Reading
SAA Notes
When religion goes wrong, it goes very wrong. Murder, idolatry, injustice, oppression, turmoil, rape, immorality, and commercial and bureaucratic thuggery, amongst others things, all flow from hearts that have forgotten the Lord, with terrible social consequences. Verses 30,31 tell us why God sent His Son!
SJA Notes
* True God, please show us truth today from Your word.
“Behold, the princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood.”
Look at the abuse of power that happens within false religion masquerading as truth.
The corruption spreads with violence through the authority and power structures of a country.
Look at the results of what is ripped apart,
“Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you.”
Families, foreigners, orphans and widows – All are treated with evil intent, to be broken apart, to be taken advantage of, beaten down and ignored.
Does this sound familiar to us?
It should.
This behaviour is what you get when you reject the Creator God. This behaviour is what we see at work around us, both within God’s people and without, from those who cry loud of their great morality.
There is another sign to watch for,
“You have despised my holy things and profaned my Sabbaths.”
Do we take care of our corporate together worship?
Do we hold dear what the Bible tells us is godly practice when we meet together?
Do we stand firm in God’s word against compromise in our worship together?
* Holy God,
There is none like You!
Help us please Lord to make distinction between the holy and common, the clean and unclean.
Please help us to regard Your Sabbaths and keep them from being profaned.
Thank You that in Jesus we see the one who stood in the breach _for us_.
Amen.