1964 Awake! - Theocratic Collector.com

CONSIDER how you
would feel if the AIM
mighty God himself said
True and False
Worship in Judah
Jehovah had long before
the following to you in rew
instructed the Israelites
. sponse to your acts of
to bring offerings of ani·
worship: 'No matter IS GOD mals and grain as part
how many prayers you
of their worship to him.
make, I am not listen-
He wanted them to ofing
to you.' 'Stop offer- PLEASED fer these as a true exing
to me valueless
gifts and sacrifices.'
'Your religious cele­ WITH YOU a
pression of their deep
love and gratitude to
him. (Leviticus,
brations and festi­
chapters 1 to 7) The
vals are detestable
grain offering was,
in my sight.' To WORSHiP? in fact, a sacrifice
know that God
of thanksgiving in
was not only dis­ Does God _pi just any fonn of .......,? recognition of Jepleased
but even
What are his requirements?
hovah'sbounti- angry because
Are JOu living up to them?
ful provisions,
of our worship
whereas the
would be a
whole burnt of­
shock indeed, and yet these words are not fering was a fitting symbol of the complete
merely figments of someone's imagination self·dedication of an individual to God.
but were actually spoken to a very reli­ When offered in a clean way from a heart
gious people over 2,700 years ago. The full of gratitude and humility, such offer­
principles that applied then still apply to ings imparted a "restful odor" to Jehovah,
millions of religious people today in Christendom.
Although many perform regular
deeds of devotion to God, often their
hearts are not in harmony with their outward
expressions.
'But how can that be true?' someone
may ask. 'Do you mean that some prayers
are rejected even though addressed to
God? Is it possible that religious ceremonies
perfonned by a regular devotee for
many years may have no value in God's
sight? Does not God willingly accept all
offerings made in his name?' In order to
answer these questions we shall need to go
back to the eighth century before Christ,
when conditions in Judah and Jerusalem
were strikingly similar to conditions today.
Let us see just what the situation
like the grand sacrifice made by Noah
after leaving the ark of salvation after the
global flood. (Gen. 8:21) Yet listen to the
words of this same God centuries later
through the mouth of his prophet Isaiah:
"Hear the word of Jehovah, you dictators
of Sodom. Give ear to the law of our
God, you people of Gomorrah. 'Of what
benefit to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?'
says Jehovah. 'I have had enough
of whole burnt offerings of rams and the
fat of well-fed animals; and in the blood
of young bulls and male lambs and hegoats
I have taken no delight. When you
people keep coming in to see my face, who
is it that has required this from your hand,
to trample my courtyards? Stop bringing
was, as recorded in the first chapter of in any more valueless grain offerings.'''
Isaiah.
-Isa.1:10-13.
JANUARY 8, 1964
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