Isaiah 57
57
1Good people die, and nobody cares; the faithful pass away, and nobody thinks that they were being protected from evil. 2Those who follow what's right rest in peace; they find rest as they lie down in death.
3But as for you, children of fortune-tellers, the product of adultery and prostitution—come here! 4Who are you making fun of when you make sneering faces and stick out your tongues? Aren't you the children of sin and lies? 5You're the ones having pagan orgies under the oak trees, under every green tree. You sacrifice your children in the valleys and among the rocky peaks. 6You have chosen to worship the smooth stones from the streams of the valleys—that's the choice you've made! You have poured out drink offerings to these idols—you have presented them with grain offerings. Should that make me happy? 7You have committed adultery#57:7. “Committed adultery”: literally, “made your bed.” by idol worship on every high mountain; you went there to offer pagan sacrifices. 8You've placed your pagan signs behind your doors and on your doorposts. Deserting me, you took off your clothes and climbed into bed, committing yourselves to those you love, going to bed with them. You've seen them naked.#57:8. “You've seen them naked.” The Hebrew is literally “You have seen a hand.” In this case it is usually thought to be a euphemism for the genitals. 9You went to offer Molech#57:9. A Canaanite god associated with child sacrifice. olive oil, covering yourselves with many perfumes. You sent your messengers to distant places; you even went down into the world of the dead.#57:9. “The world of the dead”: literally, “Sheol.” 10You wore yourselves out by such running around, but you didn't give up and say, “It's hopeless!” You found new strength#57:10. “New strength”: literally, “life of your hand,” an expression whose meaning is uncertain. “Hand” is often used to mean strength or power, however in this context it is also possible it may have the same indecent meaning as given in verse 8. and so didn't become weak.
11Who were you scared of, who frightened you so much that you lied to me, didn't remember me, didn't even think about me? Is it because I've been quiet for so long that you don't even fear me? 12I'm going to let everyone know about how you're “so good” and the things you do—but they won't help you! 13When you cry out for help, let's see if your collection of idols will save you! The wind will blow them all away, just a breath and they're gone! But whoever comes to me for help will own the land and possess my holy mountain.
14He#57:14. Referring to the Lord. will say, Build a highway, remove anything that's in the way of my people. 15This is what the one who is high above all says, he who lives in eternity, whose name is holy: I live in a high and holy place, together with those who repent and who act humbly, restoring their spirits and encouraging them. 16I won't fight with you forever; I won't be angry with you forever. Otherwise you'd lose heart, the very people I gave life to.
17Yes, I was angry with these sinful, greedy people so I punished them. I was angry, so I hid myself from them, but they went on their own rebellious way, doing whatever they wanted. 18I know what they're doing, but I will heal them. I will lead them and comfort those who mourn, 19so they will be able to say thank you. The Lord declares, Peace, peace, to those who are far away and those who are near. I will heal you. 20But the wicked are like the sea that is tossed about, never keeping still, churning up the mud and muck with its waves. 21There's no peace for the wicked, says my God.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com
Isaiah 57
57
Israel’s Futile Idolatry
1#2Ki 22:20; Ps 12:1 The righteous man perishes,
and no man lays it to heart;
and merciful men are taken away
while no one understands,
for the righteous man is taken away
from the evil to come.
2#2Ch 16:14; Eze 32:25 He shall enter into peace;
they shall rest in their beds,
each one walking in his uprightness.
3#Mt 16:4 But draw near to here, you sons of a sorceress,
offspring of an adulterer and prostitute.
4#Ps 35:21; Isa 1:4 Whom do you mock?
Against whom do you open wide your mouth
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
offspring of falsehood,
5#2Ki 16:3–4; Isa 1:29 inflaming yourselves with idols
under every green tree,
slaying the children in the valleys
under the clefts of the rocks?
6#Jer 3:9; 7:18 Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion;
they are your lot.
Even to them you have poured out a drink offering;
you have offered a grain offering.
Should I relent concerning these things?
7#Eze 16:16; 23:41 On a lofty and high mountain you have set your bed;
even there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8Behind the doors and the doorposts
you have set up your memorial;
far removed from Me, you have uncovered yourself;
you have enlarged your bed and made a covenant with them;
you have loved their bed,
you have looked on their nakedness.
9#Eze 23:16 You went to the king with ointment,
and increased your perfumes,
and sent your messengers far off,
and made them go down to Sheol.
10#Jer 2:25; 18:12 You were wearied by the length of your road;
yet you did not say, “There is no hope.”
You have found renewed strength;
therefore, you did not faint.
11#Ps 50:21; Pr 29:25 Of whom were you afraid or fearful
when you lied
and you did not remember Me,
nor give Me a thought?
Have I not held My peace for a long time
so that you do not fear Me?
12#Mic 3:2–4 I will declare your righteousness, and your works,
yet they shall not profit you.
13#Ps 37:9; 37:3 When you cry out,
let your collection of idols deliver you.
But the wind shall carry them all away,
a breath shall take them away.
But he who puts his trust in Me
shall possess the land
and shall inherit My holy mountain.
Healing for the Contrite
14#Isa 62:10; 40:3And it shall be said,
“Build up, build up, prepare the way,
take up every stumbling block out of the way of My people.”
15#Ps 34:18; 138:6 For thus says the High and Lofty One
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place
and also with him who is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16#Ps 85:5; Mic 7:18 For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before Me,
and the souls whom I have made.
17#Isa 56:11; Jer 6:13 For the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was wrathful,
and he went on turning away in the way of his heart.
18#Jer 3:22 I have seen his ways but will heal him;
I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners,
19#Ac 2:39; Heb 13:15 by creating the fruit of the lips.
Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,
says the Lord, and I will heal him.
20#Job 18:5–14; Isa 3:11 But the wicked are like the troubled
sea when it cannot rest,
whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21#Isa 48:22 There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.
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