Saturday after the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on September 28, 2024 by under
Scripture: Isaiah 1:10-17 (NKJV)
1:10 Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah:
11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?”
Says the Lord.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats.
12 “When you come to appear before Me, who has required this from your hand, to trample My courts?
13 “Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.
14 “Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am weary of bearing them.
15 “When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood.
16 “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil,
17 “Learn to do good; Seek justice, rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.”
Devotion
The appointed pericope for today is one of judgment brought on the people by their hardness of heart and unfaithfulness in worship. New Moon Festivals were celebrated on the first day of each month. Special sacrifices and feasts were part of the observance, along with the regular daily sacrifices, various holy rites, tithes, etc. Appointed feasts included the annual high holy feasts, such as Passover, Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and Feast of Booths. These are instituted holy things of God that the sinful hypocrisy of the people turned into abominations in their Lord’s eyes.
We are foolish to think we cannot slip into the same sad situation with a disregard for the preciousness of our holy rites, activities, and the Christian duties we are called to partake and rejoice in. The sincerity of the worshiper, not the number of his religious activities, is most important. We must not forget this reality. This section of Isaiah is followed by a gracious offer to forgive if the sinner will only acknowledge the dire need for unmerited mercy, and face their stark inability to ever do enough to justify themselves or atone for their sin. This text serves as a holy reminder for us. We are to meditate on our sinfulness and great need for a gracious Redeemer who delivers us from ourselves, as well as our need to fall before Him, with a broken spirit and humble heart in true and faithful worship of heart and soul accompanying our actions.
Collect: Lord, we beseech Thee, grant Thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the devil, and with pure hearts and minds to follow Thee, the only God; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
