Jeremiah’s temple sermon about the coming invasion of Judah: Jeremiah 19; 26:1-7, 22, 7–8:17

Jeremiah didn’t pull his punches. The Temple wouldn’t save Judah from the coming invasion; to the contrary, it was going to be torn down. Judah was filled with idolatry, injustice and violence. Salvation could now come only from a change of heart, not because of a grand building that had been inhabited by God in some earlier time:

^{Jeremiah 7:3-7} Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the Lord’s Temple is here. They chant, “The Lord’s Temple is here! The Lord’s Temple is here!” But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever.