Isaiah 57:11
And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not? And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
Isaiah 57:11 stands in the field of encouragement and comfort found in Isaiah 55, 56, 57, and 58, to be diligently studied by pastors and people to arouse them from spiritual stupidity. Its chapter means much to God's people and calls for careful, prayerful study, and such study makes wise unto salvation. Its chapter teaches that worldly wealth does not increase a person's value in God's sight, while the Lord acknowledges and honors the meek and contrite.
The verse describes a people wearied in their own way yet unwilling to admit that there is no hope in that way. It rebukes those who have been afraid of and feared men rather than God, who have lied and have not remembered God nor laid Him to heart, who have feared others, forgotten God, and failed to take their conduct to heart. Their course has grieved God and grieved His people, and their own righteousness and works will not profit them. God's holding His peace even of old has not led them to fear Him, and their continued perversity calls for judgment.
God has compassion on this class and will show mercy to those who humble their hearts, confess and forsake their sins, repent and do what is right. To the contrite and humble He will not leave them to become the sport of Satan's temptations, but will dwell with them to revive them and to give them trust in Him, possession of the land, and inheritance of His holy mountain. The verse holds an open door to enter and meet with God, where He can be sought earnestly and will be found, and receiving this requires the meekness Christ represented in His life and character, humbling the heart before God and standing in right relation to Him.
The verse calls those in the cities who profess present truth to wake up and give to others what the Lord has given them, to arise and shine because their light is come and to see the glory of God as they give the precious light of the gospel message, going forth with full assurance that angels of God will make impressions on the minds of those for whom they labor. It foretells the great and solemn work of presenting the warning message to the world by giving people the reason for belief, using camp meetings to give information, using means to establish sanitariums that educate and reform and restore the moral image of God, and sending workers to arouse slumbering senses to see departure from the Lord's ordinances by worldly policy and conformity and transgression of the law of God.