In fact, He can’t bear us “worshipping” or “praying” to Him, all the while living in sin and unrepentant.
The prophet Isaiah writes these words from God. He is comparing Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah and referring to His people as prostitutes, as harlots.
God says he despises their worship and can not put up with their sacrifices.
Isaiah 1:14–16 (NIV84):
They have become a burden to me;
I am weary of bearing them.
15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide my eyes from you;
even if you offer many prayers,
I will not listen…
Look what God says in verse 16:
“Take your evil deeds
out of my sight!”
Oh, how God hates hypocrisy. Those who live in sin and brazenly come and be religious.
Here are just a few things God hates:
Isaiah 1:12, 16-17 (NIV84):
When you come to appear before me,
who has asked this of you,
this trampling of my courts? …
Your hands are full of blood;
16 wash and make yourselves clean. Stop doing wrong,
17 learn to do right!
Seek justice,
encourage the oppressed.
Defend the cause of the fatherless,
plead the case of the widow.
God is more concerned with holiness, than He is with sacrifice.
God does not accept worship when we don’t care for what He cares about—justice, mercy, compassion.
I hear the resounding voice of God echoed throughout scripture. From the first king of Israel having his kingdom taken from him because he didn’t fully obey God. Remember: “To obey is better than sacrifice.”
To the half-brother of Jesus:
James 1:26–27 (NIV84):
If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Let’s come to God full of desire to please Him. To value what He values. Why do we seek blessing from Him? How can He accept worship from us if we disregard His very heart?
What about the widow? The poor? The orphan? The fatherless? The oppressed? What about holy living? And being the people of God?
Father, help us be true worshippers of you.
