Jeremiah 7:4 says, “Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these.”
Back around 1970 in Northeastern Oregon, there was a man offering fire insurance to his community. He had his own fire truck. When there was a house fire he would get to it faster than the fire department. He would not put out the fire if it was not covered by his insurance. Instead of boosting sales, it caused suspicion. It was soon learned that he was able to be the first one to the fires because he had set them. (Please don’t try this at home.)
The words that Jeremiah spoke in our text were proclaimed to the crowd as they were entering the gate of the Lord’s house to worship. What would you think if next Sunday when you went to church someone greeted you outside the door warning you not to trust lying words? Most likely you would not listen, thinking it was rude and inappropriate for him to do that. Jeremiah probably didn’t feel comfortable doing this. However, the Lord told him to do it.
Solomon said in Proverbs 23:23, “Buy the truth, and sell it not.” The people Jeremiah was speaking to were entering into the temple gates to “worship” the Lord. He also called them to amend their ways and their doings. The truth was they were doing things like stealing, murdering, committing adultery, swearing falsely and walking after other gods (V. 9). They should have been able to enter into the temple and hear the message to amend their ways. Instead the priests were saying, “The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord.” Everyone knew it was the temple of the Lord. The truth was it had become a den of robbers (V. 11). The “temple of the Lord” was said three times, perhaps because the people were supposed to go there three times a year to worship (Adam Clarke).
The sad truth was that the truth was not proclaimed and God’s blessing was not there. “Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh” (Jeremiah 7:14). In 1 Samuel 4:10-11, the Philistines overcame Israel and took the ark of the covenant.
Many churches today that have started out with the blessing of the Holy Spirit, have fallen to such a state that God no longer claims them. In Jeremiah 2:8, “The priests said not, Where is the Lord? And they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.”
When we enter into the church to worship we should definitely have discernment to know if we are really getting a message from the Lord. All pastors do not preach what God wants them to. Above that we must look at ourselves. Do we have ways that need amending? Finally let us realize that God is for us and not against us. Jeremiah 3:14&15 states, “Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to my heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Verse 16 says, “…they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord” (when Jesus shall rule in Jerusalem). Let us worship with the Holy Ghost fire, and not simply buy from the liar’s fire insurance!
