seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Isaiah 57:1 The righteous perish,
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
2 Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.
and no one takes it to heart;
the devout are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
2 Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.
3 “But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?
5 You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
9 You went to Molek[a] with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors[b] far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!
10 You wearied yourself by such going about,
but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint.
you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!
4 Who are you mocking?
At whom do you sneer
and stick out your tongue?
Are you not a brood of rebels,
the offspring of liars?
5 You burn with lust among the oaks
and under every spreading tree;
you sacrifice your children in the ravines
and under the overhanging crags.
6 The idols among the smooth stones of the ravines are your portion;
indeed, they are your lot.
Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings
and offered grain offerings.
In view of all this, should I relent?
7 You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;
there you went up to offer your sacrifices.
8 Behind your doors and your doorposts
you have put your pagan symbols.
Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed,
you climbed into it and opened it wide;
you made a pact with those whose beds you love,
and you looked with lust on their naked bodies.
9 You went to Molek[a] with olive oil
and increased your perfumes.
You sent your ambassadors[b] far away;
you descended to the very realm of the dead!
10 You wearied yourself by such going about,
but you would not say, ‘It is hopeless.’
You found renewal of your strength,
and so you did not faint.
11 “Whom have you so dreaded and feared
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered me
nor taken this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear me?
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out for help,
let your collection of idols save you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain.”
that you have not been true to me,
and have neither remembered me
nor taken this to heart?
Is it not because I have long been silent
that you do not fear me?
12 I will expose your righteousness and your works,
and they will not benefit you.
13 When you cry out for help,
let your collection of idols save you!
The wind will carry all of them off,
a mere breath will blow them away.
But whoever takes refuge in me
will inherit the land
and possess my holy mountain.”
14 And it will be said:
“Build up, build up, prepare the road!
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 I will not accuse them forever,
nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people I have created.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed;
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
19 creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”
15 For this is what the high and exalted One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
“I live in a high and holy place,
but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
16 I will not accuse them forever,
nor will I always be angry,
for then they would faint away because of me—
the very people I have created.
17 I was enraged by their sinful greed;
I punished them, and hid my face in anger,
yet they kept on in their willful ways.
18 I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;
I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,
19 creating praise on their lips.
Peace, peace, to those far and near,”
says the Lord. “And I will heal them.”
20 But the wicked are like the tossing sea,
which cannot rest,
whose waves cast up mire and mud.
21 “There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
a. Isaiah 57:9 Or to the king
b. Isaiah 57:9 Or idol
Well.... I think that answers that..... I'll sleep so I don't have to keep watching all the evil. Once everyone is ready.... Once Jesus is ready... then I'll awaken. Right?
This is from bible-studys.org.
The message begun in the previous chapter is continued throughout this chapter. The “righteous perisheth” refers to the suffering of the godly. “Slaying the children” refers to the practice of child sacrifice. “Clefts of the rocks” is a description unique to Isaiah, appearing only here. Such a description is very appropriate for Israel, but would have been unknown to a supposed Second Isaiah living later in Babylon.
In contrast to the evil leaders, who were engaged in debauchery and self-indulgence, were the righteous that were removed from impending divine judgments. The righteous do suffer by oppression and distress at what is going on around them, but they die in faith and enjoy their eternal reward.
These verses feature elements of idolatry such as child sacrifice, which were a part of worshiping the Ammonite god Molech (Jer. 32:35; Ezek. 20:26, 31). In response to Israel’s offerings to idols, what was the Lord’s appropriate response, to be satisfied or to take vengeance? Jeremiah had the answer (Jer. 5:9, 29; 9:9).
The terminology “cast ye up, prepare the way,” is a technical term for constructing a highway by heaping up a mound of earth. God is pictured here as inhabiting both “eternity” and the hearts of those who have a “contrite and humble spirit.” The chapter ends with the observation that “there is no peace … to the wicked,” who are described as a “troubled” (restless), “sea”.
“Revive the spirit …revive the heart”: The Lord sends true revival, which comes to the humble and contrite. After all the years of Israel’s sin and backsliding, and of Israel’s punishment, God’s grace will prevail, and spiritual healing and restoration will come.
“Like the troubled sea”: In contrast to those, the wicked enjoy anything but peace (Jude 13).
This is from the easy English site.Canaanite religion often involved certain green trees as places to worship the local gods (see Hosea 4:12-13). Because the trees were growing strongly, they must be full of life. So people began to think that to worship a green tree was to share in its life. Such*worship provided an easy excuse for people to have plenty of sex among themselves. It was a part of their religion!
· The Bible often uses this behaviour as picture language for the worship of false gods. Because of this sex, people were not loyal to their husbands and wives. Instead they gave themselves to other people. That behaviour was wicked. Their worship of false gods was like that for several reasons. The people should have loved the Lord God. But they were not loyal to him. Instead they gave themselves to false gods. This behaviour was also wicked. So the Lord was like a husband whose wife left him to be with another man (Hosea 1:2).
· The Canaanite god called Molech demanded child sacrifice. Molech was among the many gods that Solomon collected (see 1 Kings 11:7; see also Acts 7:43). Josiah forbade such worship (see 2 Kings 23:10).
· Long ago, the Lord had forbidden the worship of idols (see Exodus 20:4). People must worship only the Lord (see Exodus 20:3).
Here ‘way’ is a picture word, to mean ‘people’s way (manner) of life’. Rocks and stones may cause a person to trip and to fall on a journey. The Lord orders their removal. These ‘rocks and stones’ mean anything that would spoil a person’s relationship with the Lord. In particular, this means the complete removal of idol worship, because this turns people away from the Lord (see Ezekiel 3:20 and 7:19-20).
· Exiles who were returning home from Babylon would have seen a great deal of idol worship there.
Almost 300 years before it happened.... God, through Isiah, gave specific details about Cyrus. Cyrus the Great would defeat the Babylonians and send the descendants of Jacob [Israel] back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. The descendants of Jacob [Israel] had been salves of the Babylonians for seventy years. That's longer than I've been alive.... so I'm pretty sure those descendants of Jacob [Israel] had forgotten how the Babylonians had castrated or murdered all the men. I'm also pretty sure those descendants of Jacob [Israel] had forgotten how the Babylonians had raped the women and murdered their babies so they would not grow up to be warriors. I'm pretty sure those descendants of Jacob [Israel] had grown use to idol worship.... because the Babylonians were so involved in it. So the worship of wooden bobbles, shiny little idols, astrology and magic were common place. They had orgies as part of the worship services.... according to the commentaries and historians. The descendants of Jacob [Israel] were use to it..... but God said "put that down". God warned them 300 years before it happened... that God was going to put them in time out for playing with those wooden bobbles, shiny little idols, astrology and magic..... God warned them and warned them and warned them.....
Check out verse 11..... God says, through Isaiah, "Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?" He's been seemingly silent for a while now again..... and people seem to get through days upon days upon weeks upon weeks without a single prayer. It was happening then and it's happening now...... and IMHO I know better..... God wants us to check in.
Now verse 16 reminds me of the good "dad" that Jesus talked about. He's not going to forget what humans are doing.... but He won't stay angry forever.... because He'll forgive us. He won't stay angry forever.... because He'll put an end to the foolishness.
My mom told me that she knew if she gave me a spanking I would cry myself to sleep. She was a selfish mom..... she didn't want to spend her day following me around keeping me from harm. Needles, lit cigarettes in ash trays, hot burners on the stove, choking objects, sharp corners, water on the floor, bugs that I wanted to taste...... all that stuff would intrigue a child.... and hurt a child..... and my mom got bored with baby sitting.... so she would spank me so I would cry myself to sleep and she could get a break. She told me this..... to my face.... so I have to assume it is true... right?
Same way with God.... God warned the descendants of Jacob [Israel] that God was going to get king Cyrus to send them home.... and God told them that Jesus was coming back with the antidote to death [eternal life]. God also warned them that after the humans hang Christ on the Cross.... Jesus is coming back again.... only this time.... it's to do what king Saul.... and king David.... and king Solomon could not do.... in spite of the fact they were supposed to be such great kings.... from the right family.... pretty boys with lots of money backing them or brave shepherds.... willing to take on giants for God [while unwilling to keep their hands off another man's wife] or wise.... but unwilling to worship only the One living God.... letting that baby killer molech set up shop. Jesus will get rid of temptation [the great human excuse] once and for all.... and it won't be pretty.
God put the descendants of Jacob [Israel] in time out.... it didn't work. He sent His own Son to heal the humans... and treat them kindly so as to show them how wonderful life can be if humans are only kind to each other.... it didn't work. So now He's going to send His own Son again.... but this time Jesus is coming to "correct" the humans..... when He shows up..... the beating will be so bad....
When I was a young teen.... my dad beat me.... only once.... but my dad had a lot of pent up anger.... and although I'm sure he didn't mean to be so brutal.... the belt beating I took left such horrible welts and bruises all over every inch of my body.... that I was in too much pain to sleep. When the beating was over.... my dad picked me up and put me in a cold bath.... clothed.... and while I was in the tub.... I heard him in the next room.... crying.....
There will be no peace for the wicked.... even the touch of the coolest lightest breeze will burn with pain..... and God won't feel great about it.... but He warned the humans.... "put that down, look to Me", He said.
