Bible Verses About Formalism

Not for thy sacrifices do I reprove thee, Yea, thy burnt-offerings Are before Me continually.

I take not from thy house a bullock, From thy folds he goats.

For Mine is every beast of the forest, The cattle on the hills of oxen.

I have known every fowl of the mountains, And the wild beast of the field is with Me.

If I am hungry I tell not to thee, For Mine is the world and its fulness.

Do I eat the flesh of bulls, And drink the blood of he-goats?

Sacrifice to God confession, And complete to the Most High thy vows.

And call Me in a day of adversity, I deliver thee, and thou honourest Me.

For Thou desirest not sacrifice, or I give it , Burnt-offering Thou acceptest not.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A heart broken and bruised, O God, Thou dost not despise.

I praise the name of God with a song, And I magnify Him with thanksgiving,

And it is better to Jehovah than an ox, A bullock--horned--hoofed.

`Why to Me the abundance of your sacrifices? saith Jehovah, I have been satiated with burnt-offerings of rams, And fat of fatlings; And blood of bullocks, and lambs, And he-goats I have not desired.

When ye come in to appear before Me, Who hath required this of your hand, To trample My courts?

Add not to bring in a vain present, Incense--an abomination it is to Me, New moon, and sabbath, calling of convocation! Rendure not iniquity--and a restraint!

Your new moons and your set seasons hath My soul hated, They have been upon me for a burden, I have been weary of bearing.

And in your spreading forth your hands, I hide mine eyes from you, Also when ye increase prayer, I do not hear, Your hands of blood have been full.

And the Lord saith: Because drawn near hath this people, with its mouth, And with its lips they have honoured Me, And its heart it hath put far off from Me, And their fear of Me is--A precept of men is taught!

Therefore, lo, I am adding to do wonderfully with this people, A wonder, and a marvel, And perished hath the wisdom of its wise ones, And the understanding of its intelligent ones hideth itself.'

Woe to those going deep from Jehovah to hide counsel, And whose works have been in darkness. And they say, `Who is seeing us? And who is knowing us?'

Your perversion! as clay is the potter esteemed? That the work saith of its maker, `He hath not made me?' And the framed thing said of its framer, `He did not understand?'

I have hated--I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints.

For though ye cause burnt-offerings and your presents to ascend to Me, I am not pleased, And the peace-offering of your fatlings I behold not.

Turn aside from Me the noise of thy songs, Yea, the praise of thy psaltery I hear not.

With what do I come before Jehovah? Do I bow to God Most High? Do I come before Him with burnt-offerings? With calves--sons of a year?