Cain and Abel
If we were to go back to the verses in Jeremiah preceding these, we would not see Jeremiah complaining about the covenant; he was complaining about the fact that God’s people were not upholding their end of the bargain. The problem was not with the covenant, but with the people, which is why he said, “finding fault with them,” and not “finding fault with it.” God has given us good instructions, yet we refuse to follow them. In the new covenant, these instructions will be written on the hearts of men so that they will find joy in obeying them.
Yet we are taught that we have done away with the old covenant in order to be a part of the new covenant. This is a lie. God doesn’t just change His mind. He doesn’t say, “These Laws only apply to one group of my people (who I want to keep in bondage) while these better Laws are for this other group of people (who I obviously love more).
“Also the Glory of Israel will not lie or change His mind; for He is not a man that He should change His mind.” 1 Samuel 15:29
“For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6
We have been taught that one covenant is done away with when the next covenant is established. This is called “Covenant Theology” and it is wrong. Covenant Theology teaches that the covenant made with Adam was voided when God made another covenant with Noah, Noah’s covenant was voided when God made the covenant on Mt. Sinai, etc. Yet we all believe that the Messiah would come and bruise the head of the serpent and restore us to righteousness, but that was part of the covenant with Adam. We all look to the heavens and rejoice when we see the rainbow, knowing that Adonai has promised He will never judge us with water again, yet that is part of the covenant with Noah. So, if these two covenants still stand in light of the one made on Mt. Sinai, it would stand to reason that the covenant made at Mt. Sinai still applies today, just as much as the covenants made with Adam, Noah and Abraham.
Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ. What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise. Galatians 3:16-17
This statement is very difficult for many to understand. We have been taught lies and the sooner we realize this, the better. The Laws given to us through Moses apply just as much today as they did when they were given. The Sacrificial System was given to us, not by Moses, but by Adonai Himself, as the way He desires us to worship Him. As our Elohim (God) and creator of all, doesn’t He have the right to describe how we are to worship Him?
Many will claim that God has already told us that He does not delight in our sacrifices and, in fact, the children of Israel were judged because He could no longer stand their sacrifices. Is that what really happened? Let’s take a look at that teaching.
“Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, the fruit of their plans, because they have not listened to My words, and as for My law, they have rejected it also. For what purpose does frankincense come to Me from Sheba and the sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable and your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.” Jeremiah 6:19-20
According to these verses, the offerings are not acceptable because the people have rejected His Law, not because God has rejected the sacrificial system. The heart of these people had turned from Him, just as Cain’s heart did; yet they continued to sacrifice. This is why their sacrifice, like Cain’s, was rejected. It is the heart of the giver that makes the difference.
Throughout the Scriptures there are numerous examples of God rejecting sacrifices, but not because He rejects the whole concept of the sacrificial system, but because of the hearts of the people who are offering them. This is the key to many of the messages given by the prophets to the children of Israel. Jeremiah complained about the people of Israel wandering away from the true worship of HaShem and the judgment coming as a result.
Thus says the LORD to this people, “Even so they have loved to wander; they have not kept their feet in check. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; now He will remember their iniquity and call their sins to account.” So the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the welfare of this people. When they fast, I am not going to listen to their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I am not going to accept them. Rather I am going to make an end of them by the sword, famine and pestilence.” Jeremiah 14:10-12
Clearly Adonai expects us to follow His commands. If we don’t, He won’t listen to our cries for help, and our offerings, both the wholly consumed offering, and the freewill offering, will not be accepted. Notice that we (God’s people) have turned from Him well before He turns from us. Yet we will still fast in His name, crying out to Him in our pain. This is not a blatant turn, deliberately being disobedient, but a gradual turn that creeps up on us and catches us unawares, facing in the opposite direction.
Malachi, who probably lived soon after the return from the Babylonian exile, had a lot to say about this gradual turning from true worship. It had only been about 100 years since the Temple had been rebuilt, but already the priests were getting sloppy, not really caring about the offerings, but simply going through the motions. These men where still sacrificing in the Temple, per His specifications… well, sort of… but they were still honoring His feasts and festivals and listen to what Adonai has to say to them:
” ‘A son honors his father, and a servant his master. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is My respect?’ says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests who despise My name. But you say, ‘How have we despised Your name?’ You are presenting defiled food upon My altar. But you say, ‘How have we defiled You?’ In that you say, ‘The table of the LORD is to be despised.’ But when you present the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And when you present the lame and sick, is it not evil? Why not offer it to your governor? Would he be pleased with you? Or would he receive you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts.
“But now will you not entreat God’s favor, that He may be gracious to us? With such an offering on your part, will He receive any of you kindly?” says the LORD of hosts. “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the gates, that you might not uselessly kindle fire on My altar! I am not pleased with you,” says the LORD of hosts, “nor will I accept an offering from you. For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the LORD of hosts.
“But you are profaning it, in that you say, ‘The table of the Lord is defiled, and as for its fruit, its food is to be despised.’ You also say, ‘My, how tiresome it is!’ And you disdainfully sniff at it,” says the LORD of hosts, “and you bring what was taken by robbery and what is lame or sick; so you bring the offering! Should I receive that from your hand?” says the LORD. “But cursed be the swindler who has a male in his flock and vows it, but sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord, for I am a great King,” says the LORD of hosts, “and My name is feared among the nations.” Malachi 1:6-14
How do we show honor to our parents? Is it not by following their rules, living by the moral code they set before us? Is it not the same with our Heavenly Father? When our earthly father lends us the car, which one sets the rules for its use, our father or ourselves? When we approach our father to request the car, who sets the rules for how we approach him? Is it not our father who sets the tone for the conversation? If the teen approaches their father with a demanding attitude, will he give the car? What if the teen interrupts a very important phone call? Will the father still be willing to loan the car? What about the way the car was used the last time it was borrowed?
If we are not willing to approach the Most High God by His terms, why is it that we still expect Him to acquiescent to our request? Why do we want to disregard these types of warnings regarding our obedience? If we don’t approach Him His way, why are we so surprised when things don’t go our way?