Isaiah's Condemnation of Judaism

Isaiah mercilessly attacks hypocritical religiosity. He strips evildoers of excuses with which they see a consensus, and shields with which they disguise their wickedness. Far from serving to minimise their exposure to judgment, the religiosity of an unjust, oppressive, and perverse people places it in the very greatest apparel. True worship involves a searching indictment of all injustice. It corrects it, and is a model for righteous behaviour. The richer ceremonies would merely incite his wrath. Lightly invoking the name and blessing of God upon a nation is the most dangerous sort of folly when a society is filled with injustice, cruelty, and wickedness.