Isaiah 57:3-13

3 "Come here, you magicians! Come here, you sons of prostitutes and those who take part in adultery!

4 Of whom are you making fun? Whom are you insulting? At whom do you stick out your tongue? You turn against God, and you are liars.

5 You have sexual relations under every green tree to worship your gods. You kill children in the ravines and sacrifice them in the rocky places.

6 You take the smooth rocks from the ravines as your portion. You pour drink offerings on them to worship them, and you give grain offerings to them. Do you think this makes me want to show you mercy?

7 You make your bed on every hill and mountain, and there you offer sacrifices.

8 You have hidden your idols behind your doors and doorposts. You have left me, and you have uncovered yourself. You have pulled back the covers and climbed into bed. You have made an agreement with those whose beds you love, and you have looked at their nakedness.

9 You use your oils and perfumes to look nice for Molech. You have sent your messengers to faraway lands; you even tried to send them to the place of the dead.

10 You were tired from doing these things, but you never gave up. You found new strength, so you did not quit.

11 "Whom were you so afraid of that you lied to me? You have not remembered me or even thought about me. I have been quiet for a long time. Is that why you are not afraid of me?

12 I will tell about your 'goodness' and what you do, and those things will do you no good.

13 When you cry out for help, let the gods you have gathered help you. The wind will blow them all away; just a puff of wind will take them away. But the person who depends on me will receive the land and own my holy mountain."

Isaiah 57:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 57

This chapter contains complaints of the stupidity and idolatry of the people, described in the latter part of the preceding chapter; and some promises of grace to the people of God. The stupidity of the former is observed, Isa 57:1 they not taking notice of the death of good men, nor of impending calamities they were taken from, whose happiness is described, Isa 57:2, then these idolatrous people are summoned before the Lord, Isa 57:3 and are charged with deriding the saints with idolatry and murder, Isa 57:4-6 and their idolatry is represented under the notion of adultery, attended with very aggravating circumstances, Isa 57:7-9 and yet these people still entertained presumptuous hopes of happiness, and boasted of, and trusted in, their righteousness and good works, which would be exposed, and be of no advantage to them, Isa 57:10-12, next follow promises of grace to the saints, that such that trusted in Christ should inherit the holy mountain, Isa 57:13 that the stumblingblock of his people should be removed, Isa 57:14, that he should dwell with the humble and contrite, Isa 57:15, and not be always wroth and contend with them, for a reason given, Isa 57:16 and that though he had smote them, and hid his face from them because of their sins, yet would heal them, lead them, and comfort them, and speak peace unto them, Isa 57:17-19 and the chapter is concluded with the character of the wicked, and an assurance that there is no peace for them, Isa 57:20,21.