Isaiah 57

1that God is protecting them from the evil to come.

2For those who follow godly pathswill rest in peace when they die.

Idolatrous Worship Condemned

33 “But you—come here, you witches’ children,you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes!

4Whom do you mock,making faces and sticking out your tongues?You children of sinners and liars!

5You worship your idols with great passionbeneath the oaks and under every green tree.

You sacrifice your children down in the valleys,among the jagged rocks in the cliffs.

6Your gods are the smooth stones in the valleys.You worship them with liquid offerings and grain offerings.They, not I, are your inheritance.Do you think all this makes me happy?

7You have committed adultery on every high mountain.There you have worshiped idolsand have been unfaithful to me.

8You have put pagan symbolson your doorposts and behind your doors.You have left meand climbed into bed with these detestable gods.You have committed yourselves to them.You love to look at their naked bodies.

9You have given olive oil to Molech*with many gifts of perfume.You have traveled far,even into the world of the dead,*to find new gods to love.

10You grew weary in your search,but you never gave up.Desire gave you renewed strength,and you did not grow weary.

11“Are you afraid of these idols?Do they terrify you?Is that why you have tied to meand forgotten me and my words?Is it because of my long silencethat you no longer fear me?

12Now 1 will expose your so-called good deeds.None of them will help you.

13Let's see if your idols can save youwhen you cry to them for help.Why, a puff of wind can knock them down!If you just breathe on them, they fall over!But whoever trusts in me will inherit the landand possess my holy mountain.”

God Forgives the Repentant

1414 God says, “Rebuild the road!Clear away the rocks and stonesso my people can return from captivity.”

15The high and lofty one who lives in eternity,the Holy One, says this:“T live in the high and holy placewith those whose spirits are contrite and humble.

these people that their good deeds would not save them any morethan their weak, worthless idols. We cannot gain our salvationthrough good works because our best works are not good enoughto outweigh our sins. Salvation is a gift from God, received onlythrough faith in Christ, not good works (Ephesians 2:8, 9).57:14-21 Verses 1-13 speak of pride and lust; verses 14-21tell how God relates to those who are humble and repentant(“contrite”). The high and holy God came down to our levelto save us because it is impossible for us to go up to his levelto save ourselves (see 2 Chronicles 6:18; Psalm 51:1-7;Philippians 2).

Irestore the crushed spirit of the humbleand revive the courage of those with repentant hearts.

16For I will not fight against you forever;I will not always be angry.If I were, all people would pass away—all the souls I have made.

17Twas angry,so I punished these greedy people.I withdrew from them,but they kept going on their own stubborn way.

18I have seen what they do,but I will heal them anyway!I will lead them.I will comfort those who mourn,19 bringing words of praise to their lips.May they have abundant peace, both near and far,”says the LORD, who heals them.

20“But those who still reject me are like the restless sea,which is never stillbut continually churns up mud and dirt.

21There is no peace for the wicked,”says my God.

True and False Worship

5 8 1 “Shout with the voice of a trumpet blast.: Shout aloud! Don't be timid.