Isaiah 51:4-6

God's Or The Servant's Call To His True People To Consider His Everlasting Salvation (Isaiah 51:4).

His people are not just to listen, they must also pay heed. They must ‘pay attention' to His instruction which will come through His Servant as a light to the peoples (compare Isaiah 42:6; Isaiah 49:6; and see Isaiah 2:2). They must respond to the salvation that He brings, which is both for Israel and for the Gentiles.

Isaiah 51:4

“Attend to me, O my people,

And give ear to me, O my nation.

For instruction (a law) shall go forth from me,

And I will make my judgment to rest for a light to the peoples.

My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth,

And my arms will judge the peoples.

The isles will wait for me,

And on my arm they will trust.”

The difficulty here is to know whether these are the words of Yahweh or the words of the Servant. If the words are Yahweh's then here God refers to the work that His Servant will do as if it were His own (which of course it is). If the words are the Servant's then they outline His coming activity. His own people and nation are to see and consider. His Instruction will go forth (compare Isaiah 2:3; Isaiah 42:4), and His righteous teaching and requirements, revealed in His jurisdiction over them, will ‘rest' for a light to the peoples (Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 49:6). It is to be their permanent experience.

All are to learn from Him. For His righteous activity is about to happen (is ‘near' in God's timing) and His deliverance has, as far as He is concerned, already gone forth (compare Isaiah 45:8; Isaiah 46:13; Isaiah 56:1; Isaiah 59:16). It is on offer if men will but receive it. Then His arms will judge the peoples, bringing about justice and righteousness (they will be ruled under His mighty arm). He will Himself rule over them with power. The distant isles and coastlands will wait for Him in ready obedience (Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 60:9) and they will rely on His power, His mighty arm. The tenor behind this is reminiscent of previous words to the Servant (Isaiah 42:4; Isaiah 49:6), thus linking Him with the promises in Isaiah 2:1. We can now be in no doubt that the message of the Servant is for all nations, and that He will ensure that it reaches them.

The plural ‘arms' is indicative of the many ways in which God will protect and care for His people (compare Isaiah 30:30; Isaiah 33:2; Isaiah 40:11;), the singular ‘arm' stresses His mighty power on their behalf (Isaiah 40:10; Isaiah 62:8).

Isaiah 51:6

“Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

And look on the earth beneath.

For the heavens will vanish away like smoke,

And the earth will grow old like a garment,

And those who dwell in it will die in the same way.

But my deliverance will be for ever,

And my righteousness will not be abolished.”

The description above can only apply to an eternal kingdom, for here earth and heaven are to pass away. In a dying world, death is to be the lot of all men, but His people are to enjoy everlasting deliverance and permanent righteous rule. Compare Isaiah 26:19. So Isaiah is making clear that all His promises have been pointing towards that which is above.

The call is to consider both heavens and earth. Smoke in the heavens was regularly seen when armies invaded, when stubble was burned or when there were fires in forests and bushland. But always the smoke eventually faded and disappeared. So will the heavens disappear in days to come, rapidly like thinning, wispy smoke. Similarly the earth will age like old clothing ages, to be thrown away. The thought, in parallel to what happens to the heavens, is that it too will come to an end. What is more all earth dwellers will die ‘in the same way', that is, like old, tossed aside clothing (compare Isaiah 50:9; Isaiah 51:8).

‘But my deliverance will be for ever, and my righteousness will not be abolished.' In contrast this is promising life, continuing existence in glory, in contrast with the wispy smoke and the death just described, confirming that this is the everlasting kingdom, and it is after earth and heaven have passed away. The thought is not analysed and expanded on but the thought is clear. It strongly confirms that Isaiah's many pictures of the future state do have what we would call ‘Heaven' in mind. Compare here Isaiah 25:8.