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. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness. But draw near hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 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, Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? 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? Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. 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.
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. 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. 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?
I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.
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; And shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people. 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. 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. 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. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. 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. But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.There is no peace, saith my GOD, to the wicked. Isaiah 57:1-21

Today, we are going to dive into the rich and powerful words of “Isaiah 57:1-21“. This section of Scripture is a cry for repentance and an invitation to return to the LORD. It addresses the people of Israel who have turned away from GOD and sought after their own desires, leading them to sin and idolatry. As we study these verses, let us open our hearts to the message that GOD has for us and seek His guidance as we pray and meditate on His marvelous, righteous Word.

Verse 1 begins with a powerful declaration: “The righteous man perishes, and no one takes it to heart; and devout men are taken away, while no one understands. For the righteous man is taken away from evil.” This verse reminds us that even in the midst of a world filled with sin and unrighteousness, GOD sees and cares for His righteous servants. It is a call to remember the plight of the righteous and to seek justice and righteousness in our own lives.

In the following verses, Isaiah speaks out against the people’s idolatry and warns them of the consequences of their sinful actions. He describes how the people have made offerings to false gods and engaged in immoral behavior, forsaking the LORD who has sustained them. This section serves as a sobering reminder of the dangers of turning away from GOD and seeking fulfillment in worldly desires.

As we reflect on these verses, let us take a moment to examine our own lives and see if there are areas where we have put our trust in something other than GOD. Are there idols in our hearts that we have placed above the LORD? Have we allowed worldly desires to lead us away from GOD’S divine will for our lives? Let us humbly come before the LORD and seek His forgiveness for any ways in which we have strayed from His path.

In verse 14, the tone shifts as GOD extends an invitation to His people: “And it will be said, ‘Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people.'” This is a message of hope and restoration, as GOD calls His people to prepare the way for His return. It is a reminder that no matter how far we have strayed, GOD is always ready to welcome us back into His loving embrace.

As we pray, let us thank GOD for His faithfulness and grace, and ask for His help in removing any obstacles that stand in the way of our relationship with Him. Let us seek His guidance as we build up our lives on the solid foundation of His marvelous, righteous Word and prepare the way for His kingdom to come in our hearts and in the world around us.

In the final verses of this passage, Isaiah speaks of the peace and restoration that will come to those who turn back to the LORD. He promises that GOD will not abandon His people and will heal and restore those who repent and seek His face. This is a message of hope and assurance for all who have strayed from the path of righteousness, reminding us that GOD’S infinite love and mercy are always available to those who seek Him.

As we conclude our study and prayer, let us hold on to the promise of restoration and renewal found in these verses. Let us ask GOD to help us turn away from sin and return to Him with humble and contrite hearts. May we seek His guidance and strength to live in a way that is pleasing to Him, and may we find comfort in the assurance that GOD’S infinite love and grace are always available to us.

Let us Pray:

Dear LORD, almighty HEAVENLY FATHER, we thank You for Your marvelous, righteous Word and the powerful message it holds for us. We confess that we have often strayed from Your path and sought after worldly desires. We ask for Your forgiveness and for Your help in turning our hearts back to You. Give us the strength to remove any obstacles that stand in the way of our relationship with You, and help us to build up our lives on the foundation of Your marvelous, righteous Word and truth fulfilling Holy Spirit. We pray for Your peace and restoration in our lives and in the world around us. Thank you dear LORD, almighty HEAVENLY FATHER. We pray this throughout the mighty, glorious, fulfilling name of JESUS CHRIST. Amen!

Much LoVe, JoY, Peace and Blessings to You, through JESUS CHRIST, our LORD, SAVIOUR and REDEEMER.