The children of Israel had abandoned the ancient paths. They were trusting in something other than what God intended. They were trusting in flashy words. They were trusting in other gods. They were trusting that their sacrifices were enough. But they weren't. Jeremiah's words from the Lord to Israel were harsh.
" 'Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. Do not trust in deceptive words and say, "This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!" If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly, if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not follow other gods to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless. - Jer. 7:2-8 NIV
Even today, we need to be saved from our illusions, that our worship, our sacrifices, our actions are enough. God has made it very clear how we are to live. Anything else is just false religion.
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