What is the meaning of Isaiah 57:21? There is no peace The statement opens with a blunt conclusion: real rest and wholeness are absent. • Isaiah repeats this truth earlier: “There is no peace for the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22), underscoring that this isn’t a passing mood but a standing verdict. • Jeremiah describes people who try to plaster over their inner turmoil with cheap assurances—“‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14; 8:11). • Paul explains why: “The way of peace they have not known” (Romans 3:17), because peace is rooted in right relationship with God (Romans 5:1). Apart from reconciliation through Christ, calm may appear on the surface, but beneath it churns guilt, fear of judgment, and unresolved enmity with God. says my God The declaration comes from God Himself, not human opinion. • “I, the LORD, speak the truth; I declare what is right” (Isaiah 45:19). When He speaks, the verdict is final. • His ownership—“my God”—reminds us that the prophet belongs to and speaks for the covenant-keeping LORD (Isaiah 40:1; 55:11). • God alone defines genuine peace (John 14:27) and the terms on which it is granted (Ephesians 2:14). If He says there is none for a certain group, every alternate promise is counterfeit. for the wicked The target is not merely notorious criminals but anyone who persists in rebellion against God’s ways. • Psalm 1:4 pictures the wicked “like chaff that the wind blows away,” rootless and unstable. • Proverbs 4:19 notes, “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know what makes them stumble,” showing why peace eludes them. • Spiritual hostility is the core issue: “The mind of the flesh is death… it does not submit to God’s law” (Romans 8:6-7). • Yet God’s offer remains: “Let the wicked forsake his way… and He will abundantly pardon” (Isaiah 55:7). Those who turn to Christ find the promised rest: “By His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5) and “He Himself is our peace” (Ephesians 2:14). summary Isaiah 57:21 is God’s sober assessment that lasting peace cannot be found while a person remains in wickedness. The unrest of the heart, the unrest of society, and the coming eternal unrest all stem from separation from Him. Because the statement is God’s own, it carries absolute authority. Yet the very God who declares “no peace” for the wicked also extends peace through the gospel. When we turn from sin and trust the Prince of Peace, the verdict is reversed: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). |
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