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Worship is not a substitute for obedience.

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel says: “Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other offerings and eat the meat yourselves! For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices, but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.

But they did not listen or pay attention, instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets. But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiffnecked and did more evil than their forefathers.” (Jeremiah 7:21-26)

This is another of Jeremiah’s sweeping statements condemning the official religion in Jerusalem during the reign of Jehoiakim and shortly before the Babylonian invasion of 598 BC. The positioning of this word in Jeremiah 7 is highly significant. It follows Jeremiah’s Temple Sermon and his declaration that God was actually going to destroy his own sanctuary, as he had done at Shiloh.

Jeremiah was told to tell the people that the message from God was: “I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the people of Ephraim” (Jer 7:15). He then received a personal command to stop praying for the welfare of the nation because God was no longer prepared to turn a blind eye to what they were doing. God could see whole families indulging in the worship of Astarte, the goddess of fertility – and actually doing these things openly in the streets of Jerusalem!

These things were provoking the anger of the Lord, but his wrath was primarily turned upon the religious leaders of the nation – the Temple priests and prophets who were allowing such things to happen openly, in sight of the Temple, without rebuke!

The people were provoking God’s anger, but his wrath was primarily turned upon the religious leaders of the nation.

Call to Obedience

This word from Jeremiah is directed to the priests who were responsible for the daily morning and evening sacrifices in the Temple. They were told not to bother with these ritual sacrifices any more – they were wasting their time, because God would no longer heed their prayers and petitions on behalf of the nation. They might as well eat the meat for themselves rather than burn it on the altar as “a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the Lord by fire” (Ex 29:41).

The presenting of a regular daily offering at the Tent of Meeting was a command given to Moses (Ex 29:38-45; Num 28:11-13). This practice was still being observed when David became king over all Israel, even before he established Jerusalem as his capital. When the Ark was recaptured from the Philistines we read, “David left Zadok the priest and his fellow priests before the tabernacle of the Lord at the high place in Gibeon to present burnt offerings to the Lord on the altar of burnt offering regularly, morning and evening” (1 Chron 16:39). When Jerusalem became the capital of the nation, this daily offering was transferred to Solomon’s Temple.

In the reading we are studying today, God reminded Jeremiah that the central command he had given to Moses was a call for obedience. The First Commandment was that the people of Israel should have no other God than Yahweh their Lord. This was of supreme importance. Obedience to the teaching given to Moses was far more important than offering sacrifices. The sacrifices were acts of worship during which prayers and petitions were offered, but worship was not a substitute for obedience.

God reminded Jeremiah that the central command he had given to Moses was a call for obedience.

Meaningless Offerings

Jeremiah, in accordance with prophetic tradition in Israel, gave little importance to the ritual of sacrificial practices. Back in the 8^th Century, some 200 years earlier, Isaiah had begun his ministry with a devastating attack upon the whole sacrificial system:

The multitude of your sacrifices – what are they to me?” says the Lord. “I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals…Stop bringing meaningless offerings!…Even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen…Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed… (Isa 1:11-17)

In a similar vein, Amos lambasted the people in the northern Kingdom of Israel: “I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them…Away with the noise of your songs!…But let justice roll like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” (Amos 5:21-24).

Jeremiah said that there was a long history of the people failing to obey the commands of the Lord. He had sent them prophets to declare his word in every generation, ever since they left Egypt: “Day after day, again and again…But they did not listen to me or pay attention.” The people were doing just as their forefathers had done, relying upon the traditional ritual of religion carried out by the priests on behalf of the nation and thinking that they were thereby fulfilling the requirements of God.

The priests were at fault for not teaching the people that obedience to the commandments of the Lord was essential. They could not expect God to fulfil the promises of his covenant relationship with the nation unless this requirement of obedience to the Torah was fulfilled.

But the level of disobedience and refusal to listen to correction was so ingrained in the nation, due to it being institutionalised in their religion, that Jeremiah was told by God that neither the priests nor the people would listen to him. He was to say, “This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips” (Jer 7:28).

The priests were at fault for not teaching the people that obedience to the commandments of the Lord was essential.

True Worship

It is a basic biblical teaching in the prophetic tradition of Israel that worship, however loud and exuberant, does not absolve the worshippers from obedience to the teaching that God has given. This is an instruction that ought to be heeded today!

Faithful attendance at church and participation in worship on Sundays does not absolve us from ungodly behaviour on weekdays – especially in the denial of justice and compassion in our human relationships.

This prophetic tradition also applies to preachers and teachers and worship leaders today. It is no use turning up the volume on our sound system if the teaching we are giving is contrary to biblical truth! If truth has ‘vanished from our lips’, we may be sure that the Lord will be saying, “Away with your songs! Walk in all the ways I command you that it may go well with you.”

This article is part of a series on the life and ministry of the Prophet Jeremiah. Click here for previous instalments.

Trust and obey: life lessons from the ministry of Samuel.

 In the sixth part of our series on the relevance of the message and ministry of the non-writing prophets for today, Pete Dye looks at Samuel.

The significance of Samuel as one of the great men of God is often unrecognised. In some ways he was second only to Moses as a leader of God’s people - Israel. Samuel was also the last of the judges, and the measure of his worth as leader is seen in the kingdom that emerged under Saul and then David.

After settling in their land, the 12 tribes had quickly become disgruntled and divided. The structure of their nation was falling apart. The judges, whom God raised up, were often only recognised by one tribe or group of tribes, and only briefly did they unite the people. It was a time which the writer of the Book of Judges summarised as: “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Jud 21:25).

Samuel's Early Years

Samuel's father, Elkanah, had been married to his mother, Hannah, for several years. They had no children, so Elkanah took another wife who was fruitful and bore him children. Although this provided Elkanah with what he desired it also brought division into his household.

Hannah, a godly woman, took her burden to the Lord and vowed that if he gave her a son, she would give him back to the Lord. The Lord answered her prayer and Samuel was born. Hannah fulfilled her vow and brought Samuel to the Lord. He lived in the house of the Lord under the tutelage of Eli, without his mother's closeness. Eli, his substitute parent, was ineffective as a father - as was demonstrated by the behaviour of his sons Hophni and Phinehas, who were wicked men.

In some ways Samuel was second only to Moses as a leader of God’s people.

Although, at first, Samuel did not recognise the Lord speaking to him, once he did he responded immediately and gladly. This marked out his life; he was a man who heard God clearly and was obedient to what he heard. One of the great needs of today is for men and women to do just this. God has provided us with his written word as a benchmark, but he also speaks clearly through the prophetic word, which must always be tested.

Intimacy with God

In many ways, Samuel was a shadow of our model, the Lord Jesus Christ. The Psalmist describes the Messiah as the one who says, “I desire to do your will, O my God” (Ps 40:8). Jesus had an open ear to his Father. Is this not the secret of any ministry that God blesses? It begins with this kind of intimate relationship with God.

The Lord was with Samuel and his early experiences set the tone for his life. As God spoke to him so Samuel was able to speak the word of the Lord clearly to the nation. It was more than just the word of the Lord, however! Samuel had an intimacy with the Lord as the Lord revealed himself through his word (1 Sam 3:19-21). The Lord showed Samuel in incredible detail what would happen, and then confirmed his word by its fulfilment. In that way, God let ‘none of his words fall to the ground.’ Should we be expecting that kind of prophetic word today?

As a young man, Samuel knew intimacy with God through prayer. Like Moses, he was a man who talked with God. His public praying was a reflection of the private relationship he had with God. Jeremiah 15:1 links Samuel and Moses in this respect: “Then the LORD said to me: ‘Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence! Let them go!’”

The people of Israel had reached a situation of utter disgrace before God. They had been under Philistine oppression and had lost the Ark of God in battle. They had never had authority from God to use the Ark in the way that they did, and it was only a sovereign act of God that made the Philistines return it.

Samuel was a man who heard God clearly and was obedient to what he heard.

Repentance

20 years were to elapse before the people turned to the Lord in repentance: “It was a long time, twenty years in all, that the ark remained at Kiriath Jearim, and all the people of Israel mourned and sought after the Lord” (1 Sam 7:2). During this time Samuel was able to speak to the nation clearly about God’s terms.

If there was a seeking after God from the heart, then there were things to do to express that repentance. He called the nation to cleanse itself from the false gods that had been tolerated and they responded to his call. They put away all their false gods and determined to serve the Lord alone (1 Sam 7:4). On this basis, Samuel could call the nation to come together.

The implication of Scripture is that this repentance was in part the result of Samuel's ministry. Although his words had come to Israel, his words had also come to God in prayer. At the right time, in this national gathering, he could pray publicly for the people of God. Scripture records that the Lord both heard and answered his prayer (1 Sam 7:9).

Is this not relevant to God’s people today? Are there not false gods worshipped by God’s people in modem Britain? There are gods of materialism that are avidly worshipped in the modern church. They may be more sophisticated than the Roth of Samuel's day, but just as insidious and destructive to the people of God. Samuel was straight with God's people. They had to serve God alone and his preaching had great effect.

Man of Integrity

Another feature of Samuel’s ministry was that he was a man whose judgment could be trusted. He never judged to please men of importance. He could be trusted and did not accept bribes. He was scrupulously fair. Sometimes good men can make bad judges, and some bad men can make good judges. Samuel was both a good man and a good judge. Even while Saul was king, Samuel was the supportive elder statesman who did not get in Saul's way. Samuel made a circuit of Israel; from Bethel to Gilgal and Mizpah and then back to his administrative seat in Ramah, Samuel would travel the land.

Samuel was straight with God's people - they had to serve God alone, not idols.

Our modern world, despite its sophistication, is full of dishonesty. This even affects the Church. The Christian in business and work a few decades ago would be known for his integrity. I believe that Christian standards are slipping. We have become too much like our culture in its dishonesty. Maybe God is calling us afresh through Samuel to live lives of transparent honesty and integrity before the world and in the Church. People respect that and feel safe with it, even if it makes them feel uncomfortable. We need Christian leaders with that same characteristic.

Sacrifice and Cost

There was also a cost involved in Samuel’s life and ministry. His mother had promised him to God as a Nazirite (1 Sam 1:11). And so he was, his life was totally consecrated to God from his days in the sanctuary at Shiloh under Eli until his death.

But it was never easy. He went through experiences that the modern psychologist would use to excuse unrighteous behaviour. He left home at an early age and may have felt rejected. He lost the sanctuary that had been his home at Shiloh when it was destroyed by the Philistines. He could so easily have become bitter because of this. Then his sons disappointed him. He had great expectations of them and made them judges, but they accepted bribes and did not follow his ways.

He was the leader of Israel, but was told by God to first anoint Saul, and later David, to be king. Samuel felt deeply rejected by this, and God had to point out to him that it was the Lord who was being rejected. Samuel was only rejected because he was God’s anointed representative. What an example to us as we excuse our behaviour because of our circumstances!

Samuel's home was at Ramah. He administered justice and built an altar to the Lord there. His home, his work and his worship were all in harmony. Some Christians manage to compartmentalise their lives. They can be keen Christians as far as church is concerned, and yet at work no-one knows that they are Christians. Sometimes they are different at home to how they are in church. Samuel was consistent and presents a tremendous challenge to us. His godly life and example were the means which God used to bring together 12 ungodly tribes into a nation that was one under the leadership of David.

An important aspect of the prophet's ministry is that of warning people to turn from their rebellious ways and to return to God in repentance and obedience.

The word of God teaches us that, "We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way" (Isa 53:6). Here is a characteristic shared by every member of the human family. We may differ as to age, sex, colour, race and nationality, but all have this in common: we have strayed from the right path and have obstinately chosen to go our own way and to do our own thing.

An important aspect of the prophet's ministry, not only in Old and New Testament times but also today, is that of warning people to turn from their rebellious ways and to return to God at a level of repentance that leads to future obedience.

The Sending of Prophets

"Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets to you. They said, 'Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and reform your actions'..." (Jer 35:15). Their message was, "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength" (Isa 30:15 RSV). The NIV translates the Hebrew word shuvah, which means 'to turn back', as 'repentance'. Constantly the prophets call for God's people to return to Yahweh. "Come, let us return to the Lord...Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God...Return to me with all your heart...Take words with you and return to the Lord...Return to me and I will return to you" (Hos 6:1, 14:1-2; Joel 2:12-13; Mal 3:7).

The Blessings Promised to Those Who Return

The first blessing was that of forgiveness. "Let the wicked forsake his way...let him turn to the Lord, and he will have rnercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon" (Isa 55:7). "I have swept away your offences like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you" (Isa 44:22).

As well as pardon for the past the people were promised a new beginning. "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you...and move you...to keep my laws" (Ezek 36:26-27). "I will give them a heart to know me...they will be my people...for they will return to me with all their heart" (Jer 24:7).

Those who return to the Lord are promised many blessings, including forgiveness and a new beginning.

They would be brought back to inherit the land. "I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up...for they will return to me with all their heart" (Jer 24:6-7). They would enjoy material blessings, as Moses had promised to God's people: "All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God" (Deut 28:1-12). "'Test me in this', says the Lord Almighty, 'and see if I will not throw open the flood-gates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it'" (Mal 3:10).

Disasters Threatening Those Who Turn from God

The prophets of the Bible have no hesitation in believing and proclaiming that God is behind all things that happen, including unpleasant and frightening events: "I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things" (Isa 45:7). Jeremiah announces that disaster is on its way and that it behoves God's people to turn from their evil ways: "This is what the Lord says: 'Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways...'" (Jer 18:11). When Baruch, Jeremiah's assistant, wrote a fresh scroll to replace the one King Jehoiakim had burnt, all the threats of coming disaster were repeated along with "many similar words..." (Jer 36:32).

According to the story of Jonah, a threatened disaster was averted when men repented. "When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened" (Jonah 3:10). The opposite was the case in the time of Isaiah. In his ninth and tenth chapters is a phrase that repeats four times: "For all this his anger is not turned away, his arm is still upraised" (Isa 9:12, 9:17, 9:21, 10:4). In the Good News Bible this passage reads, "Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish."

When men do not respond to disaster, the result can be only that greater disaster will come upon them. This is surely a salutary thought for us as we think back over the series of disasters we have witnessed or experienced in Britain during recent times.

Those who refuse to turn bring disaster upon themselves - and when they do not respond to this, the result can only be greater disaster.

Another aspect of the prophets' ministry is to draw their listeners' attention to crises that have occurred. The book of Amos contains a striking example of such action. In chapter 4 (verses 6-11) he reminds them of the disasters that had occurred. These included famine, drought, blight, locusts, plague, war and raging fire. One recurrent phrase in these verses sounds like a death-knell: "'Yet you have not returned to me', declares the Lord." God does not want to have to bring ever more serious disasters - that is not his nature or desire - but it may become inevitable, "You crushed them but they refused correction They made their faces harder than stone and refused to repent" (Jer 5:3).

Why Do People Turn from God?

1. Because they do not know God's word.

Jeremiah writes of the people and their leaders, "These are only the poor, they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God. So I will go to the leaders and speak to them; surely they know the way of the Lord, the requirements of their God. But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke" (Jer 5:4-5). It is a very sad situation when the ordinary people who do not know God's law receive no direction or correction from their leaders because they have rejected the revealed word of God. Like so many today, they are left with only the unsure ground of situation ethics as the nations plunge further and further into moral chaos.

2. Because they listen to false prophets.

"Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you, they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds..." As a result of this error, "From the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land" (Jer 23:15-16). How sad that when the ministry of the prophet was so needed, as in Jerusalem then and in our situation today, we are confronted by so-called prophets who have not heard from God at all, but speak forth their own dreams and delusions. "...prophets who prophesy the delusions of their own minds...[they] prophesy false dreams...and lead my people astray with their reckless lies..." (Jer 23:26, 23:32).

It is of vital importance today that the stream of prophecy is kept clear by careful observance of the scriptural rules laid down for us in the New Testament. If we tolerate human traditions and unscriptural practices, we may lose the effective working of a very precious and necessary gift.

It is a sad situation when ordinary people who do not know God's law receive no direction or correction from their leaders, because they too have rejected the revealed word of God.

3. Because they fail to learn from the mistakes of others.

In the time of King Josiah, the prophet Jeremiah received a word from the Lord condemning Judah for copying the behaviour of her 'adulterous sister' Israel (Jer 3:6-10). "I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no tear she also went out and committed adultery" (Jer 3:8). We see many examples of wrong behaviour, especially in the area of sexual morality. Sadly, some of these have been within the Christian church; sadder still, a few have been among its leaders.

We need prophets today who are not afraid to remind God's people of the standards laid down in his word. But at all times they should avoid that judgmental and critical spirit which hurts yet more and condemns. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted" (Gal 6:1).

The Folly of Not Returning to God

According to one of the Church Fathers, "Outside of God there is nothing but death." Therefore, the only sensible thing for anyone to do is to return to God. Ezekiel is feeling the urgency of the matter when he cries out, "Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?" (Ezek 33:11). He makes it clear that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked rather "...am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?"

Today's prophets need to stress the unrelieved awfulness of living or dying without God and consequently the stupidity of concentrating all our efforts on amassing this world's goods arid striving for its fame Jesus was speaking very much to the point when he said of the rich man, in his story, "You fool!" (Luke 12:20).

Today's prophets need to stress the unrelieved awfulness and folly of living or dying without God.

The Blessedness of Turning Back to God

God is holy, and he is a God of justice and judgment. But Scripture teaches that judgment is his "strange work...his alien task" (Isa 28:21). There is no doubt that in this injunction he is providing an example to prophets. Justice and judgment must have their rightful place in the ministry of today's prophets. "If I have the gift of prophecy...but have not love, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13:2). In Jesus' greatest story we see an example of the love that should characterise all his followers. Whatever they have done in the past, "Let's celebrate, for this son of mine was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found" (Luke 15:24).

The Reward for the Prophets Who Turn Men to Righteousness

"Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead [RSV 'turn'] many to righteousness like the stars for ever and ever" (Rev 12:3). It is true that "we all like sheep have gone astray" (Isa 53:6). We all have an inborn determination to do what we want to do. Sadly, Scripture points out that "there is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death" (Prov 14:12).

We did not find the right road by our own cleverness but by the grace and mercy of God. Now we in turn must share what we have experienced. It is just such prophets who will shine, because they have turned others from their sins and have played some part in returning them to the Father and to home.

First published in Prophecy Today, Vol 6 No 5, September/October 1990.