Isa Isaiah, chapter Book of Isaiah, chapter 57
The Blessed Death of the Righteous
The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
devout men are taken away,
while no one considers
that the righteous are taken away
from the presence of evil.Psa 12:1; Mic 7:2
Those who walk uprightly enter into peace;
they find rest, lying down in death.
God Condemns Idolatry
“But come here, you sons of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!Mat 12:39
Whom are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue?
Are you not children of transgression,
offspring of deceit,Rom 9:6
who burn with lust among the oaks,
under every luxuriant tree,
who slaughter your children in the valleys,
under the clefts of the rocks?2Ki 16:4; Jer 2:20
Your portion is among the smooth stones of the valley;
indeed, they are your lot.
Even to them you have poured out a drink offering
and offered a grain offering.
Should I relent because of these?
On a high and lofty hill you have made your bed,
and there you went up to offer sacrifices.Ezk 18:6
Behind the door and doorpost
you have set up your memorial.
Forsaking Me, you uncovered your bed;
you climbed up and opened it wide.
And you have made a pact with those whose bed you have loved;
you have gazed upon their nakedness.
You went to Molech57:9 Or to the king with oil
and multiplied your perfumes.
You have sent your envoys57:9 Or idols a great distance;
you have descended even to Sheol itself.Hos 12:1
You are wearied by your many journeys,
but you did not say, “There is no hope!”
You found renewal of your strength;
therefore you did not grow weak.
Whom have you dreaded and feared,
so that you lied and failed
to remember Me or take this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear Me?Psa 50:21; Isa 42:14
I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not profit you.Isa 64:6
When you cry out,
let your companies of idols deliver you!
Yet the wind will carry off all of them,
a breath will take them away.
But he who seeks refuge in Me will inherit the land
and possess My holy mountain.”Psa 15:1; Isa 28:16
Healing for the Repentant
And it will be said,
“Build it up, build it up, prepare the way,
take every obstacle out of the way of My people.”Isa 62:10
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up,
who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
“I dwell in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and humble in spirit,
to restore the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the contrite.Psa 138:6; Isa 66:2
For I will not accuse you forever,
nor will I always be angry;
for then the spirit of man would grow weak before Me—
the breath of life I have made.Psa 103:9; Zep 3:9; Mic 7:18
I was enraged by his sinful greed,
so I struck him and hid My face in anger;
yet he kept turning back
to the desires of his heart.
I have seen his ways,
but I will heal him;
I will guide him and restore comfort
to him and his mourners,Deu 32:39
bringing praise to their lips.
Peace, peace to those far and near,” says the LORD,
“and I will heal them.”Isa 52:7; Rom 5:1
But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,
for it cannot be still,
and its waves churn up mire and muck.
“There is no peace,” says my God,
“for the wicked.”Isa 48:22