Isaiah Fifty Seven
by Dr. Henry M. Morris
(taken from the Defender's Study Bible)
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Isaiah 57:1 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.
taken away. The definitive event of being taken away from the evil to come will be the future rapture of the church, at which time both living and dead believers will be caught up to meet Christ just prior to the great tribulation. See 1 Thessalonians 4:15-5:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4, with the associated footnotes. However, the principle may well be applied also in many cases when a believer’s life is taken at a relatively young age. This is at least a possibility that could be considered when no other apparent reason seems to exist.
Isaiah 57:2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
Isaiah 57:3 But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
Isaiah 57:4 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,
Isaiah 57:5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?
slaying the children. These are some of the fruits of evolutionary pantheism, whether in ancient paganism or modern occult humanism. Abortion and promiscuity are typical.
Isaiah 57:6 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?
Isaiah 57:7 Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice.
Isaiah 57:8 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.
Isaiah 57:9 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.
Isaiah 57:10 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.
Isaiah 57:11 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?
Isaiah 57:12 I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
Isaiah 57:13 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;
Isaiah 57:14 And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people.
Isaiah 57:15 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.
inhabiteth eternity. God, the Creator of time, is beyond time; He “inhabits eternity.” Those of truly contrite and humble spirit in some sense may actually dwell there with Him.
Isaiah 57:16 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.
Isaiah 57:17 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.
Isaiah 57:18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
Isaiah 57:19 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.
Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
the troubled sea. In a like metaphor, Jude compares apostate teachers in the church to “raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame” (Jude 13).
Isaiah 57:21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
