The bull—the most precious animal of the herd at that time—and the goats can stay at home, because God does not need them. To the Lord, it is all about the reverent attitude of the offeror. Without that, all those sacrifices are meaningless.
Here we discover the uniqueness of Israel’s religion in contrast to the nations around them. Among those nations, the main concern was that the offerings had to be made punctually and in the right order. And to this day, that thought is current in many nature religions. For example, the Hindu is also busy providing his god with food every day. If it is done right, it will be fine. This idea of I give to the gods so that I can receive from the gods
is often closer than we think. But with Israel’s God, with our Father in heaven, things are different. Above all, he demands our respect for who he is (Proverbs 3:7b).
9 I will not accept a bull from your house or goats from your folds.