Jeremiah 7:12-19: a reflection

12“But go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. 13Now, because you have done all these works,” says the LORD, “and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you didn’t hear; and I called you, but you didn’t answer; 14therefore I will do to the house which is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. 15I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brothers, even the whole offspring of Ephraim. 16“Therefore don’t pray for this people. Don’t lift up a cry or prayer for them or make intercession to me; for I will not hear you. 17Don’t you see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough, to make cakes to the queen of the sky, and to pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. 19Do they provoke me to anger?” says the LORD. “Don’t they provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?”

God points his people to Shiloh, the place where his name once dwelt but which now lies in ruins, as a warning against presuming on past blessing while living wrongly. Go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, God says, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people. The people were trusting in the temple, presuming that because God's presence had blessed it, it and they were safe, whatever they did. But God points to Shiloh, where his name had once dwelt and which he had nonetheless allowed to be destroyed because of the people's sin. Past blessing was no guarantee for a people who presumed on it while living wrongly. This shows the danger of presuming on past blessing or privilege while living wrongly. Do not presume on past blessing while living wrongly. Past blessing is no guarantee if we presume on it. Shiloh warns against trusting privilege while living in sin. God's past favor does not excuse present unfaithfulness.

Notice the warning of Shiloh. Shiloh had been the place where God's presence dwelt among his people; it had been blessed, honored, a place of God's name. But it had come to ruin, destroyed because of the people's sin. And God points the people of Jeremiah's day to this: they were trusting in the temple, presuming that because it was God's house, blessed by his presence, they were safe, could not be touched, whatever they did. But Shiloh proved otherwise. Past blessing, the presence of God's name in a place, was no guarantee for a people who presumed on it while living in sin. This is a searching warning. We can presume on past blessing or privilege, on the fact that God has blessed us before, or that we belong to his people, or have some spiritual heritage or standing, treating this as a guarantee that we are safe, however we live. But past blessing is no guarantee if we presume on it while living wrongly; God's past favor does not excuse present unfaithfulness. The people trusted their privilege while their lives were sinful, and it did not save them. We do well not to presume on past blessing or privilege as a guarantee, but to walk faithfully, mindful that God is not bound to bless a people who presume on his past favor while living in sin. Do not presume on past blessing while living unfaithfully. Past privilege does not guarantee safety if we live wrongly. God's past favor does not excuse present sin. Walk faithfully, not presuming on past blessing.

That is worth taking to heart, for past blessing or privilege is no guarantee if we presume on it while living wrongly, and we do well not to presume but to walk faithfully, as God warned by pointing to Shiloh. We can presume on past blessing, our standing among God's people or spiritual heritage, treating it as a guarantee however we live; but God pointed to Shiloh, once blessed but ruined for sin, warning against trusting privilege while living wrongly. Presuming does not save. Do not presume on past blessing or privilege while living unfaithfully; walk faithfully, mindful that past favor does not excuse present sin. Do not presume on past blessing or privilege as a guarantee of safety while living wrongly, but walk faithfully, as God pointed his people to Shiloh, the place where his name had once dwelt but which lay in ruins, destroyed for the wickedness of his people, warning them who were trusting in the temple and presuming that because God's presence had blessed it they were safe whatever they did; for Shiloh proved that past blessing, the presence of God's name in a place, was no guarantee for a people who presumed on it while living in sin, which is a searching warning, since we can presume on past blessing or privilege, on the fact that God has blessed us before or that we belong to his people or have some spiritual heritage, treating this as a guarantee that we are safe however we live, but past blessing is no guarantee if we presume on it while living wrongly, and God's past favor does not excuse present unfaithfulness, since the people trusted their privilege while their lives were sinful and it did not save them, so that we do well not to presume on past blessing as a guarantee but to walk faithfully, mindful that God is not bound to bless a people who presume on his past favor while living in sin.

Lord, you point your people to Shiloh, the place where your name once dwelt but which now lies in ruins, as a warning against presuming on past blessing while living wrongly. Go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my name to dwell at the first, you say, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people. The people were trusting in the temple, presuming that because your presence had blessed it, it and they were safe, whatever they did. But you point to Shiloh, where your name had once dwelt and which you had nonetheless allowed to be destroyed because of the people's sin. Past blessing was no guarantee for a people who presumed on it while living wrongly. Show me the warning of Shiloh. Shiloh had been the place where your presence dwelt among your people; it had been blessed, a place of your name. But it had come to ruin, destroyed because of the people's sin. And you point the people to this: they were trusting in the temple, presuming that because it was your house, they were safe, whatever they did. But Shiloh proved otherwise. Past blessing was no guarantee for a people who presumed on it while living in sin. This is a searching warning. I can presume on past blessing or privilege, on the fact that you have blessed me before, or that I belong to your people, treating this as a guarantee that I am safe, however I live. But past blessing is no guarantee if I presume on it while living wrongly; your past favor does not excuse present unfaithfulness. Take that to my heart, for past blessing is no guarantee if I presume on it while living wrongly. Keep me from presuming on past blessing or privilege as a guarantee of safety while living unfaithfully; help me walk faithfully, Lord, mindful that your past favor does not excuse present sin, and that you are not bound to bless a people who presume on your past favor while living in sin, as the warning of Shiloh shows.