Charles Spurgeon Commentary Jeremiah 3:16

"And it shall come to pass, when ye are multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith Jehovah, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of Jehovah; neither shall it come to mind; neither shall they remember it; neither shall they miss it; neither shall it be made any more." — Jeremiah 3:16 (ASV)

And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

You know that they had been accustomed to the old ceremonial religion, which was full of outward rites and forms. God says that, when he brings his erring people back to himself, they will have done with all that mere externalism. They will come to worship God in spirit and in truth, and to commune with him without the medium of the ark of the covenant or an earthly priest. They will walk before him in the joy of their spirits; yet these, mind you, are some of the people who are described in this chapter as having defiled the house of God, and gone astray from him to their utter disgrace.

And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD; neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.

Ceremonial retreats into the dim background when the spiritual is in full vigor. They have come to God for themselves, and they do not now need that saved ark of gopher wood, lined inside and out with gold. In the present day, those who walk near to God think little of externals. Whatever God commands, they obey; but their confidence lies in Him. True religion is not a form, but a life, and it is of the soul. Living near to God is the main, the really essential thing.