"What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me" Jeremiah 6:20
These words form part of a conversation that God is having with the people of Jerusalem, where He is telling them that destruction is coming to them and their lands because they have failed to listen to Him and pay attention to His words. They have willfully chosen to ignore His words, and the consequence is disaster; the direct fruit of their ignorance and disobedience.
See, the problem here is not the sacrifices themselves, but rather that sacrifices are presented to God instead of obedience. The people are using sacrifices as an excuse to sin and to ignore the commands, in the hope that these same sacrifices will excuse them from responsibility of responding to the words of God. The words of God present life to the people, and they respond by presenting the death of animals to try and replace attention and obedience that they did not feel was necessary. They would please God by their own terms, and not by what He has prescribed.
So what does please God? Our obedience.
God says to the people; "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in the way that I command you, that it may be well with you." Jeremiah 7:21 - 23
Our obedience to Him means that we live as His people, and walk in the way that He prescribed; which is love, justice and mercy. Obedience to God leads us to Himself, and towards our neighbor, towards the needs of the poor and oppressed, towards using our voices and freedoms to increase the freedoms of others.
Until we look past our burning altars and look at the heart of God who we are trying to please, we will continue to miss His heart. We will continue to slave away, and lose the possessions we keep sacrificing on the altar, when all God has asked is that we walk in His way and live in wellness.
It seems simple enough, but it is not that easy. Walking in obedience to God means surrendering your entire life; with its thoughts and opinions to One higher than you. It means committing yourself to a journey whose destination you hope for in faith, but know not what lie ahead.
Our obedience to God also creates in us a heart for justice, a love of neighbor, and the commitment to the emancipation of the poor and oppressed. His words lead us to the places of brokenness to bring His healing, and His voice in us creates the courage to challenge systems and structures that oppress the people that carry His image.
Rather than have God obey and respond to your unacceptable and misguided sacrifices, how about you sit down and listen to what God has asked you to do?
_ Takunda
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