What God wants.

July 11, 2008

There is one prevailing theme in the Old Testement of the Bible, and it flows through to much of the New as well. God does not want our sacrifices, He wants us to live a rightous life.

Amos 5:21-24 BBE
(21) Your feasts are disgusting to me, I will have nothing to do with them; I will take no delight in your holy meetings.
(22) Even if you give me your burned offerings and your meal offerings, I will not take pleasure in them: I will have nothing to do with the peace-offerings of your fat beasts.
(23) Take away from me the noise of your songs; my ears are shut to the melody of your instruments.
(24) But let the right go rolling on like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

At the time Amos lived, the people of Israel were living a dual life. While they offered sacrifices to God, they would not live a good life the rest of the time. They would not walk in love at all. They would do harmful things to widows and orphans. They would treat the poor amongst them with much disrespect. They justified it and other sins by saying we go to the temple and sacrifice to God so we are good.

Along comes Amos and teaches them this is not what God wants. As Samuel said to Saul that to obey is better than to sacrifce, so does Amos say to the people, to live in righteousness is better that to offer me sacrafices.

Do not think that it does not happen today. My dad who died many years ago used to justify his sin of drinking to excess and the behavior that went with it by saying that he went to church on Sunday and that is all God required of him. That attitude is wrong and it needs to be turned around.

God wants us to be givers, but if it comes to giving or being a morally good person, God will be happier with you if you live the good life.

Today

Amos 1:1-5:27

Tomorrow
Amos 6:1-9:15

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