Chapter 51

(Verse 1 through 3) Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him. For the LORD shall comfort Zion : He will comfort all her waste places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden , and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

Again, we return to an address to Israel and Judah , or, at least, those among them that are following after righteousness and seek the LORD. The LORD calls them to take stock of their origin. “Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and the hole of the pit from whence ye are digged.” This may seem a strange manner of expressing our origin, or theirs. But both, cutting, or hewing, stones, and digging, materials from the ground, were things well known to the Israelites. If one looks at the rock from whence something was hewn all he will see is a pile of debris, stone chips, that are of little value. And even if he looks at the mother lode of stone, he will find it to be only a very common thing, with little value as it is. If material is taken from the earth to make something, all it leaves is a hole from which it was taken. So, if we soberly consider the “rock from whence ye are hewn” and “the hole of the pit whence ye are digged,” we will find both very unimportant. So it was with the Israelites. True enough, they boasted their lineage as being from Abraham and Sarah. But what were they. In Ezekiel 16:3, the LORD said unto Jerusalem ; “thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan ; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.” Here He says, “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.” Abraham had nothing when the LORD called him. In fact, the LORD called him when he was alone. Although when Abraham was called to leave Ur , his father, Terah, took him, his wife, and his nephew, Lot, and they all went to Haran , there is no record that any one of them except Abraham was called of God. The LORD called Abraham alone, blessed him, and increased him. All the wealth that Abraham accumulated was what the LORD gave him after He called him. He was no great man of himself. All His greatness is the result of the calling of the LORD. Since until the LORD called him, he was of no importance, Israel cannot boast of their origin, any more than can we. Any standing we have before God is only by His blessing according to His own grace and mercy. But just as the LORD called, blessed, and increased Abraham, so will He comfort Zion . Remember that at this point, Zion was greatly troubled, all the land around her had been laid waste, and she was soon to be carried away captive. But the promise of God is sure, “For the LORD shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; and He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Although, surely, this promise includes the return of Judah from the Babylonian captivity, it also looks beyond that to the final restoration of Israel , as we can see from the continuation of this address.

(Verses 4 through 8) Hearken unto Me, My people; and give ear unto Me, O My nation: for a law shall proceed from Me, and I will make My judgment to rest for a light of the people. My righteousness is near; My salvation is gone forth, and Mine arms shall judge the people; the Isles shall wait upon Me, and on Mine arm shall they trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but My salvation shall be for ever, and My righteousness shall not be abolished. Hearken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but My righteousness shall be for ever, and My salvation from generation to generation.

This address is to Jerusalem , and to all Israel . The LORD calls them both “My people,” and “My nation,” indicating clearly that He is addressing the whole nation of Israel , for no other nation can claim to be “His nation.” He declares  “A law shall proceed from Me, and I will make My judgment to rest for a light of the people.” We are prone to think that when the judgment of the LORD rests upon someone he is under condemnation of God, but just the opposite can be, and in this case is, true. God’s judgment shall rest as a protection upon His people, upon “His nation.” And it will be a light of the people. “My righteousness is near; My salvation is gone forth, and Mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon Me, and on Mine arm shall they trust.” His righteousness, or the day of its manifestation, is near. We must remember that what is near, according to God’s calendar, may not be what according to ours, we would call “near.” But it is sure to come. His salvation is gone forth. That is, it is already determined, and set in motion, so that it cannot be reversed, or turned back. His power shall judge the people, and even the isles, or the Gentile nations, shall wait upon Him, and trust in His power. This certainly looks forward, and embraces all time, even to the end. For He calls upon the people to look at both the heavens and the earth, for they all shall be taken away, and those who dwell therein shall die. But that will in no wise affect His salvation and His righteousness. “My salvation shall be for ever, and My righteousness shall not be abolished.” Then He calls upon all that know righteousness and have His law in their hearts. His message to them is, “Fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but My righteousness shall be for ever, and My salvation from generation to generation.” They shall never fail.

(Verses 9 through 16) Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in ancient days, in the generations of old. Art Thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon? Art Thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over? Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion ; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. I, even I, am He that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the LORD thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor? The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail. But I am the LORD thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The LORD of hosts is His name. And I have put My words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of Mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, Thou art My people.

There are various ideas as to what is the meaning of the reference to Rahab. Certainly this Rahab is not the Rahab of Jericho, who hid Israel ’s spies, and sent them away safe. Some think that Rahab is another name for Egypt . And, since this reference is so closely followed by the reminder that the LORD did dry up the Red Sea, and make a dry path through it for Israel , this could well be the meaning of this reference. It may be that, since Satan is often represented as a dragon, the wounding of the dragon may refer to that same incident. For surely Satan was wounded as the LORD delivered His people from the bondage of the wicked pharaoh. On the basis of His having delivered His people from Egypt by the death of all the firstborn of Egypt , they can surely be called His ransomed. Therefore, as He delivered His ransomed from that bondage, so shall His redeemed return, and come with singing unto Zion . Not only so, but their joy will not be temporary, as was their joy in their return from Babylon . “Everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.” This unquestionably looks forward to the day of their final restoration, which is still future. None knows the timetable of the LORD. But there are many signs today that that day may be much sooner than most people think. So the LORD declares, “I, even I, am He that comforteth you: who art thou that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the LORD thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? And where is the fury of the oppressor?” We too should take a lesson from this. Since it is the LORD, Who comforts us, what reason do we have to be always in bondage to the fury of the oppressor? As the Apostle Paul asked, “If God be for us, who then can be against us?” He is greater than all. Therefore we should heed the warning of our Lord. “And I say unto you, My friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you Whom ye shall fear: fear Him, Which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear Him.” (Luke 12: 4-5) The LORD reminds us that a captive is always in a hurry to be freed, that he should not die in prison, and that he may find food. But all these things are of the world. He declares that He is the LORD of hosts, that He also divided the sea, an impossible feat, so far as man is concerned, but no trouble to Him. Not only has He put His words in our mouths, but He even covers us in the shadow of His hand. All this He does that He may establish the heavens and the earth, and comfort Zion with this declaration, “Thou art My people.”

(Verses 17 through 23) Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of His fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons she hath brought up. These two things are come upon thee; who shall be sorry for thee? Desolation, and destruction, and the famine and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy God. Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine: Thus saith thy Lord the LORD, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of His people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of My fury; thou shalt no more drink it again: But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

This is a call for Jerusalem to awake, and stand up. She has been made to drink the cup of the fury of the LORD, even to the dregs thereof. Of course, this is descriptive of her just before the LORD finally restores her. Her population is decimated so that there is none among all the sons she has brought up that can guide her, or hold her hand. But despite all the desolation and destruction that she has endured from both famine and sword, no one is sorry for her. Actually, this is almost her condition today. Almost the whole world is in league against her, and in the final days before that last great battle, that will be fully true. All her sons lie fainted, or dead, at the head of all streets, because “they are full of the fury of the LORD, the rebuke of thy GOD.” What a dismal picture! Yet the LORD who pleads the cause of His people, gives a promise of great comfort to her. That cup of trembling and of His fury which she has been made to drink, will be taken from her, and given to those who afflict her. They have been making her lie down so that they may walk over her. But that will be no more. This is the promise of the LORD; it cannot be broken or annulled.

(Verses 1 through 6) Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for from henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion . For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money. For thus saith the Lord GOD, My people went down aforetime into Egypt to sojourn there; and the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. Now therefore, what have I here, saith the LORD, that My people is taken away for nought? They that rule over them make them to howl, saith the LORD; and My name continually every day is blasphemed. Therefore My people shall know My name: therefore they shall know in that day that I am He that doth speak: behold, it is I.

Zion is commanded to awake, put on her strength, and her beautiful garments. This is in honor of a momentous occasion. That occasion is that the time has come when the uncircumcised and the unclean shall be forever cut off, and shall no more come into her. This seems to even leap forward to the ushering in of the new heavens and the new earth wherein dwell righteousness. Nothing of evil shall ever enter therein. Compare this with Revelation 21:27. “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” So in preparation for this great event Jerusalem , the captive daughter of Zion , is told to “loose thyself from the bands of thy neck. It was not unusual in that day for a collar, or band to be put around the neck of a captive to identify one as a servant. These are the bands that are to be removed, because, although they have sold themselves for nothing, they shall also be redeemed without money. The LORD now reminds us of two times of captivity of the Israelites that had already been endured, their sojourn in Egypt , and the Assyrian captivity. Then He says, “Now therefore, what have I here, that My people is taken away for nought? They that rule over them make them to howl; and My name continually every day is blasphemed.” This describes their condition just before He delivers them. In that day, when He works this great deliverance His people shall both know His name, and know that it is He, Who works this great salvation for them.

(Verses 7 through 12) How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion , Thy God reigneth! Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the LORD shall bring again Zion . Break forth into Joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem : for the LORD hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem . The LORD hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her, be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD. For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward.

This will be such a wonderful day that even the messenger who brings the good tidings, and. says unto Zion, “Thy GOD reigneth,” will be such a welcome sight that as he stands upon the mountain, even his feet shall be beautiful to those who behold him. In that day the watchmen of the city shall Lift up their voices in songs of praise to the LORD, because then shall they see “eye to eye.” That is, they shall see clearly, and there will be no disagreements about what they see. Even the waste places of Jerusalem are commanded to break forth in singing; for the LORD has comforted His people, and Jerusalem is redeemed. All nations of the world shall behold His wondrous power, and see His salvation. It is amazing just to what extent the world has today lost sight of the power of God. Many who claim to believe His word are constantly telling us, “You know this, or that, prophecy doesn’t mean literally what it says, because such a thing just cannot happen.” So far as happenings are concerned, that may be true. But, make no mistake. When the LORD says a thing will come to pass, THUS IT SHALL BE, whether you believe it or not. When these things are brought to pass, the salvation of the LORD will be seen by all nations, and by all the ends of the earth. Some try to tell us that this is not in reference to the literal city of Jerusalem , but to the gospel church, with which God has replaced Jerusalem and Israel . With all their claims of such, none has ever produced a single scripture to prove this theory. One of the most opportune times noted in scripture for the LORD to have established such an idea is in Acts 1:6-8. After 40 days, in which our Lord had spoken to His disciples the things pertaining to the kingdom of God , they asked Him this question: “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore the kingdom to Israel ?” It would have been so easy to say to them, “Now let us completely set aside that idea. The gospel church has now replaced Israel ; so the kingdom of God is for it, and not for Israel .” But, what did He say? “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem , and in all Judaea, and in Samaria , and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” He left intact the principle that He will restore the kingdom to Israel , but at the time of the Father, not according to our timetable. He further declared that they should be His witnesses, not only in Jerusalem , but also in all the world. The first thing a witness has to learn is that his testimony is to truly represent that which has been said and done, not to try to change it to fit his own ideas. In short, there is a vast difference between witnessing, and interpreting. Verses 11 and 12 seem to primarily apply to the deliverance of Judah from the Babylonian captivity. They are to depart from the city of Babylon , without touching “the unclean thing.” For those who bear the vessels of the LORD must be clean. They will not have to flee in haste, but will be given ample time to go out in an orderly manner. For the LORD will be their protection.

(Verses 13 through 15) Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men: so shall He sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at Him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

This is a text over which, perhaps, men shall always argue. There are some things therein that seem to speak of Cyrus, the King who shall free Judah from the Babylonian captivity, and others which must refer to our Lord Jesus, the Christ. Certain it is that Cyrus dealt very prudently with the LORD’S people, in that He released them from captivity. He also was exalted and praised, and was very high. We are told that “sprinkle,” in verse 15 should be read, “startle.” And indeed he startled many nations. They had never seen or heard of a king who set captives free. The usual practice was to try to gain more captives, instead of freeing those already held. Nevertheless it also describes the work of our Lord Jesus. And verse 14 far better describes Him than Cyrus. “As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Many have taken this to mean that Jesus was, physically a very ugly person. But His natural appearance is not what is under consideration here. This describes Him as He was presented to the Jews as their king, on the day of His crucifixion. Beginning while He was being held at the home of the high priest, and continuing, intermittently, throughout His appearance before both Pilate and Herod, He had been beaten, he had had a crown of thorns put, not gently, upon His head, He had been spit upon, and He had been scourged; and no effort had been made to dress His wounds or even to clean Him up. How could one expect either His visage or His form to appear at this time? Had nothing else been done to Him but the scourging, that would have been enough to bring on the picture given here. In the event some may not know what a scourging, as the Romans used it, amounted to, we give this short description. The scourge was a whip, made of many strands of leather or rawhide. To the ends of many of these strands were attached small pieces of metal or bone. And when this whip was used by a man practiced in the art of handling it, the flesh of the victim was often literally flayed from the bones. If we read all four accounts of the ordeal of Jesus, we find that He must have been scourged twice. So, even without the other beating which He suffered, surely “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” I know of no other picture in all scripture that shows more clearly His wonderful love for us. It is beyond the ability of the human mind to understand.

(Verses 1 through 3) Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him like a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.

Beyond question, this is a continuation of the subject in the last three verses of the preceding chapter, especially of verse 14. The two questions in verse 1 are, really, the same question, since only those to whom the arm, or power, of the LORD is revealed will believe this report. Nature does not prepare us to believe it. Nothing can, except the power of the LORD. And He must reveal that. The “He” in verse 2 is the same as the “Servant” introduced in Chapter 42, verse 1, and also in Chapter 52, verse 14. The “dry ground” of verse 2 is not just ground that has become dry enough that it needs a little water, but actually it is desert, where there is no water at all. So the picture is that of a tender plant, or one that must be nourished, and must have special care, and it comes forth in a place where none would ever expect it. Jesus was just such a plant, and He came forth in the most unexpected place. There were many in the time of His coming, who were expecting the Messiah. But they expected Him to come as an earthly king. But though He was of the royal lineage of David, He was born a poor child, for whom no place could be found, except a manger. This is surely as unexpected as that a root of some tender type of plant should sprout up in the desert. He was a tender plant. Without the protection of the Father Himself, He would surely have perished. But the Father’s care was with Him, just as one would protect a tender plant in a harsh environment. So He did grow up before Him. “He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” As we remarked concerning verse 14 of the preceding chapter, many have claimed that this verse proves Jesus to have been a man with no natural beauty at all. However, as there, this refers to Him as He was when they would see Him, that is, when He should be officially presented to them. And this was about noon on the day of His trial before Pilate. At that time Pilate brought Him forth, and presented Him to the crowd with his famous speech, “Behold your king.” As we have already pointed out, at this time He was so beaten and wounded that He certainly had “no form nor comeliness, there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” No doubt, my friend, had you and I been sitting or standing there, we would, in that moment, have seen nothing about Him that would have made us desire Him. Verse 3 tells exactly the reaction of all of us, had we been there at that moment, unless the LORD had there revealed to us His power. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Several years ago some, perhaps, honest, but very foolish, person wrote a song that many thought was a wonderful song, It was entitled, “I’ll Be A Friend To Jesus.” In that song, the writer made mention of the fact that in the hall of Pilate Jesus stood without a friend. But in spite of this, this writer declared, in that song, that he, would have been His friend, had he only been there. Isaiah sets us straight on this matter. Certainly Jesus was despised and rejected of men. Even His own disciples, who had declared that they would not forsake Him, but would even die with Him, were not to be found. With the rejection that was so evident in that crowd, we too would have hid our faces from Him, just as Isaiah says. When we saw how much He was despised by all the people, we too would have “esteemed Him not.” That is, we would have wanted nothing to do with Him.

(Verses 4 through 9) Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet opened He not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so opened He not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.

The Christ has indeed borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. But we cared nothing for Him. We thought God had smitten Him. That is exactly what the Jewish leaders declared to the people. They said, “This man is a blasphemer. He claims he is the Son of God. There is nothing to him of any value; and therefore it is our duty to destroy him.” Thus were all, to whom the arm of the LORD was not revealed, pacified concerning the crucifixion, no matter how many miracles they had witnessed done by Him. But His afflictions and His wounds were all received on our behalf. It was for our transgressions. “He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” The chastisement necessary to give us peace with God was borne, not by us who deserved it, but by our Lord, Who voluntarily took it upon Himself, and bore it for us. The bruises from the beatings He received were our just deserts, as the penalty of our iniquities. But, for the love He had to us, He freely bore it all. And all those stripes laid upon Him by the man with the whip are for our healing, that is, to heal us from our sins. None can claim to have no sin, for “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and God hath laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.” The only hope we have is that our sins were laid upon Him, and He bore them and the penalty for them, for us. Just as a lamb when brought to the slaughter, and as a sheep that is being sheared is dumb, so He opened not His mouth when brought before the high priest, Pilate, and Herod. They asked Him many questions, and said many false things about Him, but He gave them no answers. “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation?” As a common criminal, He was taken away from the judgment hall, not to prison, but to be crucified. Under such conditions, who is there that will declare His “generation,” or His lineage? People will usually declare the genealogy of one who is considered great. But, of a common criminal? No. “He was cut off out of the land of the living.” So no lineage is to be declared. But, wait; “for the transgression of My people was He stricken.” Surely, this should make a difference. Since He was cut off for the transgressions of the people of God, His lineage must be declared. He is the Son of the living God. As He was crucified, He hung between two thieves, and there He died. Certainly this is making His grave with the wicked. Then when He had died, there came two rich men, Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus, who took His body and wound it in a linen cloth with about a hundred pounds of Myrrh and aloes, and buried it in Joseph’s own new tomb. Thus He made His grave with the rich. He was given this honor “because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” Despite the accusations of the Jews that He was a blasphemer, an impostor, etc., there was no deceit in His mouth. And certainly He had done no violence.

(Verses 10 through 12) Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Many will tell us today that the LORD is so gentle and loving to everyone that He will not bring any pain or sorrow upon anyone. That will in no wise harmonize with Isaiah’s statement: “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief.” Of course we all like to think of Him as a loving and gentle God, which He is. But we also find the scriptures to say, “Our God is a consuming fire.” In this statement by Isaiah, we can see, if we complete it, both our Father’s love and His steadfastness, and faithfulness to His own purposes. The Father did put Jesus to grief, and He did bruise Him, or rather, caused Him to be bruised; and in so doing made His soul an offering for sin, or the sacrifice for sin. All of this was according to the eternal covenant between the Father and the Son. When He was thus made the sacrifice for sin, Jesus looked beyond the sacrifice, and saw the final outcome of it all. He saw “His seed,” His people whom He saved from their sins, the children whom the Father had given Him. He prolonged His days by rising from the grave, and ascending to the Father, where even now He is seated at the right hand of the Father. And since He, by His sacrifice fulfilled the purpose of the Father, which was to “save His people from their sins,” the pleasure of the LORD prospered in His hand. It is undeniable that He saw “of the travail of His soul.” That is fully evidenced by the testimony of the four gospel writers. But since He knew that it would accomplish His purpose, He was satisfied therewith. “By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” The religious world today will tell you that He did not know what He was doing. They will not say it in those words, but they will say that He was trying to save every person in the world, but untold thousands of them will not be saved, simply because He cannot get them to accept Him and His work. Certainly the God, Who knew how to create a world, and all its fullness, knows how to complete any work He starts. If it is His purpose to save every inhabitant of the world, surely that is just what He will do. However, He did not say that this Servant would justify every one of them. Instead His words are, “By His knowledge shall My righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” By this it seems obvious that He will justify every one whose iniquities He bore, and that He knows exactly who each one is. The LORD says that it is for this reason that He will divide, or give, Him a portion with the great. And that He has done. For to no other has He ever said, “Sit Thou on My right hand until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.” “He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death.” The fact that He poured out His soul unto death, and still lives proves Him not only to be strong, but the strongest of the strong. It is therefore His right to divide the spoils. “And He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sins of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” To one who has read the accounts of the four evangelists, this certainly is in need of no further explanation. But one thing should be noted. That is, “He bare the sins of many.” Just as before, he omits the use of “all,” and uses “many.” He is the One, Who even now makes intercession for the transgressors, that is, for many of them.

(Verses 1 through 6) Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thy habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make desolate cities to be inhabited. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall He be called. For the LORD hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God.

In Galatians 4:22-31, the Apostle Paul uses verse 1 of this chapter to teach that God has many more children than just those who are natural descendants of Abraham, and that those serving under the promise of God in the gospel dispensation are free, while those who try to serve under the law are even now in bondage. However, here the primary lesson is that although Judah and Israel have been sent into captivity like a woman sent away by her husband, in the end they will be made to rejoice. Even this desolate woman, cast off by her husband, will know the joy of having many children. In the final restoration of Israel , they will be made to recognize the Christ as Lord, and be thus joined together with, not only those faithful to God under the law, but also all to whom the Son has revealed Himself. For in that day all the redeemed will recognize the Christ as the King of all. In that day, the tent of Israel shall be greatly enlarged. In that day she shall be spreading out on all sides, “on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.” Zechariah tells us that in that day all the nations, or Gentiles, that are left will come up to Jerusalem every year to worship the King, (Who is none other than Christ Jesus, our Lord,) and to keep the feast of tabernacles. Then Jerusalem shall never again be put to shame, and the shame of her widowhood, the shame of having been so long left desolate, will no more be remembered. “For thy Maker is thy Husband; the LORD of hosts is His name; and thy Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; the God of the Whole earth shall He be called.” There is no doubt that God created the heaven and the earth. He therefore is, and always has been the God of the whole earth. But principally, He has been called, “the Lord GOD of Israel.” In that day it shall no more be thus. But He will be called “the God of the whole earth.” For all men shall know that He is God. In that day the LORD will call Jerusalem forth, and her joy will be as that of a wife who has been forsaken, and left desolate for a while, but is now brought back to a loving husband. God has promised this, and it cannot fail.

(Verses 7 through 10) For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid My face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto Me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.

We must remember that the LORD is not restricted by time as we are. He declares that He has forsaken Jerusalem for only a “small moment,” but His mercy to her will be great. He has had only a little wrath against her, and that only for a moment; but His mercy and kindness to her will be both great and everlasting. He declares that just as surely as He will never again bring “the waters of Noah” over the earth so will He never be angry with Jerusalem nor rebuke her. “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” In Revelation 16:20, He tells us that after the great earthquake, “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.” So, no doubt, the mountains shall depart. But that will not bring an end to the LORD’S kindness to Jerusalem .

(Verses 11 through 14) O thou afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones. And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and far from terror; for it shall not come near thee.

Thus the LORD comforts Jerusalem . She has for many centuries been “afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted.” But in that day He will comfort Zion with an everlasting comfort. The description of the ornamentation of Zion is very reminiscent of that given of the holy city, New Jerusalem, in Revelation 21, and, probably, they refer to the same time and city, which will be in the time of the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness will dwell. Certainly, in that day, all her children shall be taught of the LORD. Their peace and righteousness shall be such as has never been known on this earth. And their joy shall be eternal.

(Verses 15 through 17) Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by Me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work, and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.

This message is concerning the interim from Isaiah’s day until the day of which the LORD has just spoken. In all this time, there will be those that will gather themselves together against Jerusalem . But their gathering is not of the LORD. It is of themselves and their master, Satan. And since it is not of the LORD, it shall surely fall. This does not mean that they shall not do any damage, but that they shall not have the final victory over Jerusalem . The LORD declares that He has created all, from the one who makes the weapon to the one who uses it to destroy. And since He has, no weapon made can prosper against those whom He protects. Neither can any tongue bring a charge against one of His that will stand when He brings it to judgment. This is the heritage of His servants. Since it is their heritage, and is of the LORD, it cannot fail. For even their righteousness is of Him, and not of themselves. Therefore it will endure forever.

(Verses 1 through 5) Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for He hath glorified thee.

Since the LORD has made such wonderful promises to Jerusalem , or to Israel , He calls to some among them. Some will try to tell us that He is calling all of them; but the facts of the case will not support that theory. This is addressed to only those who are thirsty. Just as Matthew 11:28-30 is addressed only to those who are weary and heavy laden, this is addressed to only those that are thirsty. They are called to come to the waters; and whether or not they have money makes no difference. For this water, wine, and milk, are all free to those who are thirsty. There is no price even quoted to them. That has already been paid. We might take a brief look at the three items mentioned in this verse as being for those who are commanded to come, Universally, water is the great refresher for those who are thirsty, wine was considered as the means of lifting the spirit of one who was sad, and, of course, though a liquid, milk has always been considered, until very recently, as nature’s most perfect food. There is no doubt that the thirst mentioned here is the thirst for righteousness. So those who are thirsty are invited to come to the waters that the LORD provides, (which we are told in John 7:37-39 is the Spirit). This water will also refresh even those who are ready to die from thirst. In addition to this water we are to “buy wine and milk without money and without price. From Him we obtain without a price that which will cheer our hearts and that which will give us strength. He provides all that we need. And He provided all that Israel needed. So He asks the question, “Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not? We seem to have exactly the same problem that faced Israel . We spend our money, and wear ourselves down by our labor for things of this world, only to find that when that is done there is no satisfaction in that for which we have labored so hard. In the end, we have spent all our money, broken ourselves down by our labor, and are fully as dissatisfied as we were in the beginning. What have we accomplished? Instead of doing such, why do we not do as He says? “Hearken diligently unto Me, and eat that which is good, and let your soul delight in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” I realize that this was addressed to Israel . But the same LORD, Who is the God of Israel, is also the God of the whole earth. Therefore will not His promise be the same to all who hunger and thirst after righteousness? Verses 4 and 5 are often considered as applicable to our Lord Jesus. And, no doubt, He was given “for a witness for the people, a leader and commander to the people.” Thus verse 4 surely can apply to Him. Yet, with the circumstances of this address being what they are, it seems that its first application is to David himself, since he was made a king and commander of Israel, and a witness of the promise of the LORD that of the lineage of David He would raise up a King and Savior in a later day. This is, of course fulfilled in the Christ. He not only took all the sins of His people upon Him, and, by His sacrifice, put them away forever. But He will in the last days reign over restored Israel . When He does restore Israel , He shall glorify Jerusalem , and nations that have not known, or given recognition to, Israel shall run to Jerusalem because of the LORD God, the Holy One of Israel.

(Verses 6 and 7) Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

Certainly, since the LORD has, at the beginning of this chapter, called upon those who are thirsty to come to the waters, and to Him, this would be the opportune time to call upon the LORD. For He says, “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” And, doubtless, those to whom He speaks this message are those who thirst, as in verse 1. Surely He is near them at this time. So now is the time to call upon Him. This thirst is surely a desire for Him, and without it, there would be a great difficulty in calling upon Him. For all those who forsake their wicked ways and unrighteous thoughts, and come to Him there is mercy and pardon. He declares that this is even to the wicked and the unrighteous. There is no need to argue about whether or not they can do this. He has said, “Let them do it.” And He has promised that those who do shall receive mercy and pardon. So far as we are concerned, that should end the controversy.

(Verses 8 through 11) For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Here is the greatest reason in the world why we should never argue over what the LORD meant by something He has said. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” This leaves us with only one option; take what He says to mean just what it says, and not as something for us to interpret, and change to fit our ideas. There can be no room for doubt that He, having all wisdom and knowledge, knows exactly how to say what He intends to say. And if He did not, How could we possibly know, since our thoughts are so far below His? There are several things involved in His declaration, “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.” The first thing we want to consider is that when He sends forth the rain and the snow, they do, without fail, water the earth. They do not return to the heavens without doing what they were commissioned to do. The next point for consideration is that when the snow is sent forth is not the season for the plants of the earth to grow. Yet, if we did not receive the rain and snow in that season, there would be no moisture in the spring, when the earth does put forth and bud. The rain and the snow are just as necessary in the winter as is the rain in the spring. This is also true of the word of God as it is sent forth. It may go forth in a very cold season; and because of that we see no result from it. But be patient. When the spring season comes, it will accomplish its work. Then just as the rain and snow cause the earth to bring forth and bud that it may produce seed for the sower and bread for the eater, naturally, so does also the word of God go forth and produce sustenance for those who look to Him. And just as the rain and snow do not return to the heavens without accomplishing the purpose for which they are sent, so the word of God never fails. It will accomplish the purpose of the LORD, and in His time. Perhaps, His purpose of making this declaration is to encourage Israel to patience concerning the promise He sets forth in verses 12 and 13.

(Verses 12 and 13) For ye shall go out with Joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Thus He declares that Judah shall be released from the captivity into which they must go. When they are thus delivered it will be a time of great rejoicing and peace. Even nature itself will sing and be glad for them. It will be as the trees themselves “clapping their hands,” and the mountains and hills singing. This seems to look even beyond the deliverance from the Babylonian captivity to the final re-gathering of Israel . In that day the land of Israel , which contains much arid space, will be changed, and become forests and fertile fields. “And it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

Chapter 56

(Verses 1 through 2) Thus saith the LORD, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it: that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.

Now the LORD gives instruction to Israel . The first two things He mentions are very much the same as Solomon’s “conclusion of the whole matter” in Ecclesiastes 12:13.Here the wording is, “Keep ye judgment, and do justice,” while there it is “Fear God, and keep His commandments.” The meaning is very similar. The reason He called upon them to do this is, “For My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed.” Then He pronounces a blessing upon “the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it” There is a blessing even to us today, if we do this. For the object of the blessing is both “the man that doeth this,” and “the son of man,” or the descendant of man, that is, the future generation of man, that lays hold upon it. “son of man” has no reference here to our Lord Jesus, Who was called ‘the Son of man,” but simply to the descendants of man, or, as the expression is sometimes used, “the children of men.” The one who “layeth hold on” this is also the one who “keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil.” Most of the people claiming to be Christians today will say that Sunday is the Sabbath, and that this change was made when our Lord arose from the grave on the first day of the week, which, of course, is Sunday. This is incorrect. There is no commandment of our Lord, and none by His apostles to authorize such an idea. While it is true that in Acts 20:7 we are told, “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow.” Possibly, they may have made it a practice to meet at Troas on the first day of the week; or they may have met on that day because Paul was planning to leave on the next day. This is altogether unclear. But it is very clear that in all of Paul’s travels, He preached in the synagogues on the Sabbath day. The actual change from the Sabbath day to the first day of the week, Sunday, as the day of rest and worship of the Christians was the result of an edict issued by the Roman emperor, Constantine. In spite of his public declaration of seeing the great sign of the cross in the heavens, with the subscript, “IN HOC SIGNO VINCIS,” he was never baptized until shortly before his death, and all his life he worshipped Apollo the sun god, for whom Sunday was named. He ordered the change of the “Christian Sabbath” to Sunday in honor of the sun god, Apollo. Our Lord arose on the first day of the week, and, for that reason, there is certainly nothing wrong with celebrating His resurrection on that day. Nevertheless, there is no scriptural authority for leaving off the true Sabbath. Even in my childhood days, our people usually observed both Saturday and Sunday as days that should be specially dedicated to God, and most of our churches, although in rural areas they usually had church services only one weekend each month because of the scarcity of ministers, met on both Saturday and Sunday  Many will claim that we are not under the law, and therefore it makes no difference which day we observe as the Sabbath. While it is true that we are not under the ceremonial law of God, because our Lord Jesus has fulfilled that, we are still under the moral law of God. Therefore we should consider that, “If it doesn’t matter to us which day we consider the Sabbath, why should we not take the one He has chosen?” Not only should we be careful to not pollute the Sabbath, but to keep our hand from doing any evil.

(Verses 3 through 8) Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from His people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep My Sabbaths, and choose the things that please Me, and take hold of My covenant; even to them will I give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than of sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to be His servants, every one that keepeth My Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of My covenant; even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar; Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people. The Lord GOD which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to Him, beside those that are gathered unto Him.

Not only the fleshly descendants of Abraham, but even strangers, who join themselves to the LORD to serve Him, shall not regret leaving their own people to join in His service. They that love the name of the LORD, keep His Sabbath unpolluted, and take hold of His covenant, shall be brought to His holy mountain, made joyful in His house, and their offerings and sacrifices shall be accepted upon His altar. Even the eunuchs, although there is no possibility that their family line shall continue, shall be given in the house of the LORD a name better than of sons and daughters. He says, “I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.” Certainly this was all spoken to Israel , and in language that applies more readily to them than to us. But the promise is to all that are brought to love and serve the LORD. For His “house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.” This is, probably, the scripture to which our LORD referred, when He drove the buyers, sellers, and moneychangers, out of the temple. (Matthew 21:13) “And said unto them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called the house of prayer;” but ye have made it a den of thieves.’” Verse 8 seems to be a prophecy of our Lord Jesus. He declared that He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel , and it was from the Jews that He chose all of His apostles. Until after His crucifixion, there is no record that any beside Jews followed Him. These were gathered unto Him. But the LORD promises that these will not be all that shall be gathered to Him. They were, for the greater part, “the outcasts of Israel ,” which the LORD did gather. For Jesus said, “No man can come unto Me, except the Father Which hath  sent Me draw him.”  So it still is today. But the LORD has said, “Yet will I gather others to Him beside those that are gathered unto Him.” That gathering is still continuing.

(Verses 9 through 12) All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts of the forest. His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and tomorrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant.

This is a description of the carelessness and unconcern of the leaders of Israel , and the call of the LORD to all the hostile nations round about to come to devour them. Those who should have been watching over Israel had become so lazy and indifferent that they expected things to always continue as they were at the present. All they were interested in was having what they considered as a “good time.” Sadly, we are brought to the conclusion that this is also an apt description of us today. Those who have been set up as watchmen, will, if anything is said about any coming judgment, reply, “Don’t you know that, that has nothing to do with us today? We are not any longer under the law. God is so loving and merciful that He will not bring such things upon us.” That is nothing but unadulterated ignorance. They neither know nor care about what is coming tomorrow. They are only interested in what they have in their hand now. And I greatly fear that the LORD has already issued His call to “the beasts of the field” to “come to devour.” I know that, according to nature, I do not have much more time here. And it may be possible that I will be called away before the destruction comes; but it is surely on its way.

(Verses 1 and 2) The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come. He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.

I may not mention this every time I am called to hold a funeral for one whose life has given evidence that he, or she, loved the LORD, but I surely think of it. Far too often we hear the cry, “He (or she) was such a wonderful person, Why should he (or she) be thus cut off?” this is especially true if the one who died was young. These two verses give me all the answer I need for the matter. You and I know, if we have given any attention to the word of the LORD, or even to life itself, that at best, this life is full of troubles and suffering. And at worst, we prefer not to think of it. So how do we know what suffering would have been ahead for that one who has been taken away. If, indeed, he is one that “shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in His uprightness,” how can we possibly question the mercy of our LORD in taking them to Himself? If I belong to Him, the sooner I go, the better it will be for me. That was the Apostle Paul’s outlook on the matter. And I feel that it is also mine.

(Verses 3 through 8) But draw hither, ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore. 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, enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks? Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; 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? Upon a lofty and high mountain hast thou set thy bed: even thither wentest thou up to offer sacrifice. 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 a covenant with them; thou lovedst their bed where thou sawest it.

Having declared the happiness of the righteous that are taken away from the evil to come, the LORD addresses the idolaters of Israel . These are never considered the true children of Israel , but only as the wicked that dwell among them. Idolatry is always counted as spiritual adultery. Therefore those who engage in it are addressed as, “Ye sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.” They, evidently tried to ridicule those who stood for the true worship of the LORD, making all kinds of faces at them, as will evil children in mocking someone. So the LORD says to them, “Against whom do ye sport yourselves? Against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw out your tongue? Are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood?” It is always true that those who engage in such practices are far less honorable than those they thus mock. Then the LORD describes the activities of these idolaters. They arouse their passions with their idols under every green tree. They even slay the children in the valleys. This is, no doubt, a reference to the pagan worship of Molech, to whom they burned alive their children. Today everyone will declare that as a shameful practice, not worthy of the human race. And such it was. It was their offering to Molech, whom they called their god. Today, a slight change has been made in the manner of offering. They just kill the children before they are born, thus offering them to their god, Pleasure. Those idolaters committed their idolatry among the smooth stones of the stream. They would choose a stone from the bed of the stream, set it up, build an altar to it, and offer both drink offerings and burnt offerings to it. They would build altars and offer sacrifices on the high mountains, and even in their cities and villages behind closed doors. In short, wherever they were they found some way to carry on their idolatry. The LORD asks one question, “Should I receive comfort in these?” Surely we know the answer to this. No! He will not “receive comfort,” or be satisfied, with this. He will surely send punishment upon them.

(Verses 9 through 12) 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. 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. And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and not remembered Me, nor laid it to thy heart? Have not I held My peace even of old, and thou fearest Me not?” I will declare thy righteousness, and thy works; for they shall not profit thee.

From the conclusion of verse 9, surely we would have to say that Israel had sunken about as low as is possible. She debased herself even unto hell. She had put forth so much effort in her idolatry that she was worn out. Yet she never even considered laying it aside. She had found “the life of thine hand,” the life she wanted. Then the LORD asks her of whom she was so afraid that she forgot Him, and did not seriously consider what her real status was. He reminds her that He has held His peace for a long time, and yet she has not feared Him. It seems that in this case the word, “feared,” should be read, “respected.” Although He has long been silent, He will now declare her righteousness, or lack thereof, and her works. Her works are such that they will be of no profit to her. There is nothing to stand between her and the punishment He has determined for her.

(Verses 13 through 19) 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; and shall say, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumblingblock out of the way of My people. 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. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before Me, and the souls which I have made. 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. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to his mourners. 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 LORD’S first address in verse 13 is to the same idolaters He has rebuked from verse 3. When they get in trouble, let them cry to their companions for help. This signifies clearly that He will not help them. Then He turns to those who put their trust in Him, and declares that they shall possess the land, and inherit His holy mountain. They also are the ones who shall call for the way to be prepared, and for the stumblingblock to be taken out of the way of His people. He declares that He, “the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, dwells in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,” for the purpose of reviving the spirit of the humble and the heart of the contrite. He tells us that He will not be angry, and will not contend forever (with man). For if He did, humanity would be completely destroyed. It is only for the iniquity, which covers man that He is angry, and sends chastisement, in spite of which man goes rebelliously on “in the way of his heart.” As long as man is not changed, or healed from his sinful condition, chastisement will not turn him away from his iniquity. So He declares, I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts to his mourners. Surely, His healing of man is embodied in His sending His only begotten Son to redeem us from our sins. For no other plan was ever devised. Indeed through that wonderful act, He restored comforts to his (man’s) mourners. “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.” Certainly “the fruit of the lips” is praise to our GOD. And this He creates. He lays it upon our hearts, and we only speak forth that which He has given us. So to those to whom He has given this “fruit of the lips,” He also declares Peace; and this is to them that are far off, and to them that are near. And the LORD has promised to heal all of these.

(Verses 20 and 21) But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God to the wicked.

Although the LORD has promised that He will heal those who are of a contrite and humble heart, the wicked are not so. Instead they are like the sea in a storm. It cannot rest, but is churning up mire and dirt. So are the wicked. They are never content to rest, but are constantly stirring up trouble of one sort, or another. And God says, “There is no peace to the wicked.”

Chapter 58

(Verses 1 and 2) Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek Me daily, and delight to know My ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of Me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in approaching to God.

This is the LORD’S commission to Isaiah. At this point, his work is to declare, in a loud voice, to the house of Jacob their sins and transgressions. They daily seek after the LORD, but are so blinded by their sins and iniquities that they cannot find Him. They “take great delight in,” or make a great show of, approaching to God. That is, they are sticklers for making their offerings, and following all the outward ritual of their service, “as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God.” But their problem is that they HAVE FORSAKEN their God, and HAVE NOT DONE righteousness.

(Verses 3 through 7) Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and Thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and Thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your labors. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast as I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is it to bow down his head like a bulrush, and spread sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD? Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

Here the LORD uses only one of the practices of Israel to show the reality of all. They were commanded to fast at certain times as part of their service to God. They had added many more fasts, than those required by law. And they wondered why, since they were even volunteering to fast so much, that the LORD did not reward their fasts by making everything easy for them. Yet on their fasting days they went about their own pleasures, and carried on their business as usual, except for the little part of the time in which they would go to a public place, spread sackcloth and ashes on the ground, and sit on this to show the people they were fasting, the very thing against which Jesus warned the people. Those who fasted in this manner gained the attention of the people. But they were not recognized of God. He said they were fasting for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness. But this would not cause their voice to be heard on high. That is, it would not cause Him to hear them. That is not the fast He has chosen. All that is, is a matter of show. With their sorrowful face, their bowed down head, and their sackcloth and ashes, they could fool men; but they could not fool the LORD. Then He describes to them what constitutes an acceptable fast. First it is to “loose the bands of wickedness,” that is, to lay aside all thoughts and actions of wickedness, to remove all the heavy burdens one has placed upon another, let those he has oppressed go free, and break the yoke of servitude he has put upon another. Having done this, there is still more to be done. It can hardly be said any more clearly than in verse 7. “Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?” This is the fast that is acceptable to the LORD.

(Verses 8 through 12) Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the LORD will answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of the paths to dwell in.

Those of Israel , who keep the acceptable fast to the LORD, as He has just described it to them, will receive the fulfilling of this promise. The LORD will cause them to shine forth as the morning, their health shall be greatly enhanced, their righteousness shall precede them, and the glory of the LORD will be their protection. Then, when they call upon the LORD, He will answer. When they cry He will be present with them. He reminds them again of what He has just told them is acceptable to Him as a fast, and declares that if they will do this, their light will drive away obscurity, and their darkest times shall be as the noonday. Not only so, but He will Himself guide them, refresh them in times of drought, and make them to be as a watered garden and like a spring that does not dry up even in a drought. Notice that He does not promise that these same ones to whom He now speaks will build the old waste places. But “they that shall be of thee,” that is, their descendants shall do this. Thus shall they raise up the foundations of many generations, and be called “The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.”

(Verses 13 and 14) If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on My holy day; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honorable; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Now the LORD instructs Israel how to observe the Sabbath, and promises that if they will do this, He will cause them “to ride upon the high places of the earth.” That is, they shall be placed in the positions of greatest authority. He will feed them with the heritage of their father Jacob. This cannot fail, because the LORD has spoken it. And His word does not, and cannot, fail. Many will try to tell us that observance of the Sabbath has nothing to do with the Gentile Christians. But before there were Jews and Gentiles, the LORD did something for the Sabbath that was, and is, unique. There is no record that it was ever done for any other day. (Genesis 2:2-3) “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it He had rested from all His work which God created and made.” Should not we render special honor to Him on that day?

Chapter 59

We sometimes are told that God wants to save every person in the world, but He cannot do it, because some men just will not let Him. That may have been the idea that some among Israel had in Isaiah’s day. Or it may be that they had given up on Him, because He had not delivered them, and had even declared more destruction to come upon them, they thought He had lost, at least, some of His power. But their attention is called to the fact that this is not the case. He still has the same power that He has had from the beginning, and He can just as easily as ever hear their cries. That which is blocking their access to Him is their own sins, so that instead of His being unable to hear them, He WILL NOT hear them. Their hands and fingers were defiled with blood and all manner of iniquity. They were liars and mischief makers, with no desire for justice or truth. Their trust was in vanity and falsehood. This has already been well documented in Chapter 58. Their efforts are as useless as if they were trying to produce cockatrice’s eggs and weave spiders webs. Sometimes in the marginal notes in some Bibles the word “cockatrice” is shown as “scorpion,” and in others, “adder.” Both are poisonous, so it would make us little difference which meaning is given. What is really under consideration is their lies and evil deeds. Those who eat these eggs will die, and if one is allowed to hatch, it will bring forth a viper. The spider’s webs of lies that they weave will not serve as worthwhile garments. “Neither shall they cover themselves with their works.” They have nothing under which they can hide, because their hands are full wickedness and violence. They are always running to do evil, and to shed innocent blood. Since all they think of is iniquity, their path is full of waste and destruction. They know nothing of the way of peace, and have no judgment, or justice, in anything they do. The paths they have made are all crooked. And those who walk in their paths will never know peace.

(Verses 9 through 15) Therefore is judgment far from us, neither doth justice overtake us: we wait for light, but behold obscurity; for brightness, but we walk in darkness. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as if we had no eyes: we stumble in the noonday as in the night; we are in desolate places as dead men. We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves: we look for judgment, but there is none; for salvation, but it is far off from us. For our transgressions are multiplied before Thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them; in transgressing and lying aga inst the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment.

At this point Isaiah breaks forth in a confession of the sins of Israel . And, indeed, it is a description of all humanity. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is, actually, very little to be said in explanation of this. It describes us as we are by nature. We have nothing good about which to boast; but on the contrary, we are evil throughout; and if left in this condition, we have no hope. In verse 11, as he says, “We roar all like bears, and mourn sore like doves,” it seems that the mourning is not our mourning over our sins, but mourning because we do not get what we want. If we should look for judgment, we will not find it, because there is none. It has all been removed. If we look for deliverance, we will again be disappointed, for it too is very far away. All of this is because of our iniquities. Our transgressions and our lying against the LORD are the sole cause of our condition. And that condition is indeed horrible. There is neither judgment nor justice, and truth has been cast down in the street. In this condition equity cannot enter into the city. And if one tries to depart from evil, he only makes himself an easy victim of the violence around him. “And the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment.” This was the condition of man when our Lord Jesus came