Isaías 57

1 La gente buena se muere;
muchas veces, los justos mueren antes de que llegue su hora.
Pero a nadie parece importarle el porqué, tampoco se lo preguntan a sí mismos.
Parece que nadie entiende
que Dios los está protegiendo del mal que vendrá.

2 Pues los que andan por el camino de la justicia
descansarán en paz cuando mueran.

3 Condenación de la idolatría
«¡Pero ustedes, vengan acá, hijos de brujas,
descendientes de adúlteros y de prostitutas!

4 ¿De quién se burlan
haciendo muecas y sacando la lengua?
¡Hijos de pecadores y mentirosos!

5 Rinden culto con gran pasión a sus ídolos,
debajo de los robles y debajo de todo árbol frondoso.
Sacrifican a sus hijos abajo, en los valles,
entre los peñascos de los acantilados.

6 Sus dioses son las piedras pulidas de los valles;
ustedes les rinden culto con ofrendas líquidas y ofrendas de grano.
Ellos son su herencia, no yo.
¿Creen que todo esto me hace feliz?

7 Ustedes cometieron adulterio en cada monte alto;
allí rindieron culto a los ídolos
y me fueron infieles.

8 Han puesto símbolos paganos
en los marcos de las puertas y detrás de ellas.
Me han abandonado
y se han metido en la cama con esos dioses detestables.
Se han entregado a ellos
y les encanta ver sus cuerpos desnudos.

9 Le han dado aceite de oliva a Moloc
con muchos obsequios de perfumes.
Han viajado muy lejos,
incluso al mundo de los muertos,
a fin de encontrar nuevos dioses a quienes amar.

10 Se han cansado en su búsqueda,
pero nunca se han dado por vencidos.
El deseo les dio nuevas fuerzas,
y no se fatigaron.

11 »¿Les tienen miedo a estos ídolos?
¿Les producen terror?
¿Por eso me han mentido
y se han olvidado de mí y de mis palabras?
¿Será por mi largo silencio
que ya no me temen?

12 Ahora pondré al descubierto sus supuestas buenas obras;
ninguna de ellas los ayudará.

13 Veamos si sus ídolos pueden salvarlos
cuando clamen a ellos por ayuda.
¡Vaya, un soplo de viento puede derrumbarlos!
¡Basta con que uno respire sobre ellos para que caigan de cabeza!
Pero el que confíe en mí, heredará la tierra
y poseerá mi monte santo».

14 Dios perdona a los que se arrepienten
Dios dice: «¡Reconstruyan el camino!
Quiten las rocas y las piedras del camino
para que mi pueblo pueda volver del cautiverio».

15 El Alto y Majestuoso que vive en la eternidad,
el Santo, dice:
«Yo vivo en el lugar alto y santo
con los de espíritu arrepentido y humilde.
Restauro el espíritu destrozado del humilde
y reavivo el valor de los que tienen un corazón arrepentido.

16 Pues no pelearé contra ustedes para siempre;
no estaré siempre enojado.
Si lo estuviera, moriría toda la gente,
sí, todas las almas que he creado.

17 Estaba enojado,
así que castigué a este pueblo tan avaro.
Me aparté de ellos,
pero continuaron por su propio terco camino.

18 He visto lo que hacen,
¡pero aun así, los sanaré
y los guiaré!
Consolaré a los que se lamentan,

19 llevando palabras de alabanza a sus labios.
Que tengan paz abundante, tanto cerca como lejos
—dice el Señor
que los sana—.

20 Pero los que aún me rechazan son como el mar agitado,
que nunca está tranquilo,
sino que continuamente revuelve el lodo y la tierra.

21 No hay paz para el perverso
—dice mi Dios—.

Isaías 57 Commentary

Chapter 57

The blessed death of the righteous. (1,2) The abominable idolatries of the Jewish nation. (3-12) Promises to the humble and contrite. (13-21)

Verses 1-2 The righteous are delivered from the sting of death, not from the stroke of it. The careless world disregards this. Few lament it as a public loss, and very few notice it as a public warning. They are taken away in compassion, that they may not see the evil, nor share in it, nor be tempted by it. The righteous man, when he dies, enters into peace and rest.

Verses 3-12 The Lord here calls apostates and hypocrites to appear before him. When reproved for their sins, and threatened with judgments, they ridiculed the word of God. The Jews were guilty of idolatry before the captivity; but not after that affliction. Their zeal in the worship of false gods, may shame our indifference in the worship of the true God. The service of sin is disgraceful slavery; those who thus debase themselves to hell, will justly have their portion there. Men incline to a religion that inflames their unholy passions. They are led to do any evil, however great or vile, if they think it will atone for crimes, or purchase indulgence for some favourite lust. This explains idolatry, whether pagan, Jewish, or antichristian. But those who set up anything instead of God, for their hope and confidence, never will come to a right end. Those who forsake the only right way, wander in a thousand by-paths. The pleasures of sin soon tire, but never satisfy. Those who care not for the word of God and his providences, show they have no fear of God. Sin profits not; it ruins and destroys.

Verses 13-21 The idols and their worshippers shall come to nothing; but those who trust in God's grace, shall be brought to the joys of heaven. With the Lord there is neither beginning of days, nor end of life, nor change of time. His name is holy, and all must know him as a holy God. He will have tender regard to those who bring their mind to their condition, and dread his wrath. He will make his abode with those whose hearts he has thus humbled, in order to revive and comfort them. When troubles last long, even good men are tempted to entertain hard thoughts of God. Therefore He will not contend for ever, for he will not forsake the work of his own hands, nor defeat the purchase of his Son's blood. Covetousness is a sin that particularly lays men under the Divine displeasure. See the sinfulness of sin. See also that troubles cannot reform men unless God's grace work in them. Peace shall be published, perfect peace. It is the fruit of preaching lips, and praying lips. Christ came and preached peace to Gentiles, as well as to the Jews; to after-ages, who were afar off in time, as well as to those of that age. But the wicked would not be healed by God's grace, therefore would not be healed by his comforts. Their ungoverned lusts and passions made them like the troubled sea. Also the terrors of conscience disturbed their enjoyments. God hath said it, and all the world cannot unsay it, That there is no peace to those who allow themselves in any sin. If we are recovered from such an awful state, it is only by the grace of God. And the influences of the Holy Spirit, and that new heart, from whence comes grateful praise, the fruit of our lips, are his gift. Salvation, with all its fruits, hopes, and comforts, is his work, and to him belongs all the glory. There is no peace for the wicked man; but let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, and he will abundantly pardon.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 57

This chapter contains complaints of the stupidity and idolatry of the people, described in the latter part of the preceding chapter; and some promises of grace to the people of God. The stupidity of the former is observed, Isa 57:1 they not taking notice of the death of good men, nor of impending calamities they were taken from, whose happiness is described, Isa 57:2, then these idolatrous people are summoned before the Lord, Isa 57:3 and are charged with deriding the saints with idolatry and murder, Isa 57:4-6 and their idolatry is represented under the notion of adultery, attended with very aggravating circumstances, Isa 57:7-9 and yet these people still entertained presumptuous hopes of happiness, and boasted of, and trusted in, their righteousness and good works, which would be exposed, and be of no advantage to them, Isa 57:10-12, next follow promises of grace to the saints, that such that trusted in Christ should inherit the holy mountain, Isa 57:13 that the stumblingblock of his people should be removed, Isa 57:14, that he should dwell with the humble and contrite, Isa 57:15, and not be always wroth and contend with them, for a reason given, Isa 57:16 and that though he had smote them, and hid his face from them because of their sins, yet would heal them, lead them, and comfort them, and speak peace unto them, Isa 57:17-19 and the chapter is concluded with the character of the wicked, and an assurance that there is no peace for them, Isa 57:20,21.