Jeremiah 7:22
For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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God is saying that when He brought Israel out of Egypt, the main point wasn't about the sacrifices themselves, but about hearing His voice and obeying Him. Sacrifices were never meant to be the primary focus, especially when detached from genuine obedience.
Jeremiah is at the temple, delivering a scathing message from God to the people and their leaders who are trusting in their religious rituals. God declares that He never prioritized burnt offerings and sacrifices when He first rescued them from Egypt; instead, His primary command was for them to obey His voice. The prophet continues by emphasizing that God's true desire was for them to walk in His ways so that things would go well for them, but they consistently refused.
The Israelites were incredibly focused on their sacrifices, but God's message through Jeremiah cuts through the noise. What did God really care about when He brought them out of Egypt?
Jeremiah 7:22 famously states, 'For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.' This isn't saying God never wanted sacrifices. Instead, it highlights that the primary command given at the Exodus, the foundational moment of their covenant with God, was about obedience.
The Core Command
God's initial instruction was clear: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people' (Jeremiah 7:23). The sacrifices, while part of the Law later, were secondary. They were never meant to be a substitute for genuine obedience, faith, and a sincere heart. When the people focused so intensely on the rituals that they neglected the heart of God's commands, their offerings became meaningless, even offensive, to Him.
Why the Emphasis on Obedience?
Obedience is the active expression of trust and love for God. It's about aligning our lives with His will. Sacrifices, when offered with a disobedient heart, were like hollow performances. God desired a people whose lives reflected His character, not just those who went through the motions of religious duty.
The people of Jeremiah's day were zealously performing sacrifices, yet God declared He hadn't commanded them concerning them. What's the real story behind these rituals?
The crucial point in Jeremiah 7:22 is not that God never instituted sacrifices, but that He did not command them for their own sake. The commentaries point out that sacrifices were never the ultimate goal. They were signs, symbols, and educational tools pointing to something greater.
The Purpose of Sacrifice
Jeremiah's message strikes at the heart of a religious system where outward rituals had replaced inward obedience. He reminds the people that God's initial commands at the Exodus prioritized a relationship of trust and following His voice, not merely performing sacrifices. The emphasis on sacrifice in later periods, particularly after the Temple's establishment, had unfortunately led many to believe that the ritual itself was sufficient, masking a deeper spiritual decay and disobedience.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Exodus from Egypt and Giving of the Law
God delivers Israel from slavery in Egypt and gives them the foundational Law at Mount Sinai, establishing His covenant with them. The initial commands emphasize obedience and relationship, not primarily ritual sacrifice.
c. 1445 BC
Establishment of the Tabernacle and Priesthood
Following the directives given at Sinai, the Tabernacle is constructed and the Levitical priesthood is established, formalizing the sacrificial system as a part of Israel's worship.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom and Temple Construction
King David unites the tribes and prepares for the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. The monarchy solidifies a centralized form of worship, including sacrifices.
732 BC
This passage highlights the timeless truth that obedience is more valuable to God than sacrifice, directly echoing Jeremiah's point that outward rituals are meaningless without a willing heart.
Hosea 6:6Similar to Jeremiah, Hosea emphasizes that God desires steadfast love and knowledge of Him over burnt offerings, underscoring the prophetic critique of ritualism devoid of genuine relationship.
Micah 6:6-8This passage presents a profound parallel where the prophet asks what offerings are acceptable to God, ultimately revealing that God requires justice, mercy, and humble walking with Him, not just religious rites.
Deuteronomy 10:12-13This scripture shows that even within the Law, obedience and love for God were presented as the primary commands, with sacrifices being a secondary aspect of the covenant relationship.
Exodus 19:5This verse, from the very context of God's interaction with Israel at Sinai, shows that the foundational command was obedience to His voice, setting the stage for Jeremiah's message that sacrifices were not the primary command.
calvinJeremiah 7:21-24: "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh."
Quia non loquutus sum cum patribus vestris, et non praecepi illis quo die eduxi eos e terra Egypti super verbis (hoc est, rationibus, nam rvd proprie significat rationem Latine; Hebraei enim ita passim usurpant hanc vocem, sicuti Latini rationem, super rationibus ergo) holocaustorum et victimae:
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I…
pulpitJeremiah 7:22: "For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:"
Verse 22. - I spake not unto your fathers, etc. An important and much-disputed passage, from which Graf, Colenso, and Kuenen derive one of their chief subsidiary arguments for the post-Exile date of the Levitical legislation. The prophet here appears to deny in tote that Jehovah at Mount Sinai had given any injunctions on the s…
God is saying that when He brought Israel out of Egypt, the main point wasn't about the sacrifices themselves, but about hearing His voice and obeying Him. Sacrifices were never meant to be the primary focus, especially when detached from genuine obedience.
Jeremiah is at the temple, delivering a scathing message from God to the people and their leaders who are trusting in their religious rituals. God declares that He never prioritized burnt offerings and sacrifices when He first rescued them from Egypt; instead, His primary command was for them to obey His voice. The prophet continues by emphasizing that God's true desire was for them to walk in His ways so that things would go well for them, but they consistently refused.
Jeremiah is at the temple, delivering a scathing message from God to the people and their leaders who are trusting in their religious rituals. God declares that He never prioritized burnt offerings and sacrifices when He first rescued them from Egypt; instead, His primary command was for them to obey His voice. The prophet continues by emphasizing that God's true desire was for them to walk in His ways so that things would go well for them, but they consistently refused.
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The Corruption of Worship
When the Israelites became fixated on the act of sacrifice, divorced from the purpose behind it, their worship became corrupt. They thought performing rituals would cover their disobedience and immorality. Jeremiah, like other prophets, railed against this superficial worship because it masked a deeper rebellion. God wasn't interested in the smoke rising from the altar if the hearts of the offerers were far from Him. Their sacrifices were for themselves, for feasting, rather than a genuine offering to God.
Assyrian Threat and Northern Kingdom Fall
The powerful Assyrian Empire begins to exert pressure on the northern kingdom of Israel, culminating in its destruction and deportation of its people.
622 BC
Josiah's Religious Reforms
King Josiah discovers the Book of the Law in the Temple and initiates sweeping religious reforms, attempting to centralize worship and eliminate idolatry. This event highlights a renewed emphasis on obedience to the Law.
c. 605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar II, begins its conquest of Judah, leading to the first wave of exiles, including members of the royal family and educated elite.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple
Nebuchadnezzar conquers Jerusalem, destroys Solomon's Temple, and deports the majority of the remaining population to Babylon, marking the end of the Southern Kingdom.
"For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices." — God is saying that when He brought Israel out of Egypt, the main point wasn't about the sacrifices themselves, but about hearing His voice and obeying Him. Sacrifices were never meant to be the p…
