Isaiah 56-57: Woes and Warnings to Unjust Leaders


Isaiah 56-57
  1. Wicked Leaders (unlike Fred) blamed for idolatry (Isa 56:9-57:2)
    1. God blesses all obedient people -- not just Israelites (Isa 56:1-8)
    2. wicked leaders introduced (Isa 56:9-12)
      1. they are unconscious of their duties (Isa 56:10-11)
      2. just because they are of Israel doesn’t mean they are true sons
        1. obedient Eunuchs are better off (Isa 56:3-5)
        2. God plays no favorites (Num 15:30)
        3. only children of the promise are of God (Rom 9:6-8)
        4. having Abraham as your father doesn’t count (Mat 3:7-10)
      3. they get drunk (Isa 56:12) but are never satisfied (Isa 56:11)
        1. works of the flesh (Gal 5:19-21)
        2. fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23)
    3. righteous people are taken away as a result of evil (Isa 57:1-2)
      1. no one notices the righteous man perishing (Isa 57:1)
      2. the righteous will enter into eternal rest (Isa 57:2)
  2. Religion without God (Isa 57:3-13)
    1. a “collection” of all the worst features of Pagan religion (Isa 57:13)
    2. child sacrifice (Isa 57:5)
    3. animism (Isa 57:6)
      1. the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.
    4. unending demands (Isa 57:9-10)
    5. religion of works like all the world religions except for Christianity
  3. Comfort for the Contrite
    1. God promises to revive those who are contrite and lowly (Isa 57:15)
    2. God promises to heal the backslider (Isa 57:17)
    3. God will heal him despite his evil ways (Isa 57:18)
    4. God will bring peace and healing to those He restores (Isa 57:18-19)
    5. There is no peace for the wicked (Isa 57:21)
    6. God echoes these things in the beatitudes (Mat 5:1-11)