What Jehovah Is Really Asking

Through the prophet  Isaiah, Jehovah said:  "I have had enough of whole burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed animals; and in the blood of young bulls and male lambs and he-goats I have taken no delight."  (Isaiah 1:10, 11) Why was God displeased with offerings that he himself had called for in the Law?  (Leviticus 1:1-4:35)  Because the people treated him disrespectfully.  Therefore, they were admonished:  "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the badness of your dealings from in front of my eyes; cease to do bad.  Learn to do good; search for justice; set right the oppressor; render judgment for the fatherless boy; plead the cause of the widow."  (Isaiah 1:16, 17) Does this not help us to appreciate what Jehovah wants from his servants?  \

Jesus showed what God really wants.  He did so when he was asked the question, "Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied:  "You must love Jehovah God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind."  This is the greatest and the first commandment.  The second, like it, is this, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets."  (Matthew 22:36-40; Leviticus 19:18; Deuteronomy 6:4-6)  The prophet Moses made the same point when he asked:  "What is Jehovah your God asking of you but to fear Jehovah your God, so as to walk in all his ways and to love him and to serve Jehovah your God with all your heart and all your soul; to keep the commandments of Jehovah and his statutes?" -Deuteronomy 10:12., 13; 15:7. 8.

Despite their wrongdoing, the Israelites wanted to appear holy.  Though the Law required fasting only  on the annual Atonement Day. They began to fast often.  (Leviticus  16:30, 32)  But Jehovah rebuked them, saying: "Is not this the fast that I choose?  To loosen the fetters of wickedness, to release the bands of the yoke bar, and to send away the crushed one free, and that you people should tear in two every yoke  bar?  Is it not the dividing your bread out to the hungry one, and that you should bring the afflicted, homeless people into your house?  That, in case you should see someone naked, you must cover him, and that you should not hide yourself from your own flesh?" -Isaiah 58:3-7

Next time: Conclusion of What Jehovah Is Really Asking

The Watchtower, 1999