"Take away from me the noise of your songs" (MP3)

"Take away from me the noise of your songs" 
by Sandy Simpson, 5/26/19 

Amos 5:21-27 “I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. “Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, I will not accept them; 
and I will not even look at the peace offerings of your failings. “Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. “But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts. When I first reread this passage in Amos, a few things struck me. First of all the Lord is bringing judgment on Israel for carrying on religious ceremony without true dedication to the Lord. They sing songs and present their offerings while harboring idols. I was reminded of how the Lord must view the heretical apostate mega church celebrations of today. There is a lot of pomp and circumstance, yet little or no obedience to the Word of God. The Lord does not look favorably upon worship of that type, no matter the hype, no matter the noise, no matter the show. He actually “hates” it.