I haven’t seen any detailed analysis of this passage at least in this forum (a cursory search for ‘Isaiah’ yielded a couple of verses in other threads, but mostly in passing).
*"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.
For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart.
I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." - Isaiah 57:15-21*
I came across this passage quite by accident. My pastor taught a lesson on Wednesday night and at one point discussed the eternity of God, using Isaiah 57:15 as a reference (He explained that from the point of view of God, every point in eternity is the same, past, present, and future. And in fact, a search for the word ‘eternity’ in the Blue Letter Bible (eliyah.com/lexicon.html) is only listed in Isaiah 57:15 as ‘ad’. But that’s a subject for a later time, which I might branch off into another thread, if the eternal aspects of God hasn’t been discussed already).
But what I was struck with are that the verses following seem to indicate possible universalist implications. There are definitely consequences for the iniquity (smote), but afterward healing for the contrite heart. Which almost seems to me an indication of avaliable repentence* after *death. For those that are wicked (or those that continue in sin) there is no rest, no peace, (the waters cast up mire and dirt - could that be in death?) as in a sense of constant conviction which will hopefully lead toward repentence or change of heart.
I also find of interest in the phrase in verse 17, ‘I hid me’. It is pecular because it comes between two ‘wroths’, which seems to me to be a process in God dealing with a wayward (frowardly) one. First, there is a conviction of God’s anger, perhaps with consequences, then a withdrawal from God, then more punishment, as God leads him toward repentence (healing).
Anyone care to tackle this?