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by Kevin Pauley
Stop bringing useless offerings. I despise your incense. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies--I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to Me; I am tired of putting up with them. When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. – Isaiah 1:13-16 HCSB
Those who maintain that the Old Covenant was about ceremonial Law and the New about permissive Grace have evidently never read the book of Isaiah! What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.[1] You cannot charge Christians with the invention of ritualistic prayers unbacked by righteous living, but you can certainly lay charges of sublime stupidity to the ones who cannot learn from Jewish history.
When we willfully sin then expect to wipe the slate clean with a few “Hail Marys,” rosary beads, genuflections, icons or incense. God despises us. He cannot stand iniquity with a festival.
Hey evangelical Protestants! Hey all you fundamental, Bible-believing, devil hatin’, independents! Before you say “Amen” too quickly, do you think that your rituals are any better? Do you think that God accepts your thrice-a-week worship when you are divorcing and remarrying at the same rate as the unbelievers? Do you think that God accepts your countless prayers when you are so divisive that some towns have four different Baptist churches on the same intersection?
God has NEVER appreciated useless offerings. So what makes an offering useless? Look to Cain for the very first example. Cain brought an offering that God did not want.[2] Instead of saying “Oh! I’m sorry! What would you like, Lord?”, Cain was furious and downcast. It was not just about vegetables vs. lambs. It was about attitude of heart and maintenance of sin therein. Hashem gave Cain a chance warning, “Why are you furious? And why are you downcast? If you do right, won't you be accepted? But if you do not do right, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must master it."[3]
Again with the “do right to be accepted”! Are we getting the clue yet? God even turned away from His only begotten Son when sin was upon Him.[4] What makes us think we’ll be treated any differently?[5] What gets to God? What makes Him listen to and act upon our prayers? A right relationship with His Son accompanied by righteous living, and abstinence from evil. In other words, justice and ethical living. Or as one person put it “Love God passionately and love your neighbor as yourself.”[6]
[6] Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31-33; Luke 10:27; Romans 13:9-10; Galatians 5:14; James 2:8
Kevin Pauley is a pastor and writer. He lives in Illinois with his wife, Lynn, their five children and two dogs. His internet address is Berea.
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