The Lying Words: Jer. 7:1-4

Reign of Johiakim, 608 B.C. (cf. Jer. 26:1ff)

Two parts to chapter Jeremiah 7: Forgiveness offered (vv 3, 5-7), Withdrawn (v.16).

In Between Furor in Religious Establishment: Jer. 26 Priest and prophets reject Jeremiah, people follow Princes, elders cautious, citing Micah: Mic.3:12; 26:15-

19 Princes relent at execution of Uriah: Jer. 26:21ff

Charge him, as Jeremiah later: disloyalty, treason

Beyond Redemption: Jer. 11:2, 3, 6, 8, 1l

.

An Address at Gates of Temple

Standing in breach, Where Need Is

Not Defending Self, Anger not personal pique

Cared for people, glory of God: Jer. 14:7-9

But at sacrificial, personal cost: Jer. 11:21; Anathoth

20:14-17 (cp. Job)

The Sins of Judah

• Whoredom of Israel, feigned loyalty made it worse

Jer. 3:10 *• Ease, prosperity, used to engage lust, Jer. 5:7-10 *• No shame, ability to blush, Jer. 6:15, cf. Isa. 3:9• Ceremonies instead of moral ethical requirements of the

covenant, Jer. 7:21-22. Vain w/o “old paths” 6:16-21; Amos 5:21-24 (cf. Jesus, Mt. 23:23)

• Temple seen as talisman, as ark at Shiloh, 7:4; 12-15• Unmerciful, afflicted needy, 7:5-7; 22:3• Abominations even in God’s House, 7:30; 32:34• Children “passed through the fire,” 19:4-5; Ezek.16:21 *• Idolatrous Lewdness more than spiritual, 11:13-15

Love of Lying Words, Jer. 5:30

1. Religion celebrated unbridled lust, priests popular, people content, Jer. 13:25-27

2. “The Temple” cry, shows mostly symbolic, empty

3. What God’s House had been made”A den of robbers, 7:11A place for their idols, 7:30The shameful duplicity, 7:8-11, cf. Ezek. 23:39

4. Proper emphasis when leaving Egypt, 7:21, Ex. 20:11ffService that Honors obey GodCeremonies are teachers, reminders. Without 1st, 2nd emptyExtravagance not rectify and make ceremony efficacious, 6:20

5. False assurances of leaders “heal little.” No shame, no peace, 8:10-12 Aps.

Warning, Remember Shiloh

• Where the house of God was, Judges 18:31• There was the ark, I Sam. 4:4• There God’s name dwelled, Jer. 7:12

• Ark used as talisman to march before them.• Battle Lost, Priests, sons of Eli, Hophni, Phinehas killed• Eli tumbles and dies, wife of Phinehas bears child

Ichabod, “The glory is departed”• Philistines took the ark of the covenant

Without living covenant, tent (house), box (ark), nothing

Psalm 78:60-62: “…God… greatly abhorred Israel. So that he forsook the tabernacle at

Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men.; And delivered his strength into captivity, and is glory into the adversary’s hand. He gave his

people over also unto the sword…Fire devoured their you men; And their virgins had no marriage song. Their priests fell by the sword.”

Sin of Equal Importance

• Neglect, oppression of needy, Jer. 7:5-7• Started at top with Jehoiakim, 22:13-19 care of needy essential to knowing God

22:15-16• Maltreatment prevalent, Jer. 5:26-29

self-ishness (Amos 5:11-12),self-indulgence (Isa. 3:15-24)

• Covenant: Lev. 19:9-10. cp. Boaz-Ruth• Hierarchy of sin, cf. Rev. 21:8

Topheth in gai ben hinnom: Gehenna

Popular explanation of Gehenna, valley of son of hinnom (a refuse dump), may be wrong.

Though in Barnes, JFB, PNTC.

JFB: “If we may believe the Jewish writers”

First of which, Rabi David Kimhi, ca. 1220 A.D.

Not in Jerusalem descriptions in Josephus

Location makes improbable

Location abutting Zion improbable

Significance of Zion in Jesus’ Time

A Jebusite fortress conquered by David

Then City of David (II Sam. 5:7)

Then as City of God (Psm. 87:2-3)

Seat and source of God’s Government

(Isa. 2:3)

What Judah Did There – Jer. 7:30-33

Meaning of Topheth: “drumming, or place of

burning. “toph,” or “taph?”

JFB, Weslely, the former, ISBE, BDB, Pulpit, the latter

Passages all have to do with burning

A specific place: II Kings. 23:10; Jer. 19:1-4

Other child topheths found in ancient east

Also a Metaphor

• Describing destruction of Syrian Army, Isa. 30:33

• End of God’s enemies, Isa.66:24; Cf. Mk. 9:44, 46, 48

• A better type, better supported, for NT Gehenna

When Jesus spoke of Gehenna (valley of Hinnom),

this place, the gross sin, the burning and

punishment were well remembered, meaningful.

As for Judah’s Place of Worship

• “Their sanctuary became their cemetery” (R.K. Harrison).