Isaiah 1:13
Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me--your New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations. I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.
Bring your worthless offerings no more
The Hebrew word for "bring" is "בּוֹא" (bo), which implies an action of coming or entering. In the context of worship, it suggests the act of presenting something before God. The term "worthless" translates from "שָׁוְא" (shav), meaning vain or empty. This phrase indicates that the offerings, though physically present, lack spiritual substance and sincerity. Historically, offerings were central to Israelite worship, yet God here emphasizes that the heart behind the offering is what truly matters. The call to cease these offerings underscores God's desire for genuine devotion over ritualistic compliance.

your incense is detestable to Me
"Incense" in Hebrew is "קְטֹרֶת" (qetoreth), a fragrant smoke used in worship, symbolizing prayers ascending to God. The word "detestable" comes from "תּוֹעֵבָה" (toebah), meaning abomination or something loathed. Incense, once a pleasing aroma, has become repugnant due to the people's hypocrisy. This reflects a broader biblical theme where God rejects external acts of worship when they are not accompanied by righteousness and justice (see Amos 5:21-24).

New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—
These terms refer to specific times of worship and gathering. "New Moons" (חֹדֶשׁ, chodesh) were monthly celebrations marking the beginning of a new month. "Sabbaths" (שַׁבָּת, shabbat) were weekly days of rest and worship. "Convocations" (מִקְרָא, miqra) were sacred assemblies. Each of these was instituted by God as times for His people to draw near to Him. However, the mere observance of these rituals without true repentance and obedience had become meaningless. This highlights the danger of religious formalism devoid of heartfelt commitment.

I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly
The phrase "I cannot endure" translates from "לֹא אוּכַל" (lo uchal), expressing God's inability to tolerate or accept something. "Iniquity" (עָוֹן, avon) refers to moral perversity or sin. "Solemn assembly" (עֲצָרָה, atzeret) denotes a sacred gathering. The juxtaposition of "iniquity" and "solemn assembly" is striking, as it reveals the contradiction of sinfulness within a context meant for holiness. This serves as a powerful reminder that God seeks purity and integrity in worship, not just the outward appearance of piety. The verse calls believers to examine their hearts and align their actions with God's standards, ensuring that their worship is both sincere and acceptable.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Isaiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, Isaiah is the author of the book bearing his name. He prophesied to the Kingdom of Judah during a time of moral and spiritual decline.

2. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. It was the primary audience of Isaiah's prophecies.

3. Solemn Assemblies
These were sacred gatherings commanded by God in the Law of Moses, including festivals and Sabbaths, meant for worship and reflection.

4. Offerings and Incense
Rituals prescribed in the Mosaic Law for worship and atonement. In this context, they have become empty rituals due to the people's hypocrisy.

5. New Moons and Sabbaths
Regular observances in the Jewish calendar, intended as times of rest and worship, which had become mere formalities devoid of true devotion.
Teaching Points
True Worship vs. Empty Rituals
God desires sincere worship from the heart rather than mere external compliance with religious rituals. Our worship should reflect a genuine relationship with God.

The Danger of Hypocrisy
Engaging in religious activities while living in sin is detestable to God. We must examine our lives to ensure our actions align with our professed beliefs.

The Call to Repentance
Isaiah's message is a call to repentance. We must turn away from sin and seek to live in accordance with God's will, allowing our worship to be a true reflection of our faith.

Holiness in Everyday Life
Observances like the Sabbath and other religious gatherings should lead to a lifestyle of holiness, not just isolated acts of piety.

God's Desire for Justice and Righteousness
Our religious practices should lead us to pursue justice and righteousness in our communities, reflecting God's character in our interactions with others.
Bible Study Questions
1. How can we ensure that our worship is genuine and not just a ritualistic practice?

2. In what ways might we be guilty of hypocrisy in our own spiritual lives, and how can we address this?

3. How does the message of Isaiah 1:13 challenge us to examine our priorities in worship and daily living?

4. What steps can we take to align our religious observances with a lifestyle of justice and righteousness?

5. How do the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament reinforce the message of Isaiah regarding true worship and obedience?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Amos 5:21-24
Similar to Isaiah, Amos speaks against the empty rituals of Israel, emphasizing that God desires justice and righteousness over mere ceremonial observance.

Micah 6:6-8
This passage highlights what God truly requires: to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, rather than relying solely on ritual sacrifices.

Matthew 15:8-9
Jesus quotes Isaiah, condemning the Pharisees for honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him, emphasizing the importance of genuine worship.
Acceptable WorshipC. Kingsley, M. A.Isaiah 1:13
Service not ServicesT. Monod.Isaiah 1:13
A Last AppealLloyd Robinson.Isaiah 1:2-31
God Finds Vindication in NatureD. Davies.Isaiah 1:2-31
God Man's Truest FriendIsaiah 1:2-31
IngratitudeBishop Reynolds.Isaiah 1:2-31
Isaiah's SermonIsaiah 1:2-31
Israel's ApostasyF. Delitzsch.Isaiah 1:2-31
The Fatherhood of God in Relation to IsraelF. Delitzsch.Isaiah 1:2-31
The Fatherhood of God in the Old TestamentJ. Parker, D. D.Isaiah 1:2-31
The Heinousness of Rebellion Against God's Paternal GovernmentT. W. Coit.Isaiah 1:2-31
The Parental Grief of God, and its Pathetic AppealD. Davies.Isaiah 1:2-31
The Sinful NationSermons by the Monday ClubIsaiah 1:2-31
The Sinful NationHanford A. Edson, D. D.Isaiah 1:2-31
The Sinful NationJ. Sanderson, D. D.Isaiah 1:2-31
The People's Plea ConsideredE. Johnson Isaiah 1:10-17
The Prophetic StrainW. Clarkson Isaiah 1:10-20
Mere Ceremonial an Offense to GodR. Tuck Isaiah 1:11-13
A Red-Handed ReligionistA. Smellie, M. A.Isaiah 1:11-15
Audacious HypocrisyF. Jacox, B. A.Isaiah 1:11-15
Detestable WorshipF. Jacox, B. A.Isaiah 1:11-15
Dissembled PietyIsaiah 1:11-15
Formal ReligionH. O. Mackey.Isaiah 1:11-15
Holiness Becometh Thine HouseSunday School ChronicleIsaiah 1:11-15
Hypocrisy and Partiality in ReligionW. Reading, M. A.Isaiah 1:11-15
InconsistencyH. O. Mackey.Isaiah 1:11-15
InconsistencyF. Jacox, B. A.Isaiah 1:11-15
Moral WhitewashD. Fraser, D. D.Isaiah 1:11-15
Pew HoldingIsaiah 1:11-15
Religious Hypocrisy: Dukes Orleans and BurgundyStudent's FranceIsaiah 1:11-15
ReligiousnessProf. G. A. Smith, D. D.Isaiah 1:11-15
Sin Offensive to GodN. Rogers.Isaiah 1:11-15
Smuggler and Preacher TooChristian CommonwealthIsaiah 1:11-15
People
Ahaz, Amos, Amoz, Hezekiah, Isaiah, Jotham, Uzziah
Places
Gomorrah, Jerusalem, Sodom, Zion
Topics
Abomination, Add, Along, Assemblies, Assembly, Bear, Bring, Bringing, Burning, Calling, Can't, Convocation, Convocations, Detestable, Disgusting, Endure, Evil, Flesh, Holding, Holy, Incense, Iniquity, Longer, Meaningless, Meeting, Meetings, Moon, Moons, Oblations, Offering, Offerings, Present, Rendure, Restraint, Sabbath, Sabbaths, Smoke, Solemn, Vain, Wickedness, Worthless
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 1:13

     5338   holiday
     5864   futility
     7429   Sabbath, in OT

Isaiah 1:10-17

     5926   rebuke

Isaiah 1:10-18

     8618   prayerfulness

Isaiah 1:11-13

     7316   blood, OT sacrifices
     8460   pleasing God

Isaiah 1:11-15

     6109   alienation
     7322   burnt offering
     8784   nominal religion

Isaiah 1:11-17

     5381   law, letter and spirit
     5943   self-deception
     7328   ceremonies
     8628   worship, hindrances

Isaiah 1:13-14

     7398   New Moon festival

Isaiah 1:13-15

     8245   ethics, incentives

Library
Useless Sacrifice
Preached at Southsea for the Mission of the Good Shepherd. October 1871. Isaiah i. 11-17. "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord: . . . When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

The Stupidity of Godlessness
The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, My people doth not consider.'--ISAIAH i. 3. This is primarily an indictment against Israel, but it touches us all. 'Doth not know' i.e. has no familiar acquaintance with; 'doth not consider,' i.e. frivolously ignores, never meditates on. I. This is a common attitude of mind towards God. Blank indifference towards Him is far more frequent than conscious hostility. Take a hundred men at random as they hurry through
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Great Suit: Jehovah Versus Judah
'The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. I Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord hath spoken: I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against Me. 3. The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 4. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

What Sin Does to Men
'Ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. 31. And the strong shall be as tow, and His work as a spark; and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them.'--ISAIAH i. 30-31. The original reference of these words is to the threatened retribution for national idolatry, of which 'oaks' and 'gardens' were both seats. The nation was, as it were, dried up and made inflammable; the idol was as the 'spark' or the occasion for destruction. But a wider application,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

1St Day of Month. Pardoning Grace.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."--ISAIAH i. 18. Pardoning Grace. My soul! thy God summons thee to His audience chamber! Infinite purity seeks to reason with infinite vileness! Deity stoops to speak to dust! Dread not the meeting. It is the most gracious, as well as wondrous of all conferences. Jehovah himself breaks silence! He
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

Worship
ISAIAH i. 12, 13. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? 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. This is a very awful text; one of those which terrify us--or at least ought to terrify us--and set us on asking ourselves seriously and honestly--'What do I believe after all? What manner of man am I after all?
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

"But we are all as an Unclean Thing, and all Our Righteousnesses are as Filthy Rags,"
Isaiah lxiv 6, 7.--"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags," &c. This people's condition agreeth well with ours, though the Lord's dealing be very different. The confessory part of this prayer belongeth to us now; and strange it is, that there is such odds of the Lord's dispensations, when there is no difference in our conditions; always we know not how soon the complaint may be ours also. This prayer was prayed long before the judgment and captivity came
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Time of Doubting and of Spiritual Darkness Constitutes
another season when it is very difficult to keep the heart. When the light and comfort of the divine presence is withdrawn; when the believer, from the prevalence of indwelling sin in one form or other, is ready to renounce his hopes, to infer desperate conclusions with respect to himself, to regard his former comforts as vain delusions, and his professions as hypocrisy; at such a time much diligence is necessary to keep the heart from despondency. The Christian's distress arises from his apprehension
John Flavel—On Keeping the Heart

What are Consequences of Backsliding in Heart.
The text says, that "the backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways." 1. He shall be filled with his own works. But these are dead works, they are not works of faith and love, which are acceptable to God, but are the filthy rags of his own righteousness. If they are performed as religious services, they are but loathsome hypocrisy, and an abomination to God; there is no heart in them. To such a person God says: "Who hath required this at your hand?" (Isaiah 1:12). "Ye are they which justify
Charles G. Finney—The Backslider in Heart

Works.
The extant works of St. Basil may be conveniently classified as follows: I. Dogmatic. (i) Adversus Eunomium. Pros Eunomion. (ii) De Spiritu Sancto. Peri tou Pneumatos. II. Exegetic. [302] (i) In Hexæmeron. Eis ten Exaemeron. (ii) Homiliæ on Pss. i., vii., xiv., xxviii., xxix., xxxii., xxxiii., xliv., xlv., xlviii., lix., lxi., cxiv. (iii) Commentary on Isaiah i.-xvi. III. Ascetic. (i) Tractatus prævii. (ii.) Prooemium de Judicio Dei and De Fide. (iii) Moralia. Ta
Basil—Basil: Letters and Select Works

"His Chains Fell Off. " Acts xii. 7
IN ANSWER TO PRAYER:--Do you know any one tied and bound? Have you prayed for them without ceasing? Are you conscious of the enemy putting YOUR hands or feet in fetters? Are you unable to reach that purse which was at one time always within your grasp, so that now you do not give to the poor as you once did? Are your feet prevented from going on errands of mercy? Do the manacles keep you at home on Sundays, instead of walking muddy lanes to preach? If so, how do you like it? Do you not think
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread

The Greater Prophets.
1. We have already seen (Chap. 15, Nos. 11 and 12) that from Moses to Samuel the appearances of prophets were infrequent; that with Samuel and the prophetical school established by him there began a new era, in which the prophets were recognized as a distinct order of men in the Theocracy; and that the age of written prophecy did not begin till about the reign of Uzziah, some three centuries after Samuel. The Jewish division of the latter prophets--prophets in the more restricted sense of the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

Synagogues in the City; and Schools.
"R. Phinehas, in the name of R. Hoshaia, saith, There were four hundred and sixty synagogues in Jerusalem: every one of which had a house of the book, and a house of doctrine," "A house of the book for the Scripture," that is, where the Scripture might be read: "and a house of doctrine for traditions," that is, the Beth Midrash, where traditions might be taught. These things are recited elsewhere, and there the number ariseth to four hundred and eighty. "R. Phinehas, in the name of R. Hoshaia, saith,
John Lightfoot—From the Talmud and Hebraica

The Massacre
Your hands are full of blood.--Isaiah i. 15. Foiled at every turn, Gaïnas began to feel that his star was no longer in the ascendant; that fortune had abandoned him; that in the game of ambition he had been finally defeated; that Nemesis was but awaiting her opportunity. Tormented more and more by indecision and disappointment, and seeing in their effects the anger of a besetting demon, he gave out that he was ill, and that he should resort to the Chapel of St. John the Baptist at the Hebdomon.
Frederic William Farrar—Gathering Clouds: A Tale of the Days of St. Chrysostom

Fresh Troubles
The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and festering sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with oil.--Isaiah i. 5-6. We have already seen enough to show the intense and all but universal corruption which ruined the true work of the Church in Antioch, and still more in Constantinople. It is distressing to find the same moral apostasy, the same revolting unreality,
Frederic William Farrar—Gathering Clouds: A Tale of the Days of St. Chrysostom

Self-Righteousness Insufficient.
1 "Where are the mourners, [1] (saith the Lord) "That wait and tremble at my word, "That walk in darkness all the day? "Come, make my name your trust and stay. 2 ["No works nor duties of your own "Can for the smallest sin atone; "The robes [2] that nature may provide "Will not your least pollutions hide. 3 "The softest couch that nature knows "Can give the conscience no repose: "Look to my righteousness, and live; "Comfort and peace are mine to give.] 4 "Ye sons of pride that kindle coals "With your
Isaac Watts—Hymns and Spiritual Songs

Confession and Prayer. December 13, 1776

John Newton—Olney Hymns

The Expositor's Bible.
Crown 8vo, cloth, price 7s. 6d. each vol. FIRST SERIES, 1887-8. Colossians. By the Rev. A. MACLAREN, D.D. St. Mark. By the Right Rev. the Bishop of Derry. Genesis. By Prof. MARCUS DODS, D.D. 1 Samuel. By Prof. W. G. BLAIKIE, D.D. 2 Samuel. By the same Author. Hebrews. By Principal T. C. EDWARDS, D.D. SECOND SERIES, 1888-9. Galatians. By Prof. G. G. FINDLAY, B.A., D.D. The Pastoral Epistles. By the Rev. A. PLUMMER, D.D. Isaiah I.-XXXIX. By Prof. G. A. SMITH, D.D. Vol. I. The Book of Revelation.
Thomas Charles Edwards—The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews

"The Dust of the Actual"
"This may be counted as our richest gain, to have learned afresh one's utter impotency so completely that the past axiom of service, 'I can no more convert a soul than create a star,' comes to be an awful revelation, so that God alone may be exalted in that day." Rev. Walter Searle, Africa. WE have just come back from a Pariah village. Now see it all with me. Such a curious little collection of huts, thrown down anywhere; such half-frightened, half-friendly faces; such a scurrying in of some
Amy Wilson-Carmichael—Things as They Are

If it is Objected, that the Necessity which Urges us to Pray is not Always...
If it is objected, that the necessity which urges us to pray is not always equal, I admit it, and this distinction is profitably taught us by James: " Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms" (James 5:13). Therefore, common sense itself dictates, that as we are too sluggish, we must be stimulated by God to pray earnestly whenever the occasion requires. This David calls a time when God "may be found" (a seasonable time); because, as he declares in several other
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith

How those are to be Admonished who Abstain not from the Sins which they Bewail, and those Who, Abstaining from Them, Bewail them Not.
(Admonition 31.) Differently to be admonished are those who lament their transgressions, and yet forsake them not, and those who forsake them, and yet lament them not. For those who lament their transgressions and yet forsake them not are to be admonished to learn to consider anxiously that they cleanse themselves in vain by their weeping, if they wickedly defile themselves in their living, seeing that the end for which they wash themselves in tears is that, when clean, they may return to filth.
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

"And There is None that Calleth Upon Thy Name, that Stirreth up Himself to Take Hold on Thee,"
Isaiah lxiv. 7.--"And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold on thee," &c. They go on in the confession of their sins. Many a man hath soon done with that a general notion of sin is the highest advancement in repentance that many attain to. You may see here sin and judgment mixed in thorough other(315) in their complaint. They do not so fix their eyes upon their desolate estate of captivity, as to forget their provocations. Many a man would spend more affection,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

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