Let us not honor Jehovah only with our lips (10 mins.)
We all know that in this system, it is sometimes very easy to say certain words, such as stating that we love someone. However, the best way to demonstrate that what we say is true is through our actions. Throughout the Bible, it is made clear that Jehovah is pleased with worship based on obedience and genuine faith demonstrated through actions, not with superficial worship based only on words.
Isaiah condemned the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of his time (Is 29:13; ip-1 299 par. 23).
In Isaiah’s day, the religious leaders of Judah claimed to be spiritually wise. They said they knew Jehovah and represented him to the people. However, the reality was quite different. They had abandoned Jehovah and preferred to teach their own distorted concepts of good and evil. With these teachings, they justified their lack of faith, their immoral conduct, and the fact that they were leading the people to divine disapproval.
LET'S READ ISAIAH 29:13, 14
“Jehovah says: “This people draws near to me in word only and honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, and their fear of me is based on the commandments of men, commandments that they have been taught. 14Therefore, I am the one who will again do amazing things with this people, one awesome thing after another; and the wisdom of their wise men will perish, and the understanding of their prudent men will disappear.”
For that reason, Jehovah announced that he would act in a “wonderful” way, something he himself calls his “strange deed.” He would make the supposed wisdom of those leaders disappear. How would he do it? By directing events so that Babylon would destroy the entire apostate religious system of Judah. Thus it was demonstrated that human wisdom, when it departs from Jehovah, has no value whatsoever.
This pattern was not limited to ancient times. Something similar occurred in the first century, and according to the Bible, it will also happen to Christendom in our time. In this way, Jehovah demonstrates that he rejects hypocritical worship and values worship based on sincerity, humility, and genuine obedience to his will.
Jesus applied Isaiah's words to the religious leaders of the first century (Mt 15:7-9; w21.05 9 par. 7).
Centuries later, Jesus took up Isaiah's words and applied them directly to the religious leaders of his time, and he did so without fear. He denounced the Pharisees for their hypocrisy: they were overly concerned with external rituals, such as washing their hands according to human traditions, but neglected far more important commandments, such as honoring their parents.
LET'S READ MATTHEW 15:7-9
“You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 8‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9Their worship is worthless; their teachings are merely human rules.’”
When the disciples told him that the Pharisees had been offended by his words, Jesus did not soften his message. On the contrary, he made it clear that every plant not planted by his heavenly Father would be pulled up by the roots. He called them “blind guides” and warned that if a blind person leads another blind person, both will fall into a pit.
Although these words angered the religious leaders, Jesus did not stop speaking the truth. He knew that true love does not consist of pleasing men, but in helping people draw close to Jehovah with a sincere heart and a genuine desire to do his will.
This example teaches us that Jehovah and Jesus do not tolerate religious hypocrisy, even when it is disguised as piety or tradition. On the contrary, they are firm against it and declare that these practices will come to an end.
Jehovah expects those who worship him to be “obedient in heart” (Ro 6:17; w24.06 10 par. 8).
Then an important question arises: how do we avoid falling into that same trap? Isaiah says the problem isn't just external, but of the heart. Those who "speak the truth in their hearts" don't appear to obey God in public while disobeying Him in private. We, on the other hand, want to be sincere and honest in all things.
LET'S READ ROMANS 6:17
“But we thank God that, though you were slaves to sin, you became obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted.”
Hypocrisy does not appear overnight. Sometimes it begins very subtly. A person may start by doubting the wisdom of some of Jehovah’s rules. He may think that a certain command is excessive or unnecessary. Then, he may disobey in matters he considers minor. If he does not see immediate consequences, he may become emboldened and go further. In time, his worship becomes empty, a mere facade. (Ecclesiastes 8:11)
Jehovah, on the other hand, expects sincere obedience, born of love and trust in his wisdom. He wants us to be honest and consistent in all areas of our lives, both in public and in private. It is not about being perfect, but about being upright.
When we obey wholeheartedly, we show that we do not honor Jehovah only with our lips, but with our way of life.
Illustration
The image in our activity guide shows a brother presenting part of the meeting from the platform. Behind him, a screen displays a picture of a family enjoying family worship. In the next image, the same brother is seen enjoying family worship with his family. This shows us that when we preach by example, Jehovah sees it and values it.
Conclusion
Isaiah, Jesus, and the Bible all teach us the same lesson: Jehovah rejects hypocritical worship, but deeply values those who sincerely obey him. Today more than ever, in a world filled with empty religiosity, we have the opportunity to stand out as true worshippers.
Let us examine our hearts honestly. Let us ask ourselves: Do my actions reflect what I profess to believe? If we do, we can be sure that we are honoring Jehovah, not just with words, but with our whole lives.
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