The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
Isaiah 57 serves as a powerful indictment of the people of Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry, while simultaneously offering a message of hope and restoration for those who turn to the Lord. This chapter reveals the depth of their spiritual depravity, highlights God's just anger, and ultimately points to His enduring mercy and promise of peace for the repentant.
The Perversion of Justice and the Prevalence of Idolatry (Isaiah 57:1-10)
The passage begins with a lament over the righteous who perish unnoticed and unmourned (Isaiah 57:1). This indifference to the loss of godly individuals reveals a deeper societal decay. The prophet boldly confronts the people, denouncing them as "offspring of adulterers and prostitutes" (Isaiah 57:3), a scathing rebuke of their unfaithfulness to God through idol worship. This vivid imagery underscores the spiritual adultery they committed by forsaking their covenant with the Lord.
Isaiah doesn't shy away from exposing the ugliness and depravity of their idolatrous practices. They mocked the faithful (Isaiah 57:4) and engaged in pagan worship fueled by lust and moral degeneration. These rituals included horrific acts like sacrificing children (Isaiah 57:5), possibly to Molech, a god demanding such a sacrifice. Their debauchery knew no limits (Isaiah 57:7-9). This serves as a stark reminder of how human beings often become like the gods they worship, reflecting their characteristics in their own lives.
God's Rebuke and the Futility of Idols (Isaiah 57:11-13)
God directly confronts the people, questioning their motives for turning away from Him: "Who was it you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and didn’t remember me or take it to heart?" (Isaiah 57:11). They might have excused their behavior by pointing to God's perceived silence, but Isaiah makes it clear that their sin was the cause of this distance, not God's indifference.
Because they chose to forget Him and trust in idols, God declares that their idols will not save them. He proclaims, "When you cry out, let your collection of idols rescue you! The wind will carry all of them off" (Isaiah 57:13). The idols, mere objects of wood, are ultimately powerless and offer no true security. However, even amidst this condemnation, a glimmer of hope remains for those who make God their refuge (Isaiah 57:13).
A Promise of Restoration and Peace (Isaiah 57:14-21)
The latter part of Isaiah 57 shifts to a message of comfort and promise. The Lord pledges to remove obstacles from the path of His faithful ones, paving the way for them to return to Him (Isaiah 57:14). The prophet reminds the righteous that even though the God of Israel is the "High and Exalted One," He delights to dwell with the lowly and contrite (Isaiah 57:15).
God assures His people that His wrath will not last forever (Isaiah 57:16). While His anger is justified by their rebellion (Isaiah 57:17), He extends an offer of healing and peace to anyone who repents and returns to Him (Isaiah 57:19). This promise of restoration is a testament to God's enduring mercy and His desire for reconciliation with His people.
However, the chapter concludes with a stark contrast: "There is no peace for the wicked" (Isaiah 57:21). This serves as a sobering reminder that true peace is only found in a right relationship with God, and those who persist in their wickedness will not experience it.
Isaiah 57 is a powerful call to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are not placing our trust in idols or engaging in behaviors that are contrary to God's will. It's a reminder that true peace and restoration are found only through repentance and a genuine turning to the Lord. This chapter offers both a warning and a promise, urging us to choose the path of righteousness and embrace the hope of God's unfailing love and mercy.
The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him.
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
Isaiah 57 serves as a powerful indictment of the people of Israel's unfaithfulness and idolatry, while simultaneously offering a message of hope and restoration for those who turn to the Lord. This chapter reveals the depth of their spiritual depravity, highlights God's just anger, and ultimately points to His enduring mercy and promise of peace for the repentant.
The Perversion of Justice and the Prevalence of Idolatry (Isaiah 57:1-10)
The passage begins with a lament over the righteous who perish unnoticed and unmourned (Isaiah 57:1). This indifference to the loss of godly individuals reveals a deeper societal decay. The prophet boldly confronts the people, denouncing them as "offspring of adulterers and prostitutes" (Isaiah 57:3), a scathing rebuke of their unfaithfulness to God through idol worship. This vivid imagery underscores the spiritual adultery they committed by forsaking their covenant with the Lord.
Isaiah doesn't shy away from exposing the ugliness and depravity of their idolatrous practices. They mocked the faithful (Isaiah 57:4) and engaged in pagan worship fueled by lust and moral degeneration. These rituals included horrific acts like sacrificing children (Isaiah 57:5), possibly to Molech, a god demanding such a sacrifice. Their debauchery knew no limits (Isaiah 57:7-9). This serves as a stark reminder of how human beings often become like the gods they worship, reflecting their characteristics in their own lives.
God's Rebuke and the Futility of Idols (Isaiah 57:11-13)
God directly confronts the people, questioning their motives for turning away from Him: "Who was it you dreaded and feared, so that you lied and didn’t remember me or take it to heart?" (Isaiah 57:11). They might have excused their behavior by pointing to God's perceived silence, but Isaiah makes it clear that their sin was the cause of this distance, not God's indifference.
Because they chose to forget Him and trust in idols, God declares that their idols will not save them. He proclaims, "When you cry out, let your collection of idols rescue you! The wind will carry all of them off" (Isaiah 57:13). The idols, mere objects of wood, are ultimately powerless and offer no true security. However, even amidst this condemnation, a glimmer of hope remains for those who make God their refuge (Isaiah 57:13).
A Promise of Restoration and Peace (Isaiah 57:14-21)
The latter part of Isaiah 57 shifts to a message of comfort and promise. The Lord pledges to remove obstacles from the path of His faithful ones, paving the way for them to return to Him (Isaiah 57:14). The prophet reminds the righteous that even though the God of Israel is the "High and Exalted One," He delights to dwell with the lowly and contrite (Isaiah 57:15).
God assures His people that His wrath will not last forever (Isaiah 57:16). While His anger is justified by their rebellion (Isaiah 57:17), He extends an offer of healing and peace to anyone who repents and returns to Him (Isaiah 57:19). This promise of restoration is a testament to God's enduring mercy and His desire for reconciliation with His people.
However, the chapter concludes with a stark contrast: "There is no peace for the wicked" (Isaiah 57:21). This serves as a sobering reminder that true peace is only found in a right relationship with God, and those who persist in their wickedness will not experience it.
Isaiah 57 is a powerful call to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are not placing our trust in idols or engaging in behaviors that are contrary to God's will. It's a reminder that true peace and restoration are found only through repentance and a genuine turning to the Lord. This chapter offers both a warning and a promise, urging us to choose the path of righteousness and embrace the hope of God's unfailing love and mercy.