Topical Bible: Offerings: The Jews often: Defrauded God of

◄ Offerings: The Jews often: Defrauded God of ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

In the religious life of ancient Israel, offerings held a central place as expressions of worship, gratitude, and atonement. The Mosaic Law prescribed various types of offerings, including burnt offerings, grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings (Leviticus 1-7). These offerings were intended to maintain the covenant relationship between God and His people, symbolizing devotion, repentance, and reliance on divine grace.

However, the Hebrew Scriptures record numerous instances where the Israelites defrauded God of these offerings, failing to bring them in the spirit and manner prescribed by the Law. This defrauding was not merely a matter of withholding material goods but was indicative of a deeper spiritual malaise—a heart turned away from God.

Malachi, the last of the Old Testament prophets, directly addresses this issue. In Malachi 1:6-8 , God accuses the priests and the people of offering blemished sacrifices: "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me? says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ By presenting defiled food on My altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled You?’ By saying that the table of the LORD is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor? asks the LORD of Hosts."

The prophet Malachi highlights the people's contempt for God's commands by offering inferior sacrifices, which were explicitly forbidden (Leviticus 22:20-25). This act of defrauding God was symptomatic of a broader spiritual decline, as the people prioritized their own interests over their covenantal obligations.

The prophet Amos also condemns the Israelites for their insincere offerings. In Amos 5:21-23 , God declares, "I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer Me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will have no regard for your peace offerings of fattened cattle. Take away from Me the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps." Here, the issue is not the offerings themselves but the hypocrisy and injustice that accompany them. The Israelites maintained religious rituals while neglecting justice and righteousness, thus defrauding God of true worship.

The prophet Isaiah echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that God desires obedience and righteousness over mere ritual. In Isaiah 1:11-13 , God questions the value of the multitude of sacrifices: "What is your multitude of sacrifices to Me? says the LORD. I am full of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts? Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me."

The defrauding of God through offerings was not limited to the physical act of withholding or offering blemished sacrifices. It was a reflection of a deeper spiritual issue—a failure to honor God with one's whole heart and life. The prophets consistently called the people back to genuine repentance and wholehearted devotion, urging them to align their external acts of worship with an internal commitment to God's covenant and commandments.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Malachi 3:8
Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed you? In tithes and offerings.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Book ix. In the Last Book we Treated of the Indistinguishable ...
... he broke through the law of burnt offerings and sacrifices ... But, as we have often
said, the inadequacy of human ... If the twofold anger [1030] of the Jews had not ...
/.../hilary/the life and writings of st hilary of poitiers/book ix in the last.htm

Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrews.
... to side of, [3112]425; we often abstain from ... Martyrs, whole burnt-offerings, body
and soul, [3230]420. ... Virgin, [3398]407; his followers called Jews, [3399]376 ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homilies on the epistle to.htm

Against the Arians, and Concerning Himself.
... I have often discussed it with you before. ... Living God, lively sacrifices, reasonable
burnt-offerings, perfect sacrifices ... and imperfect" God of the Jews; and the ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xxxiii against the arians.htm

The Epistles of Paul.
... to visit Rome, but had been as often hindered. ... Crete contained many Jews, some of
whom were present ... Levitical priesthood, with its altar, its offerings and all ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxx the epistles of.htm

Funeral Oration on the Great S. Basil, Bishop of C??sarea in ...
... also in physical distress: for this also often influences the ... the evil: and sought
for aid from God and man ... nation only like that of the Jews, concerning meats ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/oration xliii funeral oration on.htm

John Bunyan on the Terms of Communion and Fellowship of Christians ...
... they,] whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but ... Second, Because it is so often
commanded in the scriptures ... we have corrupted no man, we have defrauded no m.
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/john bunyan on the terms.htm

The Life and Death of Mr. Badman,
... as it was given in particular to the Jews, but as ... jestings, tales, and lies, and
then swear by God that they ... I have often mused in my mind, what it should be ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the life and death of.htm