a7:1-15
b26:1-6
c7:1-2
d17:19
e26:2
f7:3-4
g2 Sam 7:6-7
h1 Kgs 8:27
i1 Kgs 6:12
j7:5-7
kExod 22:21-24
lDeut 4:40
m6:14-15
n7:8-10
oExod 20:3-7
p13-17
q7:11
r5:29-31
sMatt 21:13
tMark 11:17
uLuke 19:46
v7:12-15
w1 Sam 4:1-11
x7:12
yJosh 18:1
z6-19
aaJudg 18:31
abJer 26:6
acPs 78:60
ad7:13-15
ae2 Kgs 17:22-23
af2 Chr 36:15-16
ag7:16
ah15:1
aiExod 32:10
ajDeut 9:14
ak7:17-18
al44:17-19
am7:19
anMark 2:27
ao7:20-23
apIsa 1:10-16
aqAmos 5:21-27
arHos 6:6
as7:24-26
at2 Chr 36:15
auMark 12:1-10
av7:27-29
awEzek 2:7
axJob 1:20
ay7:30–8:3
az7:30-34
ba2 Chr 28:3
bb33:6
bc2 Kgs 23:10
bdIsa 30:33

‏ Jeremiah 7

Summary for Jer 7:1-15: 7:1-15  a Jeremiah disabused the people of their belief that God’s Temple would guarantee their safety (cp. 26:1-6  b).
Summary for Jer 7:1-2: 7:1-2  c The people were probably at the entrance of the Lord’s Temple for one of the annual festivals (see also 17:19  d; 26:2  e).
Summary for Jer 7:3-4: 7:3-4  f Pagans believed that a symbol was identical with what it represented, so in the paganized worship of Jeremiah’s day, the Temple was God’s heavenly house. It would be ridiculous to think that enemies could destroy it. To reinforce that idea, the people vigorously repeated a chant, The Lord’s Temple is here. However, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies needed no earthly house (2 Sam 7:6-7  g; 1 Kgs 8:27  h); whatever security the Israelites obtained from the Temple came from the Lord himself, and only on his terms (1 Kgs 6:12  i).
Summary for Jer 7:5-7: 7:5-7  j Idol worship had harmed the people—spiritually, because idols were delusions; socially, because their behavior destroyed fellowship; and politically, because they did not think foreign armies could conquer them. Unless the people changed, they had no future in the Promised Land (Exod 22:21-24  k; Deut 4:40  l; 6:14-15  m).
Summary for Jer 7:8-10: 7:8-10  n steal, murder, commit adultery, lie: The people’s behavior violated most of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:3-7  o, 13-17  p).

• burn incense ... chant: Israel’s relationship with God did not depend on any magical, ritual connection with him. It depended on their keeping the terms of his covenant. The things they were doing violated the terms of that relationship and denied the Lord’s holy character.
7:11  q a den of thieves: See 5:29-31  r; Matt 21:13  s; Mark 11:17  t; Luke 19:46  u.
Summary for Jer 7:12-15: 7:12-15  v God had allowed the Philistines to capture the Ark of the Covenant and destroy the Tabernacle at Shiloh when the people tried to use the Ark as a magical talisman (1 Sam 4:1-11  w). In the same way, he would allow the Babylonians to destroy the Temple. 7:12  x Shiloh was a hill located halfway between Shechem and Jerusalem. The Tabernacle had been set up there after the conquest of Canaan led by Joshua (Josh 18:1  y, 6-19  z; Judg 18:31  aa). It remained the center of worship for the tribes of Israel until Shiloh was destroyed about 1045 BC by the Philistine army (see Jer 26:6  ab; Ps 78:60  ac).
Summary for Jer 7:13-15: 7:13-15  ad The people of the northern kingdom had previously done what Judah was now doing. God had sent many prophets who spoke and called out to them (2 Kgs 17:22-23  ae; 2 Chr 36:15-16  af), but they would not listen and refused to answer. The Lord had spared Jerusalem and the Temple when the northern tribes were taken into exile by the Assyrians in 722 BC; this time, the Temple would be destroyed.
7:16  ag The Lord commanded Jeremiah not to pray ... for these people because it would not do any good (15:1  ah; cp. Exod 32:10  ai; Deut 9:14  aj).
Summary for Jer 7:17-18: 7:17-18  ak Pagan worship had become a family affair; each member of a family provided some part of the ritual. The object of their worship was Ashtoreth, the Queen of Heaven, the mother goddess of the Canaanites with her family of deities (see 44:17-19  al).
7:19  am God’s law was made for human benefit. Those who refused to follow his instructions hurt themselves (cp. Mark 2:27  an).
Summary for Jer 7:20-23: 7:20-23  ao The people’s offerings and sacrifices meant nothing to the Lord if disobedience ruled in their hearts. Their sacrifices did not manipulate God into doing something he would rather not do. Rather, they embodied the people’s trust in God’s gracious forgiveness. When the people tried to use the sacrificial system to manipulate God while living self-serving lives, it only infuriated him (Isa 1:10-16  ap; Amos 5:21-27  aq). Obedience to God allows for a personal relationship between God and his people that provides the basis for a wonderful future (Hos 6:6  ar).
Summary for Jer 7:24-26: 7:24-26  as Throughout their history, the Israelites had rejected the messages of the Lord’s prophets (2 Chr 36:15  at; Mark 12:1-10  au).
Summary for Jer 7:27-29: 7:27-29  av The Lord instructed Jeremiah to continue to proclaim his messages even though the people of Judah had totally rejected the Lord and would not listen (cp. Ezek 2:7  aw). The appropriate action for Jeremiah to take was to shave his head, mourn, and weep alone on the mountains (cp. Job 1:20  ax).
Summary for Jer 7:30-8:3: 7:30–8:3  ay This message decreed death for the people of Judah. It was finally fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem (586 BC).
Summary for Jer 7:30-34: 7:30-34  az The valley of Ben-Hinnom began on the west side of Jerusalem and continued around the south side. This narrow, steep-sided valley opened into the Kidron Valley and was the city’s combined garbage dump and graveyard. The bodies of the poor who were murdered or died of disease were dumped there, and child sacrifice (a practice totally abhorrent to the Lord; see 2 Chr 28:3  ba; 33:6  bb) was performed there. The valley was also known as Topheth (2 Kgs 23:10  bc; Isa 30:33  bd), perhaps referring to the ritual drums (Hebrew top) or to the sacrificial fires (tap) that were used there. In the New Testament it is called Gehenna, and Jesus compared hell to the fire that burned continuously in that valley (see study note on Matt 5:29). Before long, it would be known as the Valley of Slaughter, because the siege and destruction of Jerusalem (588–586 BC) would fill the valley to overflowing with the bodies of the slain.
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