The Sacrifice of Praise
31/01/10 18:36
Moses was
instructed by the Lord to tell the Israelites,
“If someone’s offering is a fellowship
offering and he offers an animal from the herd,
whether male or female, he is to present before the
Lord an animal without defect.”
In the Old Covenant, God had continually demanded that the offerings that were to be presented before Him, required the giver to follow certain regulations or else the offering would not be accepted. Throughout Israel’s history the Lord put up with men who didn’t consider the importance of these regulations. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu paid with their lives because they offered unauthorized fire upon the altar. And the Lord spoke to Aaron and said, “Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.”
In the days of the prophet Malachi, God confronts the Israelites once again with their careless attitude toward God, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says the Lord Almighty. It is you, O priest, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for a sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?”
Now, the writer of Hebrews likens the praise from our hearts to the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Because Jesus was offered up to God as a lamb without blemish, we, through Jesus, continually offer up to God the sacrifice of praise, -the fruit of our lips that confess His Name. Therefore, this tells me that when I offer up my praise and worship to the Most High, I must be careful to offer up praise without blemish and worship without defect. In, other words, just any old praise is not sufficient for worship. It must come from clean hands and a pure heart. My mind and heart should not be distracted by worldly allurements. I shouldn’t be thinking about the latest ball game that I watched, or the neatest techno-toy that I recently purchased.
My mind should be on the love that God has shown me through Christ Jesus and the greatness of my God in all things. My fellowship offering is a sacrifice of praise that is lifted up in the thankfulness of my heart. If there is no gratitude in my heart, then my praise is blemished and defective. If there comes into my mind any thoughts that speak of my praise being somewhat of a sacrifice (because it cost me something) then, I should find myself at the altar asking my Lord for His forgiveness. If I consider my praise and worship to God to be something of a duty or a chore, then may He chastise me severely, so that I may worship Him rightly. David said, “Lord accept the willing praise from my mouth.” I believe the only worship that the Lord accepts is the praise that comes from a soul who worships Him in Spirit and in Truth and from a heart that is pure and thankful. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His Holy place? Those of a pure heart and clean hands and who offers up to God the continual freewill offering of praise from a grateful heart.
In the Old Covenant, God had continually demanded that the offerings that were to be presented before Him, required the giver to follow certain regulations or else the offering would not be accepted. Throughout Israel’s history the Lord put up with men who didn’t consider the importance of these regulations. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu paid with their lives because they offered unauthorized fire upon the altar. And the Lord spoke to Aaron and said, “Among those who approach me I will show myself holy; in the sight of all the people I will be honored.”
In the days of the prophet Malachi, God confronts the Israelites once again with their careless attitude toward God, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me? Says the Lord Almighty. It is you, O priest, who show contempt for my name. But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’ You place defiled food on my altar. But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’ By saying the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for a sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?”
Now, the writer of Hebrews likens the praise from our hearts to the sacrifices of the Old Covenant. Because Jesus was offered up to God as a lamb without blemish, we, through Jesus, continually offer up to God the sacrifice of praise, -the fruit of our lips that confess His Name. Therefore, this tells me that when I offer up my praise and worship to the Most High, I must be careful to offer up praise without blemish and worship without defect. In, other words, just any old praise is not sufficient for worship. It must come from clean hands and a pure heart. My mind and heart should not be distracted by worldly allurements. I shouldn’t be thinking about the latest ball game that I watched, or the neatest techno-toy that I recently purchased.
My mind should be on the love that God has shown me through Christ Jesus and the greatness of my God in all things. My fellowship offering is a sacrifice of praise that is lifted up in the thankfulness of my heart. If there is no gratitude in my heart, then my praise is blemished and defective. If there comes into my mind any thoughts that speak of my praise being somewhat of a sacrifice (because it cost me something) then, I should find myself at the altar asking my Lord for His forgiveness. If I consider my praise and worship to God to be something of a duty or a chore, then may He chastise me severely, so that I may worship Him rightly. David said, “Lord accept the willing praise from my mouth.” I believe the only worship that the Lord accepts is the praise that comes from a soul who worships Him in Spirit and in Truth and from a heart that is pure and thankful. Who may ascend the hill of the Lord? Who may stand in His Holy place? Those of a pure heart and clean hands and who offers up to God the continual freewill offering of praise from a grateful heart.
Have a God blessed week.
Pastor Jim
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