Don’t fool yourselves by trusting the deceptive words, saying: “The temple of Yahweh is here, the temple of Yahweh is here, the temple of Yahweh is here, so we are safe.”
You have dishonored my name among my people for a few handfuls of barley and a few pieces of bread. You put to death people who should not have died and kept alive people who should not have lived, because you lied to my people, and they listened to your lies!
“Send another letter to all the exiles in Babylon: I, Yahweh, have not chosen Shemaiah of Nehelam to be one of my prophets, and he has misled you by telling lies in my name.
Then turn away from your sins, turn to God, and let your changed life be proof. Don’t think for a moment that it’s enough to simply be the favored descendants of Abraham. That’s not enough to save you. I’m telling you, God could make more sons of Abraham out of stones if he chose to!
For they have done outrageous scandals in Israel, committing adultery with other men’s wives and speaking lying words in my name that I never spoke to them. I know all that they have done and am a witness against them. I, Yahweh, have spoken.”
No one seeks true justice; no one pleads his case with honesty. They rely on their illusions and misleading lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to sin.
This is what Yahweh says: “The heavens are my throne and the earth is my footstool. Where is the house you will build for me? Where is the place where I will rest?
So I will do to this temple what I did before in Shiloh. You have put your trust in this temple, which bears my name, but I will destroy this very sanctuary that I gave to you and your ancestors.