22 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

The Lord speaks to His people but the people have trouble listening to Him. Hence, three times in this chapter alone the Lord says, “Listen to me” (Isaiah 51:1,4,7)

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: (Isaiah 51:1)

These verses are addressed to two people

1.Those who follow after righteousness

2.Those who seek the Lord

Seeking the Lord can be:

Personal
Family
Corporate

And blessed him and increased him (Isaiah 51:2)

The blessing of the Lord always brings increase

Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

And look on the earth beneath.

For the heavens will vanish away like smoke,

The earth will grow old like a garment,

And those who dwell in it will die in like manner;

But My salvation will be forever,

And My righteousness will not be abolished. (Isaiah 51:6)

These are references to phenomenon surrounding the Second Coming of Lord Jesus (Read Matthew 24:35, 2 Peter 3:7-10, Revelation 6:12-17).

This is ultimately when the justice of the LORD will be displayed to Israel and all nations.

“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,

You people in whose heart is My law:

Do not fear the reproach of men,

Nor be afraid of their insults.

For the moth will eat them up like a garment,

And the worm will eat them like wool;

But My righteousness will be forever,

And My salvation from generation to generation.” (Isaiah 51:7-8)

These verses are not addressed to the people of the world but to God’s people. You who know righteousness, people in whose heart is My law.

A person who loves the Lord must fear the displeasure of God more than the displeasure of the people. There was king in Israel, He feared the displeasure of the people more than the displeasure of God. And that was a great insult to God. The consequence was that he lost his kingdom.

In fact, Isaiah says it is a kind of pride to be afraid of what man can do while we disregard the promises of God. He quotes God with this piercing question: “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker?” (Isaiah 51:12–13).

Fear of man may not feel like pride, but that’s what God says it is, “Who do you think you are to fear man and forget me your Maker!”

Herod was afraid of what his guests would think of him: so he did that which made him "greatly distressed," he beheaded John the Baptist. Pilate feared offending the Jews: so he did that which he knew in his conscience was unjust--he delivered up Jesus to be crucified.

Try only to please God, and He will soon make others pleased with you. "When a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him" (Proverbs 16:7)

Prayer

Father, put Your words in my mouth;

Cover me with the shadow of Your hand (Isaiah 51:16)

Awake, awake!

Stand up, O Jerusalem, (Romans 51:17)

God’s people sometimes spiritually “fall asleep” and need to be awakened.

Romans 13:11-12 says, And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.

Chapter 51