Isaiah Chapter 59 Verse-by-Verse Commentary
Isaiah 59:1–2
ADONAI's arm is not too short to save, nor is his ear too dull to hear. Rather, it is your own crimes that separate you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he doesn't hear.
From this passage, it appears that the people of Judah were asking Isaiah why God was not answering their prayers. We see that the answer is that it is not a lack of ability on the part of God as he is hearing and can change things. It is, in fact, a problem with the people and that problem is sin.
Isaiah 59:3–4
For your hands are stained with blood and your fingers with crime; your lips speak lies, your tongues utter wicked things. No one sues with just cause, no one pleads honestly in court, they trust in empty words and say worthless things; they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.
Now, we see the specifics of the sin and that is the fact that they were not showing love to others and they were not making decisions based on their faith through prayer. Instead of trusting in God and his order of things, the people were trusting in lies and believing that there would not be any consequences. Instead of thinking about how they could show the love of God to their neighbors, they were thinking of ways to bring trouble upon them in order to make things better for themselves.
Isaiah 59:5–6
They hatch viper eggs and spin spiderwebs; whoever eats their eggs dies, and the crushed egg hatches a snake. Their webs are useless as clothing, their deeds are useless for wearing; their deeds are deeds of wickedness, their hands produce violence.
This passage speaks of demonic influence and the fact that acting in this way brings about evil and death in your life.
Isaiah 59:7–8
Their feet run to evil, they rush to shed innocent blood, their thoughts are thoughts of wickedness, their paths lead to havoc and ruin. The way of shalom they do not know, their goings-about obey no law, they make devious paths for themselves; no one treading them will ever know shalom.
We see that this path of chasing after their own desires leads to loss and catastrophe instead of the peace that comes from being in the will of God.
Isaiah 59:9–11
This is why justice is far from us, and righteousness doesn't catch up with us; we look for light, but see only darkness, for brightness, but we walk in gloom. We grope for the wall like the blind; like people without eyes we feel our way; we stumble at noonday as if it were dusk, we are in dark places like the dead. We growl, all of us, like bears and moan pitifully like doves; we look for justice, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far from us.
This passage speaks of the hope of the people for salvation but they do not find it because of the fact that they are on the path of evil and not repenting.
Isaiah 59:12–15
For our crimes multiply before you, our sins testify against us; for our crimes are present with us; and our sins, we know them well: rebelling and denying ADONAI, turning away from following our God, talking about oppression and revolt, uttering lies which our hearts have conceived. Thus justice is repelled, righteousness stands apart, at a distance; for truth stumbles in the public court, and uprightness cannot enter. Honesty is lacking, he who leaves evil becomes a target. ADONAI saw it, and it displeased him that there was no justice.
The people are willingly chasing after sin without the desire to repent and because of this the one who tries to follow God is seen as a threat. This speaks of persecution for those who want to follow the ways of God instead of the ways of those around them.
Isaiah 59:16–19
He saw that there was no one, was amazed that no one interceded. Therefore his own arm brought him salvation, and his own righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, salvation as a helmet on his head; he clothed himself with garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal. He repays according to their deeds - fury to his foes, reprisal to his enemies; to the coastlands he will repay their due; in the west they will fear the name of ADONAI, and likewise, in the east, his glory. For he will come like a pent-up stream, impelled by the Spirit of ADONAI.
God saw that there was nobody who would stand up for what was right and so God did the work to bring salvation to the world. We see that Yeshua Messiah will bring judgement upon all people of the world based on their actions. An enemy will come quickly but God will set up his banner which refers to Yeshua Messiah.
Isaiah 59:20–21
"Then a Redeemer will come to Tziyon, to those in Ya'akov who turn from rebellion." So says ADONAI. "And as for me," says ADONAI, "this is my covenant with them: my Spirit, who rests on you, and my words which I put in your mouth will not depart from your mouth or from the mouth of your children, or from the mouth of your children's children, now or ever," says ADONAI.
This passage speaks of the last days and the remnant of Israel that repents at the time that the enemy is killing two thirds of the Jewish people. In the midst of all of this, Yeshua Messiah will come and redeem this remnant. God establishes a covenant with them and purifies them for an eternity in the kingdom.