too terrible to pray for anymore. It shows us the LORD’s relationship to Jeremiah. He involves him in His reasons for forbidding further intercession, so that Jeremiah will agree with Him in this.

The LORD tells Jeremiah what He sees. The whole family – children, fathers, and mothers – are committed to offering sacrifices to idols, one of which is named, “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). We find this title in the abominable idolatry of the roman catholic church, which calls Mary “the queen of heaven” [ – website visited 24-03-2022].

When the children come home, the fathers are ready to set fire to the gathered wood. At the same time, the women are busy kneading dough to make sacrificial cakes. They also pour out drink offerings for other gods. A drink offering indicates joy. They rejoice in their demon-driven worship.

How awful that must be for the LORD! How this puts Him to the side and defies Him. How could it be otherwise than that what they are doing brings Him to anger. Not only that, but they do it to their own shame (Jeremiah 7:19). People who sin always put themselves to shame. Sin may give a temporary pleasure, but it always ends in bitter, endless suffering if sin is not broken with prematurely through repentance and conversion.

Sin affects everything, the whole area where it happens (Jeremiah 7:20; cf. Romans 8:20-22). Therefore, God’s inescapable, purifying judgment must come on it all. God will pour out His “anger” and His “wrath” in full force over all, with no end in sight: they “will burn and not be quenched”. God’s wrath against sin has come to an end for all who believe in the sacrifice of His Son. However, whoever dies in his sin, on him the wrath of God abides forever (John 3:36).

Jeremiah 38:19

Worship of the Queen of Heaven

After the clear depiction of the people’s total disobedience, the LORD has a personal word for Jeremiah that He introduces with the words “as for you”. Jeremiah is told by the LORD not to lift up cry or prayer to Him on behalf of this people or intercede with Him for them (Jeremiah 7:16; cf. Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11-12). They are so stubborn that prayer is useless. God’s purpose is certain. Any approach to God to pray for this people is pointless.

For the true prophet, the point is not the downfall of the people, but their salvation. The true prophet, therefore, in addition to preaching judgment to the people, will at the same time also seek God’s presence in intercession on behalf of that same people (Exodus 32:10-11; Amos 7:2-3; 5-6). The fact that the LORD tells him not to intercede with Him does show strongly how earnestly and persistently the prophet prayed. The true prophet is first and foremost an intercessor. How do we look at professing Christianity on which God’s judgment is also coming? Does it make us intercessors, that many will still return to God?

The LORD tells Jeremiah to just look at what is happening in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, that is, in all of Judah and all of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:17). Is Jeremiah blind to it? Certainly not, but the LORD lets him know by this that what is happening there is too bad, too terrible to pray for anymore. It shows us the LORD’s relationship to Jeremiah. He involves him in His reasons for forbidding further intercession, so that Jeremiah will agree with Him in this.

The LORD tells Jeremiah what He sees. The whole family – children, fathers, and mothers – are committed to offering sacrifices to idols, one of which is named, “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). We find this title in the abominable idolatry of the roman catholic church, which calls Mary “the queen of heaven” [ – website visited 24-03-2022].

When the children come home, the fathers are ready to set fire to the gathered wood. At the same time, the women are busy kneading dough to make sacrificial cakes. They also pour out drink offerings for other gods. A drink offering indicates joy. They rejoice in their demon-driven worship.

How awful that must be for the LORD! How this puts Him to the side and defies Him. How could it be otherwise than that what they are doing brings Him to anger. Not only that, but they do it to their own shame (Jeremiah 7:19). People who sin always put themselves to shame. Sin may give a temporary pleasure, but it always ends in bitter, endless suffering if sin is not broken with prematurely through repentance and conversion.

Sin affects everything, the whole area where it happens (Jeremiah 7:20; cf. Romans 8:20-22). Therefore, God’s inescapable, purifying judgment must come on it all. God will pour out His “anger” and His “wrath” in full force over all, with no end in sight: they “will burn and not be quenched”. God’s wrath against sin has come to an end for all who believe in the sacrifice of His Son. However, whoever dies in his sin, on him the wrath of God abides forever (John 3:36).

Jeremiah 38:20

Worship of the Queen of Heaven

After the clear depiction of the people’s total disobedience, the LORD has a personal word for Jeremiah that He introduces with the words “as for you”. Jeremiah is told by the LORD not to lift up cry or prayer to Him on behalf of this people or intercede with Him for them (Jeremiah 7:16; cf. Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11-12). They are so stubborn that prayer is useless. God’s purpose is certain. Any approach to God to pray for this people is pointless.

For the true prophet, the point is not the downfall of the people, but their salvation. The true prophet, therefore, in addition to preaching judgment to the people, will at the same time also seek God’s presence in intercession on behalf of that same people (Exodus 32:10-11; Amos 7:2-3; 5-6). The fact that the LORD tells him not to intercede with Him does show strongly how earnestly and persistently the prophet prayed. The true prophet is first and foremost an intercessor. How do we look at professing Christianity on which God’s judgment is also coming? Does it make us intercessors, that many will still return to God?

The LORD tells Jeremiah to just look at what is happening in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, that is, in all of Judah and all of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:17). Is Jeremiah blind to it? Certainly not, but the LORD lets him know by this that what is happening there is too bad, too terrible to pray for anymore. It shows us the LORD’s relationship to Jeremiah. He involves him in His reasons for forbidding further intercession, so that Jeremiah will agree with Him in this.

The LORD tells Jeremiah what He sees. The whole family – children, fathers, and mothers – are committed to offering sacrifices to idols, one of which is named, “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). We find this title in the abominable idolatry of the roman catholic church, which calls Mary “the queen of heaven” [ – website visited 24-03-2022].

When the children come home, the fathers are ready to set fire to the gathered wood. At the same time, the women are busy kneading dough to make sacrificial cakes. They also pour out drink offerings for other gods. A drink offering indicates joy. They rejoice in their demon-driven worship.

How awful that must be for the LORD! How this puts Him to the side and defies Him. How could it be otherwise than that what they are doing brings Him to anger. Not only that, but they do it to their own shame (Jeremiah 7:19). People who sin always put themselves to shame. Sin may give a temporary pleasure, but it always ends in bitter, endless suffering if sin is not broken with prematurely through repentance and conversion.

Sin affects everything, the whole area where it happens (Jeremiah 7:20; cf. Romans 8:20-22). Therefore, God’s inescapable, purifying judgment must come on it all. God will pour out His “anger” and His “wrath” in full force over all, with no end in sight: they “will burn and not be quenched”. God’s wrath against sin has come to an end for all who believe in the sacrifice of His Son. However, whoever dies in his sin, on him the wrath of God abides forever (John 3:36).

Jeremiah 38:21

Worship of the Queen of Heaven

After the clear depiction of the people’s total disobedience, the LORD has a personal word for Jeremiah that He introduces with the words “as for you”. Jeremiah is told by the LORD not to lift up cry or prayer to Him on behalf of this people or intercede with Him for them (Jeremiah 7:16; cf. Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11-12). They are so stubborn that prayer is useless. God’s purpose is certain. Any approach to God to pray for this people is pointless.

For the true prophet, the point is not the downfall of the people, but their salvation. The true prophet, therefore, in addition to preaching judgment to the people, will at the same time also seek God’s presence in intercession on behalf of that same people (Exodus 32:10-11; Amos 7:2-3; 5-6). The fact that the LORD tells him not to intercede with Him does show strongly how earnestly and persistently the prophet prayed. The true prophet is first and foremost an intercessor. How do we look at professing Christianity on which God’s judgment is also coming? Does it make us intercessors, that many will still return to God?

The LORD tells Jeremiah to just look at what is happening in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, that is, in all of Judah and all of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:17). Is Jeremiah blind to it? Certainly not, but the LORD lets him know by this that what is happening there is too bad, too terrible to pray for anymore. It shows us the LORD’s relationship to Jeremiah. He involves him in His reasons for forbidding further intercession, so that Jeremiah will agree with Him in this.

The LORD tells Jeremiah what He sees. The whole family – children, fathers, and mothers – are committed to offering sacrifices to idols, one of which is named, “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). We find this title in the abominable idolatry of the roman catholic church, which calls Mary “the queen of heaven” [ – website visited 24-03-2022].

When the children come home, the fathers are ready to set fire to the gathered wood. At the same time, the women are busy kneading dough to make sacrificial cakes. They also pour out drink offerings for other gods. A drink offering indicates joy. They rejoice in their demon-driven worship.

How awful that must be for the LORD! How this puts Him to the side and defies Him. How could it be otherwise than that what they are doing brings Him to anger. Not only that, but they do it to their own shame (Jeremiah 7:19). People who sin always put themselves to shame. Sin may give a temporary pleasure, but it always ends in bitter, endless suffering if sin is not broken with prematurely through repentance and conversion.

Sin affects everything, the whole area where it happens (Jeremiah 7:20; cf. Romans 8:20-22). Therefore, God’s inescapable, purifying judgment must come on it all. God will pour out His “anger” and His “wrath” in full force over all, with no end in sight: they “will burn and not be quenched”. God’s wrath against sin has come to an end for all who believe in the sacrifice of His Son. However, whoever dies in his sin, on him the wrath of God abides forever (John 3:36).

Jeremiah 38:22

Worship of the Queen of Heaven

After the clear depiction of the people’s total disobedience, the LORD has a personal word for Jeremiah that He introduces with the words “as for you”. Jeremiah is told by the LORD not to lift up cry or prayer to Him on behalf of this people or intercede with Him for them (Jeremiah 7:16; cf. Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:11-12). They are so stubborn that prayer is useless. God’s purpose is certain. Any approach to God to pray for this people is pointless.

For the true prophet, the point is not the downfall of the people, but their salvation. The true prophet, therefore, in addition to preaching judgment to the people, will at the same time also seek God’s presence in intercession on behalf of that same people (Exodus 32:10-11; Amos 7:2-3; 5-6). The fact that the LORD tells him not to intercede with Him does show strongly how earnestly and persistently the prophet prayed. The true prophet is first and foremost an intercessor. How do we look at professing Christianity on which God’s judgment is also coming? Does it make us intercessors, that many will still return to God?

The LORD tells Jeremiah to just look at what is happening in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, that is, in all of Judah and all of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:17). Is Jeremiah blind to it? Certainly not, but the LORD lets him know by this that what is happening there is too bad, too terrible to pray for anymore. It shows us the LORD’s relationship to Jeremiah. He involves him in His reasons for forbidding further intercession, so that Jeremiah will agree with Him in this.

The LORD tells Jeremiah what He sees. The whole family – children, fathers, and mothers – are committed to offering sacrifices to idols, one of which is named, “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). We find this title in the abominable idolatry of the roman catholic church, which calls Mary “the queen of heaven” [ – website visited 24-03-2022].

When the children come home, the fathers are ready to set fire to the gathered wood. At the same time, the women are busy kneading dough to make sacrificial cakes. They also pour out drink offerings for other gods. A drink offering indicates joy. They rejoice in their demon-driven worship.

How awful that must be for the LORD! How this puts Him to the side and defies Him. How could it be otherwise than that what they are doing brings Him to anger. Not only that, but they do it to their own shame (Jeremiah 7:19). People who sin always put themselves to shame. Sin may give a temporary pleasure, but it always ends in bitter, endless suffering if sin is not broken with prematurely through repentance and conversion.

Sin affects everything, the whole area where it happens (Jeremiah 7:20; cf. Romans 8:20-22). Therefore, God’s inescapable, purifying judgment must come on it all. God will pour out His “anger” and His “wrath” in full force over all, with no end in sight: they “will burn and not be quenched”. God’s wrath against sin has come to an end for all who believe in the sacrifice of His Son. However, whoever dies in his sin, on him the wrath of God abides forever (John 3:36).

Jeremiah 38:23

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

After the flaming condemnation of their idolatry, a word about offering sacrifices follows (Jeremiah 7:21). In light of the above, this is an ironic word. The people are said that it is good to continue bringing their sacrifices and let them eat from it. Let them even add their burnt offerings to it. It will caress their religious feelings and also give them a nice feeling in the stomach. They will have fulfilled their religious duties nicely and will not have become worse off themselves.

But let them also remember that the LORD said nothing about such a sacrificial service to their fathers or commanded anything about it when He led them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 7:22). He did not speak of sacrifices at Sinai, when He gave them His law, but only of obedience. Only after that did He speak of sacrifices. It must be in that order.

Sacrifices only have value if they go hand in hand with a walk in obedience to God’s commandments. That is what the LORD is all about. He has not prescribed sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices as such, but always in connection with an obedient heart. If a wayward life is led, He hates those sacrifices. He is pleased with obedience more than sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Psalms 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22).

He has spoken of obedience and the blessing that comes with it, that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 7:23). If they would go the way He has commanded them, they would prosper. However, they did not listen, but walked according to the promptings of their hard, depraved heart (Jeremiah 7:24). Instead of going forward they have gone backward. The LORD has done everything possible to make His people walk in the right way and in the right direction.

From the very beginning, He has sent His prophets every day to point out to His people that obedience to Him is the way of blessing (Jeremiah 7:25). He left nothing unused to point them to that path. But the people did not listen and even made it worse than their fathers (Jeremiah 7:26).

Jeremiah 38:24

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

After the flaming condemnation of their idolatry, a word about offering sacrifices follows (Jeremiah 7:21). In light of the above, this is an ironic word. The people are said that it is good to continue bringing their sacrifices and let them eat from it. Let them even add their burnt offerings to it. It will caress their religious feelings and also give them a nice feeling in the stomach. They will have fulfilled their religious duties nicely and will not have become worse off themselves.

But let them also remember that the LORD said nothing about such a sacrificial service to their fathers or commanded anything about it when He led them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 7:22). He did not speak of sacrifices at Sinai, when He gave them His law, but only of obedience. Only after that did He speak of sacrifices. It must be in that order.

Sacrifices only have value if they go hand in hand with a walk in obedience to God’s commandments. That is what the LORD is all about. He has not prescribed sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices as such, but always in connection with an obedient heart. If a wayward life is led, He hates those sacrifices. He is pleased with obedience more than sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Psalms 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22).

He has spoken of obedience and the blessing that comes with it, that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 7:23). If they would go the way He has commanded them, they would prosper. However, they did not listen, but walked according to the promptings of their hard, depraved heart (Jeremiah 7:24). Instead of going forward they have gone backward. The LORD has done everything possible to make His people walk in the right way and in the right direction.

From the very beginning, He has sent His prophets every day to point out to His people that obedience to Him is the way of blessing (Jeremiah 7:25). He left nothing unused to point them to that path. But the people did not listen and even made it worse than their fathers (Jeremiah 7:26).

Jeremiah 38:25

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

After the flaming condemnation of their idolatry, a word about offering sacrifices follows (Jeremiah 7:21). In light of the above, this is an ironic word. The people are said that it is good to continue bringing their sacrifices and let them eat from it. Let them even add their burnt offerings to it. It will caress their religious feelings and also give them a nice feeling in the stomach. They will have fulfilled their religious duties nicely and will not have become worse off themselves.

But let them also remember that the LORD said nothing about such a sacrificial service to their fathers or commanded anything about it when He led them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 7:22). He did not speak of sacrifices at Sinai, when He gave them His law, but only of obedience. Only after that did He speak of sacrifices. It must be in that order.

Sacrifices only have value if they go hand in hand with a walk in obedience to God’s commandments. That is what the LORD is all about. He has not prescribed sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices as such, but always in connection with an obedient heart. If a wayward life is led, He hates those sacrifices. He is pleased with obedience more than sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Psalms 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22).

He has spoken of obedience and the blessing that comes with it, that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 7:23). If they would go the way He has commanded them, they would prosper. However, they did not listen, but walked according to the promptings of their hard, depraved heart (Jeremiah 7:24). Instead of going forward they have gone backward. The LORD has done everything possible to make His people walk in the right way and in the right direction.

From the very beginning, He has sent His prophets every day to point out to His people that obedience to Him is the way of blessing (Jeremiah 7:25). He left nothing unused to point them to that path. But the people did not listen and even made it worse than their fathers (Jeremiah 7:26).

Jeremiah 38:26

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

After the flaming condemnation of their idolatry, a word about offering sacrifices follows (Jeremiah 7:21). In light of the above, this is an ironic word. The people are said that it is good to continue bringing their sacrifices and let them eat from it. Let them even add their burnt offerings to it. It will caress their religious feelings and also give them a nice feeling in the stomach. They will have fulfilled their religious duties nicely and will not have become worse off themselves.

But let them also remember that the LORD said nothing about such a sacrificial service to their fathers or commanded anything about it when He led them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 7:22). He did not speak of sacrifices at Sinai, when He gave them His law, but only of obedience. Only after that did He speak of sacrifices. It must be in that order.

Sacrifices only have value if they go hand in hand with a walk in obedience to God’s commandments. That is what the LORD is all about. He has not prescribed sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices as such, but always in connection with an obedient heart. If a wayward life is led, He hates those sacrifices. He is pleased with obedience more than sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Psalms 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22).

He has spoken of obedience and the blessing that comes with it, that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 7:23). If they would go the way He has commanded them, they would prosper. However, they did not listen, but walked according to the promptings of their hard, depraved heart (Jeremiah 7:24). Instead of going forward they have gone backward. The LORD has done everything possible to make His people walk in the right way and in the right direction.

From the very beginning, He has sent His prophets every day to point out to His people that obedience to Him is the way of blessing (Jeremiah 7:25). He left nothing unused to point them to that path. But the people did not listen and even made it worse than their fathers (Jeremiah 7:26).

Jeremiah 38:27

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

After the flaming condemnation of their idolatry, a word about offering sacrifices follows (Jeremiah 7:21). In light of the above, this is an ironic word. The people are said that it is good to continue bringing their sacrifices and let them eat from it. Let them even add their burnt offerings to it. It will caress their religious feelings and also give them a nice feeling in the stomach. They will have fulfilled their religious duties nicely and will not have become worse off themselves.

But let them also remember that the LORD said nothing about such a sacrificial service to their fathers or commanded anything about it when He led them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 7:22). He did not speak of sacrifices at Sinai, when He gave them His law, but only of obedience. Only after that did He speak of sacrifices. It must be in that order.

Sacrifices only have value if they go hand in hand with a walk in obedience to God’s commandments. That is what the LORD is all about. He has not prescribed sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices as such, but always in connection with an obedient heart. If a wayward life is led, He hates those sacrifices. He is pleased with obedience more than sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Psalms 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22).

He has spoken of obedience and the blessing that comes with it, that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 7:23). If they would go the way He has commanded them, they would prosper. However, they did not listen, but walked according to the promptings of their hard, depraved heart (Jeremiah 7:24). Instead of going forward they have gone backward. The LORD has done everything possible to make His people walk in the right way and in the right direction.

From the very beginning, He has sent His prophets every day to point out to His people that obedience to Him is the way of blessing (Jeremiah 7:25). He left nothing unused to point them to that path. But the people did not listen and even made it worse than their fathers (Jeremiah 7:26).

Jeremiah 38:28

To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice

After the flaming condemnation of their idolatry, a word about offering sacrifices follows (Jeremiah 7:21). In light of the above, this is an ironic word. The people are said that it is good to continue bringing their sacrifices and let them eat from it. Let them even add their burnt offerings to it. It will caress their religious feelings and also give them a nice feeling in the stomach. They will have fulfilled their religious duties nicely and will not have become worse off themselves.

But let them also remember that the LORD said nothing about such a sacrificial service to their fathers or commanded anything about it when He led them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 7:22). He did not speak of sacrifices at Sinai, when He gave them His law, but only of obedience. Only after that did He speak of sacrifices. It must be in that order.

Sacrifices only have value if they go hand in hand with a walk in obedience to God’s commandments. That is what the LORD is all about. He has not prescribed sacrifices for the sake of sacrifices as such, but always in connection with an obedient heart. If a wayward life is led, He hates those sacrifices. He is pleased with obedience more than sacrifices (Hosea 6:6; Psalms 51:16-17; 1 Samuel 15:22).

He has spoken of obedience and the blessing that comes with it, that He will be their God and they will be His people (Jeremiah 7:23). If they would go the way He has commanded them, they would prosper. However, they did not listen, but walked according to the promptings of their hard, depraved heart (Jeremiah 7:24). Instead of going forward they have gone backward. The LORD has done everything possible to make His people walk in the right way and in the right direction.

From the very beginning, He has sent His prophets every day to point out to His people that obedience to Him is the way of blessing (Jeremiah 7:25). He left nothing unused to point them to that path. But the people did not listen and even made it worse than their fathers (Jeremiah 7:26).