If the glorious vision of renewal and rebuilding pictured at the end of Isaiah 58 is not taking place, the hold-up is not on the Lord’s side. The opening lines of chapter 59 make that clear: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull that it cannot hear” (1). The Lord’s “hand” remains strong, His “ear” open and alert. The reason deliverance delays is due to the iniquities and sins of God’s people. Their “iniquities have made a separation” between them and their God; their “sins have hidden his face” so that “he does not hear” (2).
Verses 2-8 elaborate on the people of Israel’s sins. These iniquities and transgressions, previously identified in chapter 58, are now described in graphic detail. God’s people have blood on their hands (“your hands are defiled with blood”—3) and lies on their tongues (“your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness”—3). Injustice rules the day in their legal proceedings (4). They plot “mischief and give birth to iniquity” (4).
The Lord pictures them as snakes and spiders, hatching “adders’ eggs” and weaving a “spiders web” to snare their victims (5-6). Their evil plots, which have deadly results for others, also fail to benefit the perpetrators: “Their webs will not serve as clothing; men will not cover themselves with what they make” (6). It’s a scorched earth scenario for everyone. Instead of walking towards God on the “way of peace”, the wicked “run to evil” on highways of “desolation and destruction” (7). Since they make their roads morally “crooked”, they can’t find their way to the wholeness and peace (8).
In verses 9-13, Isaiah confesses and laments the sins of the nation. Using first person plural pronouns (“we” is used 10 times; “us” is used five times; “our” is used five times), Isaiah implicates all God’s people as guilty and indicates sin’s devastating effects. Their collective hopes for justice, righteousness and deliverance remain unfulfilled (9,11). Instead walking in the light, they stumble in the dark like blind men (9-10). They growl like bears and moan like doves for “salvation” that remains out of reach (11). Why this sad situation? “For our transgressions are multiplied before you, and our sins testify against us; four our transgressions are with us, and we know our iniquities” (12). They have turned their backs on God and turned to “oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart lying words” (13).
The spiritual and ethical condition—no righteousness or justice—is so degraded that anyone who tries to break from evil “makes himself a prey” (15). Those who resist wickedness become targets for the wicked. When people turn away from the Lord and transgress His will and ways (note the repetition of “transgress” verses 12, 13, 20), society become vicious. Those who try to stand for justice are treated unjustly. Those who oppose oppression are further oppressed.
How will this tragic situation ever change? Verses 15-19 point to the only hope: God Himself must intervene. “He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no one to intercede” (16). Seeing the desperate, degraded condition of His people, the Lord responds with both displeasure (“it displeased him”—15) and decisive action: “then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him” (16). Like a warrior dressing for battle, the Lord “put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak” (17).
A champion for justice, the Lord comes to “repay wrath to his adversaries” and “enemies” (18). Seeing no one coming to the defense of the one who turns from transgression, the Lord steps in to save and uphold (16). The Lord takes it on Himself to intervene to repay the wicked and rescue the mistreated.
The Lord not only deals with wickedness among his own people, His justice also extends to the ends of the earth (“the coastlands”—18, a picture of the edges of the earth). As a result of his decisive, sudden action, all the earth—from “the west” to the “rising of the sun”—will “fear the name of the Lord” and see His “glory” (19).
As the Lord comes to repay evil, He also “comes as “a Redeemer” to rescue those in Zion who “turn from transgression” (20). Departing from evil made them the “prey” of evildoers (15); however, it also made them the objects of God’s redemption (20). The Lord shows Himself to be the salvation of those who hope in Him and walk in His ways.
Best of all, those who turn from evil to fear and follow the Lord receive a “covenant” promise from Him (21). God promises to put His Spirit upon them and His words in their mouths: “my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouth of your offspring, or the mouth of your children’s offspring” says the Lord, “from this time forth and forevermore” (21). Here we have a covenant with similarities to the New Covenant spoken of by both Jeremiah (31:31-34) and Ezekiel (36:24-28). In this covenant, God’s Spirit indwells His people, and His Word is internalized so that it fills their hearts and mouths.
Behold Your God
The Lord hides His face and holds back His help from those who persist in their sin. Isaiah declares the separation between God and His people is not due to a failure on His part: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear” (1-2). The Lord’s abilities and awareness never diminish; however, He distances Himself from those who disregard His will and ways. Sin is always disruptive and destructive.
The Lord intervenes to redeem those who turn away from transgression and turn back to Him. In a sinful society, standing for truth and justice makes a person a “prey” (15). However, the one who “departs from evil” will find the Lord as their defense. As the Champion for righteousness and justice, the Lord “intercedes” for those who turn from sin and turn to Him (16). He intervenes as the “Redeemer” for those “who turn from transgression” (20).
The Lord can save by many, by few, or by none. When attacking the Philistines, Jonathan told his armour bearer: “for nothing can hinder the Lord from saving by many or by few” (1 Sam 14:6). Isaiah 59:16 goes further: the Lord can save with no human help. “He saw that there was no man and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then his own arm brought him salvation, and his righteousness upheld him” (16). Though it displeases Him when we do not step up to intervene to stop evil and support the faithful (15), it doesn’t stop Him from taking decisive action to win the day. The Lord is a warrior, the Lord is His name (Exodus 15:3).
The Lord will cause His name to be feared and His glory to be seen to the ends of the earth. Since people will not and cannot root out evil from their hearts and societies, the Lord will. Although no one else intercedes and intervenes, He will. He will come to set crooked things straight, repaying his enemies (18) and rescuing His faithful followers (20). The ends of the earth (the “coastlands”—18), from east to west (19), will see His glory and come to fear His great name (19).
Here Am I
I cannot persist in sin and expect the Lord to hear my prayers for help. Sin disrupts and damages our relationship with God. While He does not change in His inclination and ability to redeem, sin causes a separation that makes God seem distant and hidden (2). Isaiah echoes the idea expressed in Psalm 66:18: “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Sin must be confessed and forsaken (“departs from evil”—15). Because of the Suffering Servant “was pierced for our transgressions: and “crushed for our iniquities” (53:5), we can be confident that “if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleans us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
I will share in the suffering and brokenness when society turns away from God. In verses 9-13, Isaiah offers up a communal lament for the sad situation among God’s people. While Isaiah is faithful to God, he lives among a people of unclean hearts, lips, and hands (3-4). As such, he suffers the consequences that come upon the wider culture: no justice (9), much darkness (10), unbearable frustration (“we all growl like bears”—11), deep sadness (“we moan and moan like doves”—11), and dashed hopes (“we hope for justice, but there is none”—11).
If I stand for truth and justice in an unjust society, I should expect to become a target. When societies turn from God, those who turn to him become targets: “he who departs from evil makes himself a prey” (15). As a Japanese proverb says: “The nail that stands up gets pounded down.” As our society races away from God’s revealed will, it becomes a more dangerous place for those seeking to follow His ways. Jesus warned us that our allegiance to Him would result in being hated by the world (John 15:18-25).
Even in ungodly times, I can rejoice in God’s redemption and eternal covenant. While much of Isaiah 59 paints a gloomy, depressing picture of society and its evil impact, the chapter ends with bright reasons to rejoice. The Lord is the Redeemer who will ultimately bring His salvation to His people (20). Further, He promises them an eternal covenant (“from this time forth and forevermore”—21). Here are reasons to rejoice, even in dark, dangerous times.
Rick and Linda Reed 