In Jeremiah 7 and 8 God orders Jeremiah to call the people to account. They have been breaking the commandments of God and then going to worship in the temple, believing themselves to be safe as long as they go to worship. They have not listened to God’s call or changed their evil ways. The mere going through the motions of worship is not enough. Their actions must reflect their faith. They are repeating the actions of their ancestors when they were in the wilderness. God punished them for their lack of true faith and will do the same if the people of Judah do not obey.

But God knows that they will not listen. He tells Jeremiah that He will reject this people because they have rejected Him. They will meet with destruction and punishment.

God will especially hold the leaders to account since they have led the people into sin. They continue to lie to the people and tell them they are doing right when they are not. They have felt no shame in what they were doing.

God is not doing this with some sort of perverse pleasure. He is sick with grief that the people have not listened to His warnings. He mourns over the punishment they must receive.

When we choose to go the wrong way is saddens God. We know that we should obey. We know what is right and what is wrong. We know the consequences of our actions, and yet we choose to go the wrong way. God does not want for us to bear the punishment but we have made our choice.

Psalms 114 and 115 speaks about how God chose Israel and Judah to be his people. They encourage the people turn to back to God. God deserves the glory and praise.