Isaiah 56:7 - Prayer is Our Sacrifice

Even those I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples."
--Isaiah 56:7 NASB

This passage in Isaiah 56:3-8 is foretelling of a time, during the Messiah's millennial reign on earth, when God will be openly worshipped by believers from all nations. All will offer to God continual thanksgiving, worship and praise, described here simply as "prayer" (the Hebrew "tephillah"). These will be the "sacrifice" (the Hebrew "zebach") and the "burnt offering" (the Hebrew "olah"). These will be placed on God's "altar" (the Hebrew "mizbeach").

No longer literal sacrifice, but spiritual sacrifice will be offered that is genuine and sincere (Psalm 141:2; 51:17; Malachi 1:11). Jesus quoted from this passage of Isaiah as He cleared the temple of merchants and money changers (Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46). While Jesus knew what people were like inside (John 3:24-25), He was probably struck to witness in person just how far they were from God's ideal of sincere worship.

Thanks to the love of God, the only things that separate all of us from the Creator of the Universe are our willful sin and our unbelief. Our thanksgiving, our praise and our worship are the very least that we can give in return. Isn't it amazing that these are the very things that God requires of us?

Father, I worship You as Creator of all. I praise You for Your lo me. And I Thank You for all You have done for me. Forgive me when I come to You only for my needs, not acknowledging who You are. Remind me that I am required to offer You my sacrifice in my prayer. In Jesus' name, amen.

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