127 Heresy and Corrupt fasting

The Lord considers False Religious practices to be one of extreme seriousness. It is made obvious by the nature of the commands of God to the prophet. He is not to speak calmly and quietly about the situation, nor is he to speak to people privately. Rather, he is to shout at the top of his voice with the throat, as opposed to a whisper or quiet vocal exchange. Using an example of the contemporary means of broadcasting messages in war or peace the command is amplified: like a trumpet lift your voice. The shofar, was a musical instrument made from a ram's horn, which was the primary device used to gain community wide attention in ancient Israel, whether for alarm (Isaiah 18:3) or for communal activity (Isaiah 27:3). Its piercing blast was a sign to stop all other activity and pay attention. So, the prophet is told to make his appeal as powerful and as attention captivating as possible.

The practice of religious expression had become self-serving in Isaiah's day and today too. This is not a matter for polite exchange but for radical admonishment to those who offend God by mischaracterizing Him and His law. It is nothing short of a call to rebellion against these practices which calls for the most dramatic action.