Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

There are two basic sections to these chapters. The first is grief. The second is the reason for the grief. They’re closely tied together and attention shifts from one to the other.

The first thing the Lord bring up is that people are still going to the Temple to perform sacrifices and offerings. Not only that, but they were believing that because God had put His name on the Temple (Deuteronomy 12:5) they were safe. That Jerusalem would always have peace because of the Temple. But the Temple was just a building. The people’s hearts were NOT with the Lord, so He wasn’t accepting their sacrifices. They were not cleaving to Him or seeking Him. This was going to do them no good. It was the presence of the Lord that was protective, not the building. The priests were crying peace. They were lying. The Lord had spoken to NONE of them.

The second thing is that the people were crying out that they had been delivered. Yet what were they doing with that ‘deliverance’? Sinning. God asks them, do you come to my Temple to be delivered so that you can play with abominations?!? He was disgusted. This wasn’t exclusive to the Old Testament. Paul addressed it several times in the church (Romans 6). We don’t get saved to commit sin. We don’t celebrate Grace so that we can do more bad things. We’re thankful for being saved and grateful for Grace because in spite of our mistakes, we are not cut off from God. But it is an entire heart attitude of REPENTANCE and thankful praise for the opportunity to REPENT. It isn’t a get out of jail card free. EVER.

The people who were putting such faith in the Temple and coming to go through the motions of worship over and over again were also: stealing; murdering; committing adultery; swearing falsely; worshipping idols (including sacrificing their own children); oppressing strangers, widows, and orphans,;and shedding innocent blood. This was total hardhearted ignoring of the Law and the Lord. He spoke to them, they refused to hear. He called them, they did not answer. He faithfully got up early DAILY to commune with them, they rejected Him. He even used Israel as an example to Judah, but they changed NOTHING when the northern ten tribes were destroyed and taken into slavery.

In spite of the Lord’s heart to save His children. In spite of His repeated warnings to Judah. In spite of the Lord using His prophets to tell them the total and unvarnished TRUTH, they were totally rejecting Him. Because of that total rejection, He would do nothing to save them. Judgment was coming and it would be severe. It was THEIR choice, not His. THEIR decisions, not His. They were making this choice and the time had come for the Lord to enforce their decision and give them judgment. However, even in that He was merciful and would NOT give them what they deserved. A remnant would remain and promises were coming for that remnant. But the rest?

“And death will be preferred to life by all the remaining of this evil clan in all the remaining places where I have driven them away,” declares Yahweh.” (Jeremiah 8:3)

Since they showed no shame during their transgressions, giving themselves wholly over to sin and their base desires, He would cast them down in their time of punishment. They would be consumed. No matter where they gathered. No matter if it was behind walls. They would drink the bitter drink of judgment. The cavalry of Babylon was on the way. They would be bitten and wiped out.

Then the Lord cried and Jeremiah also cried. Why had these people forced His hand? Why had they refused to repent again and again? Why had they chosen to anger the Lord with idolatry? Wasn’t He near? Wasn’t He a balm to all their wounds? He was grieved. Brokenhearted. Sorrowful. This was NOT His will.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Jeremiah

Key Verse(s): Jeremiah 7:1-11, 20-25; 8:4-7, 12-13, 18-22