Jeremiah 7 -- God Pulled The Plug

“Change your lives and do what is right!  Then I will let you live in this place.  Don’t trust the lies of people who [think that the Temple will protect you].  You must change your lives and do what is right,” God told them.  He accused them of breaking 5 of the 10 commandments!  “You are trusting lies … If you [willfully sin], do you think you can come before Me and stand in this place where I have chosen to be worshipped? … I have been watching you … I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen to Me.  I called you but you did not answer … I will push you away from Me.”

These warnings should have stunned the people and caused them to repent, but their hearts were so full of idol worship that their eyes were blinded and their ears were stopped up!

God even told Jeremiah not to pray for them!  He said they weren’t hurting him – they were only hurting themselves.  They were about to lose everything.

God had told them and their ancestors, “Obey Me and I will be Your God and you will be My people.”  They’d excelled at not doing that.  “Your ancestors did not listen or pay attention to Me.  They were stubborn and did whatever their evil hearts wanted.”  And the current generation did nothing when God corrected them.  Punishment was coming.

Father, Your Word plainly calls us to obey You, and You emphasize that no amount of sacrifice can overcome disobedience.  There was no offering in the Mosaic Law to remove deliberate sin.  Help us to see the terrible costs we pay when we choose to willfully sin against You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford