Isaiah 1:11-15

Isaiah 1:11-15

[11] To what  purpose is the multitude  of your sacrifices  unto me? saith  the LORD:  I am full  of the burnt offerings  of rams,  and the fat  of fed beasts;  and I delight  not in the blood  of bullocks,  or of lambs,  or of he goats.  [12] When ye come  to appear  before  me, who hath required  this at your hand,  to tread  my courts?  [13] Bring  no more  vain  oblations;  incense  is an abomination  unto me; the new moons  and sabbaths,  the calling  of assemblies,  I cannot away with;  it is iniquity,  even the solemn meeting.  [14] Your new moons  and your appointed feasts  my soul  hateth:  they are a trouble  unto me; I am weary  to bear  [15] And when ye spread forth  your hands,  I will hide  mine eyes  from you: yea, when ye make many  prayers,  I will not hear:  your hands  are full  of blood. 

What does Isaiah 1:11-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The Israelites tended to fall into a pattern of thinking that religious ritual and their pagan neighbors" worship encouraged. They thought that going through the motions of worshipping God exactly as He specified satisfied Him. They forgot that God intended their ceremonies to be symbolic of their attitude toward Him. Their attitude to Him was more important than their flawless performance of worship rituals. Even their prayers would be ineffective if their attitude to God was not right ( Isaiah 1:15). We have the same problem today. This passage repeats descriptions of the Israelites" worship so often that the reader gets tired of them, just as God did. Hands full of bloodshed ( Isaiah 1:15) is a figure of guilt for abusing others. [1]