“Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priest – Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty” (28:1-2). The worship of God involves both physical matters and human beings. This sounds a bit odd to our ears when we read a passage such as Isaiah 1:11 – “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 well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.” Or, what about Hosea 6:6 – “I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” Or Amos 5:21-24 – “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Of course, we understand the significance of Isaiah, Hosea, and Amos: It is possible to physically perform rituals without true worship and adoration. It’s always a good idea to ask ourselves questions: Why do I attend church? Why do I read my Bible? Why do I perform works of mercy? Do I truly love God? The answers to those questions will reveal the true nature of our hearts.
Oft we come together,
Oft we sing and pray;
Here we bring our offering
On this holy day.
Help us Lord,
Thy love to see,
May we all in truth and spirit Worship Thee. --Tillit S. Teddlie (1944)
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