The Righteous Find Peace in Death
Study note
The chapter opens with a surprising observation. Good and faithful people are dying, and no one pays attention or considers what it means. God reveals that the righteous are actually being taken away from the evil that is coming. Their death is not a tragedy but a rescue. They enter into peace and find rest. This was a comforting message for those who wondered why good people suffered while the wicked seemed to thrive.
1 Good people die, and nobody even notices. Faithful people are taken away, and nobody understands that they are being spared from the evil headed their way. The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2 People who live honest lives will find peace. They will rest when they lie down in death. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
God Confronts the Idolaters
Study note
God turns his attention to those who practice sorcery and unfaithfulness. He uses the language of adultery and prostitution as a metaphor for Israel's worship of other gods. The people sacrificed at hilltop shrines, behind closed doors, and even in valleys among the rocks. Some of these practices included the horrific sacrifice of children. They sought alliances with foreign kings and sent ambassadors with expensive gifts, going so far as to degrade themselves in the process. God had been patient and silent, but his silence was not approval. He challenges the idolaters to see if their collection of false gods can rescue them. The wind will blow them all away. But whoever trusts in God will inherit the land and possess his holy mountain.
3 "But come here, you children of witchcraft, you offspring of unfaithful and immoral people." But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 "Who exactly are you making fun of? Who are you mocking with your wide-open mouths and stuck-out tongues? You are a brood of rebels, children raised on lies." Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
5 "You burn with desire for your idols under every leafy tree. You sacrifice your own children in the valleys and under overhanging rocks." Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
6 "You worship the smooth stones you find in stream beds. Those are the gods you have picked. You pour out drink offerings to them and bring them grain offerings. Do you think that makes me happy?" Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
7 "You set up your place of worship on a high, towering mountain. You went all the way up there to offer your sacrifices." Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
8 "Behind your doors and doorposts you have placed your pagan symbols. You have turned away from me and thrown yourself at others. You climbed into a wide bed and struck a deal with them. You loved what they offered you." Behind the doors also and the posts hast thou set up thy remembrance: for thou hast discovered thyself to another than me, and art gone up; thou hast enlarged thy bed, and made thee a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.
9 "You went running to the king with olive oil and loads of perfume. You sent your messengers far and wide and degraded yourself all the way down to the grave." And thou wentest to the king with ointment, and didst increase thy perfumes, and didst send thy messengers far off, and didst debase thyself even unto hell.
10 "You exhausted yourself with all your running around, but you never once said, 'This is pointless.' You kept finding just enough energy to keep going, so you never quit." Thou art wearied in the greatness of thy way; yet saidst thou not, There is no hope: thou hast found the life of thine hand; therefore thou wast not grieved.
11 "Who were you so afraid of that you betrayed me? You did not think about me. You did not give me a second thought. I stayed silent for a long time — is that why you lost your fear of me?" And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
12 "I am going to expose what you call your 'righteous deeds' and everything you have been up to. None of it is going to help you." I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
13 "When you scream for help, let your pile of idols come rescue you! The wind will blow them all away. A single breath will scatter them. But the person who takes refuge in me will inherit the land and will live on my holy mountain." When thou criest, let thy companies deliver thee; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that putteth his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
God Heals the Humble and Broken
Study note
God commands that a clear road be built for his people, with every obstacle removed. Then comes one of the most beloved verses in Isaiah. The High and Exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, declares that he lives in the high and sanctuary and also with those who are humble and broken in spirit. He revives the spirit of the humble and renews the hearts of the crushed. God will not stay angry forever because the very souls he created would fade away. He saw the stubborn ways of his people and was angry, but he will heal them, lead them, and restore comfort to those who mourn. God creates words of praise on their lips and declares peace to those far away and near. But the wicked are like the churning sea that cannot rest, always throwing up mud and filth. There is no peace for the wicked.
14 And God will say, "Build it up! Build the road! Clear the way! Remove every obstacle from my people's path." And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
15 For this is what the high and exalted one says — the one who lives forever, whose name is Holy: "I live in the highest, holiest place. But I also make my home with the person who is humble and broken in spirit. I breathe new life into the humble and bring new strength to the crushed." 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 ones.
16 "I will not keep accusing you forever, and I will not stay angry endlessly. If I did, the human spirit would wither in front of me — the very souls I myself created." For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
17 "I was angry because of their greedy sinfulness, so I punished them. I pulled away from them in frustration, but they stubbornly kept wandering their own way." For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
18 "I have watched where they go, but I am going to heal them. I will guide them and give comfort back to them and to everyone who grieves over them." I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 "I will fill their lips with praise. Peace, peace to those who are far away and to those who are near," says the Lord. "I will heal them." I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
20 But wicked people are like the ocean when it will not calm down. Its waves keep churning up mud and filth. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 "There is no peace for the wicked," says my God. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.