Articles
What Pleases God
Last Sunday morning, we looked at God’s words to Israel through the writing of Isaiah in Isaiah 65:1-5, and noted some things we should avoid at all costs because they provoked God to anger. It was certainly not an extensive or all-inclusive list of those things that anger God, but definitely worthy of note. In today’s article, let us consider a few more things that angered Him, as said through Isaiah (Isa. 66:1-5), but focus on the things that were pleasing to Him. And to make it clear: Let us aim for the things that are pleasing to Him and avoid the things that displeased Him! First, what God didn’t like:
Displeasing: Their Sacrifices. Early in this book, God had said through Isaiah, “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs or goats…Bring no more futile sacrifices; incense is an abomination to Me” (Isa. 1:11, 13). The reason? “Your princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves; everyone loves bribes, and follows after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, nor does the cause of the widow come before them” (Isa. 1:23).
Late in the same book, God tells of how a man “kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol” (Isa. 66:3). It is incredible to hear such disrespect and lack of reverence for God in those words! They offered sacrifices as if they were doing some great evil deed or act of cruelty, doing something unclean, or offering it instead to some worthless idol!
Displeasing: Rejecting God. After God said He would punish them, He explains part of the reason: “Because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight” (Isa. 66:4). In simple terms, the Israelites did not listen to God, and instead purposefully chose to do evil and the things that provoked Him to anger.
Now: What was pleasing to God.
Pleasing: The Humble. God says through Isaiah, “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, and who trembles at My word” (Isa. 66:2). If this is what pleases Him, and causes Him to “look on” [i.e., regard with pleasure] a man, then we need to understand these things as best as we can!
It should not be surprising to anyone who knows God and His word that humility is one of those traits that are pleasing to Him. The wise writer tells us, “Surely He scorns the scornful, but gives grace to the humble” (Prov. 3:34). The psalmist adds, “Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar” (Psa. 138:6). And James and Peter both wrote, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6; 1st Pet. 5:5).
Humility is what causes a man to not think so highly of himself and so lowly of God — the opposite of the ways things should logically be, since God is the Creator and ruler over all things. Humility is what removes self from the focus of all we do and makes someone else — either our fellow man or God — the focus. It is the mindset of Jesus Himself when He faced His pending trial and crucifixion, praying to the Father, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matt. 26:39); and it was the mindset of the apostle Paul when he wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20).
Let us then strive for genuine humility, setting aside self and our personal desires for the cause of Christ, and for the benefit of our fellow man. If we do, James writes, there will be a great benefit: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (Jas. 4:10).
Pleasing: A Contrite Spirit. The second thing God noted here that causes Him to look with favor on a man was having “a contrite spirit” (Isa. 66:2); but what does that mean? Is that the same things as humility? Well, yes and more than that. Albert Barnes comments, “A spirit that is broken, crushed, or deeply affected by sin.” In this case, it is realizing our utter worthlessness and failure in the sight of God because of our sins. It is the exact opposite of the mindset of many today who, ignorant of God and their own sins, declare themselves ‘good people’ who are unquestionably going to heaven because of their goodness, despite having no knowledge of, or love for, God and His ways.
When the psalmist wrote, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit” (Psa. 34:18), it was this mindset of which he wrote, but as ones who now live under the New Covenant, those words should be all the more meaningful and applicable to self, for we are no better off now than the psalmist was when those words were written! We still cannot take away or cleanse ourselves of our sins, and we still depend on God for forgiveness. The big difference for us is, we have forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ (1 John 1:9). It is only when we are ‘broken’ by our sins that we will come to Christ at all; when we sin as Christians, we must again be ‘broken’ every time that we may truly repent and confess them to God that we might be forgiven.
Pleasing: Respect for God’s Word. In this context, Israel had already rejected God’s ways and God’s word — “they did not hear” and “they have chosen their own ways.” In short, they had no respect for God’s word, thinking their ways were ‘just as good’ — if not better! As a contrast, God says He will look with favor on the one “who trembles at My word” (Isa. 66:2); God would show favor on those who respected His word. This should not be surprising to know that God shows favor on those who strive to show genuine respect and honor to God and His word.
And while many today — maybe even we — vocally honor and respect God, is it shown by our deeds and actions that such is true? Remember, Jesus said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14), and, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). But the opposite is also true: “He who does not love Me does not keep My words” (John 14:24). I am afraid many religious people today falsely believe they are respecting Christ and God’s word, but they are actually not because they follow the creeds of men, rather than the word of God.
Are we truly following the words of Jesus Christ? I pray that is the case, for those are the words that will judge us in the end (John 12:48). Let us not assume we are following Jesus and maybe even verbally honoring Him as Lord when it is not the Father’s will we are doing at all, but beliefs and practices invented in the minds of men. We cannot wait until the final judgment to figure out which it is we follow, for if we have not shown respect to His word, it is then He will say to us, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matt. 7:21-23).
Are we truly and sincerely doing the things that are pleasing to God, and for which He will look with favor on us? Now is the time to be the person that is pleasing to Him; now is the time to humble ourselves, acknowledge our failings [sins] and show the greatest respect for Him. — Steven Harper
