Bible Passage: Isaiah 1:10-20

I. God was unimpressed with the “so-called” worship of His people (1:10-11b)

1. God rebukes them (the people of Judah) (verse 10)

a. Listen to the LORD’s word

b. Pay attention to our God’s rebuke

2. God calls the people of Judah “Sodom” and “Gomorrah” (verse 10)

a. God brought people of Judah like “children” (verse 2)

b. They rebelled against God with their evil deeds (verses 2, 4)c. They did not recognize God, i.e., they did not recognize that it is the LORD who was providing and protecting them

c. They were filled with sin and evil deeds (verse 4)

d. They abandoned God, rejected Him, and alienated from Him (verse 4)—it was evidenced in their life/behavior

e. Calamities, disasters, illnesses, etc., were God’s chastisement to get them understand their spiritual alienation from God (verses 5-9)

3. They had a lot of religion, but God does not seem to be impressed with their religiosity—in other words, their life and conduct were not in conformity with God’s standard

II. God was not pleased with their large number of sacrifices (1:11-13)

1. “The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me?” says the LORD (verse 11)

2. God calls their coming to the Temple disrespectful, “trampling” of His courts (1:12)

3. God calls their actions with different expressions: “meaningless offerings,” “detestable incense,” and “evil assemblies” (1:13)

III. God was simply unhappy with a ritualistic religion (1:14-15)

1. I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies; they are a burden that I am tired of carrying (verse 14)

2. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I look the other way; when you offer your many prayers, I do not listen, because your hands are covered with blood

a. “your hands are covered with blood” does not refer to animal blood or literal human blood, but it refers to oppression, exploitation, denial of justice, etc

b. A worshipper must first understand what pleases God (1:11-15)

3. What pleases God was/is not what you do at the Temple, but what you do from Monday to Saturday at home, in the streets, and at workplaces

IV. In verses 16-17, God demands from His people immediate course corrections that are conveyed in nine imperatives

1. Wash yourselves

2. Make yourselves clean

3. Take your evil deeds out

4. Stop doing wrong

5. Learn to do what is right

6. Seek justice

7. Defend the oppressed

8. Take up the cause of the fatherless

9. Plead the case of the widow

V. Important observation: All nine of them are not related to the Temple, but they happen outside in daily life—they’ll what happen outside from Monday to Saturday

1. Verse 16: The people must go through an internal change—“wash yourselves” and “make yourselves clean”

2. Verse 17: Doing what is right is learned as a result of reading and listening to God’s word (verse 17)

a. Doing and standing for justice is integral part of spirituality (verse 17)—God demands it

b. God’s people need to be liberators, not oppressors (verse 17)—therefore, they must look for opportunities to liberate people from oppression

c. Widows and orphans (explain) are God’s special interest—therefore, caring for them is part of spirituality (verse 17)

d. Those who are in power must treat justly the weak and vulnerable and take up the cause of the widows and fatherless (verse 17)

3. Proper worship and social conduct go hand in hand for those who desire to please God (1:17)

VI. Observations:

1. God is not saying “multitude of offerings” and “singing” are not worship, but they become meaningless if the worshipper does not treat justly the weak and vulnerable

2. How one treats his/her spouse, domestic helpers, in-laws, co-workers, not caring for ailing mother or father, etc., have direct effect on their worship

3. God does regard one’s worship “meaningless” if the worshipper does not exhibit his reverence for God in his treatment of others—they will remain “trampling” the courts of God

VII. The New Testament

1. Jesus modeled true service/worship (cf. Luke 4:18-19)

a. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor

b. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and the regaining of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor”

2. This is true when Jesus said: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24)

a. For Jesus, worship is not just a place of worship and offering

b. Right relationship with fellow human being precedes “place of worship” and “offering”

Takeaway:

1. Offer worship to God with what pleases Him (verses 18-20)

a. Come, let’s consider your options,” says the Lord

b. “Though your sins have stained you like the color red, you can become white like snow; though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet, you can become white like wool

If you have a willing attitude and obey, then you will again eat the good crops of the land

c. But if you refuse and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” Know for certain that the Lord has spoken