57:1 The godly perish, but no one cares. Honest people disappear, when no one minds that the godly disappear because of evil.
The society of Israel was so bad at this time, that the righteous people had to die in order to find peace. God sometimes removes the righteous from this earth so that they can escape a lot of trouble that is going to come in the future.
Another possibility is that this verse is a hint of the Rapture. Before the Great Tribulation, society will be so terrible, that God will rapture the godly into heaven so that they can escape the judgments of the Great Tribulation. There are many theologians who teach that the Rapture was not mentioned in the Old Testament. There is no New Testament Scripture which teaches this assumption. This is the minority view, but scholars such as Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum and others hold this view.
57:2 Those who live uprightly enter a place of peace; they rest on their beds.
Those who live righteously will have a lot better eternity than the wicked. If the righteous are removed from the coming calamity by death, they they will rest in their beds in heaven. If the righteous are removed from the coming calamity by the rapture, then they will also rest in their beds in heaven. Either way, a calamity is coming. There is a strong possibility that this calamity is the Great Tribulation.
57:3 But approach, you sons of omen readers, you offspring of adulteresses and prostitutes!
Israel was involved in the occult. She was also involved in both physical and spiritual adultery and prostitution.
57:4 At whom are you laughing? At whom are you opening your mouth and sticking out your tongue? You are the children of rebels, the offspring of liars,
This occultism of Israel was mocking the one true God. God promised to bless Israel through the keeping of the Mosaic Covenant, but Israel wanted material prosperity through satanism. Israel was basically insulting God by sticking out their tongue. This would be similar to an atheist shooting the finger at God.
57:5 you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.
In fertility religions, the worshipers often engaged in sexual relations with prostitutes, thinking that this was a way to identify with their gods and goddesses. They hoped that this sexual union would give them better fertility in crops, husbandry, and families. Israel was also practicing infant sacrifice, hoping to gain this same material prosperity.
57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things I will seek vengeance.
Israel was worshiping the smooth stones similar to those David used to slay Goliath.
57:7 On every high, elevated hill you prepare your bed; you go up there to offer sacrifices.
Worship centers were set up on hillsides and mountains so that that people could commit sexual acts closer to their demonic gods whom they imagined were in heaven. Beds and nakedness on high mountains were used in these sexual rituals.
57:8 Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols. Indeed, you depart from me and go up and invite them into bed with you. You purchase favors from them, you love their bed, and gaze longingly on their genitals.
According to Deuteronomy 6:9, the mezuzah was to be placed above the door of every Israelite home. Instead of placing mezuzahs above the door, the Israelites were placing small memorials of their household gods above their doors. Instead of using homes for instruction about Jehovah, the homes were used for worshiping household idols.
57:9 You take olive oil as tribute to your king, along with many perfumes. You send your messengers to a distant place; you go all the way to Sheol.
The Hebrew woe for "king" is מֶ֫לֶך (melek), meaning king or Moloch. There were no vowels in the original Hebrew language. If the mem was followed by a segal , then the correct translation is "king." If the mem was followed by a qametz or patach, then it should be translates as "Moloch." The latter fits the context, so Moloch would be the best translation. The olive oil and perfumes were taken to this Ammonite god called Moloch in order to practice infant sacrifice. This journey sometimes cost the children their lives.
57:10 Because of the long distance you must travel, you get tired, but you do not say, ‘I give up.’ You get renewed energy, so you don’t collapse.
Israel did not have enough energy to worship Jehovah, but they had plenty of energy when they were traveling such a long journey to worship these other demonic gods.
57:11 Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? Because I have been silent for so long, you are not afraid of me.
Most of the Israelites had forgotten Jehovah, because Jehovah had seemingly been silent.
57:12 I will denounce your so-called righteousness and your deeds, but they will not help you.
Jehovah will not be silent. He will denounce this evil idolatry of Israel. Israel thought that she was being righteous, but Jehovah will denounce their hypocrisy.
57:13 When you cry out for help, let your idols help you! The wind blows them all away, a breeze carries them away. But the one who looks to me for help will inherit the land and will have access to my holy mountain.”
When Israel gets in trouble, Jehovah commanded her to cry out to her demonic gods to see if they would help her. Those who do look to Jehovah will inherit a share of the land in Israel during the Millennial Kingdom. God will raise these Israelite saints from the dead and place them in the literal land o Israel.
57:14 He says, “Build it! Build it! Clear a way! Remove all the obstacles out of the way of my people!”
When the messenger of Jehovah (John the Baptist) clears a road for the Messianic King (40:3-5), then the believing Remnant will walk on this road as well.
57:15 For this is what the high and exalted one says, the one who rules forever, whose name is holy: “I dwell in an exalted and holy place, but also with the discouraged and humiliated, in order to cheer up the humiliated and to encourage the discouraged.
Even though Jehovah is high, exalted, eternal, and holy, He still fellowships with His people. He will come down to earth and suffer as no man has ever suffered. There is no other god who can make this claim. Zeus, Jupiter, Allah, the Hindu gods, and even the Jehovah of the Jehovah Witnesses cannot make this claim.
57:16 For I will not be hostile forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, the life-giving breath I created.
Jehovah will not stay angry at Israel forever. If God remained angry at man forever, then man could not exist.
57:17 I was angry because of their sinful greed; I attacked them and angrily rejected them, yet they remained disobedient and stubborn.
Judgment is God’s strange work. A father does not enjoy disciplining his children. He would rather fellowship with His children and give them gifts. Israel had to be disciplined so that they could survive.
57:18 I have seen their behavior, but I will heal them and give them rest, and I will once again console those who mourn.
Jehovah will strike Israel down for their sin, but then He will heal them and bandage them up.
57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. Complete prosperity is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,” says the Lord, “and I will heal them.
If it was not for Jehovah’s protection, then Gentile nations would have devoured Israel like savage beasts. The only reason Israel exists today is because God chose them before the foundations of the world to become His chosen people. It is God who is sustaining Israel. It is God who will make Israel the head of the nations. Therefore, Israel needs to celebrate God’s grace.
57:20 But the wicked are like a surging sea that is unable to be quiet; its waves toss up mud and sand.
Man’s history is one of bloody warfare, slavery, theft, murder, and continual conflict. This is not only true among nations, but it also true between individuals. Individuals call it competition. Some call it a dog-eat-dog world. It is the basis of the evolutional "survival of the fittest" philosophy. This competition between man is found in the business world, the social world, and in the religious world. Competition is taught to children through athletic contests.
57:21 There will be no prosperity,” says my God, “for the wicked.”
The Hebrew word for "prosperity" is שָׁל֨וֹם (shalom), meaning peace with God. Shalom is the standard Hebrew greeting.
There will be no peace for the wicked. Wickedness is rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ. Only those who believe in The Lord Jesus Christ will possess peace. This is a mathematical and scientific axiom of God, just like the law of gravity. One cannot make peace in the human heart apart from God. No one has or ever will be able to have peace without God.