Isaiah 51:21-23

Therefore hear not, &c.— To the church, lying in the condition above described, but soon to rise, soon to emerge from her afflictions, to be avenged of her enemies, and to be clothed with honour, the consolation in these verses is addressed, which have nothing difficult in them. We may just observe, that the horrid image in this whole apostrophe is worked up with all the colourings of terror, and this allusion to the vice of drunkenness is frequent in Scripture: the following passages will throw light on our prophet: Jeremiah 30:8; Jeremiah 30:11.Joel 2:19. Amos 9:14. We may read Isaiah 51:22. The cup of reeling or the intoxicating cup:—Thou shalt no longer drink of it. Last clause of Isaiah 51:23. And as the street to the passengers.

REFLECTIONS.—1st, This chapter may be considered in one sense as intended for the comfort of Israel in Babylon, but in its grand and more important sense refers to the Gospel dispensation.

1. The character of God's people is here described. Ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord; who earnestly embrace the righteousness of faith, seek the Lord in all his appointed ordinances, and desire to walk before him in all holy conversation and godliness.

2. Their duty is set before them: in general, to hearken to all God's words, and particularly to look back with humility on their low original, and with faith to trust God in the time of their deepest distress, who is as able to save them, and increase his church, as to deliver Abraham from his idolatrous country, and make him the father of many nations. Note; (1.) It is good for a child of God to be often remembering the hole of the pit, the state of nature and sin whence he hath been digged, to keep him ever humble before God. (2.) What God hath done of old for those who trusted, as Abraham, implicitly on his promise, should encourage us to follow their faith, and to hope for their blessing.

3. In the way of duty God will meet them with his consolations. The Lord shall comfort Zion, his church, and every member of it, with the discoveries of his love. He will comfort all her waste places, where, through the ravages of persecution, few faithful remained; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; so flourishing and fruitful; and this will yield matter of abundant consolation to the saints, as well as glory to God: joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody. Note; (1.) It is matter of greatest joy to the soul, when God is pleased to change its desert state of nature, and, by his grace renewed, to make it flourish as the garden of Eden. (2.) The tribute of praise is the least we can render for the mercies that we continually receive from God.

2nd, God promises to comfort his church, and we have here abundant ground of consolation set before us, from the views of the transcendent glory of God our Saviour.
1. We are told who they are that have an interest in him: My people, my nation, that generation of faithful Jews and Gentiles incorporated, that make one body, of which Christ is the living head; ye that know righteousness, in whose heart is my law; faith working by love, and engaging a willing obedience to all God's commandments. Reader, is this thy case?

2. A repeated and solemn call is given to these, to hear him who speaketh from heaven, and brings to men the knowledge of salvation. Note; They who would know God's mind and will, must be attentive to his word.

3. The glad tidings that Christ brings are delivered.
[1.] A law shall proceed from me, the law of the Spirit of Life, the Gospel; and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people; his word shall gain a firm establishment, and be not merely the light of Israel, but of the ends of the earth.

[2.] In this Gospel, one grand object is the great atonement wrought out by the Redeemer in behalf of fallen man—the meritorious cause of the salvation, which is, in consequence thereof, bestowed upon them that believe.
[3.] This atonement is near, and this salvation is gone forth; openly preached in the word of the Gospel, and is near to every sinner, from whom no previous qualifications are required, except a consciousness of guilt—whenever he receives God's record as true, that moment he becomes entitled to the salvation promised.

[4.] Mine arm shall judge the people; either the arm of the Lord shall be revealed to them in mercy, and they shall trust in it, as will be the case of those who embrace the proffered salvation; or he will visit those who neglect so great a mercy, and punish them for their unbelief.

[5.] This atoning merit of the Redeemer shall be eternal: it is not only free for all nations, but enduring through all ages. The heavens will decay, and the earth be destroyed, but this will abide unchangeably the same.
[6.] They need not fear the reproaches and revilings of men, who have an interest in this infinite merit and this salvation: they are to expect their cross; but it is their glory, not their shame.
[7.] Christ will silence and destroy shortly all their enemies; and when, through the ages of eternity, his glorified saints shall be rejoicing in consummate bliss, they who have rejected it must lie down in torment, where their worm dieth not, and their fire is not quenched.
3rdly, God had promised to bring near his salvation; the church immediately in prayer cries to him to hasten it in his time.
1. His people pray that he would awake, and put forth his mighty power for their salvation: not that he ever sleeps or slumbers; but, when the faithful are diminished and brought low, he seems to forget their distresses. Confident of his power, they plead their former experience of it, when in the plagues of Egypt he made bare his arm, and, in the deliverance of Israel from that house of their prison, wrought such miracles on their behalf. Confident of his love, they promise themselves a speedy answer; that he will bring them to Zion with songs, banish their sorrows, and crown them with everlasting joy. This may refer to the restoration of the Jews from Babylon, or the church of Christ, when Babylon mystical is fallen. And it is applicable to every faithful soul, which here, beset with enemies, is driven to God in continual prayer for help and succour, through grace is enabled to triumph over all difficulties, and in death goes to the heavenly Zion, where all the tears of the saints will be for ever wiped away, their sorrows be eternally banished, and joy unspeakable and full of glory glow in their bosom; while amid the enraptured hosts of saints and angels they join in the everlasting songs of a Redeemer's praise.

2. God, whose ears are ever open to the prayers of his people, answers them to their utmost satisfaction: I, even I, am he that comforteth you; and when he, who is the fountain of mercy, and the God of all consolation, gives such an assurance, what can we need more?

[1.] He comforts them under their fears. Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die? &c. However the oppressors threatened, the greatest before God were but dying worms, and frail as the withering grass; and therefore their continual fears were groundless and unreasonable; nay, they were dishonourable to God, and shewed a forgetfulness and distrust of his almighty power and grace. Note; (1.) A sense of the vanity of man will greatly tend to deliver us from the fear of offending in the way of our duty; for what is the wrath of a dying worm, compared with the favour of the living God? (2.) We often create ourselves needless disquiet, and tremble at consequences and events which never come to pass. (3.) The causes of all tormenting fear is our unbelief. One thought of God, with fixed dependence upon him, would bear us above all frowns and threatenings.

[2.] He will loose them from their bonds. The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed: it is a natural desire, and he is solicitous for the time to come; and that he should not die in the pit, the house of his prison; nor that his bread should fail, and he die with hunger. And such might be the fear of some of the Jews in Babylon, and is the case of timid believers at times, when under temptation they are ready to despair of themselves; but I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared; as when he once opened a way for his ransomed to escape out of Egypt, so will he from Babylon; and thus shall all his captive exiles, all faithful souls, be set free, whatever spiritual bondage for a time they may endure: the Lord of Hosts is his name, and therefore able to accomplish all his promises.

[3.] He will fulfil his word to the uttermost in the establishment of his church. I have put my words in thy mouth; Christ, the great prophet, being authorized and sent of the Father to publish the Gospel: and have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand; protected him, and his ministers commissioned by him to preach his word, with whom God is to the end of the world, maintaining them against all opposition; that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth; the Gospel church, bright as the heavens in purity of doctrine and worship; and strong as the foundations of the earth, against which the gates of hell can never prevail: and say unto Zion, Thou art my people; the spiritual Zion, where Jews and Gentiles, all the faithful, incorporated together, become one fold under one shepherd.

4thly, Jerusalem here appears sunk under her calamities into the stupor of despair; or, like Ezekiel's dry bones, in a state of death.
1. God calls aloud, Awake, Awake! and his voice can raise the dead, and rouse the soul from the depths of despair. Deplorable indeed was her case: for grievous provocations she had been made to drink the cup of fury and trembling to the dregs. Most aweful judgments had been poured upon her, and like one intoxicated with wine, weak and feeble, she became an easy prey to the invader. None of all her sons was able to help or support her; king, priest, and prophet had failed. Two things had come upon her, a state of abject misery, and not a friend to comfort her. Famine, desolation, destruction, and the sword, had cut off all ranks, and the few who were left, though despairing, were furious; though fainting with hunger, impatient under God's rebukes, and quarrelling with his providences, instead of meekly humbling themselves for their sins. Note; (1.) If judgment thus begin at the house of God, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear? (2.) When we have been unfaithful to God, let it not be thought strange, if our nearest relatives prove unfaithful to us. (3.) None can comfort the soul against which God rises up in displeasure. (4.) Too many under God's visitations, instead of being abashed by them, madly quarrel with his providences. (5.) They but entangle themselves the more, and add to their plagues, who struggle in his net.

2. God's compassions toward them are still manifested: though they deserve wrath to the uttermost, in the midst of judgment he remembers mercy. Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine; stupified with the weight of calamities, and an object of God's pity. Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God, who, notwithstanding all provocations, hath not utterly cast them off; that pleadeth the cause of his people, to the confusion of their enemies; Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; the punishment inflicted is enough; thou shalt no more drink it again; the sin forgiven, the curse shall be removed; and I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; of the Babylonian, and, in future time, of Babylon mystical; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; not only enslaving their bodies, but tyrannizing over the souls of men, the distinguishing mark of the antichristian church, who set up an infallible head, and require implicit obedience: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street to them that went over; reduced to the most abject state of distress, see Revelation 11:2.; but now the time is come to vindicate their quarrel, and execute judgment on their oppressors. Note; (1.) It is often the case of God's people to be in tribulation. (2.) However the cause of godliness may be oppressed, it will appear triumphant at the last. (3.) They who have been persecutors of God's people, will find him the avenger of their wrongs.