Isaiah 51:1-11
THE CERTAINTY OF DELIVERANCE... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CERTAINTY OF DELIVERANCE... [ Continue Reading ]
Hearken unto Me, ye that follow after righteousness, earnestly seeking to obtain it, YE THAT SEEK THE LORD, in true repentance over their sins, as yet not daring to show a happy faith; LOOK UNTO THE ROCK WHENCE YE ARE HEWN, namely, Abraham, before the promise of the Lord regarding the birth of Isaac... [ Continue Reading ]
Look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah, that bare you, the ancestors of the Jewish people and, in a wider sense, of the spiritual Israel; FOR I CALLED HIM ALONE, when he was but one, AND BLESSED HIM AND INCREASED HIM, the conclusion which follows being that the same God is able to deliver an... [ Continue Reading ]
For the Lord shall comfort Zion, building up His city anew; HE WILL COMFORT ALL HER WASTE PLACES, letting her arise from her ruins; AND HE WILL MAKE HER WILDERNESS LIKE EDEN AND HER DESERT LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD, new life and new glory following His blessing; JOY AND GLADNESS SHALL BE FOUND THE... [ Continue Reading ]
Hearken unto Me, My people, the invitation going forth once more and with increased emphasis, AND GIVE EAR UNTO ME, O MY NATION, in the attitude of most careful attention; FOR A LAW SHALL PROCEED FROM ME, His Word issuing for the instruction of men, AND I WILL MAKE MY JUDGMENT, that which is right a... [ Continue Reading ]
My righteousness is near, which includes all the mercies promised in the covenant made with His people; MY SALVATION IS GONE FORTH, is already an established fact, AND MINE ARMS SHALL JUDGE THE PEOPLE, His merciful power directing their thoughts to the salvation of the Messiah. THE ISLES SHALL WAIT... [ Continue Reading ]
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, with its impression of endless stability, AND LOOK UPON THE EARTH BENEATH, with its uninterrupted succession of generations, both appearing to the human mind as established securely; FOR THE HEAVENS SHALL VANISH AWAY LIKE SMOKE, AND THE EARTH SHALL WAX OLD LIKE A GA... [ Continue Reading ]
Hearken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, choosing the mercy of the Lord's covenant, THE PEOPLE IN WHOSE HEART IS MY LAW, who delight in the instruction given in His Word; FEAR YE NOT THE REPROACH OF MEN, NEITHER BE YE AFRAID OF THEIR REVILINGS, which were then, as now, poured out upon the believ... [ Continue Reading ]
for the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool, bring about their destruction, put them out of the way; BUT MY RIGHTEOUSNESS SHALL BE FOREVER AND MY SALVATION FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION, His redemption means an eternal deliverance to all who trust in Him. Ins... [ Continue Reading ]
Awake, awake, put on strength, exhibiting His almighty power, O ARM OF THE LORD, as in carrying out a difficult piece of work; AWAKE, AS IN THE ANCIENT DAYS, IN THE GENERATIONS OF OLD, as when He delivered His people from the bondage of Egypt. ART THOU NOT IT THAT HATH CUT RAHAB, the crocodile, as t... [ Continue Reading ]
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? The reference is to the deliverance of Israel at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh's might was overthrown. The thought which is implied is this: Even as the Lord... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come with singing unto Zion, their deliverance from the captivity of Babylon being a picture of the salvation of mankind from the bondage of Satan; AND EVERLASTING JOY SHALL BE UPON THEIR HEAD, like the wreath of a bride; THEY SHALL OBTAIN GLADNESS... [ Continue Reading ]
I, even I, am He that comforteth you, so Jehovah Himself announces in taking up the topic of the chapter once more. WHO ART THOU THAT THOU SHOULDEST BE AFRAID OF A MAN THAT SHALL DIE, why should Zion as such or any individual believer fear any mortal enemy, AND OF THE SON OF MAN WHICH SHALL BE MADE... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LOOSING OF THE EXILES... [ Continue Reading ]
and forgettest the Lord, thy Maker, the almighty Creator of the universe, that hath stretched forth the heavens, 40:22; 42:5, AND LAID THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH, established it most firmly; AND HAST FEARED CONTINUALLY EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THE FURY OF THE OPPRESSOR, of the tyrant among men, of who... [ Continue Reading ]
The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, literally, Soon the one bowed down (as captive) shall be loosed, the heavy fetters which bore him down to the ground being removed, AND THAT HE SHOULD NOT DIE IN THE PIT, NOR THAT HIS BREAD SHOULD FAIL, that is, he should be delivered from prison an... [ Continue Reading ]
But I am the Lord, thy God, the gracious Sovereign, that divided the sea, whipping it into fury, WHOSE WAVES ROARED. THE LORD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME, He who has command of both the heavenly and the earthly powers, He who directs the elements at His will.... [ Continue Reading ]
And I have put My words in thy mouth, entrusting them to His people, AND I HAVE COVERED THEE IN THE SHADOW OF MINE HAND, sustaining Israel in faith and in His grace, THAT I MAY PLANT THE HEAVENS AND LAY THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH, as the Creator of the universe, and say unto Zion, with whom He is... [ Continue Reading ]
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, this call being intended for the time immediately after the taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, WHICH HAST DRUNK AT THE HAND OF THE LORD THE CUP OF HIS FURY, namely, in the punishment meted out by the Babylonian army. THOU HAST DRUNKEN THE DREGS OF THE CUP OF... [ Continue Reading ]
There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth, none to direct her while she was in this helpless state of drunken terror; NEITHER IS THERE ANY THAT TAKETH HER BY THE HAND, to uphold and strengthen her, OF ALL THE SONS THAT SHE HATH BROUGHT UP. It is impossible to bring sa... [ Continue Reading ]
These two things are come unto thee, things of two kinds which are presently mentioned; WHO SHALL BE SORRY FOR THEE? Not one showed sympathy with Zion in her deep disgrace. The two varieties of affliction are now named. DESOLATION AND DESTRUCTION, on the one hand, AND THE FAMINE AND THE SWORD, on th... [ Continue Reading ]
Thy Sons have fainted, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem being overcome; THEY LIE AT THE HEAD OF ALL THE STREETS, at the intersection of all thoroughfares, AS A WILD BULL IN A NET, as a gazelle which is helplessly enmeshed; THEY ARE FULL OF THE FURY OF THE LORD, THE REBUKE OF THY GOD, for this invari... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, one who has experienced the depths of misery and tribulation, AND DRUNKEN, BUT NOT WITH WINE, the wrath of God alone being the cause of her miserable condition:... [ Continue Reading ]
Thus saith thy Lord, the Husband and Sovereign of Jerusalem, THE LORD, the God of the covenant, AND THY GOD, that pleadeth the cause of His people, taking their part against the tyrants, BEHOLD, I HAVE TAKEN OUT OF THINE HAND THE CUP OF TREMBLING, the terror being induced by the wrath of the Lord ov... [ Continue Reading ]
but I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee, who had brought all this tribulation upon her, WHICH HAVE SAID TO THY SOUL, BOW DOWN THAT WE MAY GO OVER, their backs thus serving to be trampled under foot by the enemies, AND THOU HAST LAID THY BODY AS THE GROUND AND AS THE STREET, like a... [ Continue Reading ]