“Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.”
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
Malachi 1:6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name.
Jeremiah 5:30 An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule at their direction; my people love to have it so, but what will you do when the end comes?
1 Samuel 2:28 Did I choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, to wear an ephod before me? I gave to the house of your father all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. Why then do you scorn my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded for my dwelling, and honor your sons above me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?’ Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the LORD declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Jeremiah 2:21 Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord GOD.
1 Peter 2:17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor. Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.
Rejecting knowledge of God leads directly to not honoring Him. There are many ways for us to honor Him. We can start with a desire deep in our heart, mind and soul to know Him. We can live with a committed choice to follow and obey Him. We can seek first how to give the best of what we have with purpose to honor Him. We can endure sorrow and suffering unjustly. We can love others more than ourselves. We can confess our sin and rely on His forgiveness. Honoring God begins in the heart and mind. The manifestation of this want to honor Him can be seen and heard in what we say and do throughout our day. Choosing to neglect Him does not honor Him. Choosing to serve and live for self interests does not honor Him. Choosing not to give generously does not honor Him. We have a choice to make every moment of every day. Joshua put it best “as for me and my house we will serve the Lord”
