Isaiah 5:20 (KJV)
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
The Divine Warning Against Moral Reversal
Isaiah’s inspired proclamation is not merely a lament; it is a divine indictment. The word woe signals judgment, sorrow, and impending destruction for those who corrupt God’s moral order. The prophet speaks to a people whose values have been inverted, whose consciences have been dulled, and whose spiritual sight has been darkened. This warning is as relevant today as it was in ancient Judah, for the same spiritual rebellion—calling evil good and good evil—marks the last days and signals a people nearing the brink of divine intervention.
The Sin of Redefining Morality
At the heart of Isaiah’s warning is the sin of moral inversion. God alone defines good and evil. Yet fallen humanity continually attempts to rewrite those definitions according to its own desires.
Scripture warns that in times of apostasy, people turn truth upside down:
- “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:25 KJV)
- “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22 KJV)
When society exalts what God condemns—violence, sexual immorality, idolatry, dishonesty, and pride—it does not merely err; it provokes the Lord. To call evil good is to war against God’s holiness. To call good evil is to despise God’s righteousness. This is the rebellion that preceded the judgments of Noah’s day, of Sodom, and of Israel’s captivity.
Darkness for Light: The Blinding of a Nation
Isaiah further exposes a people who “put darkness for light, and light for darkness.” Darkness represents deception, confusion, and sin, while light represents truth, clarity, and holiness. When a people prefer darkness, they reject the very truth that could save them.
Jesus declared:
- “Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19 KJV)
Inverting darkness and light is not a harmless mistake—it is a chosen blindness. It is the condition of a society that no longer discerns between truth and falsehood, right and wrong, righteous wisdom and rebellious foolishness. Such blindness becomes self-reinforcing; the more a people reject the light, the less capable they become of seeing it.
Bitter for Sweet: The Corruption of Conscience
The prophet also condemns those who “put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.” This speaks to a corrupted spiritual palate. Just as taste can be dulled or poisoned, so can the conscience. Paul wrote of those whose conscience becomes “seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:2 KJV).
When sin is sweet to the sinner and holiness is bitter to the soul, a nation is nearing moral collapse. What once brought shame now brings pride. What once brought joy now brings hostility. This is the inversion of conviction.
Isaiah’s warning is not merely about behavior—it is about the internal moral compass being reversed, making repentance increasingly unlikely without divine intervention.
The Prophetic Significance for the Last Days
This moral inversion is not only a historical pattern; it is an end-time sign. Scripture teaches that in the last days:
- “Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse.” (2 Timothy 3:13 KJV)
- People will turn away from sound doctrine and embrace lies (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The spirit of antichrist works to redefine good and evil, preparing the world for the ultimate deception. Isaiah’s words echo loudly in our generation—a generation that celebrates sin, mocks righteousness, redefines family, distorts justice, corrupts truth, and persecutes the godly. This reversal is not random; it is prophetic.
God’s Call to Remnant Discernment
Though the world inverts truth, God calls His people to stand firm and discern clearly. The saints are commanded:
- “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV)
- “Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Ephesians 5:11 KJV)
The faithful must be lights in a darkened world, speaking truth in love yet refusing compromise. In days when evil is celebrated, holiness becomes a prophetic witness. The Church must resist cultural pressure and remain anchored in Scripture, for moral clarity is a divine mandate.
Conclusion
Isaiah’s declaration is both a warning and a call. The judgment pronounced upon those who corrupt God’s moral order is real, but so is the invitation to return to the light. A society that calls evil good and good evil is a society headed for divine judgment. Yet for those who cling to the righteousness of God, discern good from evil, and walk in the light of His Word, there is protection, purpose, and prophetic clarity.
In an age of moral confusion, God’s people must stand as beacons of uncompromised truth—proclaiming what God calls good, rejecting what He calls evil, and shining His light into a world that desperately needs the truth.