Jeremiah 7

CHAPTER 7

False Religion Worthless (7:1–29)

1–8 These next four chapters are made up of a series of messages that Jeremiah delivered at the gate of the temple in Jerusalem (verse 2), possibly in the latter part of Josiah’s reign. These messages of judgment, delivered in such a public manner, gradually caused the people to turn against Jeremiah.

The people had made a serious error: they thought that because God’s temple was located in Jerusalem He wouldn’t let the city be destroyed. Indeed, for the people, the temple had become an idol; they were worshiping the temple of the Lord, not the Lord of the temple. By repeating the words “temple of the LORD” over and over (verse 4), they thought they could ward off danger (see Matthew 6:7). But they were mistaken. Centuries earlier (before the Jerusalem temple was built), the Lord’s tabernacle had been located at Shiloh (Joshua 18:1), and at that time the Lord allowed Shiloh to be destroyed—even though the tabernacle was there⁴⁰ (see verse 12).

Jeremiah’s message was simple: the Lord has no use for merely external religion—buildings, rituals, the traditions of men; what the Lord wants are godly ways and actions (verses 3,5). Only if the people avoid all injustice and idolatry will they be allowed to continue living in Judah and Jerusalem (verses 6–7). But so far, they have preferred to believe the deceptive words of the false prophets rather than the words of God delivered through His prophet Jeremiah (see Jeremiah 6:13–14; 2 Timothy 4:3–4).

9–11 In verse 9, the Lord mentions the breaking of five out of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:3,13–16); if the people break God’s law in this way, how can they expect to be safe—even if the temple is located in their city? They are no better off than robbers who hide in caves for safety; sooner or later they will be caught (verse 11).

12–15 Shiloh had been destroyed four centuries earlier during the period of the judges, probably following the events described in 1 Samuel 4:1–11. Because of the wickedness of the people in Jeremiah’s time, the Lord was again ready to destroy His temple and His holy city—just as He had destroyed Shiloh (verse14). Then He would thrust the people from His presence and send them into exile, just as He had done to the people of Ephraim⁴¹ (verse 15).

16–20 The Lord instructs Jeremiah not to pray for the people of Judah (verse 16): it is too late; the Lord’s patience has come to an end. The people are too hardened to repent; whole families worship false gods, including the Queen of Heaven, a Babylonian goddess (verse 18). But by provoking the Lord to anger it’s not the Lord they are harming but themselves (verse 19), because the Lord’s wrath is about to be poured out on the entire land (verse 20).

21–26 In these verses the Lord again highlights the worthlessness of sacrifices offered by those who are disobedient (see Jeremiah 6:20). There is no point in their offering the sacrificed meat to the Lord; they might as well eat it themselves! (verse 21). The only sacrifice acceptable to the Lord is one that is offered with a repentant and obedient heart (Isaiah 1:10–17).

When God established His covenant with Israel at Sinai, He didn’t only give the people laws about burnt offerings (see Leviticus 1:1–17); before He even gave any laws, He made it clear that the people would need to obey Him fully (Exodus 19:5). If they obeyed Him, then He would be their God and they would be His people (see Genesis 17:7–8; Leviticus 26:11–12). But over the course of their history the Israelites had not obeyed God, in spite of His repeated efforts to warn them; instead, they had become more and more evil (verses 24–26). In verse 26, God calls them stiff–necked, like oxen that resist the yoke and insist on going their own way (see Exodus 32:9; Acts 7:51).

27–29 Here the Lord tells Jeremiah that the people will refuse to listen to him, but let him not lose heart. From the start, the Lord had told Jeremiah he would face opposition (Jeremiah 1:18–19); now it is going to happen. Because the nation has not obeyed the Lord, Jeremiah is to say to the people: “Cut off your hair (in mourning), because the Lord has rejected . . . this generation” (verse 29).

The Valley of Slaughter (7:30–34)

30–34 The Lord says (through Jeremiah) that the people have set up idols right inside the temple—“the house that bears my Name!” (verse 30). This was the greatest insult to God the people could have given (2 Kings 21:5,7). Not only that, says the Lord, they have also set up the high places of Topheth—pagan shrines used for the worship of Molech, the god to whom children were sacrificed by fire⁴² (verse 31). The law strictly forbade child sacrifice (Leviticus 18:21), and King Josiah had tried to put an end to it (2 Kings 23:10); however, the practice began again after Josiah’s death.

Therefore, says the Lord, this place where children have been slaughtered will be the very place the carcasses of Jerusalem’s people will be thrown after the Babylonian invasion; it will be called the Valley of Slaughter (verse 32). There will be no one left to chase the birds and beasts away from the unburied bodies, for the land will be desolate⁴³ (see Leviticus 26:31–33).