This pericope concludes the section begun at 56:1 dealing with the need for humility and holiness in the redeemed people of God. Isaiah explained that the basis of God's acceptance and blessing of His redeemed people was righteousness (56:1-8). Then he showed that Israel lacked that righteousness (56:9-57:13). Her leadership was wicked (56:9-57:2) and her populace was apostate (57:3-13). Now he explained that the solution to Israel's predicament was Yahweh's enablement. The only way she could be what she should be was with the Lord's help. This section explains how the promise that ended verse 13 could possibly come to pass.
The structure of this section is the opposite of the former one. There threatening ended with a brief promise, but here promise ends with a short threat.
57:14 In the future someone would give an order to prepare the way so the Israelites could return to their land and to their God (cf. 40:3; 62:10). The speaker is probably God, but the speech is more important than the speaker. The figure is of building a roadbed for a highway that would become the path of the Israelites.
57:15 The reason for this proclamation is that God is who He is. He is the utterly transcendent God in relation to space (high and lifted up, cf. 6:1; 52:13), time (lives forever), and character (holy). Yet He is also immanent, dwelling among repentant and humble people. He dwells among them to encourage and enable them. The holy God is with His humble people (cf. 7:14).653
"Earthly sovereigns are thought of as dwelling with the exalted and proud ones; the great Sovereign of all dwells with the humble believer."654
57:16 God will not always be angry with sinners; His anger will come to an end because He has made provision for human sin through the Servant. He becomesangry, but He islove (cf. Ps. 30:5). If God remained angry with sin, humanity could not endure His wrath and everyone would perish (cf. Gen. 6:3).655
57:17 The Lord had been angry with the proud Israelite because of his desire for unjust gain, namely, for more and more for himself. This is the essential sin that results in idolatry (cf. Col. 3:5; 1 Tim. 6:10). God's anger led Him to discipline the proud Israelites and to become inaccessible to their calls for help. Israel, instead of repenting and returning to the Lord, continued in her sinful ways.
57:18 In spite of Israel's response, Yahweh would heal, lead, and strengthen the nation's inhabitants who mourned over their sinfulness. He would take the initiative by providing the Servant to strengthen as well as to save (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18-19). It is not so much grace for redemption that is in view here as grace to overcome the attraction of sin as redeemed people.
"The unmerited nature of God's favor has rarely been expressed more beautifully and in v. 18."656
57:19 The result would be that those delivered would praise the Lord. Consequently, there can be peace for the humble because God would heal them whether they live near in Israel or far off among the Gentiles (cf. Eph. 2:17). The duplication of a word like "peace"is a Hebrew idiom for something superlative in kind and total in extent (cf. 6:3; 21:9; Gen. 14:10; Deut. 16:20; 2 Kings 25:25; Rev. 14:8; 18:2). Since shalomwas a conventional word of greeting, the speaker may have intended to give the wayward a warm welcome home.
57:20-21 The wicked contrast with the humble who take advantage of God's provision of grace. Far from being at peace, their existence is as tumultuous as the tossing sea, which is incapable of being at rest. Their constant agitation creates many other problems, like the raging sea casts up debris and mud. No shalomis the portion of the wicked (cf. 48:22).
"Hence if persons have experienced the unmerited grace of God as mediated through the Savior, and then expect to live lives dominated by greed (v. 17) and self-will, propitiating God from time to time with religious behavior, they will find not peace, but constant upheaval."657
