Jeremiah 26:1-6; 7:1-8:3
It may be they will listen…
Jeremiah 26:3a
The LORD, exceedingly gracious and merciful, gives the people of Judah every opportunity to repent. He sends Jeremiah to the Temple court to proclaim His message that there is yet time to turn away from evil and avoid disaster. But the window of opportunity is closing — and closing fast.
In the Temple, one would expect to find those who ostensibly worship the LORD, those presumably most likely to be receptive to the word of the LORD. And yet it is these very people whose ways need amending. They are every bit as far from the LORD as anyone else, but they think they have Him in their back pocket. Just as their forefathers treated the Ark of the Covenant as a good luck charm, so the people of Judah now view the Temple as their guarantee of the LORD’s deliverance. They think, “We have the Temple, so all will be well.” But that is a false hope (Jer. 7:4,8), because their lives run counter to the LORD Whose Temple it is.
So the LORD issues fair warning: Repent! Turn around before it is too late! Do not miss this opportunity!
Is anyone listening?