CHAPTER VII
GOD'S REJECTION OF THE SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM
Did God reject the sarrificial system which He permitted the Israelites to establish? Yes, by showing that He did not care for animal sacrifices. but wanted His children to realize such sacrifices were only symbols of true spiritual worship and superseded by sincere spiritual living. Take as an example the 51st Psalm where David expresses contrition for the sins of adultery and murder. He had a glimpse then of something infinitely higher than symbolism, of the spiritual reality behind the symbolism. We read: "For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it; thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart. O God, thou wilt nor despise." No. God did not desire animal sacrifices, and did not delight in burnt offering.
We have this brought out fully by the prophet Isaiah. Through Isaiah the Lord tried to make His people understand the emptiness of their ritual practices, yes, His utter rejection of sacrificial worship. We read in Isaiah 1:11: "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full oi the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts?"
The offering of animal sacrifices is revolting in itself, obviously from a heathen origin, even if permitted to the Israelites, because of their degraded spiritual state. We ought to be able to realize that if bloody sacrifices would overwhelm us with disgust and horror if offered to appease us, they would certainly be as offensive to God, permitted only because of the Lord's effort to make them help in lifting the thought of the worshipper to spiritual cleansing and sacrifice. We an see in the fact that He permitted this heathenish practice His infinite patience and desire to help pitifully crude
