Neal Pollard
In Jeremiah 7, God sends Jeremiah to preach at the front door of the Lord’s house (2). This would have been quite a spectacle as people were entering and leaving the worship services. The crux of his message, which he repeats, was, “Amend your ways and your deeds” (3,5). Jeremiah defines what that looks like. Notice what the prophet discovered when he encountered these folks who had gone to worship.
They believed that one day of worship offset six days of unrighteousness (4,7-10). Jeremiah lists out the things they would do during the week, then have the audacity to stand before God in the temple and say, “We are delivered!” (10). The modern equivalent might be, “We’re saved, so we can do whatever we want.” Going through the motions of worship is not a substitute for righteous living. God rejects such worship and worshippers.
They took advantage of the less fortunate (5-6). Jeremiah equates injustice (5) with oppressing three classes of outcasts–the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. All of these were alone and without others to help them. Jeremiah’s brethren saw these as people to take advantage of rather than help. This drew God’s indignation! He has always had a special place of concern for the helpless, poor, and needy. He strongly disapproves of those who refuse to be compassionate toward the less fortunate.
They ignored the lessons of the past (11-15). When Israel first conquered Canaan, the tabernacle rested at Shiloh. The people became complacent and did not think it possible for their enemies to steal the ark of the covenant, but in response to their wickedness God allowed their enemies to defeat them and the ark to be taken. Now, God is saying the same thing will happen to this temple for the same reasons. They thought they were concealing their sinful lives by sheltering at the temple, but because they did not listen to God’s messengers (13) He was going to cast them out. Sometimes, we can look at people of the past and see the fruit of their actions but fail to connect the dots to our own lives.
Their families were united in idolatry (18-22). Fathers, mothers, and children each did their part to provoke God to anger by replacing Him with other gods. They did what God did not authorize and what He did not want. Their homes were aligned to forsake God. He did not have the place of honor and faithfulness He should have had.
They went backward and not forward (23-28). Sin is inevitable. We all fall short of God’s glory. But the overall trajectory and direction of our lives should be progression, not regression. But, God says they “went backward and not forward” (24). How did this happen? They did not listen, but stiffened their necks (26). They did worse than their fathers (26). They did not accept correction (28). As the result, truth perished (28).
They sacrificed their children (29-34). This was the last straw. They literally sacrificed their children. He said that He neither commanded such nor did it enter His mind (31). The world has so infected their thinking that they followed it in giving their children to its gods. Is it possible to sacrifice our children today? No, we wouldn’t think of doing so by putting them in the fire (31), but we should examine if our priorities, example, and pursuits are sacrificing them or sanctifying them.
Jeremiah had a tough assignment. To talk to his spiritual family like this and share such a message was undoubtedly wearying (see 20:9). But judgment was coming and change was necessary. The point of his sermon that day at the temple was that the God they came before in worship was the God who saw them when they left. He took as close notice over that as He did the moments of corporate gathering. What a great reminder for me! I need to be who I profess I am when assembled with the saints. The act of worship ought to be part of the transformation of my heart and my character. Worship is no substitute for righteousness.
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