This Proverb says, “To do righteousness and justice is desired by the Lord rather than sacrifice.” Through Moses, God gave Israel His laws and rules by which Israel was to live. God also gave Israel guidance on how they were to worship Him. God gave Israel their religion. This religion consisted of sacrificing animals to atone for sin. It was a rather methodical process which we can characterize as rituals.
Some religions today have rituals. However, the problem with rituals is that they may lapse into just going through the motions to fill a square. People in those religions believe that their rituals please God. However, as this Proverb says, God desires righteousness rather than sacrifice. God wants us to live rightly before Him, choosing right over wrong and turning away from sin. In other words, our character is more important than the ritual.
Rituals are not entirely bad. However, what is in our hearts as we go through those rituals is more important than the ritual itself. If our hearts are right, the ritual is right. If our hearts are wrong, the ritual is wrong.
The Bible says that God desires us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth. We don’t have to go through any ritualistic motion to do that.
