Message at the temple gate

Setting the stage

Setting the timeline: This is set during late 7th century, early 6th century BC. Most will credit it to during the reign of King Jehoiakim (609-598 BC).

Location: it is at the gate of the Lord’s house (temple). You will see that in (v.2).

Audience: the people of Judah entering the temple to worship. So, this will include priests, leaders and regular worshippers.

Theme: There is a problem with the worship. They are trusting in the house of the Lord and not the Lord of the house. It points again to true repentance is needed, that God rejects superficial religion.

Noteable cross reference: in (v.11) is repeated by Jesus (Mt21:12-13)

God calls His people to true repentance not acts of religion, outward religion or the temple does not save, and it does not save today either. I think you, one more time will see the dire need for repentance again.

Our reading

Jeremiah 7:1–2 NASB95

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house and proclaim there this word and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the Lord!’ ”

Jeremiah 7:3–4 NASB95

3 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. 4 “Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’

Jeremiah 7:5–6 NASB95

5 “For if you truly amend your ways and your deeds, if you truly practice justice between a man and his neighbor, 6 if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, or the widow, and do not shed innocent blood in this place, nor walk after other gods to your own ruin,

Jeremiah 7:7–8 NASB95

7 then I will let you dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers forever and ever. 8 “Behold, you are trusting in deceptive words to no avail.

Jeremiah 7:9–10 NASB95

9 “Will you steal, murder, and commit adultery and swear falsely, and offer sacrifices to Baal and walk after other gods that you have not known, 10 then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are delivered!’—that you may do all these abominations?

Jeremiah 7:11–12 NASB95

11 “Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your sight? Behold, I, even I, have seen it,” declares the Lord. 12 “But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I made My name dwell at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel.

Jeremiah 7:13–14 NASB95

13 “And now, because you have done all these things,” declares the Lord, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear, and I called you but you did not answer, 14 therefore, I will do to the house which is called by My name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.

Jeremiah 7:15–16 NASB95

15 “I will cast you out of My sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, all the offspring of Ephraim. 16 “As for you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up cry or prayer for them, and do not intercede with Me; for I do not hear you.

Jeremiah 7:17–18 NASB95

17 “Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 “The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me.

Jeremiah 7:19–20 NASB95

19 “Do they spite Me?” declares the Lord. “Is it not themselves they spite, to their own shame?” 20 Therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.”

Jeremiah 7:21–22 NASB95

21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat flesh. 22 “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Jeremiah 7:23–24 NASB95

23 “But this is what I commanded them, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you will be My people; and you will walk in all the way which I command you, that it may be well with you.’ 24 “Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

Jeremiah 7:25–26 NASB95

25 “Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have sent you all My servants the prophets, daily rising early and sending them. 26 “Yet they did not listen to Me or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck; they did more evil than their fathers.

Jeremiah 7:27–28 NASB95

27 “You shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you; and you shall call to them, but they will not answer you. 28 “You shall say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or accept correction; truth has perished and has been cut off from their mouth.

Jeremiah 7:29–30 NASB95

29 ‘Cut off your hair and cast it away, And take up a lamentation on the bare heights; For the Lord has rejected and forsaken The generation of His wrath.’ 30 “For the sons of Judah have done that which is evil in My sight,” declares the Lord, “they have set their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.

Jeremiah 7:31–32 NASB95

31 “They have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, and it did not come into My mind. 32 “Therefore, behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of the Slaughter; for they will bury in Topheth because there is no other place.

Jeremiah 7:33–34 NASB95

33 “The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. 34 “Then I will make to cease from the cities of Judah and from the streets of Jerusalem the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride; for the land will become a ruin.

If you were to sum up this chapter in one or two sentences what would you say?

Is there anything in particular that stood out to you in this chapter, if so, what verse?

Outline of chapter

Introduction (7:1-2)

Jeremiahs command to preach at temple gate

Describes the audience, worshippers entering temple to worship

False trust in temple (house of the Lord) (7:3-11)

The deception: They thought they were good because of the temple

God calls demands justice, fair treatment of others, care for the vulnerable.

While committing sins, they think going to the temple makes it all better, hypocrisy in full display.

Historical warnings (7:12-15)

The Lord points backwards to Shiloh, a former sacred site, now destroyed.

Same thing coming if they do not repent.

Judah’s rebellion (7:16-20)

We see the key verse in this entire chapter (v.16) - command to Jeremiah do not pray for the people.

Describes widespread idolatry

God’s kindled anger against the idolatrous people, Judah

Empty rituals vs. obedience (7:21-28)

God wants obedience not sacrifice

Shows, the people have rejected God’s prophets

Their continuous rebellion, stubbornness leads to inevitable judgment.

The coming judgment (7:29-34)

Mourning and lamentation will come, cutting of hair, sign of grief and judgment.

God points to them at the abominations of Child sacrifices and that provokes God’s anger and wrath.

Joy, laughter, and weddings will cease, the land will be desolate.

Reflection point: “in what ways might we, like the people of Judah, rely on religious routines or symbols? (e.g. Church attendance, rituals) while neglecting a genuine relationship with God.

Applications:

Religion without righteousness is worthless

Church attendance, Christian speak language, or religious rituals do not substitute for genuine repentance and devoted obedience.

God is patient, but not patient forever

Persistent rebellion leads to judgment, even for God’s chosen people here (Judah) and for man today.

Worship includes justice

Our worship must consist of justice in caring and serving others. For living justly, and our strive to be Holy is our acceptable acts of worship.

God wants our hearts, not just our habits.

God wants our hearts more than religious rituals, He wants a true repentant relationship with us .

Examine your heart, are there areas in spiritual growth we need to make? Am I going through the motions without true devotion?

Pursue obedience, amend your ways (v.3)- are there areas we need to make adjustments in?

Seek justice and compassion: God calls His people to care for the vulnerable (v.6). Consider how can we advocate, or serve, those in need?