HelpFinder Bible - Flipbook - Page 975
ISAIAH 1
page 605
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“What makes you think I want all your
sacrifices?”
says the Lord.
“I am sick of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened cattle.
I get no pleasure from the blood
of bulls and lambs and goats.
When you come to worship me,
who asked you to parade through my
courts with all your ceremony?
Stop bringing me your meaningless gifts;
the incense of your offerings disgusts me!
As for your celebrations of the new moon
and the Sabbath
and your special days for fasting—
they are all sinful and false.
I want no more of your pious meetings.
I hate your new moon celebrations and your
annual festivals.
They are a burden to me. I cannot stand
them!
When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will
not look.
Though you offer many prayers, I will not
listen,
for your hands are covered with the blood
of innocent victims.
Wash yourselves and be clean!
Get your sins out of my sight.
Give up your evil ways.
Learn to do good.
Seek justice.
Help the oppressed.
Defend the cause of orphans.
Fight for the rights of widows.
“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.
If you will only obey me,
you will have plenty to eat.
But if you turn away and refuse to listen,
you will be devoured by the sword of
your enemies.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
Unfaithful Jerusalem
21 See how Jerusalem, once so faithful,
has become a prostitute.
Once the home of justice and righteousness,
she is now filled with murderers.
22 Once like pure silver,
you have become like worthless slag.
Once so pure,
you are now like watered-down wine.
23 Your leaders are rebels,
the companions of thieves.
All of them love bribes
and demand payoffs,
but they refuse to defend the cause of
orphans
or fight for the rights of widows.
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Therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Heaven’s
Armies,
the Mighty One of Israel, says,
“I will take revenge on my enemies
and pay back my foes!
I will raise my fist against you.
I will melt you down and skim off
your slag.
I will remove all your impurities.
Then I will give you good judges again
and wise counselors like you used
to have.
Then Jerusalem will again be called the
Home of Justice
and the Faithful City.”
Zion will be restored by justice;
those who repent will be revived by
righteousness.
• Prayer
I S A I A H 1:16-20
When a king granted an audience to a
citizen of his kingdom, the subject would
often approach the throne bowing low
and using language that acknowledged
the king’s authority. Likewise, when we
talk to God in prayer, we are coming
into the presence of the King. We must
always remember that although God
delights in our prayers and invites us
to speak intimately with him, he is holy
and absolutely righteous. Therefore, our
approach to God must always begin
with a recognition of who he is and a
confession of who we are.
• Help
I S A I A H 1:17
Helping the needy is an evidence of
godliness because compassion comes
from the very heart of God. Helping
others is not merely a holy exercise
for us to do but is also an indicator of
the kind of people we are. In closing
our eyes to need, we reveal a lack of
compassion. But when we cultivate
a willingness to help others, God will
provide opportunities for us to put our
desire to work.