What is the meaning of Isaiah 5:20? Woe to those who call evil good and good evil “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20) • God pronounces “woe”—a solemn warning of coming judgment—on anyone who reverses His moral standards. Proverbs 17:15 says, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both an abomination to the LORD.” • In Genesis 3:5 the serpent tempted Eve with the promise of redefining good and evil, and Romans 1:32 shows the same pattern: people not only practice sin but “approve of those who practice it.” • Scripture never presents morality as a sliding scale. Isaiah’s words remind us that God’s definitions remain fixed, echoing Malachi 3:6, “I, the LORD, do not change.” who turn darkness to light and light to darkness “…who turn darkness to light and light to darkness…” (Isaiah 5:20) • Darkness in Scripture pictures sin, error, and separation from God (John 3:19–20). Turning darkness into light is a deliberate deception that confuses the spiritually blind. • 1 John 1:5–6 declares, “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all,” so calling darkness “light” directly contradicts His nature. • Ephesians 5:8–11 urges believers, “Walk as children of light… Take no part in the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Isaiah warns that flipping those roles invites divine discipline. who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter “…who replace bitter with sweet and sweet with bitter.” (Isaiah 5:20) • The image shifts to taste: what should repel us becomes appealing, and what should delight us is rejected. Amos 5:7 accuses Israel of a similar swap: “You who turn justice into wormwood.” • Hebrews 5:14 teaches that mature believers “have their senses trained to distinguish good from evil.” When bitterness is labeled sweet, moral taste buds grow dull, numbing conscience. • Psalm 119:103 celebrates God’s words as “sweeter than honey.” Rebranding that sweetness as bitter silences the only reliable guide for discernment. summary Isaiah 5:20 warns against the deliberate inversion of God’s moral order—calling evil good, darkness light, and bitterness sweet. Such reversals blur the clear revelation of right and wrong, dull the conscience, and invite judgment. Scripture consistently affirms absolute standards rooted in God’s unchanging character; our calling is to embrace His definitions, walk in His light, and savor His truth. |
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