Scripture
“Come now, let's settle this”, says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.”
Observation
Israel is walking in rebellion towards God. They continue to live in sin, inviting punishment from God.
Jerusalem is deserted and the country in ruins. If God hadn't intervened it would have been totally destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah.
God is not impressed with sacrifices, offerings and feasts- they are a burden to him not a joy. What he wants is a people who do what is good and right, a people who repent of their sins and turn to God.
He offers forgiveness to those who turn to Him and ongoing destruction to those who continue to sin.
Application
God has never been impressed with religion in the sense of outward actions. He doesn't need us to sing songs of praise or to make costly offerings.
His heart has always been for us, for people to walk in relationship with him. All of our religious practices including the Old Testament sacrifices, were meant to help us not to please him.
The spirit of religion takes hold of us so easily. We become deluded into believing we are doing God a favour or that he is impressed by our spirituality. He is not so easily deceived.
Let us open up our hearts to God, seeking to love him with all that we are, walking in holiness because we love him and not because we want to prove to ourselves that we are OK.
Prayer
Lord God how your heart must break at our stubborn and deceptive ways. Today Lord I repent of all my sin and ask you to soften my heart to your unfailing love. Amen.
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