Isaiah is to declare aloud in a clear voice the sins of the people. Declaring the sins of the people is part of preaching of the gospel! We need to realise something is wrong and what is wrong before we are able to understand salvation. If we do not appreciate the problem, we are unlikely to appreciate the solution.
This was not a nation that seemed to have rejected God. They had all the form of religion, but as Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:5, they denied its power. It is absolutely vital that we attribute power to God. Any "belief" or "faith" in God that denies His power is useless and is actually blasphemous. Our God is all powerful, He is able to do stuff, and He will do stuff.
They even prayed to God and fasted before Him, but as Jesus said, even "the hypocrites pray" (Matthew 6:5). Yet this was all useless. Why was it useless? Because they exploited people on the day they prayed and fasted, their fasting ended in strife. This was no fasting at all. Fasting and praying is not a religious ritual, it is to be part of a life devoted to God and to His righteousness.
Prayer and fasting is part of a relationship with God. If the heart of the relationship is not there it is a waste of time, if the heart of the relationship is there then it has true value.
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