Read
27 The Lord despises the offerings
of wicked people
with evil motives.
28If you tell lies in court,
you are done for;
only a reliable witness
can do the job.
29Wicked people bluff their way,
but God's people think
before they take a step.
30No matter how much you know
or what plans you make,
you can't defeat the Lord.
31Even if your army has horses
ready for battle,
the Lord will always win.
Reflect
Have you ever embarked on a series of actions that you knew were dangerous and bound to lead to some sort of catastrophe? Or perhaps you’ve done something to offend someone you love and then tried to “make it up” to them – giving a gift to pacify their anger. If the person knows that you are honestly sorry for your actions, that gift might be well received. But how does it go when they know that you are totally unrepentant and merely trying to smooth things over?
Imagine for a moment how God feels when we do the same thing. When a “sacrifice” is brought by an evil person, with ulterior motives, God loathes the gift much the same as we loathe a gift that is meant to manipulate us. In a sense we feel like we are being lied to, don’t we? The person is disingenuous – they aren’t really sorry for hurting us – they simply want to manipulate our feelings so that they can move on. This is like being a false witness (v 28) in court – we don’t want to hear this person speak any more than a good judge wants to let a liar give testimony in court.
It seems that evil proceeds boldly, with a sort of manufactured confidence. Good people proceed with care, integrity, honesty and humility. They recognize that human plans are frail – that God can scuttle them in an instant. An evil person believes that they can manipulate people (and God) with a gift, flattery or clever plans. He flirts with disaster without knowing it, feeling secure in his power and abilities. The Teacher reminds us that the Lord is neither deceived nor overpowered by man. In the end, God is victorious.
Respond
Lord, you are all knowing and all powerful. Search my heart and show me where I am truly not repentant. Shed light on my impure motives. Illuminate my selfish plans. Enable me by your Spirit to speak truth in love to people and to you. I submit my plans to you. Amen.
Bill Taylor
Bill Taylor has been the Executive Director of the Evangelical Free Church since 2008. He previously serviced as pastor of Saskatoon Evangelical Free Church followed by District Superintendent of the Alberta Parkland District. He is a member of the National Mission LeadershipTeam, the International Mission Leadership Team and the Ministerial Standing Committee. He represents the Free Church on various Boards and Committees in Canada, the USA and overseas. Bill and his wife, Deb, have two daughters and one son-in-law. Publications: “From Childhood to Adolescence” - the history of the Evangelical Free Church of Canada from 1984 to 2005.