NOTES for Jer 7:1-34

Jeremiah's sermon, delivered at the entrance to the Temple (v. 2), raises several questions. For example, it is not entirely clear what "Baals" (v. 9) he is speaking about, given that this concerns a time when King Josiah's religious reform had already become an accomplished fact. It is not excluded, of course, that the sermon was delivered under one of Josiah's successors, when pagan cults again began to spread in Judah and pagan altars appeared even in the temple court. But here, it appears, the issue is rather the household cults that even Josiah could not overcome.

Paganism, as is well known, always penetrates deeply into everyday life, and it is especially difficult to fight it there, because everyday life is entirely determined by the spiritual content of the lives of those who arrange it. That is why public, official religiosity often differs noticeably from domestic, everyday religiosity. Apparently, a significant part of those newly minted "Yahwists" who appeared in such numbers in the country after Josiah's reform remained essentially pagans, while not doubting their own orthodoxy for a minute.

Such a situation was worse spiritually than open paganism: pagans at least know who they are and are not deceived about themselves, while the imaginary "Yahwists," like those whom Jeremiah addressed, on the contrary remained in a pleasant delusion about their religiosity. Yahwism was, perhaps, for these people not the foundation of spiritual life but merely a kind of national ideology; in Yahweh they saw the Patron of the country and the people, who nevertheless did not touch their hearts, so that in their everyday life there was still room for the Baals and for the cult of the Great Goddess (vv. 17-18).

But such Yahwism became the basis for the rapid growth of a distinctive religious nationalism. The inhabitants of Judah were convinced that nothing threatened them: in Jerusalem they now had the only place on earth where sacrifices were offered to the true God, and therefore neither they nor their country had anything to fear (vv. 3-4). In addition, they were, as can be seen, completely sure that salvation from troubles and the messianic Kingdom were guaranteed to them by definition, since they were the people of God, regularly attended temple worship, and took part in sacrifices, while not thinking at all about keeping the commandments or even about at least leaving behind the pagan cults so dear to their hearts (vv. 9-10). This kind of self-confidence spiritually devalues any cult, as the prophet reminds his fellow countrymen (vv. 21-24).

Such were the fruits of a religious reform carried out from above: the external result was achieved comparatively easily and quickly, but the people's spiritual state turned out worse than before. Now paganism, which had left the streets of Jerusalem and hidden itself in the homes and hearts of the city's inhabitants, was joined by self-confident nationalism thickly mixed with very superficial Yahwist religiosity. This mixture made repentance impossible and catastrophe inevitable.

Jeremiah continues to prophesy, and again across the centuries we feel ourselves to be his contemporaries. How many centuries have passed since the call not to keep repeating words about the temple sounded, and now we again risk replacing spiritual life with restoration work! Meanwhile, in our own land there are enough of the same injustices that existed in ancient Judah. And according to the word of the prophet, later repeated by the Savior, a temple without the true conversion of those who visit it becomes a den of robbers, a thieves' lair. And what good is confidence in one's own salvation if it is soaked in superstitions and unwillingness to bring true repentance?

It is interesting that among the injustices mentioned, the oppression of the foreigner comes first. In our time anyone who decides to speak, for example, about the situation of "guest workers" will receive a united and massive rebuff: "Who is oppressing them? What are they doing here? They would run anyone over themselves!" But for a people called chosen, keeping the commandment to treat newcomers from other lands with respect was important precisely in order to preserve faithfulness to their election and not to return to the self-perception of practically all pagan peoples at a certain and very long stage: only we are people, and everyone else is no one knows what.

But the Lord does not want us to return to paganism, even if we continue to perform all the required temple rituals. Those who replace true following of the Lord and keeping His commandments with rituals will be rejected by Him.

God cannot reproach the inhabitants of Jerusalem for insufficient religiosity: they offer sacrifices, pray, and even remember the One God among the other gods and believe in Him—yet they have “turned their backs to Him, not their faces.” From God, as from the other gods, they want help, blessing, anything at all except God Himself. They want to speak, but not with Him—only to Him: they want Him to listen to their requests without making them listen in return. They “did not incline their ear,” though He had asked, “Obey My voice.” All of this is an indictment of ordinary religious consciousness everywhere, not only that of ancient Jews. People need the idea of God so that there is someone to whom they can pray; this is natural religiosity. But they do not need a God whom they must listen to—not merely by observing commandments and rituals, but by truly coming to know His will. This is a religiosity that is not natural but genuine: the kind God desires from the human person.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God addresses His word to the people of Israel. His indignation is caused by the fact that people who do not keep the commandments, and do not make much effort to keep them, come to the temple and think that everything is fine with them, because they belong to the people of God. God categorically rejects this idea of "collective salvation," in which everyone separately is a sinner, but together they are "saved."

It is hard to get rid of the feeling that this idea has not disappeared over the past two and a half thousand years. Does it not happen that we think the most important thing for our salvation is to get into the "right" church, to be in it "like everyone else," and then one can not only consider oneself a sinner, but go on being one? There is no need for personal faith, for personal relations with Christ, for deep repentance, and for striving toward holiness. There is no personal responsibility for one's deeds and thoughts, because salvation belongs to us by the fact of belonging to the church. But from God's point of view everything is the other way around: our belonging to the "right" Church, to the Body of Christ, is determined by our personal relations with Christ and our personal responsibility before Him.

God addresses His word to the Israeli people through the prophet Jeremiah. His indignation is provoked by the fact that people, who don’t fulfill the commandments (and do not even try), coming to the Temple, consider that everything is in order with them, - because they belong to God’s people. God is categorically against such an idea "collective salvation", when all are separately sinners, but "saved" together.

Doesn’t it seem to you, that such a representation of two and a half centuries ago hasn’t disappeared? Doesn’t it happen that we think that the most important for our salvation it is to be in "the true" church, to be in it "as everyone", and then we cannot only be considered sinner, but also continue being one? There is no need in the personal faith, in personal relationships with Christ, in deep repentance and in longing for holiness. There is no personal responsibility for our deeds and our thoughts - because salvation belongs to us, accordingly to the membership to the church. But from God’s point of view it is all the opposite: our membership in "the true" Church, in the Body of Christ is defined by our personal relationship with Christ and our personal responsibility before Him.

A paradoxical situation: God sends the prophet to people about whom He Himself tells His messenger that no one will listen to him! If everything is so clear, why send him? One could think that God does this just in case: what if someone is still found who can and wants to hear? But God is not a human being; in His case there can be no "what if" or "perhaps." He knows everyone and each person, and at any moment He can say exactly whether there are people among the nation who are ready to listen and hear, or not.

Rather, the point is different: the situation's fundamental lack of predetermination. Yes, things are bad. Yes, the people are little inclined to listen to those who speak on God's behalf. Worse still, this situation did not develop today or yesterday: judging by God's words, the people have always been marked by spiritual insensitivity (or at least slight sensitivity), from the very beginning of their history, from the Exodus itself. And still there is hope; it is always there as long as human history continues.

Of course, past sins are always a heavy burden, whether the matter concerns an individual person or a whole people. But fortunately, repentance and turning back are always possible; neither one depends on human merits or achievements. Today's sinner can repent and set out on the path of righteousness not even tomorrow, but in the next minute, and God will accept his repentance and rejoice at his turning. Or he may not repent, and then the prophet's words will be wasted.

Of course, the prophet himself will remain a man of God, and he will do the work entrusted to him by God; in this respect God will have nothing to reproach him for (to the extent that we are speaking of a sinful human being). But from the point of view of God's desire to save each person from sin and death, a desire He expresses so clearly, the prophet's words in such a case will prove useless.

God takes a risk, without which nothing can be done in the fallen world. A risk without which no work of God is accomplished and which, therefore, no one who agrees to do it can avoid. If even the Messiah Himself, from the very beginning of His ministry, knows exactly that He will die on the Cross, what is there to say about the rest? And still the prophet goes to do the work God has entrusted to him. Just as many went before him and many after him. Just as the Messiah went to the Cross. Not only because otherwise God's plan will not be fulfilled, but above all because otherwise they will lose God, His love, His Kingdom. And they all know this.

The Lord continually sends prophets to His people, but by and large the people listen to none of them. By human standards, God could long ago have concluded that dealing with this people is futile. Having reached such a conclusion, He could have tried to find another people for Himself, one more likable and responsive. But how realistic is that? After Adam’s fall, could one find a more likable people among his children? Human nature (the nature of the old man) does not depend very much on one’s people... Most importantly, however, the Lord is faithful even when people are unfaithful. He chose His people and did not abandon them. He promised to be with us, and He does not abandon us even when we turn our backs on Him. Even when He knows that we will not listen, He nevertheless gives us, again and again, an opportunity to turn back, hear His voice, and set foot on the path He has commanded us to follow.

This commandment calls up to our faith. Can we not just believe that God exists, and place confidence on Him, give Him the right to decide what is good for us? If yes, then for us begins to sound His voice indicating us the way, protected by commandments against spiritual dangers. But it is not everything. Do we agree to obey this voice and to follow this indicated way, which is to answer with deed to God’s call? The relations with God begin with faith, but "faith without works is dead" (James 2:20).