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Daily Devotions

Jeremiah

Jeremiah 
Day 
Day 117

"Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat"

Text: Jeremiah 7:21

THE PRACTICE OF GIVING BURNT OFFERINGS

This word from the LORD was both insightful and significant, with reference to the issue of giving burnt offerings. The worship that Jerusalem offered was candidly questioned!

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
‘Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat.
For I did not speak to your fathers,
or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt,
concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices.'”
Jeremiah 7:21-22

1. “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel”

a) The declaration of God was highlighted on purpose.
b) Two very lofty titles of God were employed:
i) The LORD of hosts
This title represents His might and majesty.
ii) The God of Israel
This title represents God’s relationship to Israel as a nation.

2. “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices and eat meat.”

a) “Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices”
i) The word to note is “add”.
ii) God gave no additional word concerning worship offerings.
iii) Jerusalem added to the idea of giving burnt offerings.
b) What lay behind this desire to “add”?
i) This was probably influenced by their idolatrous practices.
ii) It was common practice among idolaters to add extra offerings thinking that more offerings would result in more blessings!
iii) This was erroneous reasoning!
iv) God cannot be bribed into giving more blessings in any way.
c) “And eat meat”
i) This was a tinge of sarcasm.
ii) In the giving of sacrifices, a portion was returned to the worshipper.
iii) The worshipper was considered “in fellowship” with God as he partook of the food (meat) returned.
iv) Why were they giving more sacrifices?
So that they may feast more! The focus on worship was not on God but their stomach.

3. “For I did not speak to your fathers, or command them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices.”

a) What was the original word from the LORD when the children of Israel came out of Egypt?
b) Was the original focus ever on “burnt offerings or sacrifices?”
c) There was teaching concerning giving sacrifices, but was this the actual focus?