The Lord has shown in many ways what He delights in and what He rejects. From the beginning He has spoken clearly so that His people might know Him, love Him, and walk in His ways. He does not want blind worship or empty words but a heart that truly takes Him into account. As He said in Jeremiah 9:3, people go from evil to evil because they do not take Him into account. To take God into account is to remember that He is present in every thought, every word, and every choice, and to live in a way that honors Him.
Jer 9:3 “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD."
God Himself has declared what pleases Him. He said He delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness (Jeremiah 9:24). He requires us to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). He does not desire sacrifices without obedience, for to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). He looks not at outward shows of religion but at the heart, and a broken and contrite heart He will not despise (Psalm 51:17). He loves truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6), and He shows mercy to thousands who love Him and keep His commandments (Exodus 20:6).
In the words of Jesus, God’s desires shine even brighter. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–39). He called His disciples to faith, mercy, and justice (Matthew 23:23), to humility like little children (Matthew 18:3–4), to purity of heart (Matthew 5:8), and to peacemaking (Matthew 5:9). He said that whoever does the will of His Father is truly His family (Matthew 12:50), and that the Father seeks those who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24). He taught forgiveness as a condition for receiving forgiveness ourselves (Matthew 6:14), and He showed that faithfulness in even the smallest matters counts before God (Luke 16:10).
But God has also told us what He hates and will not accept. He said He hates pride, lying, shedding innocent blood, hearts that devise evil, feet that rush to sin, false witnesses, and those who sow discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16–19). He forbids idolatry and the worship of other gods (Exodus 20:3–5). He hates child sacrifice and the abominations of the nations (Deuteronomy 12:31). He rejects empty sacrifices and gatherings without repentance, telling His people to wash themselves and make themselves clean (Isaiah 1:11–17). He destroyed the earth in Noah’s day because it was filled with violence and corruption (Genesis 6:11–13).
Jesus also warned against what God rejects. He rebuked the hypocrisy of religious leaders who looked righteous outwardly but were corrupt within (Matthew 23). He condemned pride and self-righteousness, saying that those who exalt themselves will be humbled (Luke 18:14). He taught that no one can serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24), and that greed and covetousness destroy the soul. He warned that if we do not forgive others, our Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). He said that lust in the heart is already adultery (Matthew 5:28) and that anger without cause is already worthy of judgment (Matthew 5:22). He declared that worship is vain when it follows human traditions instead of God’s commands (Mark 7:7–9). He gave a severe warning that causing little ones to stumble is so serious that it would be better to be drowned in the sea than to do such harm (Matthew 18:6).
All of this leads back to the lesson of Jeremiah 9:3, that evil grows when men and women do not take God into account. To take Him into account is to remember Him in all things. It means guarding our thoughts, because He sees the heart. It means speaking as if every word is heard by Him, since Jesus said we will give account for every idle word. It means choosing in every matter what pleases Him, as Jesus did when He prayed, “Not My will but Yours be done.” It means worshiping Him not out of routine but with spirit and truth. It means loving others because they are also His children, forgiving them as He forgives us. And it means trusting Him even in trials, not letting our hearts be troubled but believing in Him.
To know God, then, is to love what He loves and to turn away from what He hates, but it is also more: it is to live every day with Him in mind, taking Him into account in thought, word, and deed. This is the way to walk with Him, to know Him, and to please Him, for He is not far from us but near to all who call upon Him in truth.
After all, pleasing God and loving Him is His commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).
Jer 9:3 “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD."
God Himself has declared what pleases Him. He said He delights in lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness (Jeremiah 9:24). He requires us to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with Him (Micah 6:8). He does not desire sacrifices without obedience, for to obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). He looks not at outward shows of religion but at the heart, and a broken and contrite heart He will not despise (Psalm 51:17). He loves truth in the inward parts (Psalm 51:6), and He shows mercy to thousands who love Him and keep His commandments (Exodus 20:6).
In the words of Jesus, God’s desires shine even brighter. Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37–39). He called His disciples to faith, mercy, and justice (Matthew 23:23), to humility like little children (Matthew 18:3–4), to purity of heart (Matthew 5:8), and to peacemaking (Matthew 5:9). He said that whoever does the will of His Father is truly His family (Matthew 12:50), and that the Father seeks those who worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23–24). He taught forgiveness as a condition for receiving forgiveness ourselves (Matthew 6:14), and He showed that faithfulness in even the smallest matters counts before God (Luke 16:10).
But God has also told us what He hates and will not accept. He said He hates pride, lying, shedding innocent blood, hearts that devise evil, feet that rush to sin, false witnesses, and those who sow discord among brethren (Proverbs 6:16–19). He forbids idolatry and the worship of other gods (Exodus 20:3–5). He hates child sacrifice and the abominations of the nations (Deuteronomy 12:31). He rejects empty sacrifices and gatherings without repentance, telling His people to wash themselves and make themselves clean (Isaiah 1:11–17). He destroyed the earth in Noah’s day because it was filled with violence and corruption (Genesis 6:11–13).
Jesus also warned against what God rejects. He rebuked the hypocrisy of religious leaders who looked righteous outwardly but were corrupt within (Matthew 23). He condemned pride and self-righteousness, saying that those who exalt themselves will be humbled (Luke 18:14). He taught that no one can serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24), and that greed and covetousness destroy the soul. He warned that if we do not forgive others, our Father will not forgive us (Matthew 6:15). He said that lust in the heart is already adultery (Matthew 5:28) and that anger without cause is already worthy of judgment (Matthew 5:22). He declared that worship is vain when it follows human traditions instead of God’s commands (Mark 7:7–9). He gave a severe warning that causing little ones to stumble is so serious that it would be better to be drowned in the sea than to do such harm (Matthew 18:6).
All of this leads back to the lesson of Jeremiah 9:3, that evil grows when men and women do not take God into account. To take Him into account is to remember Him in all things. It means guarding our thoughts, because He sees the heart. It means speaking as if every word is heard by Him, since Jesus said we will give account for every idle word. It means choosing in every matter what pleases Him, as Jesus did when He prayed, “Not My will but Yours be done.” It means worshiping Him not out of routine but with spirit and truth. It means loving others because they are also His children, forgiving them as He forgives us. And it means trusting Him even in trials, not letting our hearts be troubled but believing in Him.
To know God, then, is to love what He loves and to turn away from what He hates, but it is also more: it is to live every day with Him in mind, taking Him into account in thought, word, and deed. This is the way to walk with Him, to know Him, and to please Him, for He is not far from us but near to all who call upon Him in truth.
After all, pleasing God and loving Him is His commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).
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