Tag: Old Testament
Biblical name – Atarah
Atarah
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man (Isaiah 4:1)
What does “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man in (Isaiah 4:1) ” mean?
KJV: Isaiah 4:1 (4 And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
New International Version
In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
New Living Translation
In that day so few men will be left that seven women will fight for each man, saying, “Let us all marry you! We will provide our own food and clothing. Only let us take your name so we won’t be mocked as old maids.”
English Standard Version
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.”
Berean Standard Bible
In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
King James Bible
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
New King James Version
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear our own apparel; Only let us be called by your name, To take away our reproach.”
New American Standard Bible
For seven women will take hold of one man on that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our disgrace!”
NASB 1995
For seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!”
NASB 1977
For seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!”
Legacy Standard Bible
And seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!”
Amplified Bible
And in that day seven women will take hold of one man, saying, “We will eat our own food and wear [and provide] our own clothes; only let us be called by your name; take away our shame [of being unmarried].”
Christian Standard Bible
On that day seven women will seize one man, saying, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothing. Just let us bear your name. Take away our disgrace.”
Holman Christian Standard Bible
On that day seven women will seize one man, saying,” We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothing. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace.”
American Standard Version
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And seven women shall seize one man in that day, and they shall say to him: “We will eat our bread and we will wear our clothes, only let us be called by your name and take away our shame!”
Brenton Septuagint Translation
And seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own raiment: only let thy name be called upon us, and take away our reproach.
Contemporary English Version
When this happens, seven women will grab the same man, and each of them will say, “I’ll buy my own food and clothes! Just marry me and take away my disgrace.”
Douay-Rheims Bible
AND in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, take away our reproach.
English Revised Version
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saving, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.
GOD’S WORD® Translation
When that day comes, seven women will grab one man and say, “We’ll eat our own food and provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you for your name. Take away our disgrace.”
Good News Translation
When that time comes, seven women will grab hold of one man and say, “We can feed and clothe ourselves, but please let us say you are our husband, so that we won’t have to endure the shame of being unmarried.”
International Standard Version
“At that time, seven women will cling tightly to one man and will make him this offer: ‘We’ll provide our own bread. We’ll provide our own clothes. Just let us marry you so we won’t be stigmatized anymore.'”
JPS Tanakh 1917
And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying: ‘We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel; only let us be called by thy name; take thou away our reproach.’
Literal Standard Version
And seven women have taken hold on one man, | In that day, saying, “We eat our own bread, | And we put on our own raiment, | Only, let your name be called over us, | Remove our reproach.”
Majority Standard Bible
In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, “We will eat our own bread and provide our own clothes. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace!”
New American Bible
Seven women will take hold of one man on that day, saying: “We will eat our own food and wear our own clothing; Only let your name be given us, put an end to our disgrace!”
NET Bible
Seven women will grab hold of one man at that time. They will say, “We will provide our own food, we will provide our own clothes; but let us belong to you–take away our shame!”
New Revised Standard Version
Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes; just let us be called by your name; take away our disgrace.”
New Heart English Bible
Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing: only let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach.”
Webster’s Bible Translation
And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.
World English Bible
Seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own clothing. Just let us be called by your name. Take away our reproach.”
Young’s Literal Translation
And taken hold have seven women on one man, In that day, saying, ‘Our own bread we do eat, And our own raiment we put on, Only, let thy name be called over us, Remove thou our reproach.’
Shadow of the Almighty
What does it mean to dwell in the “shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1)?
In one of the most uplifting passages of Scripture, we have this reassurance: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1, ESV). To dwell in the shadow of the Almighty is to live under the promise of God’s protection.
The word dwell means “to live in or be an inhabitant of.” Shelter refers to “a hiding place, covering, or protection.” Shadow suggests “shade, comfort, protection, and defense.” And abide means “lodge, live, spend the night.” The language of Psalm 91:1 speaks of someone who is wholly comfortable and accepted into the household and community life of the Most High God.
Most High is a title for God that effectively levels every threat. This name stresses God’s supreme power as the sovereign ruler of the world. Almighty or Shaddai is the name that upheld the wandering patriarchs (Exodus 6:3). As the Almighty, God is fully capable of accomplishing all of His promises.
Dwelling in the shadow of the Almighty is the everyday experience of someone who, although persecuted or threatened by danger, is thoroughly at home in the protection, comfort, and safety of Yahweh, the God of absolute power. This person declares of the Lord: “He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him” (Psalm 91:2, NLT).
Psalm 91 does not provide immunity from life’s threats. It does not promise God’s protection from danger and trouble; it offers the promise of God’s protection amid hardship and peril.
The theme of Psalm 91 focuses a spotlight on absolute trust in God and loyalty to Him. This kind of trust suggests intimate friendship with God. It is this sort of loving relationship that inspires the psalmist to say, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings” (Psalm 36:7, ESV). It is the attitude of one who clings to the Lord at all times, saying, “For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock” (Psalm 27:5, ESV).
The person who is always thinking about God and trusting in Him has the Almighty as a constant companion. The Lord stretches His “shadow” or “protective shade” over the man or woman who sets up camp in His presence.
Isaiah 25:4 describes the “shadow of the Almighty” as “a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.” Psalm 18:2 declares, “The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety” (NLT). “The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand,” says Psalm 121:5.
Psalm 91 continues, “If you make the LORD your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet! The LORD says, ‘I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name’” (Psalm 91:9–14, NLT). Abiding in God’s presence, we find security, protection, and care. The ultimate victory is ours in Christ.
The “shadow of the Almighty” is like a shade cast by the Lord that marks off a clearly perceived boundary. Those who are covered by the Lord’s boundary line of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ will reside forever in God’s presence. Believers in Jesus are covered by the blood of Christ, which grants full access into the throne room of God’s grace (Hebrews 10:19–22; 13:12; Ephesians 2:13). The Lord’s sacrifice provides salvation and protection that stretches beyond the boundaries of this life (Hebrews 9:12). Only the redeemed of the Lord can securely say, “Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!” (Psalm 61:4, NLT).
To dwell in the “shadow of the Almighty” is to find complete and eternal rest and safety, no matter what we face in this life, in death, or in the life to come.
Why was Jonah angry
Why was Jonah angry that the Ninevites repented (Jonah 4:1-2)?
It seems strange that a preacher would be angry that his listeners repented of their sin, but that is exactly Jonah’s reaction to the Ninevites’ repentance. Jonah 4:2 tells us why: “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Jonah knew from the start that God was gracious and merciful. He realized that if the people of Nineveh repented, God would spare them. The prophet was angry at their repentance because he would rather see them destroyed.
There are several possible reasons for Jonah’s desire to see Nineveh destroyed. First, Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria, a ruthless and warlike people who were enemies of Israel. Nineveh’s destruction would have been seen as a victory for Israel. Second, Jonah probably wanted to see Nineveh’s downfall to satisfy his own sense of justice. After all, Nineveh deserved God’s judgment. Third, God’s withholding of judgment from Nineveh could have made Jonah’s words appear illegitimate, since he had predicted the city’s destruction.
We can learn from Jonah’s negative example that we should praise God for His goodness. First, our God is a merciful God, willing to forgive all those who repent (see 2 Peter 3:9). The Ninevites were Gentiles, yet God still extended His salvation to them. In His goodness, God warned the Assyrians before sending judgment, giving them a chance to repent.
Second, God cares for people of every nation. He is, by nature, a Savior. As Luke 15 reveals in the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son, God’s heart is for the redemption of all who will come to Him. Further, the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20 emphasizes God’s call to take God’s message of “good news” to all the nations. Romans 1:16 also emphasizes the importance of sharing the gospel with both Jews and non-Jews.
Third, God is concerned for those who have never heard the message of His salvation. The mention of “more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left” (Jonah 4:11) most likely refers to those who know nothing of spiritual truth. Concerning the things of God, they cannot tell up from down or right from left. God takes pity on the spiritual blindness of the pagan. God desires to extend His salvation to all who would repent and turn to Him.
Destroyed by a lack of knowledge
How are people destroyed from a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6)?
Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” What was it that Israel did not know, and why was that lack of knowledge so dangerous?
The rest of verse 6 helps explain: “Because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (KJV). It’s important to note the structure of the verse: “rejected knowledge” is parallel to “forgotten the law.” This fits the context of the opening verse of the chapter, which states that Israel failed to acknowledge the LORD as their God (Hosea 4:1). The people did not simply lack knowledge; they actively rejected it.
Another parallel offers a deeper understanding of the passage. Because Israel had “rejected” knowledge (God’s Law), God would “reject” them. Because Israel had “forgotten” God’s Law, He would “forget” their children (He would remove His future blessing from the nation). As a result of God “rejecting” and “forgetting” Israel, they would be destroyed. Hosea’s message is in line with Moses’ warning to the nation that God would remove His blessing from a disobedient people (Deuteronomy 28).
Hosea 4:1-2 emphasize that Israel’s lack of knowledge was not mere ignorance, but active sin against God: “There is no faithfulness or steadfast love, and no knowledge of God in the land; there is swearing, lying, murder, stealing, and committing adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” The people were only ignorant of the Law because they actively ignored it.
Hosea’s warnings went unheeded, and Israel was conquered by Assyria during his ministry. Yet, even in judgment, God spares a remnant and restores His relationship with them. The prophecies of Hosea reflect this pattern. Israel was judged, yet the Lord would later restore His people whom He loved.
The coming of Jesus Christ illustrates God’s love to the fullest degree. Jesus died for the sins of all people, offering every person the opportunity to come to faith in Him (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8-9). To those who do believe, Jesus is “wisdom from God” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Because of Christ, there is no need for anyone ever again to be “destroyed from a lack of knowledge.”
Mercies new every morning
What does it mean that God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23)?
Lamentations 3:22–23 says,
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
The ESV and KJV use the word mercies instead of compassions. God’s mercy and compassion are “new every morning,” yet another reason to praise Him.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote Lamentations in a time of grief and national mourning, after the once great city of Jerusalem fell to Babylon, circa 586 BC. The book describes great anguish—and great hope—in poetic form. The main theme of the book is God’s judgment on Judah’s sin as well as His compassion for His people. Lamentations contains “laments” or “loud cries” for Jerusalem and many expressions of anguish and pain, but in chapter 3, right in the middle of the book, there is a beautiful passage of confidence and hope.
Jeremiah’s tone changes from despair to hope in Lamentations 3:21: “Yet this I call to mind / and therefore I have hope.” From this and ensuing verses, we know that, even in the darkest times, God is faithful and will not cast off His people forever. Every day, every morning, God shows His mercy and compassion.
Taking a closer look at Lamentations 3:22–23, we notice a couple important themes. First, the Lord’s “great love” (“steadfast love” in some translations) abides even in times of trouble and divine judgment. God never stopped loving Israel, despite His discipline of them. The Hebrew word translated “great love” is used about 250 times in the Old Testament; it refers to love, of course, but it also encompasses elements of grace, mercy, goodness, forgiveness, compassion, and faithfulness. It is God’s “great love” for His people that spared them from being utterly wiped out by Babylon. As we know from history, God later restored His people to their land and blessed them again.
A second theme is God’s unfailing compassion or mercy. Mercy in the Bible is God’s withholding of a just punishment. The particular Hebrew word used in Lamentations 3:22 has to do with tender love, great and tender mercy, or pity. The same word is used in Isaiah 63:7 and translated “compassion”: “I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us—yes, the many good things he has done for Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.” The Lord has pity on His suffering children; in fact, His mercies are new every morning.
Jeremiah’s statement that God’s mercies are “new every morning” is related to the statement that follows: “Great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:23). God is unchanging, and His mercies toward Israel were unfaltering. His covenant with Abraham’s descendants would be kept (see Jeremiah 31:35–37). This was the bright ray of hope that shone through the smoke of Jerusalem’s ruins.
The dawning of every new day could be seen as a symbol of God’s light breaking through the darkness and His mercy overcoming our troubles. Every morning demonstrates God’s grace, a new beginning in which gloom must flee. We need look no further than the breath in our lungs, the sun that shines upon us, or the rain that falls to nourish the soil. The mercies of God continue to come to us via a multitude of manifestations.
There is no expiration date on God’s mercy toward us. His mercies are new every morning in that they are perpetual and always available to those in need. We have our ups and downs, and “even youths grow tired and weary” (Isaiah 40:30), but God is faithful through it all. With the dawn of each day comes a new batch of compassion made freshly available to us. God’s compassion is poured out from an infinite store; His mercies will never run out. Some mornings we get up on the wrong side of the bed, but even there we find God’s mercies awaiting us.
Believers still sin and grieve the Holy Spirit, but forgiveness is always available (1 John 1:8–9). God’s mercy is ready to forgive our sins, as they are atoned for by the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the cross. We serve a great, loving, and merciful God, and because of His great love we are not consumed. Our God is for us, not against us.
In Jesus Christ we have the fullest expression of God’s mercy and compassion (see Matthew 14:14), and He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Jesus’ mercy is indeed “new every morning.”
Jacob’s blessing
Did the geographic positioning of the tribes fulfill Jacob’s blessing?
Beginning in Joshua 13, Joshua is commanded to divide the Promised Land among the nine and a half tribes west of the Jordan River. When we look at Jacob’s blessings given in Genesis 49, we see that the division of the land under Joshua was a fulfilled prophecy.
Reuben: This firstborn son of Jacob gave up his birthright through his evil actions. Joseph, the firstborn of Jacob’s wife Rachel, received a double portion instead. Reuben’s inheritance was east of the Jordan, outside of the Promised Land (Joshua 13:8).
Simeon and Levi: These two brothers were mentioned together in Genesis 49:3–4 as violent individuals whose land would be divided. Simeon’s inheritance was a small area of cities in Israel. Levi became the priestly tribe that had no land inheritance. Instead, they lived in cities scattered throughout the other tribes of Israel.
Judah: Genesis 49:8–12 predicted Judah as a lion who would lead the other tribes. Judah was the tribe that remained loyal to God the longest in the divided kingdom, and Jesus Christ was a descendant of Judah.
Zebulun: According to Genesis 49:13 this son would receive land between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sea of Galilee. In Joshua 19:10–16 Zebulun received the third lot of the inheritance. It was located in the northern part of the Promised Land that included Nazareth, the future hometown of Jesus. Ezekiel 48 also speaks of an area promised to Zebulun—a land that has not yet been received.
Issachar: Issachar’s allotment included the important farming region of the Valley of Jezreel in Galilee. This closely matches the prediction of Genesis 49:14–15 of Issachar’s receiving agricultural land.
Dan: Dan’s blessing in Genesis 49:16–18 dealt with his becoming a judge in Israel rather than referring to his land. Judges records that Samson came from this tribe, yet so did leaders who worshiped idols (Judges 18), prompting God’s judgment upon the people of Israel.
Gad: Gad’s blessing in Genesis 49:19 only referred to his skill in military conflict. Some have made a connection with the large number of troops from Gad who served in King David’s army, though Jacob’s blessing is too vague to make a very direct connection.
Asher: In Genesis 49:20 Jacob said Asher would have good soil. In Joshua, Asher’s tribe inherited ideal land in Carmel in the coastal region.
Naphtali: The only reference to Naphtali in Genesis 49:21 is that other tribes would admire him. In Joshua 19:32–39 Naphtali received land from the Sea of Galilee up to Phoenicia in the north and included 19 fortified cities.
Joseph: He received a double portion as both his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh, received a separate inheritance. Ephraim’s land was west of the Jordan River. Manasseh’s territory was split, with half of it to the east of the Jordan and half of it to the west.
Benjamin: Jacob predicted that his youngest son would become a warrior. From his tribe came the judge Ehud, King Saul, and Saul’s son Jonathan. This tribe was often noted for its warlike personality (Judges 5:14; 20:16).
As can be seen, the sons of Jacob who were given a land blessing in Genesis 49 received it in ways that matched in Joshua’s allotment of land or, in Zebulun’s case, match another prophet’s prediction. The fact that numerous details predicted by Jacob came true generations later serves as a powerful testimony to God’s power.
Sun stood still
Is it true that the sun stood still?
Joshua 10:12–14 may just relate the most amazing miracle of all time—the day the sun stood still. “On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: ‘Sun, stand still over Gibeon, / and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.’ / So the sun stood still, / and the moon stopped, / till the nation avenged itself on its enemies. . . . The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!” God miraculously provided twenty-four hours of light to aid Israel in destroying their enemy, the Amorites.
A variety of explanations have been given concerning this event. Some suggest a “local miracle” in which God allowed light to remain in Gibeon, much like the Hebrews had light even when the Egyptians were in the dark (Exodus 10:23). However, the text seems to indicate an actual change of the earth’s rotation, since it says the sun did not set.
Others argue that the language of the passage is poetic and therefore not to be taken literally. This view causes other problems. Primarily, how is a reader to know that this event is figurative and not other events? Applying figurative interpretations to difficult biblical passages does not truly answer the difficulties.
Another view attempts to explain the event as an eclipse that gave the appearance of a long day in which the sun did not set. Alternatively, some combination of an eclipse and refracted light in the atmosphere could have made the day appear longer than normal. God timed the event to miraculously coincide with Joshua’s prayer and moment of need. The main weakness of this view is that an eclipse typically lasts for minutes rather than hours.
Probably the best explanation is simply to take Joshua 10 at face value—God performed a stupendous miracle, causing the sun to delay its “setting.” God stopped the motion of the earth. There are objections to this explanation, based on the physics of motion, but the God who created the world and established natural laws is perfectly capable of compensating for any collateral complications. We may not have a scientific explanation of how God performed this miracle, but He did.
Interestingly, Israel’s enemies worshiped the sun and moon. The arrest of the motion of heavenly bodies and the extended period of light to help Israel clearly affirmed the Lord God as the true God. The Amorites’ own gods were powerless to aid their cause as the God of Israel moved heaven and earth to grant His people the victory.
Joshua described the miracle just as we might describe it, from an earth-bound perspective. From the perspective of someone standing on the earth, it does appear that the sun moves. We ourselves commonly speak of “sunrise” and “sunset”; it is the way we express ourselves.
While we may not fully understand how this “long day” occurred, a miracle does not have to be scientifically proven—just accepted. Joshua prayed, and God supernaturally provided the light necessary for Joshua’s army to win its battle.
The lengthened day was indeed unlike anything ever seen, but in Joshua’s mind the greater miracle may just have been that God listened to him and answered such an amazing prayer.
Their hearts are far from me
What does Isaiah 29:13 mean when it says “their hearts are far from me”?
In Isaiah 29, Isaiah is prophesying against Jerusalem and, by extension, the rest of Judah (verse 8). He predicts judgment on the kingdom due to their sin—judgment that will come through invading armies (Isaiah 29:3–4). However, the prophet also affirms that God is incredibly graceful and will restore Judah after bringing justice upon their enemies (Isaiah 29:5, 18–24). In the middle of Isaiah’s prophecy, he diagnoses Judah’s problem of hypocrisy, which is bringing about their judgment: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught” (Isaiah 29:13). While the Israelites were saying the right things, their hearts were far from God.
The word heart is a common metaphor. In English, heart often represents someone’s emotions. When we say that someone has a “heart of stone,” we do not mean that his blood-pumping organ has been mineralized; we mean that he is unmoved by emotional appeals. When an ancient Israelite used the word heart metaphorically, he was thinking of the center of someone’s soul, the place where he makes all his decisions and experiences all his emotions. The “heart” was the location of one’s will and intellect. Therefore, when the Bible commands us to love something “with all our hearts,” it means loving with everything we have on the inside.
When God said that “their hearts are far from me,” He meant that they had chosen other loyalties besides God. While they might have sounded religious, they did not love God or obey Him. Their thoughts and their decisions were bent away from God. The NET Bible has a helpful translation here: “These people say they are loyal to me; they say wonderful things about me, but they are not really loyal to me. Their worship consists of nothing but man-made ritual” (Isaiah 29:13). In English, we might say that the Israelites worshiped “but their hearts weren’t in it.”
In the New Testament, Jesus quotes this verse in an important confrontation with the Pharisees (Mark 7:6–7). They, too, had hearts far from God. The Pharisees pretended to care about God’s law by following outward acts like handwashing, but they did not care about God on the inside. When they met God in the person of Jesus, they tried to kill Him! After quoting Isaiah 29:13, Jesus scathingly summarized their heart condition: “You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions” (Mark 7:8). The Pharisees still did religious things but had forgotten the reasons behind their actions. They said the right things, but their hearts were far from God.
As Christians, we face the same temptation as the hypocritical Israelites. Sometimes, it is easy to maintain the outward appearance of religious obedience by following basic rules, yet we lack any real relationship with God in our hearts. We start “going through the motions” without growing in love for God or for others. We might faithfully go to church every Sunday but ignore God the rest of the week. Like the Pharisees and the ancient Israelites, “faking it” is not spiritually healthy, and it will eventually catch up with us.
Isaiah 29:13 is a stark reminder that rules and rituals, by themselves, cannot please God. God wants true righteousness. God wants you to love Him with “all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).
