The multitude of your sacrifices—what are they to me? says the Lord. I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations—I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of blood; wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:11-18 NIV)

The prophet Isaiah became the spokesperson for a God who opened his heart to the people he cherished. Love and unambiguous words are not mutually exclusive. Someone who tells another what he can no longer bear has not yet given up confiding in that person.

The leaders of the nation are involved with God in a way that is repugnant to him. Their worship is useless, meaningless and even destructive. God is fed up with it (not with them); it wears him out. God no longer listens, wishes to see no more.

And yet the liturgical calendar seems to be followed regularly; the services appear to run smoothly. What matters to God is not an improvement in the liturgy but in those who celebrate it. They want to serve God and do not serve their fellows. They do not see that God has united himself to the entire nation, beginning with the weakest, the exploited and defenceless. They are thus letting the people that God has entrusted to them head towards ruin.

Their worship has turned into utter irony. They are unclean. If they wish to serve God they must change their ways. They must wash and purify themselves by doing good, helping others, bringing about justice. Those who get off track politically and socially and violate the weak and the excluded have distanced themselves from God. As the true ruler, however, God invites them to return to him and promises a pardon that will cleanse them, that will wash away the blood that cries out to heaven and drowns out all their hymn-singing.

For where God, who dwells in the midst of his people, is correctly honoured, oppression, the arbitrary use of power and injustice come to an end. Then people can sing praises to God, because they can breathe freely and their dignity is respected.

What explodes here in prolific and dramatic fashion is expressed more soberly and succinctly by Jesus when he says, “If you are bringing your gift to the altar and there realize that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift at the altar and first go and be reconciled with your brother or sister, then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24).

 How do I link the service of God and the service of my fellows?

 How does this happen in my local church?

 What could these words mean for people who are attempting to make their way towards a society where the rights of all are respected?