Thursday 27 March 2014

Background

In verses 21-28 Jeremiah raised his basic conception ofreligion: God requires moral obedience, not sacrifice. It issomething similar to what Hosea also said, "I desire steadfast loveand not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burntofferings" (Hosea 6:6). Jeremiah's word expressed hisbelief that the sacrificial system was man-made and secondary. Whathe is saying in verse 22 is that in the time of Moses God did notlay down any requirements of sacrifice, but only of moralobedience. However in Jeremiah's view - when the right spiritcomes, the sacrificial system is irrelevant, if not idolatrous. Heis being driven by the concept of the New Covenant, when God's wordshall be written upon Israel's heart, wherein each person shallstand before God without any intermediaries. Probably at thisstage, the best gift that we can offer God is to accept God's owngift, the Commandments.

To Ponder

• How do you respond if God speaks to you, "I will be yourGod"?