Isaiah 56-57
I reside in the high and holy place, but also with those crushed and lowly in spirit.
This is what Jehovah says:
“Uphold justice, and do what is righteous, For my salvation will soon come And my righteousness will be revealed.
Happy is the man who does this And the son of man who holds fast to it, Who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it And who holds his hand back from any kind of evil.
The foreigner who joins himself to Jehovah should not say, ‘Jehovah will surely separate me from his people.’ And the eunuch should not say, ‘Look! I am a dried-up tree.’
For this is what Jehovah says to the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths and who choose what I delight in and who hold fast to my covenant:
“I will give to them in my house and within my walls a monument and a name, Something better than sons and daughters. An everlasting name I will give them, One that will not perish.
As for the foreigners who join themselves to Jehovah to minister to him, To love the name of Jehovah And to be his servants, All those who keep the Sabbath and do not profane it And who hold fast to my covenant,
I will also bring them to my holy mountain And make them rejoice inside my house of prayer. Their whole burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar. For my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”
The Sovereign Lord Jehovah, who is gathering the dispersed ones of Israel, declares: “I will gather to him others besides those already gathered.”
All you wild animals of the field, come to eat, All you wild animals in the forest.
His watchmen are blind, none of them have taken note. All of them are speechless dogs, unable to bark. They are panting and lying down; they love to slumber.
They are dogs with a voracious appetite; They are never satisfied. They are shepherds who have no understanding. They have all gone their own way; Every last one of them seeks his own dishonest gain and says:
“Come, let me take some wine, And let us drink our fill of alcohol. And tomorrow will be like today, only far better!”
Isaiah 57
The righteous one has perished, But no one takes it to heart. Loyal men are taken away, With no one discerning that the righteous one has been taken away Because of the calamity.
He enters into peace. They rest on their beds, all who walk uprightly.
“But as for you, come closer, You sons of a sorceress, You children of an adulterer and a prostitute:
Whom are you making fun of? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and stick out your tongue? Are you not the children of transgression, The children of deceit,
Those who are inflamed with passion among big trees, Under every luxuriant tree, Who slaughter the children in the valleys, Under the clefts of the crags?
With the smooth stones of the valley is your portion. Yes, these are your lot. Even to them you pour out drink offerings and offer gifts. Should I be satisfied with these things?
On a mountain high and lofty you prepared your bed, And you went up there to offer sacrifice.
Behind the door and the doorpost you set up your memorial. You left me and uncovered yourself; You went up and made your bed spacious. And you made a covenant with them. You loved sharing their bed, And you gazed at the male organ.
You went down to Melech with oil And with an abundance of perfume. You sent your envoys far off, So that you descended to the Grave.
You have toiled in following your many ways, But you did not say, ‘It is hopeless!’ You found renewed strength. That is why you do not give up.
Whom did you dread and fear So that you started to lie? You did not remember me. You took nothing to heart. Have I not kept silent and withdrawn? So you showed no fear of me.
I will make known your ‘righteousness’ and your works, And they will not benefit you.
When you cry for help, Your collection of idols will not rescue you. A wind will carry all of them away, A mere breath will blow them away, But the one who takes refuge in me will inherit the land And will take possession of my holy mountain.
It will be said, ‘Build up, build up a road! Prepare the way! Remove any obstacle from the way of my people.’”
For this is what the High and Lofty One says, Who lives forever and whose name is holy:
“I reside in the high and holy place, But also with those crushed and lowly in spirit, To revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of those being crushed.
For I will not oppose them forever Or always remain indignant; For a man’s spirit would grow feeble because of me, Even the breathing creatures that I have made.
I was indignant at his sinful pursuit of dishonest gain, So I struck him, I hid my face, and I was indignant. But he kept walking as a renegade, following the way of his heart.
I have seen his ways, But I will heal him and lead him And restore comfort to him and to his mourning ones.”
“I am creating the fruit of the lips. Continuous peace will be given to the one who is far away and the one who is near,” says Jehovah, “And I will heal him.”
“But the wicked are like the restless sea that cannot calm down, And its waters keep tossing up seaweed and mire.
There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”