John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 30:15

"For thus said the Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength. And ye would not:" — Isaiah 30:15 (ASV)

For thus says the Lord. Here he describes one kind of contempt of God, for when warnings are addressed to hypocrites in general terms, they commonly produce little effect. In addition to the general doctrine, therefore, the prophets specify particular instances, which they specially adapt to the conduct of those whom they are addressing, always aiming at a definite purpose.

These hypocrites might have argued and insisted, “Why do you accuse us of such great impiety, as if we rejected the word of the Lord?” Therefore, the Prophet brings forward this specific charge to strike their consciences and cut short their idle sophistry: “Was it not the word of the Lord, In hope and silence shall be your strength? Why did you not rely on God? Why did you raise a commotion?” Thus, he holds them to be convicted, so that they cannot quibble without extreme impudence, or, if they do so, they will gain nothing.

The Holy One of Israel. He uses this title to reproach them more sharply for their ingratitude, so that they might realize what great protection they would have found in God, for God wished to be their protector and guardian. When they had forsaken Him, their distrust led them to seek the aid of the Egyptians, which was a very great and intolerable wickedness. This title contains a bitter complaint that they shut out God from entering when He drew near to them.

In rest and quietness shall you be safe. Some translate שובה (shūbāh) as “repentance.” Others translate it as “rest,” and I am more inclined to adopt that translation, for I think that the Prophet frequently intended to impress upon the people that the Lord demands more from them than to rely fully upon Him. Nor is the repetition of the idea using two words superfluous, for he deliberately intended to join the words “rest” and “quietness” to reprove the people more sharply for their distrust and unbelief.

This verse consists of two clauses: a command and a promise. He enjoins the people to have a quiet disposition, and then promises that their salvation will be certain. The people do not believe this promise, and consequently they do not obey the command. For how could they obey God, whom they do not believe, and on whose promises they do not rely?

Therefore, we should not be surprised that they do not enjoy peace and rest, for these cannot exist without faith. Faith, in turn, cannot exist without the promises. As soon as the promises have been embraced, souls that were restless and uneasy are made calm. Thus, unbelief alone produces that uneasiness, and therefore the Prophet justly reproves it and shows that it is the source of the whole evil.

Although our condition is not entirely the same as that of the Jews, yet God commands us to wait for His assistance with quiet dispositions—not to murmur, be troubled or perplexed, or distrust His promises. This teaching must apply equally to all believers, for the whole aim of Satan’s schemes is to distress them and to cast them down from their secure state. In a similar way, Moses had addressed them long before:

“You shall be silent, and the Lord will fight for you” (Exodus 14:14).

Not that he wished them to sleep or to be idle, but he enjoined them to have this peace in their hearts. If we have it, we will feel that it yields us sufficient protection; and if not, we will be punished for our frivolity and rashness.