International Sunday School Lesson October 12, 2025

Jeremiah's Message Jeremiah 7:2-11, 21-23 This summary of the International Sunday School Lesson, "Jeremiah’s Message" (Jeremiah 7:1-11, 21-23, also known as the "Temple Sermon"), focuses on the prophet Jeremiah's condemnation of the people of Judah's misplaced trust in Temple worship while living in disobedience to God's moral and ethical laws. The Core Message: Ritual Without Righteousness is Worthless The message, delivered at the start of King Jehoiakim's reign after the death of the godly King Josiah, was directed toward the people who attended Temple worship and believed that religious ritual would protect them. Jeremiah, a priest himself, stressed that the Temple's building and rituals were worthless without a righteous life (Jeremiah 7:3-4, 21-23). The people were under the "delusion" that God would protect the Temple and the city regardless of their spiritual state. Deceptive Words and Empty Promises Jeremiah explicitly commanded the people to "Amend your ways and your deeds" and warned them not to trust in the "deceptive words" that simply repeated, "This is the temple of the LORD" (Jeremiah 7:3-4). The lesson emphasizes that Christianity is a personal experience—you cannot rely on the piety of others for your salvation. This concept is mirrored by Jesus's warning in Matthew 7:21-23, where not everyone who says "Lord, Lord" will enter heaven, but only "the one who does the will of my Father." The Call to "Execute Justice" God outlined the essential requirements for the people to remain in the land: truly amending their ways and deeds and, most notably, "execute justice one with another" (Jeremiah 7:5). This is described as "justice with legs"—actions, not just thoughts or words, such as: Not oppressing the sojourner, the fatherless, or the widow. Not shedding innocent blood. Not going after other gods. The lesson stresses the importance of practical, actionable kindness and fairness, such as helping the needy, showing respect, and not taking advantage of others for personal gain (avoiding predatory behavior). A "Den of Robbers" God challenged the hypocrisy of the people who would steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, and worship idols, and then come to the Temple saying, "We are delivered!" (Jeremiah 7:8-10). The Temple had become a "den of robbers" in God's eyes (Jeremiah 7:11), a phrase later used by Jesus (Luke 19:45-46). The lesson concludes that what people do outside the church—such as cheating on taxes or engaging in adultery—is what truly makes the house of God a den, and is more important than what happens inside. Obedience Over Ritual The ultimate command God gave was not about sacrifices and burnt offerings, but simply: "Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people" (Jeremiah 7:22-23). God is not saying worship is worthless, but that "going through the motions" while "living like the devil is worthless." Concluding Thought: A fancy church building, a popular pastor, or a good choir is not the important thing in a relationship with God. How you live outside the church when no one is looking is the important thing