Isaiah

Isaiah 57: God revives the humble in heart

Begin in prayer

Before we look up to the high and holy God who promises to dwell with the humble, let us bow before Him. Ask Him to expose our false refuges and lead our family to the healing and peace found in Jesus.

Yahweh upholds the humble. He brings the wicked down to the ground.

Psalm 147:6

Father in heaven, please open our eyes as we read Your Word. Show us Your holiness and the mercy You give the humble. Turn us from false refuges and help us trust Christ. Make us more like Jesus. And please bless our family as we worship You together. In Jesus' name, Amen.

See where we're going

Righteous people die without anyone considering that they enter peace and are taken away from approaching evil. God summons a disobedient people who mock Him, worship idols under trees and kill children in the valleys. He exposes their unfaithfulness through the picture of an adulterous bed, their stone offerings and their costly search for distant royal help. They have forgotten Him, and neither their claimed righteousness nor their gathered idols will rescue them. God promises refuge and commands a road prepared for His people. The One who inhabits eternity dwells with the humble, healing and comforting despite the greed and stubbornness He has punished. He announces peace to those far and near, while the wicked remain like a restless sea that throws up mud.

As you read Isaiah 57, look for the answers:

Reflect together

Key truth

The holy God revives the humble, and the wicked have no peace.

The opening peace belongs to the righteous who die, correcting the thought that their removal means God has failed them. God calls the rebels “sons of a sorceress” and “offspring of adulterers and prostitutes,” words for a people unfaithful to Him. Idolatry includes offerings to valley stones and the killing of children, and the bed picture names their covenant unfaithfulness. God’s height and eternity do not keep Him from dwelling with those who are contrite, broken in heart over sin. His healing follows the greed and stubborn wandering He has seen, so it is mercy, never a reward for good conduct. The sea picture makes the final warning plain, wickedness stirs up unrest and cannot share the peace He gives.

How does Isaiah 57 show us that the holy God revives the humble, and the wicked have no peace?

God sees unfaithfulness hidden behind false hopes.

The people mock Him while giving worship to idols. Their tireless search for other help has not made them remember Him. The things they gathered cannot stand against even a breath.

The high and holy God draws near to the humble.

He inhabits eternity and dwells in the holy place. Yet He also lives with those broken in heart over sin. His presence revives people who cannot restore themselves.

God’s mercy heals, but wickedness has no peace.

He has struck His people for greed and seen their stubborn wandering. He promises to heal, lead and comfort those He restores. The wicked remain as restless as a sea that casts up mud.

Memorise

I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace, to him who is far off and to him who is near,” says Yahweh; “and I will heal them.”

Isaiah 57:19

Looking to Jesus in my life

Ask yourself in your heart, what false refuge must I confess as I seek the healing mercy of Jesus?

The high and holy One promises “to revive the heart of the contrite.” He has seen greed and stubborn wandering, yet promises to heal and restore comfort. His mercy reaches people who have no power to make themselves clean.

Jesus brings the peace promised to those far off and near (Ephesians 2 verses 13 to 18). He paid for His people’s sins to reconcile them to God. The Father raised Him, and His sacrifice needs nothing added to secure their forgiveness and peace.

Turn from your false refuges and believe in Jesus. Bring Him a humble confession of the sins you have defended. Everyone who trusts Him receives pardon. Do not treat the promise of healing as permission to remain wicked. Come to the holy Savior, whose mercy restores those who could not restore themselves.

Parent's note

Tell your children that God condemns the killing and unfaithfulness named in this chapter. Explain its harder images carefully, and keep His mercy with the humble distinct from peace promised to all. Please do not tell them they are saved just because they grew up in a Christian home. Call each child to turn from sin and trust Jesus, and pray that God would give them a new heart.

Pray together

Now please close your time together in prayer. Thank God that His holiness does not prevent Him from dwelling with and reviving the humble, and bring the heart question to Him. Every child can pray, so let each one say a short prayer if they want to.

and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 18:3

High and holy God, thank You for mercy that draws near to people broken over sin. Please lead us to confess our false hopes and trust Jesus for forgiveness. Heal our stubborn wandering through His grace. Teach our family to seek the peace You give and leave the wickedness You condemn. Amen.