Scripture Readings: Jeremiah 7.21-34 and John 7.37-52
Jeremiah is considered one of the greatest of the Old Testament prophets. His description of the “New Covenant” (31: 31-34) might be the most important passage in the Old Testament.
But in the passage here,
Jeremiah is apparently approving burnt offering and sacrifice.
Contemporary Christians are often turned off by the language of sacrifice,
particularly animal sacrifice, in the Old Testament. But a closer reading
of the prophets gives us a somewhat different picture.
In a famous passage in
Amos, we are told that God does not accept burnt offerings and cereal
offerings, but “let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an
ever-flowing stream” (5:21-24). Likewise Isaiah (1: 12-17) speaks of a
God who has enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; rather
we should cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, and correct
oppression.
At one point even Jeremiah says that burnt offerings and sacrifices are not acceptable, but that the law should be written on our hearts. It would go too far to conclude that Jeremiah is opposed to ritual and sacrifice, but like Amos and Isaiah, he believes that what counts is a sincere and contrite heart.
He urges the people to walk in the way God has commanded them, “but they walked in their own counsels and their evil hearts.” This is apparent in the violence, hedonism, and materialism of our own day.
Finally, Jeremiah observes that the people “went backward and not forward.” Someone has noted that our cars supply a small rear-view mirror so we can see where we have been, but a giant windshield so we may see where we are going. It is easy to romanticize the past, but we are called to press forward towards a better day tomorrow.
Emory Burton, Class, ETC member
