When the Wicked Rest and the Righteous Perish
What’s Isaiah 57 about?
This chapter hits you with one of those uncomfortable biblical realities: sometimes the righteous die early while the wicked seem to prosper. But Isaiah doesn’t leave us hanging – he reveals God’s deeper perspective on suffering, idolatry, and the surprising peace that comes to those who trust Him even in death.
The Full Context
Isaiah 57 emerges from one of the most turbulent periods in Judah’s history. Written during the reign of King Manasseh (around 687-642 BCE), this was an era when idolatry had reached epidemic proportions in Jerusalem. Child sacrifice was happening in the valleys outside the city, temple prostitution was normalized, and the faithful were being persecuted – sometimes to death – for their commitment to Yahweh. Isaiah is addressing a community that’s watching good people suffer while those embracing pagan practices seem to thrive.
The chapter sits within the broader structure of Isaiah 56-66, often called “Third Isaiah,” which focuses on restoration themes but doesn’t shy away from confronting ongoing spiritual rebellion. What makes this passage particularly striking is how it oscillates between harsh judgment for the wicked and tender comfort for the humble. It’s as if Isaiah is saying, “Yes, I see the injustice you’re witnessing, but let me show you what’s really happening behind the scenes.” The cultural backdrop includes Mesopotamian fertility cults, Molech worship, and the constant temptation for God’s people to blend their faith with surrounding religious practices.
What the Ancient Words Tell Us
The opening verse contains one of those Hebrew phrases that stops you in your tracks. When Isaiah says the righteous “yāsūph” (are taken away), he’s using a word that can mean “gathered” – like a shepherd gathering sheep at evening. It’s the same word used when the Bible talks about someone being “gathered to their fathers” in death.
Grammar Geeks
The Hebrew phrase “me-ra’ah ha-ba’ah” (from the evil to come) uses a participle that suggests ongoing, approaching evil – not just a one-time bad event, but a wave of wickedness rolling toward the community. The righteous are being rescued from something that’s still coming.
But here’s where it gets interesting – the word for “peace” (shalom) in verse 2 isn’t just about absence of conflict. In Hebrew thought, shalom represents wholeness, completeness, everything being as it should be. So when Isaiah says the righteous “enter into peace,” he’s describing a state of perfect restoration that the living faithful can only dream about.
The language shifts dramatically when Isaiah addresses the idolaters starting in verse 3. The Hebrew gets almost violent in its imagery – he calls them “zera mena’eph” (offspring of adultery) and “zera shaqer” (offspring of falsehood). These aren’t just moral failings; in Hebrew, your “seed” represents your entire legacy, your continuation into the future.
What Would the Original Audience Have Heard?
Picture this: you’re a faithful Jew in Jerusalem watching your neighbors sacrifice their children to Molech in the Valley of Hinnom. You see temple prostitutes operating with royal approval. Meanwhile, your uncle – a man who spent his life studying Torah and helping the poor – just died from persecution, while the guy next door who built a shrine to Asherah in his backyard is getting promoted in the king’s court.
Isaiah’s original audience would have immediately recognized the geographical references. The “high mountain” where they “made their bed” (Isaiah 57:7) wasn’t just any mountain – these were the “high places” where Canaanite fertility rituals happened. When he mentions going down to “the king” in verse 9, using oil and perfumes, he’s describing the ritual preparations for these pagan ceremonies.
Did You Know?
Archaeological excavations in Jerusalem have uncovered hundreds of fertility figurines from this exact time period – small clay images of nude goddesses that people kept in their homes. These “household gods” are likely what Isaiah means when he talks about their “symbols” behind doors and doorposts.
The phrase about “making their bed wide” would have made the original audience wince. In Hebrew culture, the marriage bed was sacred – expanding it implied bringing in additional partners, both literally and metaphorically (since idolatry was consistently described as spiritual adultery).
But then Isaiah pivots to something they desperately needed to hear. When he talks about God dwelling with “the crushed and lowly in spirit” (Isaiah 57:15), he’s using the same Hebrew word (daka) that describes grain being crushed to make bread. The image isn’t just about being sad – it’s about being broken down so thoroughly that you can become nourishment for others.
Wrestling with the Text
Here’s what keeps me up at night about this chapter: Why does God seem to let the righteous suffer while protecting people who are literally sacrificing children?
The traditional answer is that God is “removing” the righteous from coming judgment, like Lot being pulled out of Sodom. But that feels a bit tidy when you’re actually watching good people die young while evil seems to prosper. Isaiah seems to acknowledge this tension rather than explain it away.
Look at the progression in verses 14-21. God promises to build up a highway, remove obstacles, and heal the brokenhearted – but then immediately says “there is no peace for the wicked.” It’s like he’s saying, “Yes, I see the current injustice, but let me show you the trajectory of these two paths.”
Wait, That’s Strange…
In verse 11, God asks, “Whom did you dread and fear, that you lied and did not remember Me?” The Hebrew suggests they feared humans more than God – but these are people engaging in some of the most extreme religious practices imaginable. How do you get so religiously intense while simultaneously forgetting God?
The answer might be in understanding what their idolatry actually represented. These weren’t atheists – they were people trying to control divine power through ritual manipulation. They feared their gods, but they feared them as forces to be managed rather than persons to be trusted.
How This Changes Everything
This chapter completely reframes how we think about suffering and prosperity. The righteous who die early aren’t victims of cosmic unfairness – they’re being gathered into safety before the storm hits. Meanwhile, the wicked who seem to prosper are actually running toward a cliff in the dark.
But the real game-changer is in verses 14-19. God doesn’t just promise to remove obstacles from the path – He promises to dwell with the broken and humble. The Hebrew word for “dwell” (shaken) is the same root as “tabernacle” – God is literally setting up residence with crushed people.
“I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit.”
Think about what this meant to Isaiah’s audience: while the powerful were building elaborate shrines on mountaintops to attract distant gods, the God of the universe was moving into the broken hearts of suffering people. The contrast couldn’t be starker.
The peace promised to those who trust God isn’t just comfort in the afterlife – it’s a different quality of existence right now. When you know that ultimate reality is loving and just, you can endure temporary injustice without becoming bitter or desperate.
Grammar Geeks
The phrase “peace, peace” in verse 19 uses the Hebrew construction of repetition for emphasis – like saying “absolutely peaceful” or “perfect peace.” But it’s specifically for those who are “far off” and those who are “near,” suggesting both physical distance and spiritual condition.
Key Takeaway
When life feels unfair and the wicked seem to prosper, remember that God sees a longer timeline than we do. The righteous who suffer aren’t forgotten – they’re being gathered into safety, while true peace belongs to those who trust God rather than trying to manipulate Him.
Further Reading
Internal Links:
External Scholarly Resources:
- Isaiah 40-66: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament
- The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40-66: The New International Commentary on the Old Testament
- Isaiah: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition
Tags
Isaiah 57:1, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 57:19, suffering, justice, idolatry, peace, righteousness, persecution, God’s presence, comfort, judgment, spiritual adultery, Manasseh, ancient Israel, theodicy
