Jeremiah 7
COMMENTARY:
: 3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. (3190 “amend” [yatab] means do well, do good, make successful, or please.)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel were worshipping the Temple rather than GOD. They were living in a holy city. Therefore, they were holy and could sin as much as they wanted as long as they offered their sacrifices to the LORD.
Jeremiah gave the LORD’S answer to these thoughts. HE said NO!!! HE wanted them to stop thinking that way. HE sent HIS prophets to warn them but they didn’t want to listen. The LORD ordered Jeremiah not to pray for the people because of their attitude toward sin. Even if Jeremiah prayed for them, the LORD would not answer him.
The people of God in the Old Testament are told four times in this book to be content with God’s way of doing things. They are not willing to change. They didn’t want to walk the way HE told them too. They didn’t want their actions to please HIM.
God says that we are either going forward or backwards in our relationship with HIM. There is no neutral in our walk with the LORD. There is no neutral in our actions.
Sometimes it seems that even now people are worshiping the church building rather than God. Some think that as long as they go to church and give their tithe and do some service – they are OK with God.
God always looks at the heart. Sometimes the actions can fool people. Sometimes the speech can fool people. However, it is the LORD that has the final say.
What is HE saying about the church today? What is HE saying about our actions today? Let us not put confidence in a building but in LORD!!! How are we doing on our journey with the LORD?
Some parents seem to think that their children will understand that they want them to worship the LORD when they act like the devil’s servants at home. Attending church doesn’t make you a saint. You are a saint because you act the way the LORD wants you too at home and everywhere else you go, not just in church.
CHALLENGE: Children know whether their parent’s worship is genuine. They watch them at home and at church!!! Consistency is what the LORD wants in our life.
: 8 Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: From hit songs to bumper stickers to football eye-black, Jesus is trending high wherever you look. But at the end of the day, many “try Jesus” and come away disappointed in the experience. That’s because the Jesus of popular culture looks much more like us than the God-man who appeared in the flesh two thousand years ago. We’ve developed plenty of imposter Jesus’s that feed into our selfish desires—Prosperity Jesus, Braveheart Jesus, Dr. Phil Jesus, Free-Range Jesus. The problem is, they don’t have the power to save us or transform us into new creations.
The Israelites also began to trust in other gods and incorporate them into the worship of Jehovah. This resulted in compromise and idolatry inside the temple courts. If you had watched their worship, you may have thought that with sincerity they in the temple. Instead in their hearts they were worshipping Baal, Ashtoreth, Chemosh and other gods and goddesses of the heathen nations surrounding them. Judah paid lip service but in reality was giving heart service to idols.
The original Jesus calls us back to the Jesus who demands our worship—the potter who molds us, the clay. Seekers, skeptics, and sojourners in the way of faith will see Jesus for who he really is: God in the flesh, calling us to surrender our very lives that we may truly live. John 14 declares that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, no man comes unto the Father except through Him.
God commanded Jeremiah to proclaim this message to the hypocritical people of Jerusalem.
CHALLENGE: In the midst of cultural sensitive church services we need teachers, preachers and evangelists that will unwaveringly expose false worship, false confidence, false prophets and false gods. We people like Jeremiah that will deliver an unpopular message even though it may cost him dearly. (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
: 13 And now, because you have done all these works, says the LORD, and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you heard not: and I called you, but you answered not: (7121 “called” [qara[ means cried, proclaim, invited, utter a loud sound, to summon, invite, call for, call and commission, or appoint.)
DEVOTION: The LORD saw the works of the children of Israel and he spoke to them about their actions but they were not willing to listen. HE called them all times of day and night to repent of their sins but they didn’t want to have anything to do with HIM.
They were enjoying their sins more than they enjoyed the fellowship with the Father. They thought they didn’t need God because they were busy worshiping the gods of the land, which seemed to be more fun.
Today we are doing the same as the children of Israel. We are worshiping the gods of our world – to eat, drink and be merry. Some people who claim to know Christ seem to think that it is OK to worship this world and the LORD but they don’t realize that once this world is more important than the worship of the LORD they are headed for judgment.
Some think that the LORD doesn’t mind them enjoying the sins of the world and think that they will still have a place in heaven.
Salvation means that we don’t want to displease the LORD anymore and are willing to give up our personal pleasure or sin to for a place in heaven for eternity. It is what the LORD requires of us all if we are to be genuine followers of HIM.
Does that mean that being a Christian is NO FUN? The answer is NO! The Bible says there is JOY in serving Jesus. The joy is for eternity and not for just our time here on this earth.
Service to the LORD means reaching others with the message of salvation by our words AND actions. If people can’t see Jesus in us then they won’t want Jesus in them.
CHALLENGE: Do people see a Jesus in you that is genuine or just an act? Our actions speak louder than words! Pray that your actions show Jesus to others every day.
: 16 Therefore pray not you for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear you. (6293 “intercession” [paga] means reach, entreat, meet, encounter with a request, assail, put pressure on, urge strongly on, plead with, or contact.)
DEVOTION: When the LORD is talking with HIS prophets HE doesn’t hold anything back. HE instructs them exactly what HE is thinking regarding an issue. HE does this throughout the Word of God or the Bible. When HE speaks those who are HIS followers are to listen. If they don’t listen HE is angry with them and sends correction their way.
The people of Judah were not listening to the words of the LORD. HE had sent Jeremiah with a message for them. HE stated that if they were to turn from their present direction and head back toward HIM, HE would stop the invasion of Jerusalem.
They chose not to listen. They thought that they had the Temple in Jerusalem and that God would never send judgment to a place when there was the Temple in place.
Now we come to the difficult part of the message. The LORD tells Jeremiah not to pray for the people. HIS longsuffering is over. HE is going to send judgment. HE is not going to listen to the prayer of the prophet Jeremiah. HIS answer is NO!! Their sin has gone too far without repentance.
Today we think that God will answer any prayer we make for ourselves or others if we say it sincerely. That is false. There is a point of no return with God. HE will send weakness, sickness and pre-mature death to those who are HIS servants to correct them from the sins in their life.
We are commanded not to pray for some people, just as Jeremiah was told. Paul told the church to cast someone out to be delivered to the devil. Why? The sin was too great to allow in the church.
One of our responsibilities is to pray for one another. As we pray we should be helping our fellow believers live a life that is pleasing to the LORD. We are not to be judgmental but encouraging them to walk closer to the LORD.
However, there are some people we have to deliver into the hands of the Holy Spirit to work out their salvation.
CHALLENGE: Is there people in our world that have drifted far from the LORD? What are we doing to bring them back? Have they reached the point of no return? God will instruct you regarding this matter.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Jeremiah told not to pray for peopleverse 16
Jeremiah told not to make intercession for themverse 16
Jeremiah told that the LORD will not hearverse 16
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Gate of the LORD’S houseverse 2
Proclaim this wordverse 2
Worship the LORDverse 2
Temple of the LORDverse 4
Come and stand before ME in this house which is called by MY nameverses 10, 11, 14
Burnt offeringsverse 22
Sacrificesverse 22
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word of the LORDverses 1, 2
Commands of LORDverse 23
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1-4, 11, 13, 19, 21, 28-30, 32
LORD’S houseverse 2
Worship the LORDverse 2
LORD of hostsverses 3, 21
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verses 3, 21, 23
God of Israelverses 3, 21
I will cause you to dwell in this placeverse 3
Temple of the LORDverse 4
I have seen itverse 11
MY place which is in Shilohverse 12
I set MY name at the firstverse 12
MY people Israelverse 12
Call by MY name (This house)verse 14
I gave house to your fathersverse 14
I will cast you out of MY sightverse 15
Lord – Adonai (Master, Owner)verse 20
GOD – Jehovahverse 20
Lord GODverse 20
Anger and fury of LORD that is not quenchedverse 20
Command to Israel: Obey MY voiceverse 23
I will be your Godverse 23
MY servants: the prophetsverse 25
Voice of the LORD their Godverse 28
LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrathverse 29
HIS wrathverse 29
Heart of LORDverse 31
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Neighborverse 5
Strangerverse 6
Fatherlessverse 6
Widowverse 6
Land of Egyptverses 22, 25
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Lying wordsverses 4, 8
Oppress stranger or fatherless or widowverse 6
Shed innocent bloodverse 6
Walk after other godsverses 6, 9, 18, 31
Stealverse 9
Murderverse 9
Commit adulteryverse 9
Swear falselyverse 9
Burn incense to Baalverse 9
Abominationsverses 10, 30
Den of robbersverse 11
Wickednessverse 12
Trust in place of worship instead of LORDverses 12, 14
Not listened to the LORDverses 13, 24, 26-28
Worship Queen of heavenverse 18
make cakes to
Pour out drink offerings to other godsverse 18
Provoke LORD to angerverses 18, 19
Confusionverse 19
Hearkened notverse 24
Not inclined their ear to LORDverse 24
Walked in the imagination of their evil heartverse 24
Went backwardsverse 24
Evil heartverses 24, 30
Going backwardverse 24
Not hearkening to God’s prophetsverse 26
Hardened neckverse 26
Did worse than their fathersverse 26
Not hearken to Jeremiahverse 27
Called of LORD but not answerverse 27
Obeyed notverse 28
Not receive correctionverse 28
High placesverse 29
Done evil in MY sightverse 30
Set their abominations in the house of LORDverse 30
Pollute templeverse 30
High places of Tophetverse 31
Burn sons and daughters to false godverses 31-33
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Proclaim the Word of Godverse 2
Hear the Word of Godverse 2
Worship the LORDverse 2
Amend your waysverses 3, 5
Amend your doingsverses 3, 5
Trust the LORDverse 4
Execute judgment between man and his neighborverse 5
Inheritanceverse 7
Come and stand before ME in this house which is called by MY nameverse 10
Listen to call of Godverse 13
Prayerverse 16
Obey the LORDverses 23, 28
Walk in the ways of the LORDverse 23
Well with youverse 23
Going forwardverse 23
Servantsverse 25
True prophetsverse 25
Rising early to serve LORDverse 25
Receive correctionverse 28
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Jeremiahverses 1, 16, 28
LORD told him not to pray for Israel
Not lift up cry nor prayer
Neither make intercession to ME
for I will not hear
Say to nation that they have not obeyed
the voice of the LORD
Not received correction
Truth is perished- cut off from their mouth
Gate of the LORD’S houseverse 2
Judahverses 2, 17, 30, 34
Israelverses 3, 12, 21
Shilohverses 12, 14
Seed of Ephraim – cast outverse 15
Cities in Judahverse 17
Jerusalemverses 17, 29, 34
Cut off thine hair
God’s peopleverse 23
Prophets of the LORD to Israel
daily rising early verse 25
Rejected and forsakenverse 29
Children of Judahverse 30
done evil in God’s sight
Valley of Tophet (human sacrifice)verses 31, 32
valley of slaughter
bury till no more places to bury
Carcases of people shall be meat for
fowls of the heaven
beasts of the earth
none shall fray them awayverse 33
Cities of Judahverse 34
Streets of Jerusalemverse 34
Mirth and gladness will ceaseverse 34
Land shall be desolateverse 34
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Land given to Israel foreververse 7
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