September 28, 2011
Jeremiah stands in the gate of the Temple and says: "Change your lives and do what is right!" Don't believe that just because you come to the Temple of the LORD you can continue to live as you have. That is a lie! "You must change your lives and do what is right." You must be fair in all your doings. You must not be hard on strangers, or widows and orphans. Don't be accusing or harming innocent people. Don't try to take things in your own hands and follow "gods" of your own doing. IF—you change your lives, THEN—I will let you live in this land. But instead, you are trusting in lies.
Don't you see this is useless? Will you continue to steal, murder, and be guilty of adultery? Will you still falsely accuse other people? Will you still believe in your "god" of wealth? Surely you know. (Jeremiah 5:22 - "Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD. "Should you not tremble in my presence?") Surely you understand that you should fear the LORD. Do you really think you can continue to "act" the part and get away with it? Do you think you can come into this temple and stand before me in the place I have chosen and think, "We are safe!" when you do the very things I say I hate? Do you really think you can abuse "grace" in that way? Grace that I have so freely given? Do you not understand that you are nailing me to the cross over and over again (Hebrews 6:4–8) by refusing to change your lives and continuing to do the very things I hate? You "playing the part" is nothing more than using me as a hideout while you continue to rob others.
Jeremiah 7:11b - "I have been watching you, says the LORD."
Oh my goodness! Can it get any clearer than that? But Jeremiah doesn't stop there. He goes on. You think you are safe? Go look at Shiloh. Shiloh—the first place I set aside as a place where I was to be worshiped. Look what I did to that place because of the evil being done by the people. You are doing the same evil things. I've spoken to you again and again, but you won't listen. I've called and called, but you won't answer. You trust in the "place." You trust in the fact that you "call" yourself a Christian and you think you will be safe even though you continue to do the things I hate. Look at Shiloh. I destroyed it, and I will do the same now. Jeremiah 7:15 - "I will push you away from me."
Wow! Instead of obeying and trusting God, they trusted in the "place." Going to church and being religious—while continuing to do the things God hates and abusing His grace. God wants none of those things. He wants the surrendering of our will to His. He wants our obedience. He will not accept being our "god" in addition to other gods in our lives. (Exodus 20:23)
God says, Jeremiah—I'm asking you to send this message, but their response to it is not your responsibility. Don't cry out for me to help them. Don't you see what they are doing? The sins are being passed from generation to generation. They aren't hurting me, Jeremiah. They are hurting themselves.
Jeremiah 7:19-20 - "They are only hurting themselves and bringing shame upon themselves. So this is what the LORD God says: I will pour out my anger... my anger will be like a hot fire that no one can put out."
Next Entry: Jeremiah 7:1 – 10:25 (Continued)
Jeremiah stands in the gate of the Temple and says: "Change your lives and do what is right!" Don't believe that just because you come to the Temple of the LORD you can continue to live as you have. That is a lie! "You must change your lives and do what is right." You must be fair in all your doings. You must not be hard on strangers, or widows and orphans. Don't be accusing or harming innocent people. Don't try to take things in your own hands and follow "gods" of your own doing. IF—you change your lives, THEN—I will let you live in this land. But instead, you are trusting in lies.
Don't you see this is useless? Will you continue to steal, murder, and be guilty of adultery? Will you still falsely accuse other people? Will you still believe in your "god" of wealth? Surely you know. (Jeremiah 5:22 - "Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD. "Should you not tremble in my presence?") Surely you understand that you should fear the LORD. Do you really think you can continue to "act" the part and get away with it? Do you think you can come into this temple and stand before me in the place I have chosen and think, "We are safe!" when you do the very things I say I hate? Do you really think you can abuse "grace" in that way? Grace that I have so freely given? Do you not understand that you are nailing me to the cross over and over again (Hebrews 6:4–8) by refusing to change your lives and continuing to do the very things I hate? You "playing the part" is nothing more than using me as a hideout while you continue to rob others.
Jeremiah 7:11b - "I have been watching you, says the LORD."
Oh my goodness! Can it get any clearer than that? But Jeremiah doesn't stop there. He goes on. You think you are safe? Go look at Shiloh. Shiloh—the first place I set aside as a place where I was to be worshiped. Look what I did to that place because of the evil being done by the people. You are doing the same evil things. I've spoken to you again and again, but you won't listen. I've called and called, but you won't answer. You trust in the "place." You trust in the fact that you "call" yourself a Christian and you think you will be safe even though you continue to do the things I hate. Look at Shiloh. I destroyed it, and I will do the same now. Jeremiah 7:15 - "I will push you away from me."
Wow! Instead of obeying and trusting God, they trusted in the "place." Going to church and being religious—while continuing to do the things God hates and abusing His grace. God wants none of those things. He wants the surrendering of our will to His. He wants our obedience. He will not accept being our "god" in addition to other gods in our lives. (Exodus 20:23)
God says, Jeremiah—I'm asking you to send this message, but their response to it is not your responsibility. Don't cry out for me to help them. Don't you see what they are doing? The sins are being passed from generation to generation. They aren't hurting me, Jeremiah. They are hurting themselves.
Jeremiah 7:19-20 - "They are only hurting themselves and bringing shame upon themselves. So this is what the LORD God says: I will pour out my anger... my anger will be like a hot fire that no one can put out."
Next Entry: Jeremiah 7:1 – 10:25 (Continued)
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