"What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When you come to appear before me, who requires of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and the calling of assemblies -- I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me, I am weary of bearing them. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow." Isaiah 1:11-17, RSV
<idle musing>
Sounds pretty grim, doesn't it? I'm glad he doesn't stop there but goes on to proclaim the new day of the LORD.
I love Isaiah, the way judgment is juxtapositioned with hope. It smacks of reality: look around you and you know judgment has to be imminent (on everybody except me, right?), but look to God, and you see hope, forgiveness, and love—provided you quit doing it your way and let God do it his way!
</idle musing>
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1 comment:
Time to read a little Peter. Judgment begins with God's household. So if there's any judgment we in the family gets it first!! I'd say God has been judging us, we've just been foisting it off on the world.
Let's see, 1962, prayer removed from public schools; 1969, The Stonewall Riots In NYC start the modern gay rights movement; 1973, Roe V. Wade legalizes abortion from sea to shining sea. There is more of course, but I think those are the highlights. Seems to me God hasn't been letting us hide our dirty laundry, in this "christian nation" we live in.
Something to think about.
Lonnie
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