Scripture Daily

Context No. 182 of 4322 · Jeremiah

Context · Reflection

Jeremiah 7:20-26: in context

20Therefore the Lord GOD says: “Behold, my anger and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man, on animal, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and will not be quenched.” 21The LORD of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat. 22For I didn’t speak to your fathers or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices; 23but this thing I commanded them, saying, ‘Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. Walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’ 24But they didn’t listen or turn their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. 25Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt to this day, I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them. 26Yet they didn’t listen to me or incline their ear, but made their neck stiff. They did worse than their fathers.

Jeremiah is standing in the gate of the temple, telling people arriving to worship that the building will not save them. This passage is the most startling thing he says there.

After announcing that God's anger will be poured out on this place, he delivers a line dripping with contempt for the ritual: add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves. Burnt offerings were wholly consumed on the altar and never eaten. He is telling them their offerings are so worthless they may as well keep them.

Then the claim that has occupied readers ever since: I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices in the day I brought them out of Egypt, but this command I gave them, obey my voice, and I will be your God and you shall be my people, and walk in the way I command you. Read flatly it contradicts Leviticus. Read as prophetic emphasis it says the sacrifices were never the point and the obedience was. Jeremiah is speaking to people using the offering system as insurance against having to change. What have I been doing faithfully and correctly, that might be functioning as a substitute for the one thing actually asked of me?

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