“My God, we—Israel—know you.”
Again, the Israelites are claiming to know God but fail to see that they only know about Him and don’t have the close knit relationship that they would really know Him and what He desires.
I often talk to God to ask Him for help for this and that, but am I always ready to change my behaviour as easily? No, but I should, I am supossed to PRAY as if it all depends on Him, but actually do the work as if it depends solely on me. God will help me when He sees I’m using all my provided resources…. ( after all its God that puts it all in place) BUT it must be PRAYER to Him and only our Lord I honour and give the Glory to. The Israelites were still bowing down to idols and thought nothing of it. So none of the sacrifices were meaning anything. Just a bunch of ritualistic nothing. We still have rituals today such as going to Church. Why do I go? for what motivation? to be a proper Christian? to be seen? To be heard? To show off what I’m driving or wearing? OR to praise the Lord with all my heart mind and soul and worship like nobody’s (but God) is watching.
I like how they were compared to wheat without the top part, reminded me a little about the parable with the seeds, though these seeds rooted, they were not “watered” or nourished correctly, they grew but not fully and completely as God intended.. kind of like the half baked cake from messed up grains.