Isaiah 57:5

*Canaanite religion often involved certain green trees as places to *worship the local gods (see Hosea 4:12-13). Because the trees were growing strongly, they must be full of life. So people began to think that to *worship a green tree was to share in its life. Such *worship provided an easy excuse for people to have plenty of sex among themselves. It was a part of their religion!

• The Bible often uses this behaviour as picture language for the *worship of false gods. Because of this sex, people were not loyal to their husbands and wives. Instead they gave themselves to other people. That behaviour was wicked. Their *worship of false gods was like that for several reasons. The people should have loved the *Lord God. But they were not loyal to him. Instead they gave themselves to false gods. This behaviour was also wicked. So the *Lord was like a husband whose wife left him to be with another man (Hosea 1:2).

• The *Canaanite god called Molech demanded child *sacrifice. Molech was among the many gods that Solomon collected (see 1 Kings 11:7; see also Acts 7:43). Josiah forbade such *worship (see 2 Kings 23:10).

• Long ago, the *Lord had forbidden the *worship of *idols (see Exodus 20:4). People must *worship only the *Lord (see Exodus 20:3).