Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 57

Verses 1-2

Isa 57:1-2

Isaiah 57:1-2

This is the final chapter (the 9th) in Section B of Division VI of Isaiah’s prophecy; and it is composed principally of a series of severe warnings to God’s people (the Jews) that nothing but disaster awaits them because of their turning away from God, their unspeakable ungodliness, idolatry, and hypocritical wickedness.

There is no doubt whatever of its having been authored by Isaiah, and the time envisioned in the chapter is that of the times of Isaiah himself, and the times immediately afterward and reaching down to the captivity, all of the sins and idolatries mentioned here being historically identified with that particular period, and to no other. This was not written by some later Isaiah in Babylon, because the geographical features (the high mountain in Isaiah 57:7) and the trees mentioned were not in Babylon, but in Judah.

The critical allegations that began in the eighteenth century to the effect that the things condemned here pertained to the post-exilic period are ridiculous and unintelligent, because only the times of Manasseh exhibit the sacrifices of children to Molech, and the gross, sensuous worship of the Canaanite Baals, with their shameless fertility rites. It has been an axiom of Biblical interpretation for ages that, The Jews never again resorted to idolatry, after their return from Babylon.

We are positively certain, therefore, that such postulations as those of Wardle that, "This chapter is an invective against the pro-Samaritan party," after the return from Babylon, are absolutely untenable and incorrect, being unsupported by any evidence whatever, and contrary to the known facts of history. It is distressing to see alleged "scholars" of our own times still parroting such old, discredited, and ridiculous shibboleths of the critical community of perverters of God’s Word.

In this chapter, "The prophet proceeds to describe the national character of the Jews in his own day, and down to the time of the captivity." The chapter may be divided thus: (1) the public indifference to the death of the righteous (Isaiah 57:1-2); (2) their mockery of God (Isaiah 57:3-4); (3) the practice of the grossest idolatry (Isaiah 57:5-8); (4) the extent of their seeking self-gratification (Isaiah 57:9-10); (5) Jehovah’s warning to them (Isaiah 57:11-12); (6) deliverance promised to the penitent (Isaiah 57:13-18); (7) announcement of the Gospel to be preached in the Messianic age (Isaiah 57:19); (8) obstinate transgressors to be deprived of every blessing (Isaiah 57:20-21).

Isaiah 57:1-2

"The righteous perisheth, and no man lays it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his uprightness."

These verses refer to the fact that from the times of Isaiah and afterward to the captivity, "Most of the few godly persons left, perished, partly through vexation at the prevailing ungodliness, partly by the horrible persecutions under Manasseh," of whom the Scriptures say, "Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem one end to another; besides his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin in doing that which is evil in the sight of Jehovah" (2 Kings 21:16). We call on the critics to produce anything whatever that fits these words in that post-exilic period which they vainly assert was described by these verses!

"The righteous is taken away from the evil to come ..." (Isaiah 57:1). God here gave the reason why many of the righteous perished during those dreadful years. By their death, the righteous would escape the temptations of their godless environment, and they would not have to witness the awful punishment that would fall upon the godless nation. Thus, "Abijah’s death is represented as a blessing conferred upon him by God for his piety (1 Kings 14:10-14)"; and the prophetess Huldah likewise promised Josiah that, "Thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eye see all the evil which I will bring upon this place" (2 Kings 22:20).

"Those martyrs in the times of Manasseh were actually saved from the horrors of Judah’s approaching siege and captivity; and they entered into the peace of `Abraham’s bosom’ (Luke 16:22), there to await Christ’s resurrection.”

Isaiah 57:1-2 THE RIGHTEOUS: The problem Isaiah addresses here has been a problem for mankind ever since the Fall—why is it that the wicked seem to prosper and the righteous suffer? Of course, it is a problem only because of faulty perspective. History looked at from the human perspective (limited to the past and the present; limited to this world and this life only) does seem to substantiate the idea that it “does not pay” to be good. But history seen from the divine perspective (by faith in the revelation of God about the past, present and future) says quite the opposite. The righteous man may perish (‘avad in Hebrew which means “destroy”) and the world evaluates it as something to be shunned. But the prophet of God says when the righteous man dies it is far from a tragedy for he is taken away from the evil to come. That is, the righteous man is delivered from the trials and tribulations of this world (cf. Revelation 7:14-17; Revelation 14:13; Psalms 116:15). Hosea, a contemporary of Isaiah, writes of the social chaos in the northern Ten Tribes (Israel) (cf. Hosea 4:1 ff). No doubt the same kind of injustice and destruction was being directed against the righteous in the southern kingdom (Judah). Micah, also a contemporary of Isaiah, speaks of the ungodliness of Judah (cf. Micah 2:8-11; Micah 3:1-3; Micah 6:6-16; Micah 7:1-6). Micah agrees with Isaiah that “the godly man has perished from the earth . . .” (Micah 7:2). The Hebrew word yanuhu is translated rest and has the connotation of “repose” (relaxation, ease). It is more precise than the usual Hebrew word for rest which is shavath (“sabbath”). Isaiah likens this rest unto sleep in the “bed.” The word shalom at the first of the verse indicates the utter peacefulness which death brings to the man who “walks” in righteousness (cf. Daniel 12:10-13). Even if the righteous man must walk through the valley of the shadow of death, he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever (cf. Psalms 23). The wicked covenant breakers of Isaiah’s day have it all wrong! They are self-deceived. They think the righteous have come to an untimely death because of their stubborn faithfulness to keep God’s covenant. But it is the wicked covenant breakers who shall suffer!

Verses 3-4

Isa 57:3-4

Isaiah 57:3-4

"But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of adulterers and the harlot. Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make yea wide mouth, and put out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood?"

This is a reference to the mocking behavior of the unbelieving Jews who made up the majority of that pre-exilic generation, and back to the times of Isaiah who wrote these words. As McGuiggan wrote: "This looks exactly like the times of Manasseh. There is no reason to believe, with Willis, that this is a prophetic description of the post-exilic community. There is no evidence that the post-exilic community of the Jews were involved in the idolatry described in this chapter. Harrison is surely correct when he wrote that `Canaanite Baalism was a long dead issue for the Jews by the time that the post-exilic period rolled around.’" We say "Amen" to this.

Hailey’s paraphrase of these lines is as follows:

"The citizens of Judah are children of idolatry, the offspring of people who forsook Jehovah for the witchcraft of the heathen; and they are the posterity of spiritual adulterers who went `whoring’ after false gods. The rejection of Jehovah had resulted in apostasy and excessive wickedness.”

As Cheyne suggested, the implied question which the Lord directed to the mockers is this, "Judge if ye are not yourselves fitter objects of scorn than those godly persons whom you are mocking!”

Isaiah 57:3-5 THE RIOTOUS REBROBATES: Thus the prophet arraigns the riotous leaders whom he had just characterized as “dumb dogs” (cf. Isaiah 56:9-12). These leaders and their followers (which was the majority) are now characterized as “sons of the sorceress.” The Hebrew word used here for sorceress is ‘onenah which means literally “one who divines by the clouds.” All “divining, soothsaying, magic, astrology” was prohibited by Mosaic law (cf. Exodus 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:9-15). In the passage in Deuteronomy 18:9-15 Moses categorizes the pagan practices as:

1. me‘onen—one who bewitches with the evil eye; a cloud diviner

2. menahesh—an enchanter; snake-charmer; mesmerist; hypnotist

3. mekasheph—mutterer of incantations; ventriloquial whispers as under the influence of the spirits of the dead

4. khover—one who inflicts a spell by weaving magical knots

5. ov—lit. means “bottle” indicating something like one who pretends powers over genii

6. yidde’oniy—a wizard; one who interprets the ravings of a medium

7. doresh ‘el-hammethiym—a necromancer; one who calls up the spirits of the dead

Moses placed Moloch-worship at the head of his list, probably to show the integral connection between the practice of magic and idolatry. Making their children “pass through the fire” (human sacrifice) was more intimately connected with soothsaying (delving into the future) and magic than any other practice of idolatry. See Isaiah 8:19; Isaiah 44:25 and Ezekiel 21:21 for more on this. Men have, ever since Eden, been possessed with the desire to penetrate the future and to manipulate its course. History clearly demonstrates that such power is not within the realm of the natural abilities of man. Men therefore have always attempted to gain the help of beings (departed dead, demons, Satan, angels, etc.) supposedly possessing such knowledge and power. But this is strictly forbidden by God and His word. By faith in God and obedience to His word men may know all (past, present and future) that pertains to life and godliness (cf. 2 Peter 1:3-4).

The majority of people in Isaiah’s day no longer sought the word of God but had turned to “wizards” (cf. Isaiah 8:16 ff), This inevitably led to the other abominable practices of paganism and idolatry—adultery, fornication, and human sacrifice. They were an impudent, scornful, profane people (cf. Ezekiel 2:1-7; Ezekiel 3:1-11, etc.). They were making malicious sport at someone else’s expense—probably the poor and the righteous; they were making impudent gestures with their faces, sticking out their tongues in derision. This showed their real character. They proved their falseness by these actions. They mocked the righteous man who died an untimely death, but they were really profaning themselves!

Isaiah’s generation was as sick as our generation. The Hebrew word hannechamim means literally, violently, passionately, but is translated, inflame yourselves in verse five. They indulged in the violent, passionate, sexual orgies among the terebinth (‘elim) trees. The terebinth is related to the pistachio trees. In Palestine it grows sometimes as high as 40 feet and spreads its branches, with their thick, dark-green foliage, over a wide area (cf. 2 Samuel 18:9 ff). The same Hebrew word is sometimes translated oak and sometimes green tree. It was the tree that provided the “groves” in which the pagans practiced their idolatry and adultery (cf. Deuteronomy 12:2; 1 Kings 14:23; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:6; Jeremiah 3:13; Jeremiah 17:2; Hosea 4:13 ff; Ezekiel 6:13, etc.). The worst of the idolatrous practices was child sacrifice. This was often carried out in the Valley of Hinnom, within sight of the Temple of God (cf. Jeremiah 32:35; Ezek. 26:26–31). “In the valleys” suggests the many rocky valleys of Palestine walled on each side by “clefts of the rocks.” Archaeologists have uncovered earthen jars containing the bones of sacrificed infants from various cities and villages of ancient Palestine, confirming the statements of the prophets. Ed. J. Young points out that the description “in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks” is certainly “not applicable to Mesopotamia . . .” Another piece of the cumulative evidence that the latter portions of Isaiah were written by the prophet Isaiah who lived in Palestine before the Babylonian captivity, and not by some unknown postexilic “Deutero-Isaiah.”

Verses 5-10

Isa 57:5-10

Isaiah 57:5-8

"Ye that inflame yourselves among the oaks, under every green tree; that slay the children in the valleys, under the clefts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the valley is thy portion; they are thy lot; even to them hast thou poured a drink-offering, thou hast offered an oblation. Shall I be appeased for these things? Upon a high and lofty mountain hast thou set thy bed; thither also wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. And behind the doors and the posts hast thou set up thy memorial; for thou hast uncovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them: thou lovest their bed where thou sawest it."

These verses are a description of the conduct of God’s people who forsook him and "went whoring" after false gods. Many commentators stress that this was "merely spiritual adultery"; but the truth is that, although it was indeed spiritual adultery, it was also actual adultery and fornication of the most perverted and shameful kind. The old fertility rites of Canaanite Baalism were as licentious, vulgar, sensuous and degrading as any conduct ever known.

"Ye that inflame yourselves ..." (Isaiah 57:5). "This describes the excitement that attended the orgies which accompanied the celebration of heathen rites." "The `memorial’ of Isaiah 57:8 was probably a phallic symbol."

"Shall I be appeased for these things? ..." (Isaiah 57:6). This is a positive statement made in the form of a question which is common in Hebrew; and it has the meaning of, "I will certainly not be appeased for these things."

Notice the reference in Isaiah 57:7 to the "high and lofty mountain," a geographical feature of Judah, not Babylon. It is this feature of these chapters that exploded the theory of "Two Isaiahs" and led to the invention of what Wardle called "Trito-Isaiah";<10b> and, as noted in our Introduction to this prophecy, once the unity of Isaiah is denied, not two, nor three, but a dozen divisions will inevitably follow.

"Among the smooth stones of the valley ..." (Isaiah 57:6). "Smooth stones, rounded by water-action were among the objects worshipped by many Semitic peoples; and they were worshipped with libations of wine and oil from their worshippers." Some believe that the statues of the idol Molech were constructed of such smooth stones, that being the reason for the proximity of "slaying the children" (by which Molech was worshipped) and the "smooth stones of the valley" in adjacent Isaiah 57:5-6, in this passage. The Jews described in this chapter widely practiced the worship of Molech, some of their kings making their sons "pass through the fire to Molech," as did Manasseh. "The Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, the Cretans and other pagan nations practiced this barbarous rite; and although some have attempted to deny that the children were actually burned to death, such passages as Psalms 106:37-38; Jeremiah 7:31; and Jeremiah 19:5 prove that they were burned to death. It was practiced by the Jews in the valley of Hinnom (2 Chronicles 3; 2 Chronicles 33:6); and as would appear from this text, in other valleys also." Of course, there is absolutely nothing in the post-exilic history of the Jews that even remotely suggests the type of behavior described here.

Isaiah 57:9-10

"And thou wentest to the king with oil, and didst increase thy perfumes, and thou didst send thine ambassadors far off, and didst debase thyself even unto Sheol. Thou wast wearied with the length of thy way; yet saidest thou not It is in vain: thou didst find a quickening of thy strength; therefore thou wast not faint."

"Thou wentest to the king ..." (Isaiah 57:9). "The word here rendered `king’ is capable of being rendered `Molech,’ the savage old god of the Ammonites; and the passage indicates that many Jews had made him their "king" instead of Jehovah.

These verses stress two things: (1) the debasing of the people even unto Sheol by their shameless worship of pagan gods, and (2) their seeking foreign aid, instead of relying upon Jehovah. Also, Isaiah 57:10 indicates that they went far beyond their ordinary strength in such shameful activities.

Isaiah 57:6-8 PRESENT: The depravity of the rulers and leaders infected the whole nation. The “smooth stones” of the valley apparently are to be linked to the idolatry being practiced. Perhaps they were using these “smooth stones” to build altars (which in itself was forbidden; not even to Jehovah was an altar to be built anywhere except in Jerusalem) to pagan gods. They might have been using the “smooth stones” to” chisel into images of Molech or other idols. The question of Jehovah through His prophet is, almost incredulous, “Do you actually believe this is acceptable to Me, the Living God!?” Worshiping rocks!? The worship of Molech (in Hebrew the word means, “governing”), god of the Ammonites, was best noted for its gross sexual orgies and sacrifice of children. It was already forbidden by Moses (Leviticus 18:21; Leviticus 20:1-5); allowed by Solomon to please his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:7); principally worshipped in the valley of Hinnom (Gehenna) (2 Chronicles 33:6). The words Moloch, Molech, Milcom (1 Kings 11:5) and Malcam (Zephaniah 1:5) are all variations of the same image. (See Minor Prophets, by Clinton Gill, College Press, pgs. 22–38; and Ezekiel 16:20; Ezekiel 23:37-39; Jeremiah 7:9-11; Jeremiah 7:31; Jeremiah 19:4-13; Psalms 106:35-42; for further information on the worship of Molech.)

Setting up a bed upon a “high and lofty mountain” indicates extensive and elaborate preparations were made by the Hebrews in order to engage in these Canaanite fertility-cult practices. There were special groves of trees, well-kept flower gardens and elaborately furnished “temples” high up in the hills of Jehovah’s holy land where the men and women went to “worship” at the throne of flesh. Great amounts of labor and money were spent building and maintaining these whore-houses. The worship of flesh is not dead! Great amounts of labor and money are expended today to build and maintain modern sophisticated whore-houses. The Anglo-saxon fertility cult has its groves, prophets, priestesses, publishing-houses, and “temples” today in both America and Great Britain.

One might wonder how the Hebrew people could ever succumb to such gross depravity. They had the Law of Moses. They even copied some of those Laws and fastened them to the doorposts of their houses so they might be reminded constantly of Jehovah’s presence and His revealed will. Verse eight tells the tragic story! These people had deliberately taken these “memorials” of scripture off their door-posts and hidden them “behind” the posts. Out of sight, out of mind! The Hebrew people had long ago rejected the word of God (2 Kings 17:19; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Amos 2:4, etc.). Incredibly, the books of the Law of the Lord had even been lost at one point in Judah’s history (cf. 2 Kings 22:8 ff). These people had prostituted themselves to pagan gods. What they were doing was no accident. It was not because they had been socially deprived, or because they were born in a “ghetto.” They voluntarily chose to “uncover” themselves to another. This is a figurative description of the intimacy with which they joined themselves to their idols. They really gave themselves to idolatry; they “married” their pagan gods (“made . . . a covenant”). That is not unique. People today “marry” their possessions, their jobs, their recreation. These Jews “loved” their idol-beds (orgies). They were not forced into idolatry.

Isaiah 57:9-10 PAST: Judah’s past history was replete with instances of her kings and leaders going to pagan kings for help in bringing idolatry into the land of Jehovah (cf. 2 Kings 16:10 ff; 2 Chronicles 28:22 ff; Isaiah 30:1 ff; Amos 5:25-27, etc.). Ezekiel’s graphic parody of Judah’s idolatry (spiritual adultery) pictures the nation, the bride of Jehovah, as an adulterous nymphomaniac! She did not play the part of a normal prostitute accepting pay for her adultery. She went after her lovers, paying them to practice spiritual harlotry with her (Ezekiel 16:23-34)! Judah could not invent enough idolatry on her own—she had to send ambassadors to other nations to copy their idolatry for themselves. Sheol symbolized the grave, the place where human flesh rots. Graves were associated with that which was “unclean” according to the Mosaic Law. Isaiah declares Judah “debased” herself even unto rottenness, corruption and death by joining herself so intimately and wholly to idolatry.

Judah expended great effort, millions of shekels, and willingly allowed herself to be humiliated before pagan kings in her insatiable lust for idolatry. Judah “wore herself out” running after every opportunity to engage in it. Prophets likened Israel’s pursuit of idolatry to a “wild ass” in heat (cf. Jeremiah 2:23-24; Hosea 8:9 ff). Pursuing idolatry as Judah did was expensive, exhausting and debasing, but she never would admit the obvious: “It is vain.” As a matter of fact, she found a certain intoxication and exhilaration in it. Sin and rebellion is enticing because it intoxicates with a false sense of power. Man in rebellion against God falsely assumes an exhilarating sense of sovereignty. His brain, intoxicated with this false sovereignty, is philosophically and psychologically addled and he will not admit the stupidity of his rebellion. He floats in a fantasy-land of philosophical inebriation like the drunkard. He has a false sense of “strength.” This was Judah. She would not admit the stupidity of idolatry (cf. Isaiah 44:9-20) because she was inebriated with the indulgent pleasure and false sovereignty she felt in practicing it.

Verses 11-13

Isa 57:11-13

Isaiah 57:11-13

"And of whom hast thou been afraid and in fear, that thou liest, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to heart? have not I held my peace even of long time, and thou fearest not. I will declare thy righteousness; and as for thy works, they shall not profit thee. When thou criest, let them that thou hast gathered deliver thee; but the wind shall take them, a breath shall carry them all away: but he that taketh refuge in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain."

"Israel’s original possession of the land was unconditional. It was given to them in fulfillment of the promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:7); and it was intended to be theirs permanently, `forever’ (Exodus 32:13); but the retaining of the land was conditional (Leviticus 26:14-15)." It would appear, then, that at the time God gave these prophecies through Isaiah, there was, even that late, a possibility that Israel might repent, turn away from idols, and return to the true worship of God. Their failure to do so resulted in the captivity. These verses are an exhortation to Israel to repent, coupled with the warning that the false gods in which they trust will be utterly helpless to aid them.

Isaiah 57:11 ENTRENCHED: The Hebrew word da’agethe is translated afraid but more properly means anxious or preoccupied. The word thyire’yi is from the root yera’ and is translated fear; it is the most generic word for fear in Hebrew and generally means reverential fear. These people were not trembling with a paralyzing terror; they were just totally preoccupied with worshipping their idols and all the false living that went with it. They were living a lie and had totally committed themselves to it. This was a result of their breaking covenant with Jehovah. It was stupidity. And Jehovah was about to expose that stupidity. They were so thoroughly engrossed in their plunge into self-indulgence they did not remember Jehovah. How quickly men forget!

The goodness of God in “holding His peace” and withholding His judgments did not cause them to remember Him in thankfulness. They were not moved by His grace to repent. Their selfish, twisted minds rationalized that they were getting away with their wickedness. Israel had wanted to “be like the nations” for a long time (cf. 1 Samuel 8:4 ff). For centuries she had preoccupied herself with the approval of men. When that consumes a nation or a man, Jehovah is forgotten. You cannot be a friend of the world and a friend of God (James 4:4).

Isaiah 57:12-13 EXPOSED: All the time the Hebrews were engaging in idolatry they were also maintaining a facade of righteousness by offering sacrifices in the temple and by observing certain Sabbath regulations (cf. Amos 8:4-6; Isaiah 1:10-15, etc.). But Jehovah will not “hold His peace” forever. He will soon come forth in judgment upon this people and then their sham righteousness will be exposed. The world will see then just where Israel has put its trust. Jehovah will demonstrate that all their pretended righteousness was unacceptable to Him. Not only that, He will expose once and for all the impotency of the idols they worshipped. Their enemies (Assyria and Babylon) will come in succession and attack them, destroy their cities and carry them away into exile. Their enemies will also carry their idol-gods away on horseback, Their idol-gods will not deliver them from their enemies. Their enemies will mock their idols, their temple, their worship and even Jehovah, Of course, Jehovah will not be mocked. He will eventually destroy their enemies also, When the Hebrews cry out for deliverance, they will see clearly that idols are not gods. What misery and wretchedness is in store for the one who has been so thoroughly preoccupied and possessed by idol-mania. Despair, frustration, shame and guilt will be his end.

To the contrary, the one who has listened to the prophets of God and trusted Jehovah’s word will find blessedness. The Hebrew word khoseh, translated refuge, means confidence, trust, or flee to for safety. The man whose preoccupation is to seek the approval of the Lord will find fulfillment, satisfaction and hope in the ultimate blessings of God. This is the man who keeps covenant with Jehovah.

Verses 14-19

Isa 57:14-19

Isaiah 57:14-18

"And he will say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way. take up the stumbling block 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. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth; for the spirit would faint before me, and the souls that I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid my face and was wroth; and he went on backsliding 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." "Isaiah 57:14 is a promise that the believing remnant shall have every obstacle to their return cleared out of the way at the coming return from captivity.”

"Stumbling-block ..." (Isaiah 57:14). The proud, unbelieving majority of Israel were a stumbling block to the repentance and return of the "righteous remnant" to Jehovah; and it continued in the same pattern even after the Christ came. "The pride and self-righteousness of the Jews were the stumbling-blocks in the way of their acknowledging Christ.”

"I will not contend forever ..." (Isaiah 57:16). Such words as these carry a sense of terrible finality and doom. These are almost the same words as those in Genesis 6:3, "My Spirit will not always contend with man." The meaning is that, since God has given man the freedom of choice, God will not force him to be obedient. The words in Genesis preceded the Great Deluge; and the words here preceded the awful captivity of Israel. When man has made his choice of rebellion against his Maker, and after God has given him time and opportunity to repent, the inevitable destruction will surely fall upon the disobedient.

"For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth ..." (Isaiah 57:17). As Cheyne said, "The prophet here seems to ascribe the captivity to simple covetousness." However, he further explained how such a single designation is, in fact, a synecdoche; and, "It includes all of the other besetting sins of the Jews, such as violence, murder, etc.” This rhetorical figure is used extensively in the New Testament, where a single command is frequently made to stand for the whole Christian system. In turn, salvation, for example is said to be bestowed on the basis of faith, or hope, or baptism, or repentance, or grace, or confession; but the Word of God nowhere states that upon the basis of any one of these alone does one receive salvation. All such statements actually include all Christian obligations in any one of them singled out."

"I will heal him ..." (Isaiah 57:18). This promise pertains only to the believing penitent. God is always ready to receive the soul that with humble and contrite heart returns obediently to the fold of Jehovah. As the next verse indicates, there is also a promise of the proclamation of the Gospel in this verse.

Isaiah 57:19

"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him that is far off and to him that is near, saith Jehovah; and I will heal him."

The apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost applied the expression, "to him that is far off," to the call of the Gentiles into the ranks of the Church (Acts 2:39). The literal words in the Greek here are "far from the temple," thus applying to all persons, even to those who were not Jews. Note also God’s promise of healing, which is here a promise of pardon and forgiveness of sins.

Isaiah 57:14-15 RELIEVED: Although the Lord has recounted the sorceries, sensualities and stupidities of Israel and although He has smitten them in the past (and will smite them again in the captivities), He now addresses Himself to the future reconciliation He is going to accomplish through the Servant which will begin in the restoration from the captivity and be offered to all mankind through covenant relationship. Jehovah will command, “Build a roadway, build a roadway . . .” The Hebrew words sollu sollu are from the root word salal which means “heap up” as in building up a road-bed. In rescuing His people from captivity (the first and imperative step toward messianic fulfillment) Jehovah commands their captors not merely “let my people go,” but “Put your hand to the task, O captors of My people, and assist them by working for their return to their land!” And thus it was so! Cyrus and the Persians contributed financially and in other ways to return the Jews to Palestine (cf. Ezra, chapters 1–6). The Persians also removed a number of “stumbling-blocks” (Hebrew mikeshol, “obstacle”) from the way of the Jews.

It is the omnipotent Jehovah, the high and lofty One who has decreed this redemption of those He will soon smite in captivity. Jehovah is God without beginning and end. He dwells in absolute unendingness (“eternity”). He sees all things at once. There is no time with Him. Thus He is able to talk about Israel’s captivity and redemption all at the same time. The same perspective is available to human beings through faith in Jehovah. This is hope in the midst of trouble. Jehovah is about to make “the Valley of Achor (Trouble) a door of hope” (cf. Hosea 2:15; 2 Corinthians 1:3-11). Jehovah is also absolutely holy (righteous, pure, true, just, faithful). He keeps His word. What He is and says is always good. And, although He dwells in the high and holy place, He also dwells with men who are of a contrite and humble spirit—for that is good. The Hebrew word daka’ means literally, bruise, break in pieces, crush, contrite. Men who wish to be filled with the goodness God can supply must first of all be poor in spirit (cf. Matthew 5:3-9; Psalms 34:18; Psalms 51:17; Isaiah 66:2). The Hebrew word shephal means, made low, depressed, thrown down, sit down low, humbled. The Lord could not dwell with the nation as it was during the days of the prophets for it was haughty (Isaiah 2:11; Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 3:16; Isaiah 10:33; Isaiah 24:4; Ezekiel 16:50; Zephaniah 3:11; Micah 2:3). He exhorted them to be humble (Micah 6:8). The Lord cannot dwell in a church that is haughty either (Revelation 3:17, etc.). How is it that the Lord requires humility and contrition in order to dwell in the human heart on the one hand and then on the other hand promise to “revive the spirit of the humble”? In this case, of course, the Lord is not going to “revive” haughtiness. He is going to regenerate. What a man boasts in determines his state of aliveness. If he boasts in himself, he is dead because human power is impotent. If he boasts and trusts in the Lord he is humbled but he has hope because he shall receive an imputed exaltation—an imputed righteousness and eternal life. And, of course, the only way an imputed exaltation can be received is by faith in the One who is alone able to impute it—God! That is why David was a “man after God’s own heart.” In his contrition and humility David cried out, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me . . .” (Psalms 51:10).

Jehovah is going to smite His people in captivity in order to make it possible for those who will to be contrite and humble. Then He is going to redeem them and revive them and form a faithful remnant from among them through which to bring to fruition His ultimate redemptive work in the Suffering Servant.

Isaiah 57:16-19 REASON: The reason for the smiting and the reviving is now proposed. If He should contend forever there would be no redemption for anyone! All have sinned. All deserve eternal punishment. But, amazing grace, God has a divine plan by which He will offer salvation to those who will accept it. He will punish sin in His Son, thereby justifying His holiness and at the same time justifying those who believe (cf. Romans 3:21-26)! Man’s salvation originates absolutely in the grace of God! Had it not, all “spirits would faint” before Him and all the “souls that He made” would perish.

Certainly, for the iniquity of man’s covetousness God was, by His very nature, moved with wrath and condemnation. The question is not, “How could a good God send anyone to Hell? . . .” the question is, “How could a good God send a sinner to Heaven?” He could not. Therefore, He woked out a way to make sinners good enough to go to Heaven. The Hebrew word batsa’ is translated “covetousness” and means unjust gain, to spoil, to plunder, to defraud, It was this deliberate, often violent defrauding of one’s fellow man that moved Jehovah through the centuries to smite Israel. Still she kept on “turning away from” Him (Heb. shovav) or “backsliding.” To turn away from God is to go backwards. Many men have thought that turning away from God and the Bible was to advance. But history has proved over and over that turning away from God and the Bible is regression for humanity.

Now the purpose of God’s smiting is to “heal.” This healing is a spiritual healing—a healing of the inner man (cf. Isaiah 19:22; Isaiah 53:5; Hosea 5:13; Hosea 6:1; Hosea 14:4; Jeremiah 17:14; Jeremiah 30:17, etc.). God, the divine surgeon, had to use drastic, radical “surgery” to heal Israel, for she resisted it adamantly (cf. Jeremiah 6:14; Jeremiah 8:11; Jeremiah 15:18, etc.). The healing process began with the smiting at the captivity, continued through the rescue from captivity and the “indignation” of the post-exilic centuries, and was finally accomplished in the Servant through whose “stripes we are healed,” (Isaiah 53:5 ff). And that is precisely, we believe, the relationship of Isaiah 57:19 to this context, inasmuch as it appears to be fulfilled in Acts 10:36 and Ephesians 2:17. God’s healing was reconciliation of Himself to man (Isaiah 53:1 ff). Reconciliation (healing) in the plan of the God of all mankind was ultimately to be provided for all men. Thus, when peace (reconciliation) was declared to those near and to those afar, it was done in the completed work of the Messiah. Again, the missionary call rings forth from the “Gospel prophet of the O.T.”

Verses 20-21

Isa 57:20-21

Isaiah 57:20-21

"But the wicked are like the troubled sea; for it cannot rest, and its waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."

This conclusion of Section 2 of Division VI is a reiteration of the same thought found in Isaiah 48:22, being a categorical exclusion of all wicked and disobedient souls from the blessings of God’s mercy. The comparison here of the wicked with the sea suggests New Testament references in 2 Peter 2:22; James 1:6; and Judges 1:13.

The plight of the wicked appears more sharply here than in Isaiah 48:22, because it contrasts with the glorious salvation they have refused. "Only the choice of men separates the `peace, peace’ of Isaiah 57:19 from the `no peace’ of Isaiah 57:21.”

(The end of Section II of Division VI)

Isaiah 57:20 CONSCIENCE: The contrite and humble man will be healed. He will be healed in the inner man where the conscience dwells. He will receive, by grace, through faith, an imputed righteousness—a cleansed conscience. But the wicked man’s conscience is like the constantly rolling sea. It is never completely at rest. It may be calmed at times, but it is forever boiling and churning and more often than not it is casting up all the mire and muck thrown into it. The wicked, said Calvin, “. . . are terrified and alarmed by conscience, which is the most agonizing of all torments and the most cruel of all executioners.” Luther said, “Conscience is a savage beast and a devil . . . There is nothing which so much disturbs the peace or causes so much unrest as a frightened heart. It turns pale at the flash of lightning and at the rattle of a leaf.” From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of September 22, 1941 comes the following story:

Seven years of tortured nights, when he awakened screaming at the specter of the man who had befriended him and whom he had killed, have ended for Harold Malmberg. Malmberg, 27 years old, died yesterday in the Nebraska Penitentiary hospital from poison he swallowed three days before, Warden Neil Olson said. During his seven years, Malmberg “was a model prisoner,” who never complained and did not seek parole, Olson added. But he could not face his conscience.

Malmberg had few nights of peace after he shot Russell Goodwin three times in 1934 and left him beside the road to die, after Goodwin, a traveling salesman, had picked up the hitchhiking youth. In prison he had nightmares in which the man he admitted murdering “came back every night to sit on his bed and talk to him,” the warden explained.

In the daytime, Malmberg was “a jovial sort who did the tasks required of him cheerfully and well.”

While he steadfastly refused to tell what he had swallowed, doctors labored continuously over Malmberg from the time he was discovered ill early Friday morning until he died. The poison apparently had been stolen from the prison photographic darkroom where he worked.

Malmberg consistently denied he intended to kill Good-win when he ordered the salesman out of his car at pistol point. The jury did not accept his pleas of insanity, and the Des Moines, Iowa, youth was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Man may escape the punishment of human courts and judges. His evil deeds may be kept in absolute secrecy from everyone else. He may carry them with him to the grave, but he cannot hide himself from his conscience, nor can he escape from its tormenting judgment. Every man must live with his own conscience, and woe to him whose conscience has become his judge and executioner. Be assured of this, “If our hearts (conscience) condemn us, God is greater than our heart” (1 John 3:20-21).

Isaiah 57:21 CONFLICT: A guilty conscience may become a frightful tormentor and a source of intense agony and distress leading to mortal sorrow and, sometimes, even suicide if the sense of guilt cannot be removed effectively, A guilty conscience may even prove disastrous to the physical and mental health of an individual. The wicked, unfaithful, covenant-breaker can never have security, peace of mind and soul.

The point of these last two verses is to make a sharp contrast between the “healing” that will come to those of contrite and humble hearts and their turning to the Lord and His promises to be eventually accomplished in the Servant, and the wicked who refuse healing and reconciliation. The guilty conscience can only be healed through imputed righteousness. The cleansing of the conscience can only come by grace through faith in the substitutionary atonement of Christ (cf. 1 John 1:8-9; 1 John 2:1-6; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:19-22; 1 Peter 3:21). One of the important reasons there are certain actions required of men for entrance into covenant relationship with Christ (faith, repentance, immersion in water) is to provide man a series of overt actions and a point of reference in time to which he may relate his inner, invisible spiritual person with the cleansing of his conscience. In other words, man needs such reference points by which to express his faith and experience access into the grace of God (cf. Romans 5:1-2). It is in our obedience to the word of God that we have assurance of the purification of our souls (cf. 1 Peter 1:22-23).