God promises abundant pardon, overflowing grace, the sense of His presence, and reviving strength to those who are willing to regularly undergo the trauma of holiness.
“I will heal him” (Is 57:19). One of the chief marks of being ‘healed from idolatry’ is a new bias against sin, and a new devotion to the beauty of God’s holiness. This marvelous change is the effect of the work of Christ applied. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds” (Titus 2:11-4).
God bids His redeemed people abide to in Him, to seek Him, and to draw near. But here is the paradox; the more closely one draws near, the more vivid and brilliant the light of God’s holiness becomes as it shines upon the remnants of indwelling sin. That experience is accompanied by a healthy brand of trauma. For, when we are searched by the brightness of His holy character, our response is much like what the Law produces in Romans 3:19-20. It ‘closes our mouths’ by removing every excuse and alibi we use to justify sin.
God’s promises are made to the humble and the contrite. The Hebrew word for contrition in Isaiah 57:15 is daka. It means to be crushed over our sin. To exercise contrition is to be afflicted over personal sin. It is to contemplate one’s sin in the presence of God’s holiness, to feel sin’s defilement, treachery, and wretchedness. It is to lay that sin bare before God in ruthless honesty with the expectation that God is quick to pardon through Christ.
Our carnal powers of self-preservation work against contrition—we are good at avoiding it. A contrite heart does not come natural to us. 100 plus years of psychology in the West have done the sinister work of making contrition seem undesirable and fruitless. Psychology reasons: “If something makes you feel bad, it must be bad, so insulate yourself from it.” Thus, what is common today instead of contrition, is platitudes such as: we all make mistakes, no one is perfect, we did the best with what we knew, you were just being yourself, etc.
Our text reveals that contrition accompanies the cultivation of a humble and lowly mind before God. Contrition is how the humble respond to divine correction. In Psalm 119:67, the Psalmist says, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Thy Word.” In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus captures the sense of cultivating a lowly mind in these words. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Mt 5:3-4).
The structure of Isaiah chapter 57 sets the promise of reviving mercies, between two ‘bookends’ of severe judgment.
Like bookends, 57:1-13, and 57:20-21 are devastating rebukes upon the proud who do not fear God and who continue to bring their energy to their idolatry. Thus, these two themes in Isaiah 57 of: 1) judgment and 2) compassion—are addressed to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. The reproof is aimed at the proud hypocrites among the exiles who use religion in name only. The offer of mercy is to the repenting remnant whom the Lord will bring back.
“Build up, build up, remove every obstacle, prepare the way. . .” (57:14). Through Isaiah’s prophecy, God is beckoning the faithful remnant to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem. God has cleared the way through the benevolence of kings Cyrus and Darius. These two kings, by God’s providence, will supply financial support and military protection for rebuilding Jerusalem and its temple. But consider what must have struck fear in the hearts of the Jewish exiles at the prospect of leaving Babylon. More than two generations had passed since they were carried off to Babylon. Their former farmlands were occupied by squatters. The exiles were distressed by doubts: Will we live in tents; what dwellings will we find if we return? Will God protect us on our journey from gangs of robbers? What will be the cost be to our families, our finances?
It is to the storm-tossed Jewish remnant that the promises in verses 13b- 19 are directed. God is assuring them that He delights to lift up and revive by His presence, but His people must bring themselves low in humility and contrition. This principle here is timeless; God does not miss a single speck of our trust and humility; He will find us, for by humility and contrition we draw near. The Hebrew word for revive here is chayah, it has a rich semantic range: come alive, give life, heal, nourish, repair, recover, spare. That is what God’s presence does. That is what the exiles needed, and it is what we need.
I. God is high and exalted. “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite’ (57:15). See parallel promise in Isaish 66:1-2.
God is transcendent in His self-existence, in His infinite power, and in His wisdom, and in His holiness. He is infinitely above us; He is qualitatively and not merely quantitatively different from us. He is immanent (with us) in the incarnation and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit—thus, the name Immanuel, ‘God with us’ (Is 7:14). V. 15 emphasizes that our salvation is attributable to God’s condescension. This meekness of God in ‘stooping’ to care for our concerns is captured in this Psalm: “Who is like the LORD our God, Who is enthroned on high, Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of His people. He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD!” (Ps 113:5-9).
The believer understands that God’s love and care is a holy love, and the reception of this holy love through the Mediator has begun the process of making believers like their Savior (Rom 8:29). To receive God’s holy love is sanctifying; it will cause us to slay our lusts—declaring war upon them, starving them, out of love for God’s holiness (Col 3:5-11; 1 Jn 4:17-19). God has but one way of making His people eternally happy, and that is by making them holy like Jesus Christ. “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 Jn 3:1-3). God is relentless in sanctifying His people; it is our task to work out our salvation with fear and trembling as He works His holy will in us (Phil 2:12-13).
As commended in Isaiah 57:15 consider how high and exalted God is, yet even though He dwells in heaven, He takes care of human affairs. He has tender pity for the humble and the contrite. He will visit them and converse with them like a family member. What comfort is this for those who are broken under sin and trials. But, in receiving His reviving comfort, we have a responsibility, a necessary response to His invitation. He promises to revive those who secretly mourn over their sin (Mt 5:4); who acknowledge their wretchedness—He promises to lift them amidst the griefs and fears that break their spirits.
Reverently pondering the distance between God and ourselves and dwelling upon His holiness, majesty, and self-existence is the beginning point in our humility and contrition.
The sheer height of His majesty staggers us; it is something we are unable to wrap our minds around. Think of it, God is creator, maintaining the cosmos in all places, leading forth the constellations in their seasons (Is 40:26). The immensity of the heavens boggles our minds. There are billions of galaxies, each with billions of stars. Our galaxy, the Milky Way, is over 105,000 light years in diameter. At the center of these disc-like galaxies a gravitational pull organizes the galactic arms. Even though the stars are tens of thousands of light years from the center of the galaxy, they feel the gravitational pull of the galaxy’s center. They obey that pull from trillions of miles away. The gravitational tug aligns the arms in the galaxy; even the arm of the Milky Way in which our solar system resides. Yet it is God who states that the constellations obey Him (Is 40:26; Job 38:32-33).
Jeremiah 5:20-24 depicts the oceans of the world as more obedient to God’s boundaries than fallen mankind. How needful we are of this divine perspective, for our culture is filled with selfism, of man-centered thinking. All the vehicles of secular communication continually elevate the importance of mankind, without an iota of material on divine viewpoint. This constant messaging of the value of self takes its cumulative toll. We have a planet filled with self-deceived individuals who imagine that their own importance grants them the right of unhindered self-expression.
Scripture warns, there is no divine plan in time or eternity for those who reject their created purpose.Scripture has many terrifying descriptions of an impenitent person. In Jude 13 the reprobate is described as a lone star wandering aimlessly in endless blackness. This is sobering because a star with no connection to a galaxy or constellation has no family, no relationship, no ordered path through space—what a graphic picture of tragic isolation of eternal perdition.
Just as the gravity exerted by the core of the galaxy organizes and shepherds the stars in that galaxy, so also the holiness of God orders the lives of the redeemed. The holiness of God, sometimes referred to as ‘His moral majesty’ is the focal point and purpose of the cosmos. And how utterly blessed the believer is, in that God’s holiness is communicated to him through Christ, the Mediator (1 Cor 6:19-20).
The entire creation is designed to serve as a kind of canvas, or stage upon which the moral majesty of God’s glory is exhibited.
The universe is but a theater for God to extend the glory of God’s holiness. The true believer purposes to be continually aware of his alignment, or posture toward God’s holiness through his Mediator. “You shall be holy for I am holy” (1 Pet 1:16). Just as in a single galaxy, hundreds of millions of stars obediently align themselves to the gravitational center of their galaxy, so also those who genuinely know God, have their lives ordered and organized by the pull and draw of God’s holiness. This is not bare moralism, for the cross work of the Person of Christ exerts the power to redeem us from every lawless deed, to clothe us in righteousness, and to make us God’s cherished possessions (2 Cor 5:14-15; Titus 2:14). It is our union with Christ which has properly aligned us with God’s burning holiness. By our union with Christ, we are safely placed in the New Covenant (1 Cor 11:25).
II. God is lofty, yet He dwells with the humble and contrite (57:15).
Under the pain of affliction, trial, and sorrows, it requires faith to properly conceive of God’s fatherly heart. In fact, we are a bit like the exiles in Babylon who were overwhelmed with a fearful prospect: would they ever again taste God’s gracious providential dealings? With all the obstacles before them, they could hardly imagine how God would resettle them in Canaan. So also, we may find that our inward trials are speaking more loudly than the promises of God. Thus, the words in chapter 57 are as apt for us today as they were for the Jewish remnant in Babylon. For, we need our doubts answered by His promises of renewed of hope, and by fresh, comforting views of His merciful nature.
There are aspects of contrition and humility that are not natural to us. For, we imagine that God does not desire contact with us in our failures and our complaints. But nothing could be further from the truth. Think of the invitation to the church of Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) to dine with Christ in intimacy, communing with Him at the points of their spiritual poverty—at the points of their acute need. The Laodiceans tried to cover their defects with hubris and false boasts. So, the Lord counsels them: “I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so 5that you may see. ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore, be zealous and repent. ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Rev 3:18-20). What a surprising meeting place! The Lord is inviting us to meet with Him at the most disastrous areas of our spiritual ruin! These divine invitations include meeting with the Lord in our areas of dejection, failure, sorrow, and suffering.
Have you ever noticed how the Psalmist meets the Lord in very painful places? In sorrow, disillusionment, in guiltiness, in fear, in persecution, in depression, in despondency, in blind rage, in self-loathing, in betrayal, and in injustice. The Psalms are a model of a theological response to our suffering. One third of the Psalms are cast in this mold of praying our pain to the Lord. That form of psalm is called a ‘lament’. Oh, those inner trials we carry, often none see them but the Lord Himself. But He urges us to draw near, and to commune with Him in those dreaded ‘dungeons of our soul’ which we seek to conceal.
III. Humility and trust in God are inseparable virtues (57:15). Humility will cost you something; it involves ruthless honesty before God concerning your pain and suffering. Humility before God is closely tied to what we do with our pain. A humble spirit involves praying our pain to God so that our suffering and complaints have a genuine interface with Him. By contrast, the distrust shown by the children of Israel in the wilderness is a negative example of what is done with the emotional pain, fear, and doubt. The Hebrews’ negative example is cited in Scripture in numerous places (Ps 78; 106; 1 Cor 10; Heb 3; 4, etc.). For the Israelites responded to their apprehension and insecurity by abandoning trust in God. But the Bible is incredibly realistic about pain and suffering. In this broken world, the pain of abuse, loneliness, bereavement, sickness, reversals, and relational conflict bring with them tears and sorrow. God desires that we learn to pray our pain to Him. Psalm 77 is a perfect example, the psalmist calls upon God amidst his wounds, disillusionment, and depression.
Laments turn us toward God, when sorrow tempts us to run from Him. Scripture gives us a divine invitation to pour out our fears, frustrations, and sorrows for the purpose of renewing our confidence in God. “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us” (Ps 62:8). Admittedly, this action of pouring our hearts to God for the purpose of trust 6is resisted by our flesh. It is easier to stuff the pain down inside, to become deadened on the inside, stoic, cynical, bitter, or to seek diversion by escapism, food, entertainment, and sensuality. If we give our negativity an interface with God, we will avoid becoming self-pitying complainers who murmur.
Praying our pain to God for the purpose of renewed reliance is a spiritual discipline and ‘prayer language’. This prayer discipline is a conscious, deliberate action that has several steps:
1) Turn to God, choosing to bring your complaint to Him. This is a choice, often punctuated with the kind of phrases we see in the Psalms such as, ‘How long oh Lord?’ and, ‘Shall my enemy be exalted over me?’ (Ps 13:2). But praying in this manner is more than rehearsing where we are hurting, or merely venting our frustration, fear, confusion, and rage. Praying our sorrows to God is the art of waiting upon God to meet us in the extremity of our need (Is 40:31).
2) It involves asking boldly for help. To do so is an act of faith. We must get past the self-protective doubt that says: ‘What if nothing changes?’ or, ‘I fear I am setting myself up for more disappointment’. Submissive trust is why praying your lament to God involves humility—you are choosing not to settle into the silence of despair, or into carnal retreats of self-protection. Instead, you are daring to hope in the God who promises to meet you (Is 66:1-2).
3) Trusting is a choice. Renewing confidence in God is a deliberate rejection of our defense mechanisms. We will have to leave the insulating cocoon we have spun around our pain. Our troubled heart needs to have a full interface with God. Thus, the goal of praying our laments is not just to get things off our chests as we talk with God about our sorrows. The purpose of pouring out our hearts to Him is to renew our hope in His sovereign care.
Prayers of lament take faith and biblical conviction because it is easy to slide into bitterness, anger, and numbness. A significant part of our reliance upon God finds hope in His plan to ultimately dry our tears and bring in everlasting joy and righteousness (Rev 21:1-4). Biblical hope consolidates its expectation upon the coming Kingdom of God (Dan 2:44). We should regularly talk to God about our sorrows and struggles. When you meditate upon the Psalms, do so with the intent of allowing phases in the lament Psalms to become yours.
IV. God opens a way for mercy through His chastisements. “For I will not contend forever, nor will I always be angry; for the spirit would grow faint7before Me, and the breath of those whom I have made.’ ‘Because of the iniquity of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him; I hid My face and was angry, and he went on turning away, in the way of his heart.’ (57:16-17).
God magnifies His mercy through His chastisements. These are God’s all-wise ways. God is compassionate; He sends His correction only as long as it is needed. He knows how weak we are—our spirits are apt to fail. But He will not forsake the work of His hands. He knows that we are but dust (Ps 103:14), and are like the grass that vanishes quickly (Is 40:6-8).
V. Contrition often involves repenting of covetousness (57:17-19). We live in an idolatrous world, and we carry the remnants of a depraved sin nature. Thus, it is so easy for our hearts to get out of tune. Godliness involves the mortification of idolatry, replacing those idols with the pursuit of satisfaction in God. We could summarize our tendency to stray from God as coveting, or as Paul says, ‘coveting of every kind’ (Rom 7:7-8). Covetousness is fixated on the notion that ‘I would be happy if . . .” Thus, covetousness breeds discontentment, sulking, grumbling, resentment, lusting, and ingratitude.
Coveting is displeasing to our God in heaven because He looks on it with holy jealousy. We were made for Him and redeemed by Him to be His possession, therefore coveting sets up a rival to Him. “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”? (Jas 4:4-5). Unlike coveting, the pursuit of satisfaction in God is great gain. “But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment” (1 Tim 6:6).
What a comfort; God knew how wayward these Hebrews were, but He would not cast them off. “I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners, creating the praise of the lips. Peace, peace to him who is far and to him who is near,” says the LORD, “and I will heal him” (vv. 18-19). He would heal this remnant of their corrupt and vicious disposition. He would direct them into the duty of grace and into pure worship. Like us N.T. believers, these elect Jews would prove to be His workmanship—for He would ultimately glorify His grace in their lives and create the praise of their lips. “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, 8that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name” (Heb 13:15).
The fact that God gives this grace ‘of Himself’ is a matter of praise and thanksgiving. This is a remarkable dimension of grace that the reasons for God’s mercy arise from within Himself, and are not produced or motivated, or triggered by a response from us. We are solely the objects of His mercy. He puts life in spiritually dead hearts, He plants a new nature where there was only a corrupt nature, He bestows a yielding heart where formerly there was only an obstinate one (Titus 3:5-7). He will heal them by His comforts.
Though written 2700 years ago, the application in this blessed promise in Isaiah 57 is timeless.Because God’s reasons for His compassion arise from within Himself, do not choose distance from God no matter what you are suffering. Avoid the trap of false reasoning that because your pain is great, God does not desire to commune with you. Holy living means seeking the face of God again and again with the expectation that He takes pleasure in fulfilling His promises to you. Godliness means loving the God of majesty enough to pursue satisfaction in Him with thanksgiving, and loving neighbor enough to serve him without coveting.