Parents of young children often experience frustration about having to repeat things over and over. It can be hard to teach kids about right and wrong when they are distracted and simply not paying attention. I remember this being an issue again when my kids hit middle school. Thoughts of boys, outfits, mean girls, academic pressure, etc. seemed to fill their heads and pushed out through their ears, preventing my sage and wise words to filter in. Any parent will tell you that one of the hardest parts of disciplining your children is when you know you’ve warned them a thousand times not to do something and suddenly you find yourself reprimanding them for the very thing you said not to do. It is heartbreaking when “Daddy said so!” no longer works.

This idea of fruitless repetition, endless warnings, constant cajoling, and then watching the children completely ignore every effort is not lost on God. Nobody can match God’s persistence, and nobody can match God’s love. But even God had a breaking point, and that is where we find ourselves in our passage from Isaiah today. God’s anger and frustration are so great that the leadership of Judah is referred to as “leaders of Sodom and people of Gomorrah.” Every listener would remember the story from Genesis when God rained down fire and sulfur to destroy these two cities due to their immorality, injustice, egregious rebellion of God’s word, and their refusal to give aid to the poor and needy, despite God’s many and continuous warnings. Judah had so far been saved from such extinction, but it is only a remnant of what it once was.

Isaiah 1:10-18

Hear the Lord’s word, you leaders of Sodom.
    Listen to our God’s teaching,
        people of Gomorrah!
¹¹ What should I think about all your sacrifices?
    says the Lord.
I’m fed up with entirely burned offerings of rams
    and the fat of well-fed beasts.
    I don’t want the blood of bulls, lambs, and goats.
¹² When you come to appear before me,
    who asked this from you,
    this trampling of my temple’s courts?

The issue in Isaiah’s day was Israel’s apostasy and desire for the false idols of their neighbors. Prophets had been sent one after another to warn them but were ignored. Isaiah is called to proclaim harsh words of judgement and condemnation to them in hopes that they will change their ways.

What made things worse was their ability to do evil in God’s sight and then come to the altar with a meaningless offering. God clearly detested their false worship and empty ritual, even to the point of saying that such worthless gestures were repulsive, hateful, and a burden. God is tired of bearing them any longer.

¹³ Stop bringing worthless offerings.
    Your incense repulses me.
New moon, sabbath, and the calling of an assembly—
    I can’t stand wickedness with celebration!
¹⁴ I hate your new moons and your festivals.
    They’ve become a burden that I’m tired of bearing.
¹⁵ When you extend your hands,
    I’ll hide my eyes from you.
Even when you pray for a long time,
    I won’t listen.
Your hands are stained with blood.

The solution is given, but like our own children, is not entirely received. God invited them to wash and become clean by ending their wicked deeds and making a new life. This new life would be marked by learning to do good, helping the oppressed, advocating for the widow and orphan, and seeking justice. This is God’s way of giving them yet another chance to turn their blood stained sins into washed-white hearts.

¹⁶     Wash! Be clean!
Remove your ugly deeds from my sight.
    Put an end to such evil;
¹⁷     learn to do good.
Seek justice:
    help the oppressed;
    defend the orphan;
    plead for the widow.

What do you bring to God’s altar today? Is it just a show of piety with darkness in your heart, or are you willing to be subjected to the rigorous cleansing that only God can give? Only when we are honest and humble in our intentions will be heard in our petitions. Your Father is calling. Are you listening?

¹⁸ Come now, and let’s settle this,
    says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they will be white as snow.
If they are red as crimson,
    they will become like wool.

Daddy said so.

SnOBX