Deception

SPECIAL FEATURE 

MESSAGE SUMMARY

One of the first sermons that Jeremiah delivered to the nation of Judah is recorded in chapter 7. This happens at a pivotal moment in Judah's history - between King Josiah’s faithfulness and the evilness of his successors. This is the setting in which the message is delivered:

“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ‘stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the Lord, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the Lord.” (Jeremiah 7:1-2)

• This message outside the temple, to the worshipers going into the temple to worship.

The message is full of judgment and warnings:

• The downfall and crumbling of the temple (7:14-15)
• The anger and wrath of God being poured out to the land (7:20, 7:29)
• Slaughter of the people of Judah (7:32-34)
• Bones of the people of Judah being spread before the sky (8:1-2)
• The people of Judah will prefer death over life (8:3)

Why is God so angry at Judah? What did the people of Judah do?

• Sin: idolatry, children sacrifice, murder, stealing (7:8-9)
  • But that’s not the worse
• They sin and go to the temple and confess, and sin again (7:10)
  • But that’s not the worse
• They deliberately go on living this double life, they believe that it is ok

What they have done, is they believe in a true God, but they created a false religion under his name.
They believed in a true God, but followed a false religion they created under His name.

Do we fall into the same deception?
Do we believe in Jesus Christ, but follow a false religion that we create under His name?
Do we say things like:

• I can indulge in sin as long as I pray for forgiveness
• I don’t need to change or grow because God accepts everything that I am.
• I can follow God and pursue other things, material things
• Faith is highly subjective, people can believe whatever they want and follow God however they want
• God wants me to be happy, so I can do whatever that makes me happy

May God reveal those deceptions in us, and tear down these false beliefs. May we guard ourselves from these deceptions with the truth of God’s words.

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