Living Worship to God

66 1-2 God’s Message:

“Heaven’s my throne,
    earth is my footstool.
What sort of house could you build for me?
    What holiday spot reserve for me?
I made all this! I own all this!”
    God’s Decree.
“But there is something I’m looking for:
    a person simple and plain,
    reverently responsive to what I say.

3-4 “Your acts of worship
    are acts of sin:
Your sacrificial slaughter of the ox
    is no different from murdering the neighbor;
Your offerings for worship,
    no different from dumping pig’s blood on the altar;
Your presentation of memorial gifts,
    no different from honoring a no-god idol.
You choose self-serving worship,
    you delight in self-centered worship—disgusting!
Well, I choose to expose your nonsense
    and let you realize your worst fears,
Because when I invited you, you ignored me;
    when I spoke to you, you brushed me off.
You did the very things I exposed as evil,
    you chose what I hate.”

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Has not my hand made all these things,(A)
    and so they came into being?”
declares the Lord.

“These are the ones I look on with favor:
    those who are humble and contrite in spirit,(B)
    and who tremble at my word.(C)
But whoever sacrifices a bull(D)
    is like one who kills a person,
and whoever offers a lamb
    is like one who breaks a dog’s neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
    is like one who presents pig’s(E) blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense(F)
    is like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,(G)
    and they delight in their abominations;(H)
so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
    and will bring on them what they dread.(I)
For when I called, no one answered,(J)
    when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil(K) in my sight
    and chose what displeases me.”(L)

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