Jeremiah 7:4

Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, [are] these.

Trust {H982} ye not in lying {H8267} words {H1697}, saying {H559}, The temple {H1964} of the LORD {H3068}, The temple {H1964} of the LORD {H3068}, The temple {H1964} of the LORD {H3068}, are these.

Don't rely on that deceitful slogan, 'The temple of ADONAI, the temple of ADONAI - these [buildings] are the temple of ADONAI.'

Do not trust in deceptive words, chanting: ‘This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’

Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, are these.

Jeremiah 7:4 stands as a powerful warning within Jeremiah's famous "Temple Sermon." The prophet addresses the people of Judah, who had developed a dangerous complacency, believing their physical possession of the Temple of the LORD in Jerusalem would protect them from divine judgment, regardless of their moral and spiritual decay.

Historical and Cultural Context

During the late 7th century BC, as the powerful Babylonian Empire threatened Judah, the people clung to a false sense of security. They erroneously believed that because God had chosen Jerusalem as the site for His Temple, He would never allow the city or the Temple to be destroyed. This belief stemmed from a misinterpretation of God's covenant promises, leading them to think that mere ritual and the presence of the sacred building were sufficient, even while they engaged in idolatry, injustice, and immorality. Jeremiah's message directly confronts this dangerous delusion, highlighting the difference between outward religious observance and genuine covenant faithfulness.

Key Themes and Messages

  • False Security vs. True Faith: The verse directly challenges the notion that mere association with sacred objects or places guarantees divine protection. It underscores that God values a transformed heart and obedient life over superficial religious practices.
  • The Danger of Ritualism Without Righteousness: The repeated phrase, "The temple of the LORD," symbolizes a reliance on external forms of religion without internal commitment to God's commands. God demands justice, righteousness, and humble walking with Him, not just adherence to rituals.
  • Divine Judgment on Hypocrisy: Jeremiah warns that God will not be mocked. Their hypocrisy, hidden behind the facade of Temple worship, would inevitably lead to judgment, just as it did for the tabernacle at Shiloh (Jeremiah 7:12).

Linguistic Insights

The threefold repetition of "The temple of the LORD" (Hebrew: הֵיכַל יְהוָה - heykhal Yahweh) is highly significant. It mimics a chant or a mantra, illustrating how the people had turned a sacred truth into a superstitious charm. This repetition emphasizes their desperate, yet misguided, reliance on the physical structure as an amulet against disaster. The phrase "lying words" (Hebrew: דִּבְרֵי שֶׁקֶר - divrei sheqer) denotes deceitful or false utterances, indicating that these assurances were not from God but were self-deceptive or propagated by false prophets.

Practical Application

Jeremiah's warning remains profoundly relevant today. Believers can fall into similar traps, relying on church attendance, religious traditions, or even their Christian heritage as a guarantee of God's favor, while neglecting genuine obedience to His word and a transformed lifestyle. This verse calls us to examine our hearts, ensuring our faith is not merely an outward show but a deep, authentic relationship with God, characterized by worship in spirit and truth and a commitment to righteousness and justice in all areas of life. True security comes from trusting in God Himself and living according to His will, not from religious symbols or institutions.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Micah 3:11

    The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, [Is] not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

  • Zephaniah 3:11

    In that day shalt thou not be ashamed for all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me: for then I will take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride, and thou shalt no more be haughty because of my holy mountain.

  • Ezekiel 13:19

    And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear [your] lies?

  • Jeremiah 29:31

    Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:

  • Matthew 3:9

    And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

  • Matthew 3:10

    And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

  • 1 Samuel 4:3

    And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.

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