Isaiah 57
57
Israel’s Futile Idolatry
1The righteous man perishes,
and no one lays it to heart;
#
Ps. 12:1
devout men are taken away,
while no one understands.
For the righteous man is taken away from calamity;
2 # [Luke 2:29] he enters into peace;
they rest #2 Chr. 16:14; Ezek. 32:25in their beds
who walk in their uprightness.
3But you, draw near,
sons of the sorceress,
# [John 8:41, 42] offspring of the adulterer and the loose woman.
4Whom are you mocking?
Against whom #[Ps. 35:21] do you open your mouth wide
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of #ch. 46:8, 9 transgression,
# [ch. 1:4] the offspring of deceit,
5you who burn with lust among #ch. 1:29; 2 Kgs. 16:4 the oaks,#57:5 Or among the terebinths
under every green tree,
#
Ezek. 16:20, 21 who slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?
6Among the smooth stones of #[2 Kgs. 23:10]the valley is your portion;
they, they, are your lot;
to them you have poured out a drink offering,
you have brought a grain offering.
Shall I relent for these things?
7 #
1 Kgs. 14:23; Ezek. 16:16, 24 On a high and lofty mountain
you have set your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
8Behind the door and the doorpost
you have set up your memorial;
for, deserting me, #Ezek. 16:25; [Hos. 1:2] you have uncovered your bed,
you have gone up to it,
# [Ezek. 23:17] you have made it wide;
and you have made a covenant for yourself with them,
you have loved their bed,
you have looked on nakedness.#57:8 Or on a monument (see 56:5); Hebrew on a hand
9You journeyed to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes;
#
Ezek. 16:26, 28, 29 you sent your envoys far off,
and sent down even to Sheol.
10You were wearied with the length of your way,
#
Jer. 2:25; 18:12 but you did not say, “It is hopeless”;
you found new life for your strength,
and so you were not faint.#57:10 Hebrew and so you were not sick
11 # [ch. 51:12, 13] Whom did you dread and fear,
#
Ps. 78:10, 36 so that you lied,
and did not remember me,
did not lay it to heart?
#
Ps. 50:21
Have I not held my peace, even for a long time,
and you do not fear me?
12I will declare your righteousness and your deeds,
but they will not profit you.
13 #
Jer. 11:12 When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!
The wind will carry them all off,
a breath will take them away.
#
Ps. 37:9 But he who takes refuge in me shall possess the land
and shall inherit #ch. 11:9; 56:7; 65:11, 25my holy mountain.
Comfort for the Contrite
14And it shall be said,
# ch. 62:10; [ch. 40:3] “Build up, build up, prepare the way,
remove every obstruction from my people’s way.”
15For thus says #[Mic. 6:6] the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is #Luke 1:49 Holy:
#
Ps. 113:6 “I dwell in the high and holy place,
and also #Ps. 34:18; 138:6 with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit,
# [ch. 42:3] to revive the spirit of the lowly,
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 #
Gen. 6:3; Ps. 103:9 For I will not contend forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for the spirit would grow faint before me,
and the breath of life that I made.
17Because of the iniquity of his #ch. 56:11; Jer. 6:13unjust gain I was angry,
I struck him; I hid my face and was angry,
but he went on backsliding in the way of his own heart.
18I have seen his ways, #Jer. 3:22 but I will heal him;
I will lead him #ch. 61:3and restore comfort to him and his mourners,
19 # ch. 50:4 creating #Heb. 13:15 the fruit of the lips.
# [Eph. 2:17] Peace, peace, #Acts 2:39 to the far and to the near,” says the Lord,
# [See ver. 18 above] “and I will heal him.
20 #
Jude 13
But the wicked are like the tossing sea;
for it cannot be quiet,
and its waters toss up mire and dirt.
21 # ch. 48:22 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
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Isaiah 57: ESV
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