Week 23 Isaiah
I’ve started in on Isaiah.
Right away I notice that Isaiah knocks religious practices – sacrifices, ceremonials, prayers, etc. He quotes the Lord: I have had enough of burnt offerings… Bring your worthless offerings no longer… I hate your new moon festivals… Even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen.
Surprising since I was reading Moses about twenty weeks ago when he was setting up these rituals & sacrifices. And they were okay then.
Now Isaiah is saying they aren’t.
What’s going on?
After he slams Moses Isaiah goes right on to list things Judah should be doing:
Learn to do good
Seek justice
Help the oppressed
Defend the orphan
Fight for the rights of widows
Is this a replacement list?
Can I overwrite Moses’ laws with Isaiah’s list?
That seems like the simplest option, but I think I’ll be cautious; look-before-I-leap.
I’m only in chapter one so there’s time to decide.
As of today it occurs to me that Isaiah could be saying something like: if I don’t practice some things then that non-practice will negate some other things that I am practicing.
Or, not doing some things can unravel things I am doing. Like there’s an interactivity going on, an interdependent value-retention or value-loss factor in play.
Dumping Moses has a certain tidy appeal to it. So I’ll try to keep that temptation in mind, try to see what else Isaiah says about formal religious practices and ritual.
Note: quotes from Isaiah 1:11, 13, 14 (NASB), 17 (NLT version)