Jeremiah 7:1-20: Empty Religion
I AM AN ordained minster. I love the church. But there are days when I have my doubts about "organized" religion. I'm not exactly proud of the Crusades, the treatment of the Jews in the Middle Ages or the more recent fundraising scandals of the television evangelists. There are times when it seems that politics, power and social concerns are the primary moving and shaping forces of our churches. I am reminded on occasion that all that is done in the name of the Lord is not necessarily from the Lord. In front of the newly renovated temple Jeremiah called the people of Judah to examine their motives for their religious pursuits. What a shock it must have been for those who heard. Today, Jeremiah calls us to ponder: "Why do I serve God? Why am I going to church?"
Warming Up to God
What would you do if someone stood at the door of your newly renovated church and told you and everyone who entered that you were hypocrites under the judgment of God?
Read Jeremiah 7:1-20. »
Discovering the Word
- Jeremiah stands at the door of the temple and confronts those who enter. What is his message in verses 1-11?
- In verse 4 Jeremiah repeats the phrase "The temple of the LORD" three times. What do you think he is getting at?
- Under the reign of Josiah, Judah's last good king, the temple had been renovated and the law, which had been lost, was rediscovered. How was the law being handled by the people (vv. 4-9)?
- How does the experience of Shiloh illustrate Jeremiah's message (vv. 12-20)?
- God was angry with their idolatry and promised to judge it (vv. 16-20). Why do you think he was so upset with their false worship?
Applying the Word
- In verse 11 God declares that he is watching. If God were to tell you that he was especially watching your church, what do you think he would see and say?
- God, not the temple, should have been the object of their faith. How is it possible that the focus of our faith can drift from a person, God, to an object, like the temple?
- What can we do to see that our own personal worship is pleasing to God?
Responding in Prayer
Offer your praise to the God who is worthy of our worship.
For Further Study
Worship: His Love Endures Forever by Sundee Tucker Frazier