Through the Bible - Psalms 75-76, Romans 7
Good morning,
Yesterday we considered how God demonstrates His love for us in calling us "to the table" in communion where we are to examine our hearts.
It was the need of the individual and of the early church and for us today for our hearts as individuals and as a church to be set apart for God, which is necessary for true worship.
The same principle was also brought up in the Old Testament. It seemed that the Old Testament prophets were constantly calling the people coming to the temple to bring sacrifices of the heart.
In Isaiah 1 the prophet makes this point and tells us what God desires. 11"To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me [unless they are the offering of the heart]? says the Lord."
The prophet goes on to describe the condition of the heart and the kind of worship that "tires God".
For today's verse we'll drop down to verse 18 for the conclusion of the matter.
Isa 1:18 "Come now, let us argue this out," says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool. NLT
Most translations say "let us reason together". I have heard pastors and commentators say that "argue this out" is probably a closer translation. It is actually a call to make a binding legal decision. God calls the worshipers to examine their ways and make a decision as to who they will follow and how they will follow. Will they continue their own style of worship and sacrifice or will they follow God's plan as outlined in verses 16-17?
Isa 1:16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways.
17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows. NLT
The will of God is that we come to Him, be cleansed, and follow Him as individuals and as a church and lose those guilty stains.
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Blessings,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.netmikesvotd.blogspot.com
Isa 1:10-18
10 Listen to the LORD, you leaders of Israel! Listen to the law of our God, people of Israel. You act just like the rulers and people of Sodom and Gomorrah.
11 "I am sick of your sacrifices," says the LORD. "Don't bring me any more burnt offerings! I don't want the fat from your rams or other animals. I don't want to see the blood from your offerings of bulls and rams and goats.
12 Why do you keep parading through my courts with your worthless sacrifices?
13 The incense you bring me is a stench in my nostrils! Your celebrations of the new moon and the Sabbath day, and your special days for fasting — even your most pious meetings — are all sinful and false. I want nothing more to do with them.
14 I hate all your festivals and sacrifices. I cannot stand the sight of them!
15 From now on, when you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look. Even though you offer many prayers, I will not listen. For your hands are covered with the blood of your innocent victims.
16 Wash yourselves and be clean! Let me no longer see your evil deeds. Give up your wicked ways.
17 Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the orphan. Fight for the rights of widows.
18 "Come now, let us argue this out," says the LORD. "No matter how deep the stain of your sins, I can remove it. I can make you as clean as freshly fallen snow. Even if you are stained as red as crimson, I can make you as white as wool.
NLT
No comments:
Post a Comment