Have you ever wondered what God thinks about worship where the heart is far from Him? In today’s reading, the prophet Isaiah calls out Judah’s hypocrisy. They worship God, but their hearts are far from Him because of their wickedness. God even calls them Sodom and Gomorrah!
Listen to the LORD, you leaders of “Sodom.” Listen to the law of our God, people of “Gomorrah.” “What makes you think I want all your sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fattened cattle. I get no pleasure from the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to worship me, who asked you to parade through my courts with all your ceremony? Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts; the incense of your offerings disgusts me! As for your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath and your special days for fasting— they are all sinful and false. I want no more of your pious meetings. (Isaiah 1:10–13, NLT)
Yes, while Judah is going through the motions of worship on the one hand, on the other, they are spiritual prostitutes full of injustice and murder (Isaiah 1:21). Their purity is gone (Isaiah 1:22), their leaders are rebellious and companions of thieves loving bribes, demanding payoffs, ignoring the orphans and widows (Isaiah 1:23). Yet, they look religious. God is disgusted. His holiness is insulted. He has had enough!
What a reminder that God sees the heart. The heart is always the heart of the matter! Notice what the Psalmist said, For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. (Psalm 51:16–17, NKJV)
Thank you for joining me as I read and journal chronologically through the Bible! This devotional reflection comes from Isaiah 1-4.