Isaiah 57

CHAPTER 57

Further Accusations Against the Wicked (57:1–13)

1–2 Here Isaiah shows us how we should view the death of a righteous person. Although the living family members suffer loss, the righteous person is better off; he or she has been spared from evil (verse 1) and is able to enter into peace and find rest (verse 2). “Peace” and “rest” are not well defined in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament they signify salvation, eternal life with God. Compared with this present life, life after death is better by far (Philippians 1:21–23)—for believers, of course.

3–10 “But you—come here,” says the Lord to the wicked people of Judah. They had adopted many of the evil and idolatrous practices of the Canaanites, the original inhabitants of the land. The Lord calls the wicked Judahites the offspring of adulterers and prostitutes (verse 3). He is referring to spiritual adultery and prostitution; to forsake the Lord and turn to idols is to commit spiritual adultery. Such idolatry had even led the people of Judah to sacrifice their children to Molech (verses 5,9), the main god of the Ammonites²¹² (see Leviticus 18:21; Isaiah 30:33).

Many of the Canaanite religious practices involved sexual fertility rites, which were conducted under oaks and other spreading trees (verse 5). Idols were worshiped on hilltops called “high places”; here the wicked people of Judah “made their bed” with the idols whose beds [they] loved (verses 7–8).

In verse 10, the Lord notes that the people were wearied by all their evil ways, but they wouldn’t give them up. They refused to say, “Our ways are hopeless.” Somehow they found the strength to continue in their idolatry and wickedness.

11–13 The Lord had long been silent (verse 11)—that is, He had withheld His judgment. Therefore, the people had ceased to fear Him and had begun to fear men instead. But now the Lord says that He will expose the false “righteousness” and evil works of the people (verse 12). When His judgment falls, and the people cry out to their idols to help them, they will find that their idols have blown away. Only the person who makes God his refuge will remain to inherit the land and possess God’s holy mountain, Jerusalem (see Isaiah 2:2–3); that is, only such a person will find a secure place in God’s kingdom.

Comfort for the Contrite (57:14–21)

14–16 In this section, it is no longer the wicked who are being addressed but rather the contrite. For the contrite, the Lord will prepare the road and remove the obstacles (verse 14).

The “contrite” are the humble, the meek, the lowly in spirit (see Matthew 5:3,5). The contrite are those who are repentant, who mourn for their sins (Matthew 5:4); they are the mourners mentioned in verse 19. The high and lofty God of Israel stoops down to be with the lowly, those who are crushed and brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18; Proverbs 29:23); He will revive the heart of the contrite (verse 15). He will not accuse the contrite forever (verse 16); He will not break them completely (Isaiah 42:3). Instead, He will give them rest (Matthew 11:28–30).

17–21 However, as long as a person is unrepentant and keeps on in his willful ways, God will remain angry with him (verse 17). But as soon as he begins to show contrition, God will heal (forgive) him, guide him, and restore comfort to him (verse 18). Thus God will cause the mourners (the contrite) to praise Him (verse 19). The Lord will offer peace (reconciliation) to all His people far and near who turn to Him with contrite hearts.²¹³

However, for the wicked, for the unrepentant, there will be no peace. One can choose either the “peace” of verse 19 or the “no peace” of verse 21; the choice is up to us.