the Third Week after Easter
Daily Devotionals
Our Daily Homily - Volume 3
Jeremiah 7:4—The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are these.
When Jeremiah threatened Israel with the coming of the king of Assyria, the false prophets minimized the terror of his utterances by pointing to the temple and assuring the people that there was no reason to anticipate the overthrow of their city, since it was the custodian of the holy shrine of Jehovah. "Ye have the temple in your midst, surely then you are a religious people. You cannot be as bad as this pessimistic prophet alleges, and God cannot very well dispense with you."
But men may perform the most sacred rites, and yet perpetrate the grossest crimes. The presence of a temple with all its priests and rites does not necessarily denote holiness; but often the contrary. In Roman Catholic countries, brigands will seek the blessing of heaven on their plans of murder and plunder. Our safety lies, not in outward rites, but in amending our ways and doings. Not in having sprung from godly parents, nor in engagedness in holy things, nor in the practice of religious rites, will help come; but in being genuinely right with God. Real religion consists not in temple-rites, but in humility, unselfishness, and godliness. Saul of Tarsus is the type of many who are zealous for religion, but destitute of its power.
"Here on earth a temple stands,
Temple never built with hands;
There the Lord doth fill the place
With the glory of his grace.
Cleansed by Christ’s atoning Blood,
Thou art this fair house of God,
Where the soul, a priest in white,
Singeth praises day and night;
Glory of the Love divine,
Filling all this heart of thine."
