My daily devotions this week are through the Book of Isaiah. This is one of my favorite Old Testament books, and it serves as a thumb-nail glance at the entire Story of GOD as depicted in the 66 books of the Bible.
One of the most powerful themes that leaps off the page (or in my case, the computer screen) when I'm reading the first chapter of Isaiah's prophecy is this: GOD is ticked off. The first 39 chapters of Isaiah are basically a prophecy of judgement against Judah; a nation that has assumed itself secure from judgement because of its covenant relationship with GOD. However, GOD tells Judah that the covenant cannot protect them from His judgement when they have broken it through idolatry, injustice, cruelty and by their following after ideals which oppose GOD's Law.
I'm using The Message paraphrase here primarily because it's easier to grasp the nuance of the Text, and I appreciate how it has been interpolated into current nomenclature. This does not, however, mean that I value a paraphrase of the Text over a translation.
Verse 2 launches us into the fray:
Heaven and earth, you're the jury: Listen to GOD's case…"*
The case GOD makes is pretty straight-forward and summed up in His opening statement.
I had children and raised them well, and they turned on me. The ox knows who's boss, the mule knows the hand that feeds him, but not Israel. My people don't know up from down… My people have walked out on me, their GOD, turned their backs on The Holy of Israel, walked off and never looked back.**
After He describes in great detail the condition in which He views Judah, GOD begins pleading with His people to stop what they're doing, in His name no less.
Why this frenzy of sacrifices? [GOD's asking.] Don't you think I've had my fill of burnt sacrifices, rams and plump grain-fed calves? Don't you think I've had my fill of blood from bulls, lambs, and goats? When you come before me, whoever gave you the idea of acting like this, running here and there, doing this and that—all this sheer commotion in the place provided for worship?***
There are several questions that come to my mind when I read through this section of Chapter 1. Question 1: didn't GOD institute animal sacrifices? What could have made GOD sick of a practice that He had instituted Himself in the Garden?
In my opinion GOD is saying two things here: I'm sick of what worship has become, and I have a plan to change this because your sacrifices aren't enough (Messiah). This being said, I can't help but place myself in this story. Has my worship to GOD become ritual and rote? Are my sacrifices of praise not getting past the tips of my upraised hands? Have I been simply going through the motions, acting as though I'm worshiping GOD yet never truly changing anything? Am I making GOD nauseous with my praise and worship? Does my life make Him sick?
Question 2: what is the sheer commotion in the place of worship that He's referencing in verse 12?
I have heard people posit that this is GOD demanding reverent worship rather than exuberant, active praise (ie, running, jumping, etc.). This is not necessarily a theory with which I agree; especially in the light of the example of David's worship. However, I do have to wonder if often times we are more ready to run around the church simply for the sake of running more than as true, heart-felt expressions of adoration for Jesus Messiah.
Could the commotion in verse 12 have been a reference to the commotion connected with the preparation of each worship experience (ie, the getting ready for church whatnot)? Could it be that the preparing to go to the House of GOD—and the preparing of the building itself for the worship experience—should involve more reverence? Should I and my wife dedicate the time spent in dressing ourselves and our four daughters for a church service as an aspect of worship, rather than the frantic frenzy that is Sunday morning at the Young house? Should the tech team tune the sound system, adjust the lighting, warm up the video equipment reverently? I'm not saying this is the answer, just simply asking the questions. I could be taking this Text waaaaay out of context. I'd love to hear your feedback.
The reason these questions are in my mind is because of the next few verses:
Quit your worship charades. I can't stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—meetings, meetings, meetings—I can't stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You've worn me out! I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I'll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I'll not be listening. And do you know why? Because you've been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. ****
Evidently, GOD viewed Judah's worship process as a charade. It is important to note that the primary reason that GOD rejected Judah's worship was because of the backslidden state. Their worship was not rejected because of the form of worship, but because they continued to go through the motions of worship (ritual, rote, habit, religion) despite the fact that their hearts were no longer connected to YHWH. GOD says that they were playing at worship (religious games). He then describes the religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings—meetings, meetings, meetings—I can't stand one more! But didn't GOD institute the Sabbath? Is this saying that conferences and meetings are wrong? Are we wearing GOD out with all of our religious hypocricy?
The answer to these questions cannot be to simply do away with the Sabbath (Divine Rest), or to stop holding all our conferences (wait, that actually may be a good idea. I'm just saying…), or to cancel our staff meetings, etc. Or can it? What if our understanding of true Sabbath is completely and utterly wrong? What if we're so busy meeting with the planning committee for the planning of the committee meetings at myriad quarterly conferences that we've forgotten that there is a GOD somehow supposed to be connected with all of our efforts, and that He has a Mission? Again, I'm not saying this is the answer, only asking questions.
GOD says, I'm sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. He then says, When you put on your next prayer-performance, I'll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I'll not be listening.
Ouch! GOD has a way of cutting to the bone (I can faintly hear Ace Ventura yelling, It's in the bone! It's in the bone… but I digress). GOD has the audacity to call my prayers performances (remember, I've placed myself into the story). Does He really mean that no matter how loud and long and often I pray He won't be listening? Doesn't He recognize my humility? I mean, doesn't He see that I've got everything right? I tithe, I don't miss church services, I dress the part, I act the part (when I'm around other church folk), I can throw the gratuitous contrived tongue into my public prayers with the best of them… isn't this what He's wanting? Is it possible to go through all the motions and get everything in the ceremony correct, yet still be backslidden?
GOD answers these questions with one of His own: And do you know why? Because you've been tearing people to pieces, and your hands are bloody. What does this mean? Who am I tearing to pieces? How can my hands be bloody when I can't see the the blood on them? Am I so blind to my own actions? Have I become so accustomed to the carnage that I no longer see the visceral dripping from my own hands? Is this really how GOD sees me?
GOD then provides the solution to the mess in which Judah had so firmly ensconced themselves:
Go home and wash up. Clean up your act. Sweep your lives clean of your evildoings so I don't have to look at them any longer. Say no to wrong. Learn to do good. Work for justice. Help the down-and-out. Stand up for the homeless. Go to bat for the defenseless.*****
The next few verses also provide hope in their seemingly hopeless situation:
Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out. [This is God's Message]: If your sins are blood-red, they'll be snow-white. If they're red like crimson, they'll be like wool. If you'll willingly obey, you'll feast like kings. But if you're willful and stubborn, you'll die like dogs. [That's right. God says so].******
When I place myself into the story, I can see that GOD is calling me to repentance. But not the typical I'm sorry for my sins quasi-repentance to which I've grown so accustomed. GOD is calling me to true repentance. True repentance consists of three distinct and integral processes: confession of my sins; rejection of my sins; and submission to GOD's Purpose for my life. Confession is not enough, I have to turn away from my carnal nature, and turn to GOD. Repentance for too long has been relegated only for the sinner coming to GOD, but even those of us who've been cleansed from our sins and baptized by His Spirit and into His name can also enjoy the blessing of repentance. Paul called this dying daily.
The underlying theme of Isaiah 1 is that GOD's people had drifted far from Him, but were so entrenched in their religion that they failed to see that the GOD of their religion was nowhere around. Their obedience to His institution of sacrifice had become nothing more than habitual action. They had lost their wonder of GOD. They had lost their reverence of just how awesome and powerful He truly is (I changed tenses purposefully, as GOD is timeless, therefore always present, even in our past). Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice, but sacrifice simply for the sake of sacrifice is no better than no sacrifice at all.
GOD says, Come. Sit down. Let's argue this out. If my life is one way, He can make it another way. If my worship is false, through repentance I can make it pure and He'll accept it. If I'll willingly obey, GOD will honor and glorify me. But, if I'm willful and stubborn, I'll pay the price for my sin, thus negating His sacrifice.
Just an aside: if GOD is so willing to sit down with us and work out our misunderstandings, how come we are so reticent to do the same?
In going through this Text I am both humbled at how well GOD knows me, and amazed that He still reaches for me. I've made His worship ritual. I've busied myself by playing religion. I've ignored His heart and love for the defenseless and down-and-out. I've ran from good to passionately embrace wrong. My hands are bloody from my tearing people to pieces with my words. I'm arrogant. I'm full of pride. He called me to His Purpose, yet I've chosen my own credenda instead.
GOD forgive me. I'm rejecting myself and choosing You. I'm running away from the temporal and embracing the eternal that You've prepared for me. I'm washing myself of the desire for the latest thing (1:24-31) so there is only room in me for Your Truth.
I'm choosing Your Abundant Life over my existence.
* Isaiah 1:2
** 1:2-4
*** 1:11-12
**** 1:13-17a
***** 1:13-17b
****** 1:18-20
