Jeremiah 7

REVIEW OF CHAPTER SEVEN

I. Facts to Master.

The place where the sermon on worship was de livered (Jeremiah 7:2).

The lying words which were being repeated (Jeremiah 7:4).

The conditions necessary if they were to continue to dwell in the land (Jeremiah 7:5b-6).

Five of the Ten Commandments which had been broken (Jeremiah 7:9).

Two lessons from history which should have served to warn the inhabitants of Judah (Jeremiah 7:12-15).

The strange command issued to the prophet (Jeremiah 7:16).

The name of one deity so zealously worshiped in Judah (Jeremiah 7:18).

The metaphor frequently used in Jeremiah to describe the earnestness of God in calling His people to repentance (Jeremiah 7:25).

The place where child sacrifice was conducted (Jeremiah 7:31).

The new name which would be given to the valley of Hinnom after the destruction of 587 B.C. (Jeremiah 7:32). II. Questions to Ponder.

Is the sermon recorded in Jeremiah 7:1 to Jeremiah 8:3 the same as that recorded in Jeremiah 26:1-19?

Should a Christian champion the cause of justice for minorities? See Jeremiah 7:6.

What false attitude toward worship was prevalent in the days of Jeremiah? See Jeremiah 7:10-11. Will merely attending worship services deliver us from the judgment of God?

What is the history of the sanctuary at Shiloh? Consult a good Bible dictionary.

Who was the queen of heaven? See Jeremiah 7:18.

What rhetorical technique is employed by the prophet in Jeremiah 7:21? Should this technique be used today?

What is the basic problem involved in Jeremiah 7:22? How is the verse used by critics?

What are the priorities in Old Testament worship? In New Testament worship? What acts of worship tend to be abused most today?

What is meant by the expression generation of his wrath (Jeremiah 7:29)? Do you think it would be appropriate to use that designation for the present generation?

What is the meaning of the name Topheth? Jeremiah 7:31 ff.

What might be the motivation for removing dead bodies from graves? See Jeremiah 8:1-2.

What was the attitude of the ancient Hebrews with regard to the burial of the dead? A good Bible dictionary will help you here.

Jeremiah 7:1-2

CHAPTER SEVEN

SERMONS ON WORSHIP

Jeremiah 7:1 to Jeremiah 8:3

The dating of the materials in this section is a vexing problem. Laetsch assigns this section to the days of king Josiah early in the ministry of Jeremiah. However most commentators, on the basis of what they believe is a parallel passage in chapter 26, assign the section (or at least Jeremiah 7:1-15) to the early days of King Jehoiakim. Though one dare not be dogmatic on this point the present writer feels there is nothing in this material that demands a date later than the reign of king Josiah.

Whether the materials in Jeremiah 7:1 to Jeremiah 8:3 come from one of Jeremiah’s discourses or from several of them is difficult to determine. In either case the theme of worship unifies the entire section. After a brief introductory note (Jeremiah 7:12) the prophet speaks of (1) presumptuous worship (Jeremiah 7:15); (2) pagan worship (Jeremiah 7:16-20); (3) priorities in worship (Jeremiah 7:21-28); and (4) polluted worship (Jeremiah 7:29 to Jeremiah 8:3).

INTRODUCTION Jeremiah 7:1-2

TRANSLATION

(1) The word which came unto Jerusalem from the LORD, saying, (2) Stand in the gate of the house of the LORD and proclaim there this word. Say: Hear the word of the LORD all Judah who are entering these gates to worship the LORD.

COMMENTS

Acting upon the definite instructions from the Lord (Jeremiah 7:1) Jeremiah went to one of the eight gates of the Temple to deliver a blistering sermon on worship. He is to proclaim the word to all Judah who are entering these gates to worship the Lord (Jeremiah 7:2). During the three annual festivals of Israel all the males were obligated to come to the Temple to worship (Leviticus 23:1-44; Deuteronomy 16:1-17).

Later in his ministry Jeremiah preached a sermon similar to the one recorded here in chapter 7. Some commentators have identified this Temple Sermon with the sermon preached in chapter 26. Four points of similarity are generally pointed out: (1) Both sermons were preached at the same place, one of the gates of the Temple; (2) both seem to have been preached during some festival; (3) both sermons present the demands for national repentance; and (4) both sermons allude to the destruction of Shiloh. To conclude from this that the sermon of chapter 7 is identical with that of chapter 26 and to therefore assign chapter 7 to the reign of Jehoiakim is pressing the evidence too far. Jeremiah as well as others chose the Temple gates and courts as the location for public discourse.[173] It would be a priori likely that the prophet would select a festival on more than one occasion as the time to present his message. What better time to reach the masses? As for the theme of repentance, Jeremiah utilized it quite frequently. The allusion to Shiloh was a tremendous illustration that God is no respecter of religious shrines. Jeremiah probably utilized this historical note many times during his ministry. It is the feeling, then, of the writer that chapter 26 represents a later sermon of Jeremiah preached during the days of Jehoiakim. Chapter 7 represents an earlier sermon from the reign of good king Josiah.

[173] Jeremiah 19:14; Jeremiah 35:2; Jeremiah 35:4; Jeremiah 36:5-10; Jeremiah 28:1; Jeremiah 28:5.

Jeremiah 7:3-7

I. PRESUMPTUOUS WORSHIP Jeremiah 7:3-15

The men of Judah, like the majority of all ages, took worship for granted. They were content simply to show up at the Temple and participate in the prescribed ritual. They assumed that God was pleased with their conduct. In the opening paragraph of his Temple sermon Jeremiah attacks this presumptuous attitude toward worship by (1) indicating a fundamental requirement of true worship (Jeremiah 7:3-7,); (2) challenging the fallacious assumption that worship had no bearing on conduct nor vice versa (Jeremiah 7:8-11); and (3) threatening the destruction of the Temple and the exile of the populace (Jeremiah 7:12-15).

A. A Fundamental Requirement Jeremiah 7:3-7

TRANSLATION

(3) Thus says the LORD of host, God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds that I may cause you to dwell in this place.-’ (4) For your own sake do not trust in the words of the lie: The Temple of the LORD, the Temple of the LORD, the Temple of the LORD are these. (5) If you thoroughly amend your ways and your deeds; if you thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor; (6) if you do not oppress stranger, orphan and widow; and if you do not shed innocent blood in this place; and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt; (7) then I will cause you to dwell in this place in the land which I gave to your fathers forever and ever.

COMMENTS

Jeremiah’s sermon opens with a call for repentance. Amend (lit., cause to be good) your ways and your deeds, i.e., change the whole pattern of your conduct. Only if such a fundamental change took place would God continue to allow them to inhabit the land of Judah (Jeremiah 7:3). Jeremiah begs his hearers for their own sake not to give any credence to the superstition that the presence of the Temple of the Lord was a guarantee for the safety of the city. The people were acting as though merely the repetition of the phrase Temple of the Lord was some sort of a magical charm to ward off all evil. What a dramatic moment it must have been when Jeremiah thrice repeated the phrase for emphasis gesturing as he did so to the courts and building that were part of the Temple complex (Jeremiah 7:4).

Jeremiah 7:5-7 contain a conditional sentence of which Jeremiah 7:5-6 are the protasis and Jeremiah 7:7 the apodosis. Five conditions for national survival are laid down: (1) Repeating the basic demand of Jer 7:3, they must thoroughly amend their ways and their deeds. (2) They must make sure that justice is executed in the courts (Jeremiah 7:5). (3) They must not oppress the stranger, the orphan and the widow. The Old Testament enjoined Israel to show respect for peoples of other nationalities and races simply because they were fellow human beings. Many Christians have not yet caught up with this passage. There was to be a concern for the weak and for those who had lost their natural protector. No other code of laws from antiquity is marked by such humanity in respect to the unfortunate. (4) Innocent blood must no longer be shed in the land through violence and miscarriage of justice. (5) They must cease to follow after other gods to their own hurt. Idolatry would lead deeper and deeper into sin and have dire repercussions both on the national and personal level. If they fulfilled these fundamental requirements God would cause t h e m to continue to dwell in the land. God had given that land to their forefather for ever and ever. (lit., from the most remote antiquity to the most distant future). But that divine promise was conditional. If the present generation was to continue to enjoy the land gift of God they must meet the conditions which God specifies here.

Jeremiah 7:8-11

B. A Fallacious Assumption Jeremiah 7:8-11

TRANSLATION

(8) Behold, you are trusting in the words of the worthless lie. (9) Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, sware falsely, offer incense to Baal, walk after other gods which you do not know (10) and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My Name and say, We are safe; in order to do all these abominations? (11) Has this house which is called by My Name become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen this (oracle of the LORD).

COMMENTS

God cannot continue to allow His people to dwell in the Promised Land so long as they continue to trust in deceitful words (Jeremiah 7:8). In Jeremiah 7:4 the prophet has already given an example of the words of the worthless lie. The fact that the Lord has His Temple in Jerusalem will profit them nothing if they continue to live godless lives. The people were engaging in every conceivable sinful activity: stealing, murder, adultery, false swearing, worship of false gods (Jeremiah 7:9). Yet they would come and stand before God in His house and think that because they had expressed this outward concern for the Lord they were completely safe from all harm, The regular visits to the Temple made no difference in the lives of these hypocrites. They went to the services to keep God on their side. As long as He was on their side they could practice their abominations with immunity. What a distortion of religion! What a fallacious assumption! With amazement the Lord asks, Has this house which is called by My Name become a den of robbers in your eyes? The Temple had become to the people of Judah no more than a refuge into which they would flee after committing their criminal acts. But God has seen all. He knows their hearts. He is aware of their evil intentions and sinful attitudes. He is not deceived by the outward manifestations of religious zeal.

Jeremiah 7:12-15

C. A Forceful Threat Jeremiah 7:12-15

TRANSLATION

(12) For go now to My place which was in Shiloh where I caused my Name to dwell at the first and observe what I did to it because of the evil of My people Israel. (13) And now because you have done all these things (oracle of the LORD) and I spoke earnestly and persistently unto you but you did not hear; and I called you but you did not respond; (14) therefore I will do to the house which is called by My Name, in which you are trusting, and to the place which I gave to you and your fathers, as I did to Shiloh. (15) And I will cast you forth from My presence as I cast forth all your brethren, all the seed of Ephraim.

COMMENTS

If the people of Judah had been more aware of their history they would have been more correct in their theology. In Jeremiah 7:12 Jeremiah attacks the popular false confidence in the Temple by pointing to another sacred sanctuary which had been destroyed. When the children of Israel entered the land of Canaan under Joshua they erected the Tabernacle at Shiloh north of Bethel. Shiloh remained the center of worship for over three hundred years. The old tent which had been transported through the wilderness wanderings was eventually replaced by or perhaps encased in some type of permanent structure which is called a house (Judges 18:31; Judges 19:18) or temple (1 Samuel 1:9). The historical books of the Old Testament do not specifically mention the destruction of Shiloh. The place was probably captured and destroyed by the Philistine after the battle of Ebenezer (1 Samuel 4:1 ff.) in the days of the judgeship of Eli. On the basis of their excavations archaeologists have dated the destruction at about 1070 B.C. If God not only permitted but even instigated the destruction of the shrine at Shiloh it is sheer folly to think that in the present instance He is under some solemn obligation to preserve Jerusalem.

In spite of the fact that God had earnestly and persistently called the people to repentance, they had not responded to the appeal (Jeremiah 7:13). To emphasize the zeal of the Lord in speaking to His people Jeremiah uses the idiom rising early and speaking. It is an expression peculiar to Jeremiah and means that the appeals were oft repeated and eager. In view of this rebuff and rejection God will destroy the Temple in Jerusalem just as he destroyed Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:15). Jeremiah does not deny that the Temple is God’s house; nor does he deny that the Temple had been given to the people of God as a place of worship. But he emphatically denies the conclusion to which the men of Judah had jumped viz., that God would never allow the Temple to be destroyed. History had proved that God was no respecter of sanctuaries. In more recent history Jeremiah finds another analogy. Just as God had cast forth into exile the seed of Ephraim, the ten tribes of the northern kingdom,[174] so now He will cast forth the inhabitants of Judah (Jeremiah 7:15). The land of Israel belonged to the Lord (Hosea 9:3; Leviticus 25:23) and here the divine Landlord is issuing an eviction notice to His tenants.

[174] See Isaiah 7:2; Hoses Jeremiah 4:17; Jeremiah 5:1-9 Jeremiah 12:1.

Jeremiah 7:16-20

II. PAGAN WORSHIP Jeremiah 7:16-20

The worship in Jerusalem was so corrupt that God instructs Jeremiah to cease interceding for the apostates (Jeremiah 7:16). The depravity of the nation is further described (Jeremiah 7:17-19) and again the prophet announces that judgment will be poured out on the nation (Jeremiah 7:20).

TRANSLATION

(16) Now as for you, do not pray for this people, nor lift up entreaty, nor make supplication; and do not plead with Me on their behalf for I will not hear you. (17) Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? (18) The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire and the wives knead dough to make sacrificial cakes to the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to provoke Me. (19) Is it Me they are provoking (oracle of the LORD)? Is it not themselves to the shame of their faces? (20) Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, My anger and My wrath are about to be poured out upon this placeupon man, cattle, the tree of the field, and the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn and shall not be quenched.

COMMENTS

A prophet not only represented God to the people, he also represented the people before God through intercessory prayer. Abraham prayed for Sodom (Genesis 18:23-32); Moses prayed for Israel (Exodus 32:11-14; Exodus 17:11; Numbers 14:13-20) as did Samuel (1 Samuel 7:9-10; 1 Samuel 12:17-18; 1 Samuel 12:23). Jeremiah here is told that conditions in Judah were so bad that such prayer was useless. Still Jeremiah prayed and one of his great intercessory prayers is recorded in Jeremiah 14:19-22.

Four words for prayer are used in Jeremiah 7:16. The first Hebrew word, translated pray, means to intercede on behalf of someone. God told Abimelech that Abraham would pray for him (Genesis 20:7). In Numbers 21:7 the people ask Moses to intercede on their behalf. Moses interceded on behalf of Aaron (Deuteronomy 9:20). Samuel assured the people that he would not cease to intercede on their behalf (1 Samuel 12:23). The second Hebrew word carries the idea of entreaty or supplication. It is sometimes used of a ringing cry of praise to the Lord. In the present context the word would convey the idea of a loud, vehement prayer.[175] The third word, translated supplication, is often used synonymously with the preceding word. The fourth word, translated plead, literally means to meet, or encounter with request or entreaty. Ruth said to Naomi, Entreat me not to leave you (Rth 1:16). Abraham asked the children of Heth to intercede for him with Ephron that he might sell a cave (Genesis 23:8).

[175] Psalms 17:1; Psalms 88:2; Jeremiah 11:14; Jeremiah 14:12.

Jeremiah 7:17-19 indicate the reason why intercessory prayer on the part of the prophet would be useless. In view of the open and flagrant practice of idolatry in the cities of Judah the prohibition of intercession is justified (Jeremiah 7:17). The entire population is engaged in the service of the false gods. The children gather the wood for the cooking fires; the men kindle the fire and the women bake some kind of sacrificial cakes. The queen of heaven in whose honor all this frenzied activity takes place is probably to be identified with the pagan goddess Astarte or Ashtoreth. This goddess was the Canaanite version of the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar, the planet Venus. Statuettes of Astarte have been found all over Palestine indicating how wide spread her cult was. The exact nature of the cakes which were baked is unknown as the word used here is found elsewhere only in Jeremiah 44:19. Apparently they were made in the likeness of the goddess Astarte or in the shape of a star which was her symbol. With these pastries liquid refreshment was also served. An ivory carving dating to the eighth century B.C. suggests that the whole ceremony was performed to accompaniment of music played entirely by women.[176]

[176] Benjamin Mazar (ed.), The Illustrated World of the Bible Library (New York: McGraw Hill, 1961), III, pp. 102-103.

Jeremiah viewed such open idolatry as deliberate provocation of the Lord. To him it was inconceivable that men could really believe that an object of wood or stone was a god. The only plausible explanation of idolatry was that the people were attempting in some way to hurt God, to provoke Him[177] (Jeremiah 7:18). Though they knew that their idolatry would eventually call forth the wrath of God, they continued to engage in the practice. Like a youngster who engages in all manner of lawlessness in order to show hostility towards his parents, they were really hurting no one but themselves (Jeremiah 7:19). God’s burning wrath is about to be poured forth upon Judah and no one will be able to extinguish it. The cattle, trees and crops will be consumed as well as the wicked apostates of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:20). scripture emphasizes over and over again that all creation suffers because of the sin of mankind (cf. Isaiah 24:4); Hosea 4:3).

[177] Provoke, one of the Characteristic Words of Jeremiah, is used here for the first time.

Jeremiah 7:21-23

III. PRIORITIES IN WORSHIP Jeremiah 7:21-28

As Jeremiah looks at the current religious observances he sees only perfunctory compliance with outward ritual (Jeremiah 7:21). He reminds his listeners that there are obligations which take priority over such outward acts (Jeremiah 7:22-23). He then points out that through the centuries the people of Israel had been obstinate in their disobedience (Jeremiah 7:24-28).

A. Prior Obligations Jeremiah 7:21-23

TRANSLATION

(21) Thus says the LORD of hosts, God of Israel: Add your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices and eat the meat. (22) For I did not speak with your fathers nor did I give commandment in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt concerning the matters of burnt offering and sacrifice. (23) But this word I commanded them: Hearken to My voice and I will be your God and you will be My people; walk in all the way which I command you in order that it might be well with you.

COMMENTS

By means of a sarcastic imperative Jeremiah urges the men of Judah to increase their already numerous sacrificial offerings. Normally the burnt offerings were wholly consumed on the altar while in other sacrifices (e.g., the peace offering) parts of the animal were eaten by the priests and by those who made the offering. In view of the attitude and actions of the worshipers of Judah their burnt offerings were merely meat and nothing more. They might as well eat the meat of those burnt offerings and thereby derive some benefit from them. The offerings certainly had no religious value (Jeremiah 7:21). Contrary to the popular theology of the day the sacrificial ritual was not the heart and core of their covenant obligations to God.

Jeremiah 7:22 has played an important role in the debate which has raged over the origin of the sacrificial system in ancient Israel. In the Pentateuch sacrifice is instituted by Moses in compliance with the instructions given by God to him in the mount. According to the modern critical view of the Old Testament the so-called priestly legislation of the Pentateuch is a product of the postexilic age, a thousand years after Moses. Jeremiah 7:22 seems on the surface to support the critical contention that Moses did not have anything to do with the sacrificial ritual. The verse seems to deny that the Lord gave any instructions concerning sacrifice at Mt. Sinai. In interpreting this verse several points need be kept in mind:

1. Elsewhere in his book Jeremiah seems to recognize the importance of the sacrificial system. He promises in Jeremiah 17:26 that if the people of Judah will hallow the sabbath then God will continue to permit them to come to Jerusalem bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and meal offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise, unto the house of the Lord. As he looks beyond the destruction of Judah to the Israel of the future he sees the priests more than satisfied with the meat from the abundant sacrificial offerings (Jeremiah 31:14). He specifically predicts that once the captivity is over the men of Judah will bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord (Jeremiah 33:11). It is true that these verses say nothing of the origin of the sacrificial system; but they do seem to imply that the Lord and his prophet regard that system with favor. To these passages may be added Jeremiah 33:17-24 which speaks of the covenant with the priests, i.e., that portion of the covenant of Sinai which included the duties and regulations of the priesthood as regards sacrifices.

2. Jeremiah seems to have supported the reforms of king Josiah which included the observance of the Passover ritual (2 Chronicles 35:1-9).

3. Jeremiah was never charged by his priestly and prophetic enemies with opposing the Temple ritual as such.

4. As early as the days of Samuel the principle had been laid down that sacrifice without obedience to God is worthless (1 Samuel 15:22).

5. Context makes it clear that Jeremiah is drawing a contrast between sacrificial ritual and the moral laws of the Decalogue (Jeremiah 7:9). It is of course true that there is no mention of sacrifice among the Ten Commandments.

6. Perhaps the emphasis in the verse is upon the phrase your fathers. Those courageous men who by faith had gone out from Egypt were no relation to the present generation of apostates. The verse then would not be denying that commandments concerning sacrifice were given at Mt. Sinai but rather would be denying that such commandments were given to the spiritual progenitors of the present generation.

7. Strictly speaking individuals were not commanded to bring sacrifices in the law of Moses. Burnt offerings and peace offerings were optional (cf. Leviticus 1:2; Leviticus 3:1); sin offerings and guilt offerings were only required when transgression had to be expiated.

8. The expression translated concerning is actually a somewhat peculiar Hebrew expression occurring only six times in the Old Testament.[178] When one checks these passages carefully it becomes clear that the expression really means out of concern for or in the interest of, or for the sake of. If this be the case, Jeremiah 7:22 is not denying the existence of Mosaic legislation concerning sacrifice. God is simply saying, When your fathers came out of Egypt I did not give legislation in the interest of or for the sake of sacrifices. The verse would then by denying that sacrifice was the chief goal or purpose of God in the Mosaic system.[179]

[178] Deuteronomy 4:21; 2 Samuel 18:5; 2 Kings 22:13; Psalms 7:1; Jeremiah 7:22; Jeremiah 14:21.

[179] O. T. Allis, The Five Books of Moses (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1949), pp. 168ff.

9. Another possibility is that the denial of Jer 7:22 is not absolute. God did not command their fathers to sacrifice, i.e., to sacrifice as they were currently doingmere outward form divorced from the practice of piety.

When all of these factors are taken into account Jeremiah 7:22 falls into proper perspective. Jeremiah is not repudiating the Mosaic origin of the sacrificial system; rather he is simply denying that sacrifice is the essence of the Old Testament religion. The fundamental requirement of the Sinai covenant was that of obedience. The people of Israel had to hearken to the divine voice and walk in the divine way if they were to maintain their special relationship to the living God. They must yield to the demands of the Almighty if they would receive His blessing (Jeremiah 7:23). The phrase that it might be well with you is characteristic of Jeremiah.[180] The obedience which God demands is for the ultimate benefit of man.

[180] Cf. Jeremiah 42:6; Jeremiah 38:20; Jeremiah 40:9. The phrase is also frequent in the book of Deuteronomy:

Jeremiah 7:24-28

B. Persistent Obstinacy Jeremiah 7:24-28

TRANSLATION

(24) But they would not hearken and they did not stretch out the ear but walked in the counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart and they went backwards and not forwards. (25) Even from the day when your fathers went out from the land of Egypt unto this day I sent unto them all My servants the prophets (urgently and persistently sending). (26) But they did not hearken unto Me nor did they incline their ears, but made hard the neck and committed evil more than their fathers. (27) When you speak unto them all these words they will not hearken unto you; when you call unto them they will not answer you. (28) Therefore you shall say unto them: This is the nation which will not hearken to the voice of the LORD their God nor will they accept correction. Faith has perished, it is cut off from their mouth.

COMMENTS

The people of Israel had a record of obstinacy. They had no desire to listen to the commandments of God. They followed instead the inclinations of their own evil hearts. In relationship to God they had gone backward and not forward (Jeremiah 7:24). In other words they had turned their back to God and not their faces. Religious experimentation always masquerades as progressive development. In the view of Jeremiah, to depart from the old paths of truth and fidelity was retrogressive.

From the days of the Exodus from Egypt God had continually and earnestly communicated with His people through prophets (Jeremiah 7:25). But the people paid no heed to these servants of the Lord. Rather than inclining their ears in the direction of these messengers of God they made their necks hard. Each generation seemed to become more sinful than the preceding one (Jeremiah 7:26). The people will not listen to Jeremiah any more than they listened to his predecessors in the prophetic ministry (Jeremiah 7:27). All he can do is publicly accuse them of obstinacy: This is the nation which will not hearken to the voice of the Lord their God nor accept correction. No other nation had been so blessed, so honored, so trained and guided. Yet this is the nation which refuses to heed the word of God. Faith or truth has vanished from their prayers and from their praise (Jeremiah 7:28).

Jeremiah 7:29-31

IV. POLLUTED WORSHIP Jeremiah 7:29 to Jeremiah 8:3

Again Jeremiah takes up the subject of paganized worship. He speaks of the present defilement of the population of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:29), of the Temple (Jeremiah 7:30) and of the land of Judah (Jeremiah 7:31). Then Jeremiah describes the destruction which will come as a result of the polluted worship: defilement of the sanctuaries (Jeremiah 7:32-33), desolation of the land (Jeremiah 7:34) and desecration of the dead (Jeremiah 8:1-3).

A. The Present Defilement Jeremiah 7:29-31

TRANSLATION

(29) Cut off your hair and cast it away and take up a lamentation upon the bare hills for the LORD has rejected and forsaken the generation of His wrath. (30) For the children of Judah have done evil in My eyes (oracle of the LORD); they have set their abominations in the House which is called by My Name to defile it. (31) They have built the high places of Topheth which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire which I did not command nor did it even enter My mind.

COMMENTS

In Jeremiah 7:29 Jeremiah resorts to one of his most devastating oratorical devices, the sarcastic imperative. He urges the daughter of Jerusalem[181] to shave off her long hair[182] as a sign of mourning and take up a lamentation. The present generation has been rejected and forsaken by God. In ancient times the divorce of a woman was a very sad affair since the former wife was left destitute. For her innumerable acts of spiritual adultery the daughter of Zion has been divorced by God. She should realize her plight and lament it. This is the generation which will experience the wrath of the living God (Jeremiah 7:29).

[181] The pronoun and the verb are feminine. [182] The Hebrew word usually refers. to the long hair of a Nazarite. But here the word seems to have lost Its primary meaning land refers to the long, unshorn hair of a woman.

Denial of apostasy was impossible for it was open and flagrant. The abominations of heathendom, the cult objects used in pagan cults, had been set up in the Temple of the Lord. Manasseh built altars for all the hosts of heaven in the two courts of the Temple. He even went so far as to set an image of the Canaanite goddess Asherah in the Temple (2 Kings 21:5-7). This was the height of insolence, the crowning act of apostasy. The Temple of the Lord was defiled by the presence of these pagan images and cult objects (Jeremiah 7:30). Furthermore they had built special high places in the valley of the son of Hinnom[183] where human sacrifice was openly practiced. The meaning and etymology of the word Topheth are uncertain. It seems to be akin to a word meaning fireplace. Most likely the Topheth was the pit in which human victims were burned.[184] Such human sacrifices were to the god Moloch who sometimes generically is called Baal (Jeremiah 19:5). God had never commanded the wretched practice of offering children as burnt offerings and never did He condone it (Jeremiah 7:31).

[183] Since the days of Joshua this valley near Jerusalem had been known as the valley of the son of Hinnom. See Joshua 15:8; Joshua 18:16

[184] Cf. Jeremiah 19:5; Jeremiah 32:35; Ezekiel 16:20-21; 2 Kings 23:10.

Jeremiah 7:32-34

B. The Future Destruction Jeremiah 7:32 to Jeremiah 8:3

TRANSLATION

(32) Therefore behold, days are coming (oracle of the LORD) when it shall no longer be called the Topheth or the valley of the son of Hinnom but the valley of Slaughter; for they shall bury in Topheth for lack of place to bury. (33) And the carcasses of this people shall become food for the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and no one shall cause them to be afraid. (Jeremiah 8:1) In that time (oracle of the LORD) they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah and the bones of his princes and the bones of the priests and the bones of the prophets and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves. (2) And they shall spread them to the sun and to the moon and to all the host of the heavens which they loved and served and went after and which they sought and which they worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall become dung upon the face of the ground. (3) Death shall be chosen rather than life by all the remnant of this evil family who remain in all the places where I have driven them (oracle of the LORD of hosts).

COMMENTS

The polluted worship of the people of Judah will be punished in a most decisive way. A disaster will befall Judah in which so many people will be slain or die that even the pagan shrines will be converted to cemeteries. The valley of the son of Hinnom will be renamed the valley of slaughter because of the vast numbers that will be buried there (Jeremiah 7:32). The very spot where they had tried to court the favor of a pagan deity by offering their own children as burnt offerings will become a permanent monument to the folly of idolatry. But even this huge valley will not provide enough room for burial places for all the slain. Many corpses will be left unburied. The birds and beasts of prey will come and feast upon the decaying flesh and no one will be left to drive them away (Jeremiah 7:33).[185] In antiquity the lack of proper burial was the worst indignity which could befall a man. The thought of a corpse exposed to the elements of nature horrified the ancient Hebrews.

[185] Jeremiah 7:33 echoes the threat of Deu 28:26.

The cities of Judah met the same fate as Topheth. All the normal sounds of joy and mirth will be removed. The entire land becomes a desolation (Jeremiah 7:34). The word translated desolation is used only of places which, having once been inhabited, have fallen into ruin. It is a gloomy picture indeed which the prophet paints of the future destruction.

Not only will the enemies of Judah leave the dead unburied (Jeremiah 7:33) they will also violate the graves of those who had been interred. In search of valuables the Babylonians will ransack the sepulchers of the leading citizens of Jerusalem (Jeremiah 7:1) and scatter their bones across the face of the ground. All the hosts of the heavens which the men of Judah had worshiped in life will helplessly look down upon this act of desecration (Jeremiah 7:2). The Biblical account of the fall of Jerusalem does not record the fulfillment of this particular prediction; but there can scarcely be any doubt that the ruthless Babylonians acted in the manner here described. The apocryphal book of Baruch (Jeremiah 2:24 f.) does allude to acts of desecration at the fall of Jerusalem.

For those who escape the destruction of Jerusalem and go into exile life will be so miserable that they will wish they were dead (Jeremiah 7:3). Practically nothing is known about the Jews who scattered into the neighboring countries of Syria-Palestine during the war with Babylon. Something of the despair of the Jewish exiles in Babylon shortly after 587 B.C. can be seen in Psalms 137. Time, of course, softened the utter despair of the exiles. The deportation to Babylon was for them a tremendous religious shock. They were forced to rethink their whole theology. As the exiles changed their mind and their heart in respect to God their lot improved. They adjusted to their surroundings and many of them actually prospered in exile. Jeremiah 7:3 must be describing the initial reaction of those who were carried away captive.[186]

[186] Laetsch views Jeremiah 7:3 as a conditional threat which was unfulfilled because of the repentance of the exiles.