The Moral Basis for True Worship

ISAIAH 1:10-18—In this passage of Scripture the Lord points out that the true basis of acceptable worship is to be “clean,” “cease to do evil,” “learn to do well,” “seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless,” and “plead for the widow.” Here we have a comprehensive outline of true righteousness as it is exemplified in personal purity of conduct, and in dealing justly with others. It is that which is summed up in the Golden Rule of doing unto others as we would that others should do unto us.

This message of the prophet is addressed to the nation of Israel whom he likens to “rulers of Sodom,” and the “people of Gomorrah.” The two cities which bore these names had been destroyed many centuries before this prophecy was written, but because of their great wickedness the prophet is using the memory of them to emphasize the great wickedness of Israel at the time this message was delivered. In the ninth verse the information is given that Israel would have become as Sodom and Gomorrah but for the fact that there was a small remnant of the nation which still adhered to God’s Law. This saved them from utter destruction as a nation; but in other respects they were like the two wicked cities which God had destroyed.

In this message of condemnation, the Lord refers to the various typical sacrifices which previously had been enjoined upon Israel in connection with the tabernacle and its services, and tells them that now he is no longer pleased with his people when they bring these offerings to him. God had a certain purpose in the institution of those typical sacrifices, as well as the various ceremonial features of the Law; and it was his will that they be carried out in keeping with the instructions he had given. What he is condemning, through this message of the prophet, is the viewpoint of the wicked Israelites that they could practice injustice and unrighteousness and suppose that everything would be made right by observing these various ceremonies of the Law.

The Prophet Micah sums up the viewpoint beautifully, saying, “Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”—Micah 6:6-8

Fundamentally, God’s requirements of righteousness are the same in all ages, and regardless of the outward means by which his people manifest their devotion in order that their service be acceptable to him, their righteousness must be of the heart. God was pleased with the typical sacrifices of animals during the Jewish age when those offering the sacrifices did so as an expression of their heart loyalty to him and as a manifestation of the righteousness by which their lives were controlled. It was only when the outward forms of worship were practiced to cover up hypocrisy and unrighteousness that God’s anger was kindled against Israel.

This same fact is clearly set forth in the New Testament. Love supreme for God, for his people, and for his truth—yea, for all men—is the sum total of true Christian righteousness, and the Apostle Paul tells us that regardless of our outward forms of service, if we have not love it will profit us nothing. God wants us to speak the truth as eloquently as possible; he wants us to sacrifice our all in his service thus giving all our goods to feed the poor; he wants us to present our bodies a living sacrifice; but unless these things are done as the expression of love, they will profit us nothing.—I Cor. 13:1-3

The Lord invites us to reason together with him. (Isa. 1:18) We have the privilege of doing this through his Word. In the Scriptures God has revealed his plan of salvation and outlined the manner in which we can, although members of the sinful and dying race, he made pure in his sight and thus acceptable for his service. Happy are we if we accept this loving provision through Christ and, prompted by a true heart desire to please him, devote our all in his service.

JEREMIAH 7:3-7—Here Lord, through the Prophet Jeremiah, again calls attention to the backsliding tendencies of his typical people Israel. One of their repeated failures seems to have been in supposing that their outward forms of worship were all that was necessary in order to meet the righteous requirements of the Law. They failed to realize that outward forms of worship meant nothing in God’s sight unless prompted by purity of heart.

The repetition of the expression, “The temple of the Lord,” as recorded in verse 4, seems to indicate that they trusted in the services of the temple, and their part in those services to maintain them in the favor of the Lord. Perhaps a parallel to this would be the case of those who feel that if they attend church more or less regularly they can otherwise forget their duties to the Lord and live their lives pretty much as they please. Even among the consecrated people of God who are enlightened with present truth, there may be a danger of settling down in the idea that all the Lord expects is that we attend “church” with some degree of regularity. Let us be on the alert along this line, remembering always that we have devoted all our time, all our strength, all our substance to the service of him who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.

In the case of typical Israel, their reward for faithfulness, as stated in this passage, was to be that of abiding everlastingly in the land which God had given to their fathers. With spiritual Israel, the promise is that “if we do these things” an abundant entrance will be given us “into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”—II Pet. 1:10,11

QUESTIONS

What constitutes the true basis of worship as outlined in Isaiah 1:10-18?

Why did the Lord associate Israel with Sodom and Gomorrah?

Quote a statement recorded by the Prophet Micah which conveys the same meaning as that of Isaiah 1:10-18.

How does the Apostle Paul outline a similar thought?

How do we reason together with the Lord?

Is regular attendance at church all that the Lord requires of his people?

What was to be one of the rewards of righteousness in the Jewish age; and what is the reward offered to spiritual Israel?

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