Isaiah 57:1-13 - Idolatry Is Adultery

¹ The righteous one perishes,
and no one takes it to heart;
faithful men are swept away,
with no one realizing
that the righteous one is swept away
from the presence of evil.
² He will enter into peace—
they will rest on their beds—
everyone who lives uprightly.

³ But come here,
you sons of a sorceress,
offspring of an adulterer and a prostitute!
⁴ Who is it you are mocking?
Who is it you are opening your mouth
and sticking out your tongue at?
Isn’t it you, you rebellious children,
you race of liars,
⁵ who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every green tree,
who slaughter children in the wadis
below the clefts of the rocks?
⁶ Your portion is among the smooth stones of the wadi;
indeed, they are your lot.
You have even poured out a drink offering to them;
you have offered a grain offering;
should I be satisfied with these?
⁷ You have placed your bed
on a high and lofty mountain;
you also went up there to offer sacrifice.
⁸ You have set up your memorial
behind the door and doorpost.
For away from Me, you stripped,
went up, and made your bed wide,
and you have made a bargain for yourself with them.
You have loved their bed;
you have gazed on their genitals.
⁹ You went to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
you sent your couriers far away
and sent them down even to Sheol.
¹⁰ You became weary on your many journeys,
but you did not say, “I give up!”
You found a renewal of your strength;
therefore you did not grow weak.
¹¹ Who was it you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and didn’t remember Me
or take it to heart?
Have I not kept silent for such a long time
and you do not fear Me?
¹² I will expose your righteousness,
and your works—they will not profit you.
¹³ When you cry out,
let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a breath will take them away.
But whoever takes refuge in Me
will inherit the land
and possess My holy mountain.