Isa 1:13

[stone]

Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.


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WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

[BarbB]

Israel was not worshipping with their hearts in addition to the sacrifices. They were also worshipping in the groves and on the hills to other gods. Therefore, G-d said "don't worship me at all with ceremony - better nothing than what you are doing".

Howzat? :wave:

I just finished Isaiah last week using several commentaries and the Holy Spirit! :clap:

[stone]

makes sense

[BarbB]

stone, those verses where G-d says I'd rather you not worship me at all if you won't give up your other gods really stood out to me this reading through. Therefore I dug deeper.

Now, we don't worship Baal or Ashteroth but we do worship 3,000 sq ft house and Mercedes/Lexis/Volkswagon. :( We just don't change as a species, do we? (Another proof that Darwin was full of hot air! :D )

[chunkofcoal]

If you read the rest of the passage, their hands were full of blood and they were doing evil, and yet they were coming to the assemblies and offering oblations -

Isa 1:15-20 And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. (16) Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. (18) Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (19) If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: (20) But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

It's kind of along the same lines as this -

Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

And like Yeshua taught in Matthew 23:25-28, we need to be clean on the inside.

[Tishri1]

The problem wasn't the Temple or it's services the problem was with the PeopleIsaiah 1:1-2 NAS Isaiah 1:1 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. 2 Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth; For the LORD speaks, "Sons I have reared and brought up, But they have revolted against Me. Isaiah 1:4 4 Alas, sinful nation, People weighed down with iniquity, Offspring of evildoers, Sons who act corruptly! They have abandoned the LORD, They have despised the Holy One of Israel, They have turned away from Him.

[Wavy]

And just in case anyone doubts the answers presented here, please take a look two verses down, verse 15. He also said he would not accept their prayers. ;)

[BarbB]

Now that's a truly scary thought, isn't it? :eek:

Thanks for the reminder, Wavy. I love the book of Isaiah - it's got it all!