God Himself declares that there is no peace for the wicked, who are those that continue in transgression of His holy law, remain impenitent and rebellious, and turn away from Him to walk in their own way. They are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, unsettled and restless, casting up corruption and evil as its waters cast up mire and dirt. This stands in contrast to His promise to dwell with the contrite and humble to revive them, healing and leading them and creating peace for them, both far off and near. Sin destroys peace, for while self remains unsubdued there is no rest, and there is no true peace apart from Christ, whose grace alone quiets the strife of human passion and gives the heart rest. Peace is restored only when the sinner repents, confesses and forsakes sin, returns to God in obedience and submission of the will, and turns to Jesus, so no peace or prosperity may be promised to those who persist in wrongdoing.
Language and Context
The wicked are those who continue in transgression of God's holy law, remaining impenitent and rebellious instead of returning to allegiance and obedience. They go frowardly in the way of their own heart, turn away from God, and walk in the light of sparks of their own kindling. To persist in that course is to refuse the contrition that brings revival, healing, and restored comfort, for peace belongs to the contrite and humble spirit who repents of transgression.
They are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, unsettled and restless, continually in turmoil. Their waters cast up mire and dirt, bringing forth corruption and evil rather than peace. Persistent wickedness therefore leaves a person without the peace God gives to those who turn to Him.
The declaration of no peace stands as the opposite lot to God's dwelling in the high and holy place with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones. To those who humble their hearts, confess and forsake sins, put trust in God, and return to Him, He gives healing and leading. He restores comforts to them and to their mourners, and creates the fruit of the lips, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near. Those who persist in their own ways and do wrong have no share in that healing, comfort, and peace.
The chapter means much to God's people and holds precious instruction that must be studied carefully and prayerfully to become wise unto salvation. Together with Isaiah 55, 56, 57, and 58 it forms a whole field of comfort and encouragement, with an open door to enter and meet with God where earnest seekers will find Him. In this setting worth in God's sight does not come from being rich in worldly wealth, for God values, acknowledges, and honors the meek and contrite rather than the wealthy.
Why the Wicked Lack Peace
Sin destroys peace, leaving the wicked without rest like a sea that cannot rest. While self remains unsubdued there is no rest, because the ruling and masterful passions of the heart are beyond all human power to control. In that condition people are as helpless as the disciples before the raging storm. Lasting rest comes only by turning to Jesus with the cry for salvation, whose grace reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and gives the heart rest in His love.
There is no true peace apart from Christ, for the peace He gives comes from Him alone. The world's promises of peace cannot give it, and those who reject Christ cannot possess it. Those who transgress God's law have no true peace, for sin brings discord and misery, and earthly rulers cannot give rest to the soul. True happiness and peace come only through obedience to God's law and submission of the will to Him.
Cherishing strife, bitterness, and selfishness shuts the heart against the Holy Spirit. Those who do so resist the Spirit and may feel a kind of rest without pardon and without learning Christ's meekness and lowliness, but that apparent rest is delusive. Adversity reveals that such security is unreliable. Christians must not let dissension take root among them but must maintain peace and show the unity Christ desired for His followers, and such ways must be corrected.
By defying God and abusing self through indulgence in wine, liquor, and appetite, people bring destructive consequences upon themselves. Nature is governed by God's laws, and when His laws are defied nature's good gifts become destructive and turn from blessing into instruments of harm and death. God does not miraculously turn evil into good but lets the consequences of working against Him and nature follow their course. This was illustrated when nature served judgment in the plagues that devastated Egypt when Pharaoh resisted God. Under God's judgment the earth and all creation lie under a curse, nature is confused, and the effects of the curse become more evident each year.
How Peace Is Restored
Peace is restored because Christ gave His life to make it possible for sinners to win back by obedience what was lost, to return to allegiance, to keep the holy law, and to stand on vantage ground. True happiness and peace come only through obedience to God's law and submission of the will to Him, for those who continue in transgression have no peace.
Lasting rest comes only by turning to Jesus, whose grace reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and gives the heart rest in His love. While self remains unsubdued there is no rest, because the ruling and masterful passions of the heart are beyond all human power to control. Sinners in this condition are as helpless as the disciples before the raging storm, and must come with the cry for salvation to receive the reconciliation and quieting that brings the heart to rest.
God is willing to heal and lead and restore comforts and peace, creating peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, but not while rebellion is nursed. Healing comes when the sinner is repentant, contrite, and sorry for working at cross purposes with God, humbling the heart, confessing and forsaking sins, putting trust in God, returning to Him, and seeking Him with purification of every defiling sin from heart and character. His hand is not shortened that it cannot save nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear, though iniquities have separated between the impenitent and God and sins have hid His face so He will not hear. He dwells in the high and holy place with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones, and He will not contend forever nor stay angry always lest the spirit and souls He made should fail, but having seen the ways of the stubborn sinner who went on in the way of his own heart He will heal and lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners. The lack of peace therefore does not mean the wicked have no hope, for God calls them to return and promises mercy and abundant pardon and healing to all oppressed under a sense of sin.
Christ's death proclaims peace and pardon to every repentant, sin-sick person. God hears the prayers of all who come to Him in necessity with humble and contrite hearts, manifests Himself to them, and revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite. This healing and peace belong to the humble and contrite in contrast to the restless, troubled condition of the wicked whose way of life cannot bring rest.
Judgment on Impenitence
God Himself declares there is no peace to the wicked, and the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. In contrast to those whose ways He has seen and whom He will heal and lead, restoring comforts to them and to their mourners and creating peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near, those who walk in the light of sparks of their own kindling and corrupt the heart of the work remain restless, defiled, and without peace from Him. The righteous are distinguished from the wicked in that the righteous receive peace and comfort in this life and everlasting glory in the life to come, while the wicked face confusion, unrest, and everlasting shame.
For His own name's sake He will not permit the froward and the independent pursuing unsanctified plans to carry them out, but in displeasure will visit their perversity of action, so there is no peace to the wicked. Those who act perversely and pursue unsanctified plans cannot have His favor or lasting peace, for their perversity brings His displeasure and judgment. Yet in judgment He remembers mercy, healing and restoring favor and comfort to every sinner who repents and does righteousness and the works of righteousness, and giving peace to the penitent far off and near.
Christ's death proclaims peace and pardon to every repentant, sin-sick person, but not to those who remain impenitent, for judgment falls on transgressors. That judgment comes with greater severity on those who have received greater light and truth and then rejected it. The declaration exposes the wicked among His professed people brought to view in Isaiah 50 through 58, who disregard the reproofs given, accepting only the words they choose and refusing thorough work. It is especially a warning to those in high positions carrying great responsibilities who have had great light yet have not followed on to know the Lord and have neglected the duty to warn the people to understand what is truth, for which they will be judged. It calls them to stop complaining and evil working, to put away the evil of their doings, to come nigh, repent and be converted, because their ways are not accepted, and a reformation must go through the congregation, after which Isaiah 60 and 61 will be understood and the Lord will appear for the conviction and conversion of souls.
The prophecy plainly foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world. That work gives the world the reason for belief through camp meetings, spends means and money to present truth, and establishes sanitariums in different parts of the world as an educating power to reform people and restore in them the moral image of God. It converts men through knowledge of the Word so they use means and ability to extend truth, and it arouses the slumbering senses of the people to see departure from the Lord's ordinances by worldly policy and conformity to worldly principles in transgression of His law.
Warning Church and World
No one is permitted to hide or excuse the sins of God's people, or to promise peace and prosperity to those who are turning away from God while they persist in wrongdoing. Smooth words and fair speeches that assure such persons of peace are false, for those who turn away have no true peace. Those who bear the message must instead rouse the people and plainly show transgression, whether men will accept it or reject it. Such plain warning is necessary because Satan works with every deception to counterwork God, and speaking truthfully rather than offering false peace can lead the wicked to take the word seriously and tremble.
Promising "peace" when judgment has been declared does not change the truth, but glosses over sin, strengthens people in resistance to correction, and opposes the message. God does not alter His ways to suit corrupt people, and those who encourage rebellion against His messengers resist His word. Those who continue in transgression and go frowardly in the way of the heart are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, and continually they accuse and falsify those through whom God is working.
Cherishing strife, bitterness, and selfishness shuts the heart against the Holy Spirit and leaves no peace that comes through pardon and learning meekness and lowliness. Any rest felt without pardon and without that meekness is delusive and unreliable, a security that adversity exposes. Christians must therefore not let dissension take root among them, but must correct such ways, maintain peace, and show the unity desired for followers. The verse calls for the meekness shown in life and character, for humbling the heart before God, and for standing in right relation to Him, where earnest seekers find an open door to enter and meet with God.
God Himself declares that there is no peace for the wicked, who are those that continue in transgression of His holy law, remain impenitent and rebellious, and turn away from Him to walk in their own way. They are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, unsettled and restless, casting up corruption and evil as its waters cast up mire and dirt. This stands in contrast to His promise to dwell with the contrite and humble to revive them, healing and leading them and creating peace for them, both far off and near. Sin destroys peace, for while self remains unsubdued there is no rest, and there is no true peace apart from Christ, whose grace alone quiets the strife of human passion and gives the heart rest. Peace is restored only when the sinner repents, confesses and forsakes sin, returns to God in obedience and submission of the will, and turns to Jesus, so no peace or prosperity may be promised to those who persist in wrongdoing.
Language and Context
The wicked are those who continue in transgression of God's holy law, remaining impenitent and rebellious instead of returning to allegiance and obedience. They go frowardly in the way of their own heart, turn away from God, and walk in the light of sparks of their own kindling. To persist in that course is to refuse the contrition that brings revival, healing, and restored comfort, for peace belongs to the contrite and humble spirit who repents of transgression.
They are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, unsettled and restless, continually in turmoil. Their waters cast up mire and dirt, bringing forth corruption and evil rather than peace. Persistent wickedness therefore leaves a person without the peace God gives to those who turn to Him.
The declaration of no peace stands as the opposite lot to God's dwelling in the high and holy place with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones. To those who humble their hearts, confess and forsake sins, put trust in God, and return to Him, He gives healing and leading. He restores comforts to them and to their mourners, and creates the fruit of the lips, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near. Those who persist in their own ways and do wrong have no share in that healing, comfort, and peace.
The chapter means much to God's people and holds precious instruction that must be studied carefully and prayerfully to become wise unto salvation. Together with Isaiah 55, 56, 57, and 58 it forms a whole field of comfort and encouragement, with an open door to enter and meet with God where earnest seekers will find Him. In this setting worth in God's sight does not come from being rich in worldly wealth, for God values, acknowledges, and honors the meek and contrite rather than the wealthy.
Why the Wicked Lack Peace
Sin destroys peace, leaving the wicked without rest like a sea that cannot rest. While self remains unsubdued there is no rest, because the ruling and masterful passions of the heart are beyond all human power to control. In that condition people are as helpless as the disciples before the raging storm. Lasting rest comes only by turning to Jesus with the cry for salvation, whose grace reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and gives the heart rest in His love.
There is no true peace apart from Christ, for the peace He gives comes from Him alone. The world's promises of peace cannot give it, and those who reject Christ cannot possess it. Those who transgress God's law have no true peace, for sin brings discord and misery, and earthly rulers cannot give rest to the soul. True happiness and peace come only through obedience to God's law and submission of the will to Him.
Cherishing strife, bitterness, and selfishness shuts the heart against the Holy Spirit. Those who do so resist the Spirit and may feel a kind of rest without pardon and without learning Christ's meekness and lowliness, but that apparent rest is delusive. Adversity reveals that such security is unreliable. Christians must not let dissension take root among them but must maintain peace and show the unity Christ desired for His followers, and such ways must be corrected.
By defying God and abusing self through indulgence in wine, liquor, and appetite, people bring destructive consequences upon themselves. Nature is governed by God's laws, and when His laws are defied nature's good gifts become destructive and turn from blessing into instruments of harm and death. God does not miraculously turn evil into good but lets the consequences of working against Him and nature follow their course. This was illustrated when nature served judgment in the plagues that devastated Egypt when Pharaoh resisted God. Under God's judgment the earth and all creation lie under a curse, nature is confused, and the effects of the curse become more evident each year.
How Peace Is Restored
Peace is restored because Christ gave His life to make it possible for sinners to win back by obedience what was lost, to return to allegiance, to keep the holy law, and to stand on vantage ground. True happiness and peace come only through obedience to God's law and submission of the will to Him, for those who continue in transgression have no peace.
Lasting rest comes only by turning to Jesus, whose grace reconciles the soul to God, quiets the strife of human passion, and gives the heart rest in His love. While self remains unsubdued there is no rest, because the ruling and masterful passions of the heart are beyond all human power to control. Sinners in this condition are as helpless as the disciples before the raging storm, and must come with the cry for salvation to receive the reconciliation and quieting that brings the heart to rest.
God is willing to heal and lead and restore comforts and peace, creating peace to him that is far off and to him that is near, but not while rebellion is nursed. Healing comes when the sinner is repentant, contrite, and sorry for working at cross purposes with God, humbling the heart, confessing and forsaking sins, putting trust in God, returning to Him, and seeking Him with purification of every defiling sin from heart and character. His hand is not shortened that it cannot save nor His ear heavy that it cannot hear, though iniquities have separated between the impenitent and God and sins have hid His face so He will not hear. He dwells in the high and holy place with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite ones, and He will not contend forever nor stay angry always lest the spirit and souls He made should fail, but having seen the ways of the stubborn sinner who went on in the way of his own heart He will heal and lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners. The lack of peace therefore does not mean the wicked have no hope, for God calls them to return and promises mercy and abundant pardon and healing to all oppressed under a sense of sin.
Christ's death proclaims peace and pardon to every repentant, sin-sick person. God hears the prayers of all who come to Him in necessity with humble and contrite hearts, manifests Himself to them, and revives the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite. This healing and peace belong to the humble and contrite in contrast to the restless, troubled condition of the wicked whose way of life cannot bring rest.
Judgment on Impenitence
God Himself declares there is no peace to the wicked, and the wicked are like the troubled sea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. In contrast to those whose ways He has seen and whom He will heal and lead, restoring comforts to them and to their mourners and creating peace to him that is afar off and to him that is near, those who walk in the light of sparks of their own kindling and corrupt the heart of the work remain restless, defiled, and without peace from Him. The righteous are distinguished from the wicked in that the righteous receive peace and comfort in this life and everlasting glory in the life to come, while the wicked face confusion, unrest, and everlasting shame.
For His own name's sake He will not permit the froward and the independent pursuing unsanctified plans to carry them out, but in displeasure will visit their perversity of action, so there is no peace to the wicked. Those who act perversely and pursue unsanctified plans cannot have His favor or lasting peace, for their perversity brings His displeasure and judgment. Yet in judgment He remembers mercy, healing and restoring favor and comfort to every sinner who repents and does righteousness and the works of righteousness, and giving peace to the penitent far off and near.
Christ's death proclaims peace and pardon to every repentant, sin-sick person, but not to those who remain impenitent, for judgment falls on transgressors. That judgment comes with greater severity on those who have received greater light and truth and then rejected it. The declaration exposes the wicked among His professed people brought to view in Isaiah 50 through 58, who disregard the reproofs given, accepting only the words they choose and refusing thorough work. It is especially a warning to those in high positions carrying great responsibilities who have had great light yet have not followed on to know the Lord and have neglected the duty to warn the people to understand what is truth, for which they will be judged. It calls them to stop complaining and evil working, to put away the evil of their doings, to come nigh, repent and be converted, because their ways are not accepted, and a reformation must go through the congregation, after which Isaiah 60 and 61 will be understood and the Lord will appear for the conviction and conversion of souls.
The prophecy plainly foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world. That work gives the world the reason for belief through camp meetings, spends means and money to present truth, and establishes sanitariums in different parts of the world as an educating power to reform people and restore in them the moral image of God. It converts men through knowledge of the Word so they use means and ability to extend truth, and it arouses the slumbering senses of the people to see departure from the Lord's ordinances by worldly policy and conformity to worldly principles in transgression of His law.
Warning Church and World
No one is permitted to hide or excuse the sins of God's people, or to promise peace and prosperity to those who are turning away from God while they persist in wrongdoing. Smooth words and fair speeches that assure such persons of peace are false, for those who turn away have no true peace. Those who bear the message must instead rouse the people and plainly show transgression, whether men will accept it or reject it. Such plain warning is necessary because Satan works with every deception to counterwork God, and speaking truthfully rather than offering false peace can lead the wicked to take the word seriously and tremble.
Promising "peace" when judgment has been declared does not change the truth, but glosses over sin, strengthens people in resistance to correction, and opposes the message. God does not alter His ways to suit corrupt people, and those who encourage rebellion against His messengers resist His word. Those who continue in transgression and go frowardly in the way of the heart are like the troubled sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, and continually they accuse and falsify those through whom God is working.
Cherishing strife, bitterness, and selfishness shuts the heart against the Holy Spirit and leaves no peace that comes through pardon and learning meekness and lowliness. Any rest felt without pardon and without that meekness is delusive and unreliable, a security that adversity exposes. Christians must therefore not let dissension take root among them, but must correct such ways, maintain peace, and show the unity desired for followers. The verse calls for the meekness shown in life and character, for humbling the heart before God, and for standing in right relation to Him, where earnest seekers find an open door to enter and meet with God.