Jeremiah 7:3, commentary and pictures

Remaining in the place God gave depends on amending ways and doings, and the presence of the temple and outward worship cannot secure protection and safety. Amending means changing both conduct and worship and practice to judge justly between neighbors, treat one another fairly, care for the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, refuse to shed innocent blood, and turn from other gods to obey God. Trusting in repeated cries about the temple while stealing, murdering, committing adultery, swearing falsely, worshiping Baal and following unknown gods, then claiming deliverance in the house called by His name to continue those abominations, is trusting in lying words, and God sees His house made a den of robbers. The warning delays threatened doom to give opportunity to repent, but only thorough reformation of heart and life can avert it, and trust in the temple, its services, or religious rites cannot save those who continue in sin. Genuine amendment restores the obedience in which He will be their God and they will be His people. The call presses especially on men in positions of trust and leadership whose ministry has become perverted, demanding humbled hearts, repentance and confession, and prompt and full changes, and warning that proud persistence in a chosen course after resisting correction leads God to give them over to their own distorted thinking.

Remaining Through Genuine Reform

Remaining in the place and continuing to dwell in the land given to the fathers forever is made conditional on thoroughly amending ways and doings, and the presence of the temple and outward worship cannot secure protection and safety. The promise that God will cause His people to dwell there depends on genuine reform rather than confidence in the temple as a guarantee. Amending ways means changing both conduct and worship and practice, not conduct alone. It requires just judgment between neighbors and fair and just treatment of one another, care for the stranger and protection of strangers, orphans, and widows without oppression, refusing to shed innocent blood, and turning from other gods to obey God.

Trust in lying words that repeat the temple of the Lord as a charm is forbidden while stealing, murdering, committing adultery, swearing falsely, burning incense to Baal and following unknown gods continues. Coming afterward to stand in the house called by His name to claim deliverance in order to continue those abominations is condemned, and God declares He has seen that His house has become a den of robbers in their eyes. The warning is given as an opportunity to repent and avert threatened judgment. God delays the threatened doom to allow another opportunity for repentance. Only thorough reformation of heart and life can avert it, and trust in the temple, its services, or religious rites cannot save those who continue in sin. Genuine amendment restores the obedience in which He will be their God and they will be His people. The call is to be read before the people who need it, especially those not walking in the light, because God cannot prosper His people while such principles remain the rule of action.

Warning for Present Leaders

The call to amend ways and doings is directed to men in important positions of trust and leadership. It bears with particular weight where ministry has become perverted and influence is no longer saving. For such leaders it reproves neglect of God's principles and failure to maintain self-denial and self-sacrifice. It reproves relying on their own judgment and walking after the imagination of their own hearts instead of relying with heart and soul on divine wisdom and power.

The same reproof covers unfaithfulness, forgetting the simplicity of the work, and ignoring the principles God laid down. It covers indulging selfishness rather than practicing self-denial and self-sacrifice. What is demanded is humbling the heart before God in repentance and confession. The changes still required must be greater, and they must be made promptly and fully rather than slowly, reluctantly, and imperfectly. For church leaders who resist correction, ignore messages from God, and persist proudly in their chosen course, refusal to change brings the result that God gives them over to their own distorted thinking.