The people of Judah had shown themselves to be obstinate and stiff-necked people. Since they would not listen to God’s urging, they must poise themselves for punishment. So in Jeremiah 6:16-21, God announced before the nations of the whole earth what would be coming upon His disobedient people. He was making known the folly of a hardened and unreceptive heart. They did not listen to God's warning and ignored and rejected His law altogether.
God also wanted the Judean to know it was pointless for them to continue to offer their incense and sacrifices. What they had done could never please God. Remember 1 Samuel 15:22? The Prophet Samuel asked Saul a very poignant question before telling him what God prefers. He asked “Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.”
God would never be pleased with such sacrifices. Religious exercises without sincere obedience to His Word are exercises in futility. They are like sitting on a rocking chair, full of movements but going nowhere. In verse 21, God warned them that He would lay unavoidable stumbling blocks before them. Everyone, fathers as well as sons, would be stumbled by the enemy’s invasions in which many of them would perish.
There is no denying that God prefers our obedience to our meaningless sacrifices. For Christians being obedient is more than just a duty. It is an expression of our love for God. However, we need to know that the spirit of obedience is just as important as the act. God has no delight in the superficial expression of love when we are not taking Him or His word seriously. Jesus said in John 14:15 said, “If you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” The substance is always more important than mere form. True love for God is always demonstrated through obedience. Hear what Psalm 95:7-8a have to say:
“For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.
Today, if you would hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts….”
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