Isaiah Chapter 57

[Isaiah 57:1] THE RIGHTEOUS PERISHETH, AND NO MAN LAYETH IT TO HEART: AND MERCIFUL MEN ARE TAKEN AWAY, NONE CONSIDERING THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EVIL TO COME.        
The above translation fits the hebrew and the words of the Commentators.
The last expression  however, “THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THE EVIL TO COME” can also be translated from the Hebrew as saying that “the righteous is taken away due to evil”.  It sometimes happens that righteous people suffer due to the sins of others.  In the case of this verse the first explanation seems to fit the context best, i.e. the righteous dies before or his time (or does not have his time prolonged as he may otherwise have had) in order not to see the coming disasters.

 [Isaiah 57:2] HE SHALL ENTER INTO PEACE: THEY SHALL REST IN THEIR BEDS, EACH ONE WALKING IN HIS UPRIGHTNESS.                  
The righteous people who died before their time will rest in peace.
EACH ONE WALKING IN HIS UPRIGHTNESS: [“holech nocakho”] also translateable as “moving onwards”.

 [Isaiah 57:3] BUT DRAW NEAR HITHER, YE SONS OF THE SORCERESS, THE SEED OF THE ADULTERER AND THE WHORE.
People who engage in witchcraft are often also immoral in other ways.

 [Isaiah 57:4] AGAINST WHOM DO YE SPORT YOURSELVES? AGAINST WHOM MAKE YE A WIDE MOUTH, AND DRAW OUT THE TONGUE? ARE YE NOT CHILDREN OF TRANSGRESSION, A SEED OF FALSEHOOD.               

 [Isaiah 57:5] ENFLAMING YOURSELVES WITH IDOLS UNDER EVERY GREEN TREE, SLAYING THE CHILDREN IN THE VALLEYS UNDER THE CLIFTS OF THE ROCKS?
This is a reference to human sacrifice in ancient times. It is also referring to infanticide. The fruit of adulterous unions was the frequent victim of murder by their parents. Nowadays abortion is practiced. Abortion is also forbidden and should be forbidden and those who practice it punished.

 [Isaiah 57:6] AMONG THE SMOOTH STONES OF THE STREAM IS THY PORTION; THEY, THEY ARE THY LOT: EVEN TO THEM HAST THOU POURED A DRINK OFFERING, THOU HAST OFFERED A MEAT OFFERING. SHOULD I RECEIVE COMFORT IN THESE?
This is a reference to idolatrous practices.                   

 [Isaiah 57:7] UPON A LOFTY AND HIGH MOUNTAIN HAST THOU SET THY BED: EVEN THITHER WENTEST THOU UP TO OFFER SACRIFICE.                   

 [Isaiah 57:8] BEHIND THE DOORS ALSO AND THE POSTS HAST THOU SET UP THY REMEMBRANCE: FOR THOU HAST DISCOVERED THYSELF TO ANOTHER THAN ME, AND ART GONE UP; THOU HAST ENLARGED THY BED, AND MADE  THEE A COVENANT WITH THEM; THOU LOVEDST THEIR BED WHERE THOU SAWEST IT.                  
Israel is sometimes represented as the bride of  the God of Israel. When Israel commits idolatry it is as if she committed adultery and btrayed her husband!

 [Isaiah 57:9] AND THOU WENTEST TO THE KING WITH OINTMENT, AND DIDST INCREASE THY PERFUMES, AND   DIDST SEND THY MESSENGERS FAR OFF, AND DIDST DEBASE THYSELF EVEN UNTO HELL.
“AND THOU WENTEST TO THE KING WITH OINTMENT” Also translateable as saying: “You sent a present to the king with oil”.
“PERFUMES” [rikuchaykh”] or “chemical concoctions”.
“MESSENGERS” [Hebrew root: “Tsir”] or “medicines, chemicals”.
You bribed the king with oil, you increased your chemical activity, you sent your chemical products afar.
Is there a hint here to the present situation?

 [Isaiah 57:10] THOU ART WEARIED IN THE GREATNESS OF THY WAY; YET SAIDST THOU NOT, THERE IS NO HOPE: THOU HAST FOUND THE LIFE OF THINE HAND; THEREFORE THOU WAST NOT GRIEVED.
   THOU ART WEARIED     "”Yagat” i.e. endeavored.

 [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?
You went in your ways and feared not God.

 [Isaiah 57:12] I WILL DECLARE THY RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THY WORKS; FOR THEY SHALL NOT PROFIT THEE.
You did do good works and had good intentions BUT these were mixed with other things that should not have been. Your good deeds will not help you when you have to pay the bill for your other attributes.

 [Isaiah 57:13] WHEN THOU CRIEST, LET THY COMPANIES DELIVER THEE; BUT THE WIND SHALL CARRY THEM ALL  AWAY; VANITY SHALL TAKE THEM: BUT HE THAT PUTTETH HIS TRUST IN ME SHALL POSSESS THE LAND, AND SHALL INHERIT MY HOLY MOUNTAIN;                 
Trust in God and you will be saved.

 [Isaiah 57:14] AND SHALL SAY, CAST YE UP, CAST YE UP, PREPARE THE WAY, TAKE UP THE STUMBLINGBLOCK OUT OF THE WAY OF MY PEOPLE.

 [Isaiah 57:15] 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.                 

 [Isaiah 57:16] 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.
God will forgive. He will not always be angry with us.

 [Isaiah 57:17] 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.

 [Isaiah 57:18] I HAVE SEEN HIS WAYS, AND WILL HEAL HIM: I WILL LEAD HIM ALSO, AND RESTORE COMFORTS UNTO HIM AND TO HIS MOURNERS.

 [Isaiah 57:19] 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.
“THE FRUIT OF THE LIPS” people who endeavor to speak well to others, who radiate hope, good feelings, and a positive attitude bring a blessing to the world and to themselves.
It happens that good people suffer. Sometimes they suffer because of their own sins, sometimes for other reasons. If they persist in doing good and believing in God in the end they will be rewarded and comforted.

 [Isaiah 57:20] BUT THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA, WHEN IT CANNOT REST, WHOSE WATERS CAST UP MIRE AND DIRT.      

 [Isaiah 57:21] THERE IS NO PEACE, SAITH MY GOD, TO THE WICKED.          
Due to the Oslo agreements the Israelis gave guns to the palestinians and allowed them to receive more arms from other sources. For some reason it was believed (or claimed) that the Palestinians would curb their own extremists.  Instead they all revealed themselves to be exremists. This was foreseen. It was obvious that things would turn out as they have done. The Palestinian ttrack record and declared intentions were there for all to see.
It would have been better if the “do-gooders” had have helped good people or at least stayed home.
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Home