Going Through The Motions

 “For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hosea 6:6).

Some are confused by what God is saying here.  “But I thought God was the One who commanded sacrifices and burnt offerings from those who lived under the Old Covenant.  Now He wants something else instead?  Are the sacrifices no longer required?”  What is going on here anyway?

God’s people had fallen into a ritualism in their worship.  They were going through the motions of sacrifice but in many other areas of their lives they were living in rebellion to God.  In the earlier chapters of Hosea, God has repeatedly called them to account for these sins.  You see, honoring the true God involves much more than just going through the motions of sacrifice.  It involves a willingness to be loyal to Him in all aspects of life.

This was the problem that became the straw that broke the camel’s back for the reign of King Saul (1 Samuel 15:1-26).  Several other prophets of the Lord addressed this very same issue (Amos 5:21-24; Isaiah 1:12-17; Micah 6:6-8).  Jesus quoted from Hosea 6:6 at least twice as he confronted His critics who were famous for being scrupulous over certain aspects of the Law but unconcerned about what were “weightier” matters (Matthew 9:14; 12:7; 23:23).

The temptation to settle for a mechanistic, ritual-dependent, “check-the-right boxes” religion remains yet today.  But God is after our hearts.  Are we called by God to sing, pray, study, and give?  Sure.  But we can do all of those things and still remain distant from God in our hearts (Matthew 15.8-9).  Loyalty to God encompasses things beyond worship.  Knowledge of God involves more than keeping a list.  Ignoring God for six days of the week but going through the motions on Sunday misses the point.

God loves you!

Mike