Isaiah 57, Healing for the Children of Prostitutes

At the end of the last chapter, the watchmen of Israel are portrayed as drunk, sleeping, unprepared for what is coming. Isaiah condemns the continued sin of the people of God. And again offers hope.

Isaiah 57:1-2, Justice denied

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.

 Those who walk uprightly

    enter into peace;

    they find rest as they lie in death.

Here the righteous are ignored, overridden. Does the last line promise the righteous some type of reward at death? Where the NIV, in verse 1, writes "the devout", the Hebrew is literally "men of hesed" , that is, men of loyalty and loving commitment.

Isaiah 57:4-6, Offspring of prostitutes

“But you—come here, you children of a sorceress,

    you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

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?

You burn with lust among the oaks

    and under every spreading tree;

you sacrifice your children in the ravines

    and under the overhanging crags.

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?

The warnings return to the people of Israel who have mockingly abandoned God. 

Apparently there is word play in verse 5, in the spelling of the Hebrew word for "oaks." It is apparently elim, which can also mean "gods" (Grogan, citing Whybray.) The phrase "spreading tree" is literally "green (raanan) tree", possibly evergreens trees which were "symbols of endless life ... favored as the scene for 'orgiastic rites'" (Motyer.)

Isaiah 57:7-10, Secret idolatry

You have made your bed on a high and lofty hill;

    there you went up to offer your sacrifices.

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.

You went to Molek with olive oil

    and increased your perfumes.

You sent your ambassadors far away;

    you descended to the very realm of the dead!

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.

Various idolatrous practices are described in this passage. Some of the people have, in secret, thrown themselves fully into idolatry, lusting after it as if it were erotic or sexual. Others offer their sacrifices high on the hills where everyone can see. 

Isaiah saw the reign of King Ahaz, who sacrificed children to the fire and offered sacrifices on high hills. (2 Kings 16:2-4.)

Isaiah 57:11-12, Works exposed

“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?

I will expose your righteousness and your works,

    and they will not benefit you.

God challenges the idolaters. He will expose their works and actions.

Isaiah 57:13, Choose whom you turn to for help!

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.”

The people  of Israel have cried out to useless idols. But only YHWH will save them.

Isaiah 57:14-16, High and holy, contrite and lowly

And it will be said:

“Build up, build up, prepare the road!

Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people.”

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.

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.

The people are to prepare access to God, removing obstacles. God is (or is associated with) one who "is contrite and lowly in spirit."

Isaiah 57:17-19, I will heal them

I was enraged by their sinful greed;

    I punished them, and hid my face in anger,

    yet they kept on in their willful ways.

I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;

    I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners,

creating praise on their lips.

Peace, peace, to those far and near,”

    says the LORD. “And I will heal them.”

Israel will be healed and comforted, even though their actions have enraged YHWH. At the end of verse 19, the word "peace" is emphasized by repetition, shalom shalom! This strong statement, "peace peace" is contrasted in the next verse.

Isaiah 57:20-21, No peace

But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest,

    whose waves cast up mire and mud.

"There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”

God will heal Israel. They will have "peace peace." But for the wicked there is no peace.