Jeremiah 7:1-27

7:1-4 | The thrice-repeated temple of the LORD reads like a meaningless echo. Even the right words are cheap when not backed up by a person’s righteous willingness to amend his or her ways.

7:5-7 | God lists four practical and thorough changes to behavior that He expected to see among His people: (1) execute judgment; (2) care for strangers, orphans, and widows; (3) do not shed innocent blood; and (4) do not pursue other gods. God has never lowered His standards; He expects nothing less from His people today.

7:8-11 | In calling the Temple a den of thieves, Jeremiah was confronting the hypocrisy of God’s people in thinking they could be thoroughly pagan in every aspect of their lives and then pretend to come worthily into God’s house (Matt. 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46).

7:14-15 | The ancient tabernacle from the wilderness period that had stood in Shiloh for so long had been abandoned. Now even the magnificent temple in Jerusalem (the house which is called by My name), such a solid and apparent sign of God’s ongoing commitment to His people, would be as forsaken as Shiloh. God is never compromised by those who take Him for granted.

7:16 | Jeremiah was instructed by God not to pray for the people or cry over them. They were, from the youngest to oldest, intent on self-destruction, and God would let them have their way.

7:21-26 | As He does frequently, God invited His people to remember their past. The people had maintained the mechanical traditions of burnt offerings and sacrifices while forsaking God’s true commandment, Obey My voice (1 Sam. 15:22).