Devotion to God in a Sacred Space

 Jonathan Ortiz

Mount Zion- https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-biblical-significance-of-mount-zion.html

This week, I looked at the passages from the First Temple Sources- specifically Deuteronomy 12, Psalm 48:1–3 –, and Isaiah 1:11–17. These three passages all share common themes between each other. All three passages emphasize that true worship involves genuine devotion and a heart committed to God.

Deuteronomy 12 expresses the idea of a sacred space to worship. In the passage, God told his people that they "shall seek the place that the Lord your God will choose out of all your tribes as his habitation to put his name there." (Deuteronomy 12). Through this sentence, it is clear that according to God, devoted worship should be a sacred place reserved for him. 

This idea is followed in Psalm 48:1–3 –. In this sentence, "His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King" (Psalm 48). This idea of sacred space to worship or devote towards God is seen. Mount Zion is holy and beautiful and should be used as a place of devotion. 

Lastly, in Isaiah 1:11–17, this similar theme is expressed again. To the Lord, true devotion is the most important thing. In his own words, he has "had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts." (Isiah 1:11). To the Lord, the most crucial aspect of worship is the sincere connection. When you come to him, God asks that you "Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good..." (Isiah 1:16-17). Through this sentence, God emphasizes once again the importance of true worship.

All three of these passages from the Bible speak about the importance of true worship and even get into the idea of a sacred space. This idea is not new to us, as we learned about it in Mircea Eliade's book, "The Sacred and The Profane." Interestingly, this idea is brought up once again. Religious believers must have this sacred space since it allows them to connect more with God. That is why churches, mosques, temples, and other sites exist. Over centuries, humans have created these spaces to allow themselves to connect with God in a sacred space. It is also clear that according to the Bible, these sacred spaces are not just human constructs but the ask of the Lord. Relationships with the Lord are not just about sacrifices and altars but about a deeper connection with the worshipper through sacred spaces.