Jeremiah 6:20 Meaning: When God Says No to Your Worship
To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”
To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me.
To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me.
Why is this to Me? frankincense from Sheba cometh, And the sweet cane from a land afar off, Your burnt-offerings are not for acceptance, And your sacrifices have not been sweet to Me.
To what purpose should there come to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing unto me.
Meaning in one sentence
Why does God reject even the finest incense and offerings in Jeremiah 6:20? Because worship without obedience is meaningless to Him.
Context
Jeremiah stood in the years before Babylon's invasion, a lone voice calling a stubborn people back to God. They had refused the old paths (v.16), ignored the watchmen (v.17), and rejected God's law (v.19). Yet they kept bringing expensive incense from Sheba and sweet cane from distant lands, costly, impressive offerings. But their hearts were far from obedience. God asks a question that cuts through all religious performance: what is the point? He is not rejecting sacrifice itself; He is rejecting the lie that ceremony can substitute for a changed life.
Key Words
The Hebrew question that opens this verse, "to what purpose?", is blunt and sad. It is as if God says, "What is the point of all this?" The word for acceptance (ratzon) is used elsewhere for God's delight, the glowing welcome He gives to a faithful offering. Here the burnt offerings are "not for acceptance." The sacrifices are not pleasing (arev, literally not sweet to Me). The same cane that was commanded for the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23) has lost its fragrance because the people who bring it have not listened to God's words (v.19). The externals are fine; the inward distance is the problem. A sweet offering from a distant heart is a bitter thing.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions agree that this verse is not a rejection of worship itself but of worship divorced from obedience. Matthew Henry (Presbyterian) says God rejected their offerings because they continued in sins unrepented of. Adam Clarke (Methodist) notes the incense and cane were precious, but brought with a hypocritical heart. John Calvin (Reformed) calls it frivolities when people think external display pleases God without sincerity. The Anglican Cambridge Bible ties the verse to the prophets who championed moral law over empty ritual. All point to the same truth: God wants the heart before the gift.
A common misunderstanding
Some think this verse means God does not care about worship or ceremony at all. In fact, God Himself commanded these offerings. The problem is not the gifts but the givers: people who bring costly incense while treating God's law with contempt (v.19). The question "to what purpose?" does not abolish worship. It exposes worship that has become a cover for disobedience.
Living This Out
Think about what you bring to God this week. Maybe your best: your church attendance, your giving, your efforts to be good. But Jeremiah's question echoes: to what purpose? If you are ignoring something God has already said in His Word, a relationship you need to mend, a habit you need to break, a truth you need to obey, no amount of religious activity can fill that gap. God does not want your performance. He wants you to turn from the path you have chosen and walk in His old paths (v.16), where rest for your soul is found. This week, you could ask yourself honestly: is my worship a substitute for obedience, or an expression of it?
Main takeaway: God refuses the best of our worship when we withhold our obedience from Him.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God asked a question: "What's the point of all this nice-smelling incense?" He wasn't saying incense is bad. He was saying it doesn't matter how many good things you bring Him if you don't listen to what He says.
For ages 9, 12
Imagine you give your mom a beautiful gift but you've ignored her all week. She might wonder why you brought a present when you wouldn't listen. That's how God felt about Judah. They brought expensive incense and offerings but refused to obey His words. You can go to church and pray. But if you're living your own way, God asks, "To what purpose?" Listening to Him is what makes your worship real.
Questions People Ask
What is sweet cane mentioned in Jeremiah 6:20?
Sweet cane, also called calamus, was an aromatic reed used in making the holy anointing oil (Exodus 30:23). It came from a distant land, likely India or Arabia. The people brought it as part of their worship, but God rejected it because their hearts were not obedient. The lesson is not about the gift itself, but the condition of the giver.
Why does God reject burnt offerings in Jeremiah 6:20 if He commanded them in the Law?
God commanded offerings as expressions of a faithful heart. But the people of Judah brought expensive gifts while continuing to reject God's words and law (Jeremiah 6:19). Their worship was a substitute for obedience, not a result of it. The same principle appears in Isaiah 1:11 and Psalm 40:6: God desires the heart before the ritual.
Where was Sheba in the Bible?
Sheba was a kingdom in the southern Arabian Peninsula (modern-day Yemen). It was known for its spices and incense. The queen of Sheba visited King Solomon with a great caravan of spices (1 Kings 10:1-10). In Jeremiah 6:20, Sheba represents a wealthy, far-off land, emphasizing the cost and exoticness of the incense the people brought - yet even this was not acceptable to God.
What does the question 'To what purpose' mean in Jeremiah 6:20?
The Hebrew phrase 'lamah-zeh' is a blunt rhetorical question: 'What is the point of this?' God is not confused - He is exposing the absurdity of bringing costly gifts while disobeying His commands. It is a call to stop and think: does your worship actually mean anything to God if your life says something different?
Does Jeremiah 6:20 mean God doesn't want us to bring gifts in worship?
No. God Himself commanded the offerings. The problem was not the gifts but the people's hearts. The same incense and cane that God had instructed for the tabernacle (Exodus 30:23) became worthless when brought by people who rejected His authority. The verse teaches that worship must be paired with obedience. Gifts without a surrendered heart are empty.
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