Isaiah 57:17-19 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth… I. HERE ARE PROMISES, REACHING TO THE VERY ROOT OF ALL OUR SINFUL NEED, made to sinners as sinners, nay, to the very worst sinners. 1. The promise of healing "I will heal him." 2. A promise of leading. The Hebrew is, I will conduct him safely to his own country. 3. "I will restore comforts to him." It is not the singular word, it is not comfort, but "comforts;" all sorts of comforts, and this though I have seen his ways. This is just the language we have in Isaiah 54:8-12. 4. There is a fourth promise, "Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; a liberal promise! to those afar off — aye, far as the ends of the earth — from God, from light, and rest, and truth. II. THE PERSONS TO WHOM THESE PROMISES ARE MADE. I said God makes promises to sinners, as sinners; will you observe the persons to whom these promises are made, as God describes them here? (ver. 17.) Covetousness is the root of all sin; covetousness sets up self instead of God in the heart, and everything that ariseth in practice contrary to God and His Word has its root in covetousness — selfism; but here is not merely covetousness, but the "iniquity of covetousness," a state of mind that rests at nothing likely to gratify or minister to self, but will go through hell-fire to get at what it wants. Then, again (ver. 17), God smote, but the soul was no better; it is a terrible aggravation of a sinful state, when the correcting hand of God does not mend it; see what God says (Isaiah 1:5). Now, says God, "I have seen his ways," obstinate, incorrigible, in sin, and "I will heal him. Such is the divinely gracious way in which peace is proclaimed to him that is afar off. (M. Rainsford.) Parallel Verses KJV: For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. |
    |