The useless sacrifices

October 6, 2017

The useless sacrifices (Hos 9:4-9:4)

“They shall not pour

Drink offerings

Of wine

To Yahweh.

Their sacrifices

Shall not please him.

Such sacrifices shall be

Like mourners’ bread.

All who eat of it

Shall be defiled.

Their bread

Shall be

For their hunger only.

It shall not come

To the house

Of Yahweh.”

Hosea told them that in their captivity, they will not be able to pour out drink offerings of wine to Yahweh. Their sacrifices would not please God. These sacrifices would be like the defiled bread of mourners who have had contact with the dead. The only reason to eat this bread would be because they were hungry. There will be no more symbolic bread, since they will no longer have contact with the house of Yahweh.

October 25, 2016

The useless sacrifices (Jer 6:20-6:21)

“‘Of what use to me

Is frankincense

That comes from Sheba?

Of what use to me

Is sweet cane

From a distant land?

Your burnt offerings are not acceptable.

Your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.’

Therefore thus says Yahweh.

‘See!

I am laying before this people

Stumbling blocks

Against which they shall stumble.

Parents shall perish.

Children with them shall perish.

Neighbors shall perish.

Friends shall perish.’”

Yahweh, via Jeremiah, rejects their sacrificial offerings. What good is that precious frankincense from Sheba or the sweet cane from other far away countries? These rich burnt offerings are still unacceptable and not pleasing to Yahweh since they were no substitute for faithfulness. Yahweh was going to be a stumbling block for all of them. Parents, children, neighbors, and friends will all perish, nice and simple, no questions asked.