Gen. 1. Moses wrote Genesis for a nation of freed slaves. They needed to know that bondage and hardship was not the life God intended for them. Moses provides some needed historical background for the Israelites. He goes all the way back to creation to show that God intended the planet for human use, enjoyment and protection. Scientists have noticed how well suited the earth is for human needs. They call it the anthropic principle. The term comes from the Greek word anthropos, humanity. Moses takes advantage of this observation to encourage the Israelites to realize how special they are to their creator.
LORD, as we gaze upon your world, let us not lose sight of the fact that it belongs to you, and you have given it to us to enjoy and protect.
Isaiah 58. God said that his people sought him daily and delighted to know his ways, but it — like their fasts — was pretentious. The fast was pure animistic ritual. They thought that if they only got the ceremony right then God would listen to their prayers. What God wanted from them (his chosen fast) was to stop taking advantage of their workers, and to be generous toward the needy in their own land, and to not forsake their own relatives. He wanted them to be his answer to the prayers of those less fortunate. Then they would get the healing and blessing and protection that they were praying for.
