Jeremiah 7-9 – August 8

The LORD says in Jeremiah 7:4 & 8, “Do not trust in these lying words, saying, 'The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD are these.'…Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit.” It sounded good and reasonable to them. They believed the LORD would not allow destruction to come to Jerusalem because His Temple was there, and they continued on in the outward ceremony of His ordinances’, but they were “lying words” made up by man’s reason. The people were not holding tightly to God’s Word, but were instead turning to human theology and what sounded good to them. Jeremiah 8:9 says. “Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?” Things were getting worse and worse for them as a nation because they had walked away from the LORD and the only “help” the spiritual leaders gave was making them feel better as they continued in their evil ways. The LORD says in Jeremiah 8:11, “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, 'Peace, peace!' When there is no peace.” Israel had put confidence in their religious ceremonies and activities that never affected their heart; the LORD lets them know that they are in the same boat as the rest of the nations when there isn’t real repentance. He says in Jeremiah 9:25-26, "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised— Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart."