The most beautiful place of worship in Jeremiah’s day was
the temple in Jerusalem,which King Josiah had recently repaired
and restored (2 Chron. 34–35). The people were fixated on the
magnificent building (Jer. 7:4), and they foolishly thought that
having the temple there meant that God would protect them from
their enemies.
Instead, Jeremiah pointed out the sin in their lives (vv.3,9-10).
God is not impressed by beautiful buildings constructed in His name
if there is no inward beauty in the hearts of those who go there.
He is not interested in an outward legalistic worship that is not
matched by inward holiness. And it is wrong to think that God protects
people just because of the religious things they do.
Just because we’re reading the Bible, praying, and fellowshipping with
other believers doesn’t mean that God is somehow then obligated to do
something for us. He cannot be manipulated. The purpose of those external
activities is to develop our relationship with the Lord and to help us live
differently than those in the world around us.
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