Text: Isaiah 1:1-26
“Seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” — Isaiah 1:17
Have you ever given yourself to something that ended up being a sheer waste of your time? Maybe it was that unproductive staff meeting, a business venture that went nowhere, a home renovation project that you spent hours on only to realize you did it all wrong, or simply a low-budget B film you enduringly sat through for its duration. We’ve all had those moments—why did I waste precious time that I will never get back?
Have you ever thought about what it looks like to waste God’s time?
The prophet Isaiah found himself in the midst of a crooked generation that was wasting their time in certain religious practices and they didn’t even realize it. The northern kingdom of Israel was facing a national crisis (the superpower of Assyria was about to engulf the nation of Israel), and the southern kingdom of Judah was infused with spiritual callousness. God called and commissioned His prophet to declare to Judah and Israel their waywardness and ultimately reveal the great hope of a coming messiah. Sadly, much of his prophesies fell upon deaf ears.
Instead of serving God with humility and offering love to their neighbors, the nation of Judah offered meaningless sacrifices. Their worship expressions were hollow, showy, and hypocritical. They didn’t comprehend that they had forsaken God, hollowed out their worship, and corrupted their society. Though Judah had turned their backs on God and alienated themselves from Him, they never missed a beat in performing religious observances—altar sacrifices, burnt offerings, convocations, and solemn assemblies (Isaiah 1:10-15). They went through all the motions of religion while their hearts were very far from God.
Seven hundred years later, Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely rules’” (Matthew 15:7-9).
The Lord had some harsh words for such a calloused religious culture:
“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?”
“I have had enough of burnt offerings…”
“Bring no more vain offerings…”
“I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly.”
“Your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me.”
“Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen…”
Isaiah knew that God had appointed a system of worship and authorized the central sanctuary. But these ordinances were always intended to foster true piety among God’s people, which would move them to humble purity of heart and stir them up to love and good works for the well-being of others (Hebrews 10:24). Isaiah denounces the way his contemporaries have divorced the ordinances from their proper purpose. It seems that they treated their worship as a way of manipulating God; they also mixed in elements of cultural Canaanite religions and even boasted about it (see Amos 4:4–5). God rejects his people’s worship, however lavish, because they use it as a pious evasion of the self-denying demands of helping the weak and needy (James 1:27). Even the lifting their hands in prayer avails nothing.
How should the people respond? Isaiah tells them to “seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” He wants them to understand that if they are “willing and obedient” to come and “reason together” with the Lord, they shall eat the good of the land. If they refuse and rebel, they “shall be eaten by the sword.”
I’ve heard it said that social justice is not the totality of the Gospel, but the Gospel without a pure devotion to mercy, justice, compassion, and the common good of others is not a faithful Gospel. At the end of the day, it’s not about how attractional our church gatherings look or how fluid our outreach may be, it’s about our worship and service unto the Lord being pure of heart and expressed in loving devotion to others. God isn’t impressed with our religious reputations, how we see ourselves, or how we want others to see us via Instagram imaging; God looks at the heart for sincerity, true gratitude in our worship, and selflessness in our neighboring. Think about that as you seek to abide in Him this week.
PRAYER
Lord, Your word is clear. You have shown us what is required of us—to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. Holy Spirit, guide us into the purest and sincerest expression of worship this week as we seek to love God and serve others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Questions for Reflection, Small Group or Family Discussion:
- When have you experienced frustration over a wasting of time?
- How do you answer people who say that it is hypocrisy within the church that keeps them from believing?
- How did God feel about the many religious celebrations going on in Judah (Isaiah 1:10-14)? What contrasts did Isaiah use to give a “before and after” picture of God’s people (Isaiah 1:21-26)?
- In what ways have you “gone through the motions” of being a Christian?
- In what practical ways can you make God’s concern for the helpless and needy a sincere expression of your faith?
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