Empty Handed Worship and Repentance Is Empty

Leviticus 6:9 – “Give Aaron and his sons this command: ‘These are the regulations for the burnt offering …”

In ancient Israel all worship and repentance services had an accompanying offering. There were five offerings namely; Burnt offerings, Grain offerings, peace offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. There was no worship and repentance without an offering. Empty handed worship and repentance was therefore empty!

Burnt offerings were general offerings that were given for regular worship or even to address various personal issues. The worshipper brought this offering in regular worship. The worshipper gave the offering to be burnt as opposed to coming empty handed. Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

Leviticus 6:14 – “‘These are the regulations for the grain offering: Aaron’s sons are to bring it before the LORD, in front of the altar.

Grain offering was a general offering but leaning towards thanking God for provision of food. An appreciation for Agricultural products. A worshipper could not harvest crops and come before God empty handed. God who provided soil, sunshine, rain, and bumper harvest, then you come empty handed? Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

Leviticus 6:20 – “This is the offering Aaron and his sons are to bring to the LORD on the day he is anointed: a tenth of …”

When the Priest accepts his assignment to serve God and is anointed, he must give an offering. When God gives an assignment, He expects us to worship Him by giving, as a way of accepting the assignment.

Many other people could have been assigned that work. You could still be job hunting. You could still be stuck to your old assignment, but God has looked at you favorably. Do you come and kneel for prayer empty handed? “Pray for me in my new assignment,” but empty handed? Aaron and his sons on the day they took up their Jobs as priests, were required to give an offering. Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

Leviticus 6:25 – “Say to Aaron and his sons: ‘These are the regulations for the sin offering: …”

Sin Offerings were about confessions and seeking forgiveness. The repentant sinner had to give a sin offering. No empty handed repentance!

Requirements for the rich and poor varied, since they gave what they could afford. The bottom line however is that they all gave a sin offering. Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

If worship and repentance required giving resources, then it also required planning. Since giving was mandatory, worship was well thought out by everyone. No one came out of boredom. No one came out of routine. Because everyone who showed up had to give, it became intentional and calculated.

Empty handed worship and repentance easily invites hypocrites, idlers and self-seeking critics. Empty handed worshippers notice mistakes and shout aloud about them. Empty handed people don’t repent, they highlight the wrongs of others. Eventually worship means nothing for them – it’s empty. Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

Do you wish to have a meaningful worship and repentance? Attach an offering to it. Make an offering of time dedicated to devotion and worship. Set a unique time daily to commune with God. That sacrificed time is an offering. Keep that time. After a while when it becomes a routine, you change it. If it costs you nothing, it’s not worth it. Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

Repent by sacrificing something that caused you to sin. Sacrifice friends and contacts that tempt you to sin. Delete contacts. Move to new neighborhoods. A sacrifice is an offering. Make changes as offerings to repentance. What are you sacrificing or offering so that you do not sin again? You can’t repent without such a sacrifice or offering, or else your repentance is empty and you will go back to sin. Empty handed Worship and repentance is empty!

Give money and other resources as part of worship and repentance. Do not worship without giving something. Don’t give excess of your abundance, that means nothing, it’s empty. Give something or some amount that will cost you, you will feel it. Giving what doesn’t cost you is empty handedness. Empty handed worship and repentance is empty!

May God forgive us for empty handed worship and repentance in the past. May God grant us wisdom and ability to make costly offerings as we worship and repent, in Jesus’s name, Amen!

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