Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth ... - referring to the joyous songs and music with which the bride and bridegroom were escorted in the procession to the home of the latter from that of the former; a custom still prevalent in the East (Jeremiah 16:9; Isaiah 24:7-8; Revelation 18:23, "The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee").
Remarks:
(1) It has been the fatal mistake of men in all ages of the world to suppose that outward services will stand instead of inward holiness and righteousness of heart and life. The natural man would gladly compound for obedience, with sacrifice (Jeremiah 7:22-23). But God's indispensable requirement is, "Amend your ways and your doings, and trust not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these." No mere shibboleth of a creed, however evangelical, no possession of religious privileges, however highly-favoured we be in respect to them, will ensure the continuance of God's favour, without unfeigned repentance and faith working by love.
(2) It is the height at once of hypocrisy and self-deceit to present ourselves before God as His true worshippers, while at heart we serve the idols of lust and mammon, and sacrifice at their shrine the obligations of honesty, chastity, purity, honour, and truth. None can claim an interest in free salvation who habit ually practice known sin, or willfully neglect known duty. To continue in sin that grace may abound (Romans 6:1), and to frequent church ordinances, while disobeying God's laws, is virtually to make Christ the minister of sin, and to treat the Lord's "house of prayer" as if it were "a den of robbers" (Jeremiah 7:11).
(3) God sees us, and will take most accurate account of our conduct as compared with our professions (Jeremiah 7:11.) He spared not the tabernacle of Shiloh, because of Israel's wickedness: nor did the temple of Jerusalem, hallowed though it was by so many sacred associations, and so long regarded as the spiritual glory of Judah, escape the stroke of His righteous displeasure against the Jews. Twice it was reared, and twice it fell, a monument to testify to all generations that the greater are men's spiritual privileges, the weightier will be their condemnation, when they presume upon those privileges as giving them a guarantee of security in sin (Jeremiah 7:12-15).
(4) There is a point at which intercession for transgr essors ceaseth, and nothing remains but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation (Hebrews 10:27). The longer the sinner perseveres in sinning in the face of light, and in spite of God's unwearied entreaties by His ministers "rising early and sending them" (Jeremiah 7:13), the nearer the sinner verges to that awful point. It is not God, but himself that the transgressor "hurts" (Jeremiah 7:6), and "provokes to the confusion of his own face" (Jeremiah 7:19), when he hardens himself against God's love. He brings down alike on himself and on all that is connected with him the fury of God's burning wrath, which "shall not be quenched" (Jeremiah 7:20).
(5) It is a great trial of the faith of ministers to have to go on speaking the message of God to those who "will not hearken" (Jeremiah 7:27). Such are the hearers who are unchanged and unhumbled by "correction" (Jeremiah 7:28), and from whose mouth truth is cut off and perished. Wheresoever the heart which is designed to be consecrated to the Lord has lying vanities enshrined in it, the temple of the Lord is polluted (Jeremiah 7:30).
(6) The scene of the sinner's abominations shall be the scene also of his utter destruction (Jeremiah 7:31-33). All things are tending toward that last great consummation, when "the voice of mirth" (Jeremiah 7:34), shall cease forever from among the ungodly, and they shall be a prey to never-ending torments. Let us learn to live in and for Christ now; so shall we forever be with Christ in the world to come.