Formalism: General Scriptures Concerning

But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.

I have no need for a bull from your stall or goats from your pens, …

For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.

I will praise God’s name in song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.

And this will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves.

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.

“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. …

Therefore the Lord said: “These people draw near to Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. Their worship of Me is but rules taught by men. …

What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable; your sacrifices do not please Me.”

Although they may fast, I will not listen to their cry; although they may offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will finish them off by sword and famine and plague.”

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies. …

With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

“A son honors his father, and a servant his master. But if I am a father, where is My honor? And if I am a master, where is your fear of Me?” says the LORD of Hosts to you priests who despise My name. “But you ask, ‘How have we despised Your name?’

When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is it not wrong? And when you present the lame and sick ones, is it not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you or show you favor?” asks the LORD of Hosts.

“Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would no longer kindle useless fires on My altar! I take no pleasure in you,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and I will accept no offering from your hands.

You also say: ‘Oh, what a nuisance!’ And you turn up your nose at it,” says the LORD of Hosts. “You bring offerings that are stolen, lame, or sick! Should I accept these from your hands?” asks the LORD.

“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.

But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.

They worship Me in vain; they teach as doctrine the precepts of men.’”

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able. …

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; …

Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commandments is what counts.

…though I myself could have such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: …

But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. …