Isaiah 57:18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Nevertheless, when Israel repents in the latter days, they will age and abandon their wicked actions, finding acceptance through faith and being liberated from past transgressions by the mercy of God, receiving genuine comfort.

What kind of comfort is this, one may ask? Clearly, it is the grace of Christ, which justifies through faith, delivers from sin, provides sanctification by the Spirit, the glory of adoption, and the hope of the rewards prepared for the saints. Thus, true comfort extends to those who accept it, delivering ultimate blessings and peace in the world—an enduring prosperity that the Saviour offers to those who are far off and near alike, encompassing both Gentiles and Israel. The blessed Paul declared to the Gentiles, "now ye that were sometimes far off are made near by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:13). For the Israelites, their adherence to the law and their service to the living God according to divine proclamation placed them near, while the Gentiles remained distant, having been estranged from God’s counsel and ignorant of the Creator.

Yet, peace came from God the Father to both groups through Christ, who unified them into one new humanity, dismantling barriers and abolishing the law of commandments (Eph. 2:14, 15). In Him, we have been granted reconciliation and unbreakable peace with both God and each other. Christ, in speaking to the heavenly Father, expressed His desire for unity: "That they all may be one" (John 17:21, cf. John 17:11). The prophet further affirms this, stating: "And the Lord said, I will heal," consolidating the entirety of the promise from God, who presides over all. Although He assured healing, the wicked will be troubled and will find no rest. Following His articulation of the blessings for the called, He justly and in due season warns about the lot of the disobedient, their distress and perpetual troubles, saying, "It is impossible that they should rejoice, saith the Lord God." If the Lord and God of all withholds joy from them, what joy can remain?

At the time of Israel's calling, some would succumb to the son of iniquity and persist in disobedience. The wise Paul elucidates this reality: "Because they have not received the knowledge of the truth, therefore God will send them the work of flattery" (2 Thess. 2:10, 11). The Saviour Himself stated: "I have come in My Father's name, and ye shall not receive Me; but if any man comes in his own name, him ye shall receive" (John 5:43). Eventually, Israel will be summoned to recognize Christ, and through faith in Him, they will receive an abundance of grace. However, some will remain ungodly and unrighteous, existing in a perpetual state of turmoil, entirely devoid of joy, broken and subjected to eternal punishment.

Indeed, individuals do not become virtuous through such possessions; rather, those who attain goodness from other sources rightly utilize these possessions. Thus, it follows that authentic consolation is not found in these worldly goods, but in the realm of true life. For a person must be transformed through that which brings about their goodness.

I saw his actions, healed him, offered him consolation, and bestowed peace upon those far and near, says the Lord, and I will restore them. However, the lawless will be unsettled and unable to find solace. The Lord God states there is no joy for the wicked.

Following the rejection of the Jewish people and those who did not accept the Savior, He promised the humble and the saints a promised land and instructed the apostles to prepare the way for the returning people and eliminate all temptations. To illustrate His power, He shows that the highest authority can easily grant forgiveness to those who repent, and it is just for the Creator to have compassion on His creation. Thus, He reveals His anger and sorrow toward His people, acknowledging their sins, greed, and their contentment with evil while continually adding sin to sin. He states that He struck him for a brief moment to bring healing, and turned away His face so that he might long for Him more earnestly, crying out: “Show Thy face, and we shall be saved” (Psalms 79). His displeasure manifested in the sorrow of walking continually in grief, as stated: “All day long I walked sorrowfully” (Psalms 87:7). He did not wish to appear repentant only to others, but genuinely sought to turn his heart toward God.

Recognizing the sincerity of his repentance, I healed the wounds I had inflicted and welcomed him back to Myself, granting true comfort. Many false comforts have deceived mankind; He consoled those who lamented him by declaring, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). The fulfillment of the fruitful words signifies that I have honored My promise, stating: “As I live, saith the Lord, I have no desire for the death of the sinner, but for the sinner's conversion” (Ezekiel 33:11). The Lord promises peace: “My peace I give to you, my peace I leave with you” (John 14:27). He speaks of peace for the distant as well as the near, extending His grace not just to one nation but to all peoples, first to the Gentiles and then to those among Israel who choose to believe. The apostle notes that they were the first to receive the message of God, yet since they were unworthy to secure their own salvation, let us seek after those who are open to the Word (Acts 18:46). Writing to the Ephesians, addressing both circumcised peoples and Gentiles, he stated, “But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. He is our peace, who has made both one, breaking down the barrier of hostility through His flesh” (Eph. 2:13-14). Furthermore, he adds that He came to announce peace to those far and near (Eph. 2:17). Through Him, we, both Jew and Gentile, have access to the Father by one Spirit: He brings peace to those distant and those near, to the lawless and the prophets, embracing those who received Him and were healed. Conversely, the wicked, who are lawless, are described as the restless sea, never able to find rest. While this can apply broadly to all unrighteous individuals, it particularly depicts the Jewish people who collectively shouted in their wickedness, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him! We have no king but Caesar” (John 19:15).

Thus, just as the unsettled sea remains turbulent with its waves crashing ashore only to return and muddy the ground beneath, so too will the wicked be eternally subject to turmoil, knowing no joy and finding no peace in their wicked ways. Some interpret this in light of the Savior, who endured grief for a brief moment due to the sins of the world, as expressed: “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death” (Matthew 26:38). His Father struck Him, as prophesied by Zechariah: “I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7; Matthew 26:31). He also indicated in Psalm sixty-eight: “Because You have struck Him, they will be driven away” (Psalm 68:27). As the Father withdrew His face from Him, He assumed the role of a servant, grieving for his people’s sins, weeping for Jerusalem. Observing His ways, the Father healed Him who had conquered death, and His body did not see decay, thus, though stricken on the cross, He was restored in the Resurrection. He consoled Him by offering Him not just one nation of the Jews, but the whole world. The apostles, who mourned Him, received His comfort. He who proclaimed: “Ask of Me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession” (Psalms 2:8), speaks of peace for peace, reconciling the world to God so that all nations may come to Him and be healed by the Father.

Yet the wicked, as mentioned earlier, are likened to the ceaseless sea, forever restless, and even in moments of calm, they are pushed ashore by relentless waves that ultimately return to the mud, continually subjected to trampled disorder.