Isaiah 57:20-21 But the wicked are like the tossing sea; for it cannot be quiet, and its waters toss up mire and dirt. 21 There is no peace,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
As the Yamim Nora’im, the Days of Awe, draw toward Yom Kippur, Isaiah’s warning falls with sobering clarity: “There is no peace for the wicked.” The image is striking — the wicked are like the restless sea, unable to be still, churning up mud and mire. Sin never leads to quiet; rebellion can never produce rest. Only those who turn back in repentance find the still waters of God’s peace.
These ten days stand as a line in the sand — a call to choose life or remain in rebellion. The rabbis taught that during this season, the Book of Life is open, and each soul must decide its path. The Days of Awe are not meant to be comfortable; they are meant to awaken us to the urgency of repentance. To continue in sin is to remain in the storm, but to turn to God is to find calm in His mercy.
For believers, this truth finds its fulfillment in Messiah Yeshua (Jesus), the Prince of Peace. He alone offers the shalom the world cannot give. Yeshua Himself said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you” (John 14:27). The world’s peace is fleeting, but the peace of the Messiah is eternal, purchased by His blood and secured by His resurrection. Without Him, the heart remains restless; in Him, the soul finds rest.
As we reach the close of the Days of Awe, the choice could not be clearer. Peace or unrest. Repentance or rebellion. Life or death. The sea of this world offers only turbulence, but the Prince of Peace invites you to still waters. The shofar has sounded, the Book is open, and the King is at the door. Let not these days pass without turning fully to Him. For only in Yeshua, the Holy One of Israel, will you find the peace your soul longs for.