What practices in Isaiah 65:3 are considered offensive to God? Isaiah 65:3—Text in Focus “a people who continually provoke Me to My face, sacrificing in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick—” (Isaiah 65:3) Offensive Practices Identified • Sacrificing in gardens • Burning incense on altars of brick Why These Practices Offend God • Idolatrous locations – Gardens and groves were common sites for pagan fertility rites (Isaiah 1:29; 57:5; 1 Kings 14:23). – God had chosen one central place for sacrifices—ultimately the temple in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 12:5-6, 13-14). Any other site implied rejection of His appointed worship. • Man-made innovations – “Altars of brick” ignored God’s clear instruction: altars were to be made of uncut stone or earth (Exodus 20:24-26). – Brick altars represented human ingenuity substituting divine revelation—a form of self-willed worship God labels “provoking Me to My face.” • Spiritual compromise – Sacrifices and incense were legitimate acts if offered as God directed (Leviticus 1-3; Exodus 30:7-9). Doing them in forbidden ways turned holy acts into rebellion (Leviticus 10:1-2; Jeremiah 7:9-10). – Mixing true worship with pagan customs blurred the line between the holy and the profane (Ezekiel 22:26). Related Scripture Insights • God rejects unauthorized worship: “If anyone sacrifices an ox or a lamb…outside the camp, bloodguilt shall be imputed to that man” (Leviticus 17:3-4). • He desires obedience over sacrifice: “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22). • Incense becomes detestable when hearts are estranged: “Your incense is detestable to Me” (Isaiah 1:13). Takeaway for Today Substituting personal preference or cultural trends for God’s explicit commands still provokes Him. True worship honors both His prescribed place—now fulfilled in Christ (John 4:23-24; Hebrews 10:19-22)—and His prescribed manner: reverent obedience rooted in love. |
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