Jeremiah’s Sermons: Judah’s Hypocrisy (7-10)

Introduction

1. This section records Jeremiah preaching against the hypocrisy and apostasy of Judah.

a. This sermon(s) would appear to date from early in the reign of Jehoiakim during his revival of paganism.

b. The message was delivered in the Temple (7:2) and appears to incite the antagonism recorded later (26).

2. The headings of our outline in this section were adapted from Warren Wiersbe’s commentary.

 

I.       False Worship (7:1-8:3)

A.            Worship Would Do Them No Good (7:1-15)

1.    False teachers chanted God would not bring judgment upon His own Temple. (7:4)

2.    Jeremiah offered three proofs that their worship would do them no good.

a)         The promise of the land was conditional. (7:5-7)

b)        The people were violating God’s covenant and hiding their sin by worshipping. 7:8-11

c)         The history of Israel showed God’s willingness to judge both Shiloh and Israel. (7:12-15)

B.            Prayers Would Do Them No Good (7:16-20)

1.    Jeremiah was specifically instructed not to pray for the good of the people. (7:16; cf. 1Jn. 5:16)

2.    Entire families in Judah from the children to the parents were involved in worshipping idols.

3.    Men sin to provoke God, but they only create hurt and shame for themselves. 7:19-20

C.            Sacrifices Would Do Them No Good (7:21-26)

1.    God’s primary interest in the Law of Moses was not sacrifice, but whole-hearted service to Him.

2.    The people could multiply sacrifices, but it would do them no good because they were rebels.

3.    Worship cannot atone for a stubborn and rebellious heart that refuses to hear the word of God.

D.           Discipline Would Do Them No Good (7:27-8:3)

1.    Not even God’s awful judgments would bring the evil family of Judah to repent. 8:3

2.    The place Judah burned their children would become burial grounds; corpses would lie unburied.

3.    Judah had forsaken the LORD; now Judah was going to be forsaken by God. 7:29

 

II.    False Prophets (8:4-9:1)

A.            Their Refusal Was Irrational (8:4-7)

1.    If you fall down, you get up; if you go the wrong way, you turn around.

2.    Judah was as ignorant as a horse going to battle and did not have the sense of birds to honor God.

B.            Their Refusal Was Caused By Deception (8:8-12)

1.    Judah refused to repent because of the false and deceptive counsel they received.

2.    But “wise men” that reject God’s word have no real wisdom. 8:9

3.    Preaching peace can’t change the fact of sin; they were not even properly ashamed. 8:11-12

C.            Their Refusal Would Lead to Judgment (8:13-9:1)

1.    This section mixes the words of the LORD, the prophet, and the people.

2.    The people thought they could flee to fortified cities, but cities could not save them. 8:14-16

3.    Jeremiah hurt over their pain and sorrow; he cried over the sin of his brethren. 8:21-9:1

¨ “It’s unusual today to find tears either in the pulpit or the pews; the emphasis seems to be on enjoyment” (Wiersbe p.90).

 

III. False Confidence (9:2-26)

Being God’s Covenant People…

A.            Is Not an Excuse for Sin (9:2-6)

1.    Jeremiah wanted to escape the burden of sinful people; God’s servants often feel overwhelmed.

2.    The people were “not valiant for the truth on the earth” (NKJV); what an awful indictment! 9:3

3.    Jehovah is a God of truth; the men of Judah dwelt among deceit and so refused to know God.

B.            Is Not an Exemption from Judgment (9:7-16)

1.    Because Judah had forsaken God’s law, the LORD would scatter them among the Gentiles.

2.    Being in covenant with God increases our responsibility, not obviates it. (cf. Lk. 12:48).

C.            Is Not an Assurance of Spiritual Understanding (9:17-26)

1.    The people were supposed to know God, but they would be punished like the Gentiles.

2.    Jeremiah talks at length in his book about what it means to know God; that is the real glory.

3.    To know God is to follow after God and the things in which He delights. 9:23-24

 

IV.  False Gods (10:1-25)

A.            The Stupidity of Idolatry (10:1-16)

1.    The prophets ridiculed the false gods of the nations that could not speak or act for themselves.

2.    This section contrasts impotent idolatry with the True and Living God.

3.    Knowing the greatness of Jehovah God should make us fear Him and serve Him. 10:6-7, 10

B.            The Sorrow of Judgment (10:17-22)

1.    Jeremiah was not guilty of abandoning God, but he suffered physically and emotionally. 10:19

2.    He identified with the people and their pain; he shared their sorrows.

3.    The innocent often suffer because of their love for or their association with the guilty.

C.            The Supplication for Mercy (10:23-25)

1.    Jeremiah prays for himself, confessing his inability to direct his own steps. 10:23-24

2.    He prays for God’s gentle correction; do we have the courage to make such a request?

3.    Jeremiah also prays for God to punish those who will punish Judah in fury, without reverence.

 

V.     Applications

A.            Hiding Behind Worship (7:9-11)

1.    The Jews had made God’s Temple their den; they hid their crimes by professing to worship God.

2.    We are not saved to live as we please; Jesus died so that we might live for Him. 2Co. 5:14-15

3.    Do we make worship a place to hide our sin, to obscure our true character? Mt. 5:23-24

4.    God would rather have no worship than worship by impenitent hypocrites. Ma. 1:10; 1Co. 11:17

B.            True Wisdom (8:9)

1.    Real wisdom and understanding must involve a true knowledge of God. Pr. 1:7; 9:10

2.    Worldly men may be wise of things in the world, but counsel is tainted by spiritual ignorance.

3.    We must have the perception to seek true wisdom based on knowledge of God. 1Co. 6:1-6

C.            Glory in the LORD (9:23-24)

1.    What is most important to us? What do we take pride in and value among our accomplishments?

2.    Knowing God is the single greatest possession any of us could ever claim. Lk. 10:20

3.    The saying is true, “It’s not about what you do; it’s about Who you know!” Mt. 7:21-23

D.           Fearing God (10:6-7, 10)

1.    Fearing God is not an OT concept, it is an eternal and universal concept.

2.    Jesus delighted in fearing the Father; fear is essential if we wish to please God. Is. 11:1-3

3.    Perhaps meditating on the greatness of God will inspire a more reverent attitude within us.

E.            Praying for God to Guide and Correct Us (10:23-24)

1.    How badly do we want to be saved, so badly that we would pray for God’s correction?

2.    No one likes to be chastened, but the righteous are better because of it. He. 12:11

3.    Can we confess our inability to direct ourselves and pray for God to correct our errors?

 

Conclusion

1. “Any theology that minimizes God’s holiness and tolerates people’s deliberate sinfulness is a false theology.” (Wiersbe)

2. Many powerful lessons can and should be learned from the preaching of God’s prophets in the OT.

3. Religious hypocrisy is no less despicable to God today than it was in Judah’s time many years ago.

4. Let us not make the mistake of thinking that worshipping God relieves us of our duty to live like Him.