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Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 51

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Verses 1-9

Intro:
1. Here’s a chapter to encourage is people!
  1. It will be a time of singing but 1^st…Shhhhh…listen!
2. Outline: 3 Listen to Me’s; & 3 Awake Awake’s!
LISTEN TO ME! (51:1-8)
1. PAST! (1-3)
2. Look to Abraham your father & founder; the rock from which they were cut.
3. I called him alone! – His dad Terah died; Lot took off; Hagar was sent away; Isaac was laid on the altar;…but the fire in Abraham’s heart only grew brighter!
  1. Don’t despair if you are asked to stand alone for God!
  2. “One acorn, when the life of nature touches it, may become parent to a forest!”
4. God blessed Abraham & He would bless Zion!
  1. This is Jerusalem(Zion) in the millennium when the land of Israel becomes like Eden.
5. Wilderness like Eden – Though once you were an orphan & an outcast, you now have a seal on your forehead, & a ring of faithfulness on your finger. You are now a prince/princess to God!
  1. If he can change a desert into a garden, then he can make your barren heart sing for joy again!
6. FUTURE! (4-6)
7. (4) In the millennium God’s word & Justice will govern all the nations
8. (5) Resting on His arm!
  1. Q: What else will you lean on? Q: Who else?
  2. Q: Can you bless the hurricane in your life that drove you to Jesus?
  3. Collapse in His arms!
  4. Show the strong man how strong you are in your weaknesses… when underneath are His everlasting arms!
    1. Andre(Jennifer) holding baby Lucas in his one arm after service.
9. PRESENT! (7,8)
10. (7) Don’t fear the insults of men.
11. (8) With God on our side we are always the strong majority!

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Verses 1-9

Intro:
1. Here’s a chapter to encourage is people!
  1. It will be a time of singing but 1^st…Shhhhh…listen!
2. Outline: 3 Listen to Me’s; & 3 Awake Awake’s!
LISTEN TO ME! (51:1-8)
1. PAST! (1-3)
2. Look to Abraham your father & founder; the rock from which they were cut.
3. I called him alone! – His dad Terah died; Lot took off; Hagar was sent away; Isaac was laid on the altar;…but the fire in Abraham’s heart only grew brighter!
  1. Don’t despair if you are asked to stand alone for God!
  2. “One acorn, when the life of nature touches it, may become parent to a forest!”
4. God blessed Abraham & He would bless Zion!
  1. This is Jerusalem(Zion) in the millennium when the land of Israel becomes like Eden.
5. Wilderness like Eden – Though once you were an orphan & an outcast, you now have a seal on your forehead, & a ring of faithfulness on your finger. You are now a prince/princess to God!
  1. If he can change a desert into a garden, then he can make your barren heart sing for joy again!
6. FUTURE! (4-6)
7. (4) In the millennium God’s word & Justice will govern all the nations
8. (5) Resting on His arm!
  1. Q: What else will you lean on? Q: Who else?
  2. Q: Can you bless the hurricane in your life that drove you to Jesus?
  3. Collapse in His arms!
  4. Show the strong man how strong you are in your weaknesses… when underneath are His everlasting arms!
    1. Andre(Jennifer) holding baby Lucas in his one arm after service.
9. PRESENT! (7,8)
10. (7) Don’t fear the insults of men.
11. (8) With God on our side we are always the strong majority!

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Verses 10-23

AWAKE, AWAKE! (51:9-52:10)
1. THIS IS THE CALL FOR GOD TO ACT! (9-11)
  1. Rahab, & wounded serpent, & made the depths of the sea a road are all speaking of Egypt.
2. GOD WILL ACT! (12-16)
  1. God reminds them of His greatness!
  2. He comforts…So, in whom should you be afraid? (Baby-lonians?)
    1. Believe that God has placed Himself between you & all your enemies; between you & all your circumstances!
  3. Q: How are we to fear in light of this passage?
  4. (13-15) Is not the Creator greater than the Calamity?
    1. Q: Oh, tempest tossed believer, are you dishonoring your Master by unworthy doubts & fears?
    2. The forces of evil are strong, but God is stronger.
    3. The clouds threaten, but the sun is shining.
  5. (16) God will protect his people! – He’d got you covered!
    1. I picture a boy, the sun reflecting through his magnifying glass, which is aimed at a bug. To protect that bug you interrupt the sun beam with the back of your hand.
      1. Result? The bug no longer feels the wrath of the sun…but the hand takes it all!
    2. It speaks of: safety, protection, peace!
  6. During the Sepoy mutiny in India(Sepoy=Indian soldier under British command), when a number of English men & women were shut up in a quarter of Cawnpore, expecting a terrible death by assault or slow starvation, a torn page of the Bible containing this passage(vs.16) was found on the street pavement & was of unspeakable comfort!
  7. You are my people – that is also the churches hope.
    1. This is our song, we are safe in the shadow of His hand!
3. THE CUP! (17-23)
4. Discipline Time! (17-20)
5. Q: Has it been God that has been lethargic? No, it is His people!
6. Wake yourself!(ESV); Rouse yourself!(NASB)
  1. Why? Because God is about to bless the city!
7. (17) Inebriated with sin.
  1. They even drank the Dregs! - small solid particles found in liquids such as coffee or wine that sink to the bottom of a container.
8. (17) Picture of a cup! (like drinking a cup of poison, till empty!)
9. (18) Picture of a blind woman! (stumbling in the dark)
10. (20a) Picture of youth fainting in the streets! (i.e. passed out drunk)
11. (20b) Picture of an antelope caught in a net!
12. Their time of discipline is over! (21-23)
  1. And never again to drink of that cup!
  2. Jesus talked much about “the cup” – His blood shed, new cov.
    1. We always talk about the Cross representing God’s love(which it does), but equally so.. His Wrath!
  3. Jesus Himself would drink the cup of judgment to the last dregs!
13. (21) Drunk but not w/wine – Sounds like Pentecost results(2:15)!
  1. Eph.5:18 “be not drunk w/wine,…but be filled w/the H.S.”
  2. Q: Have you ever been accused of “so walking in the Spirit” that they thought you were drunk?
    1. I remember laughing fits with my friends over something dumb.
14. (22) …God, who pleads the cause of His people! –
  1. We forget too often that he pleads are cause(s).
  2. Q: Even when we have sinned against him? Yep!(22b)
15. (23) This is wrath transference!
16. Lie down that we may walk over you – An allusion to the practice of making captives lie face downward on the ground, & using their backs as a road to walk on.
  1. Saddam – Helmets in streets 2 main entrances of Baghdad. Enemy soldiers were buried feet 1st, helmets exposed for the roads speed bumps.

return to 'Top of Page'

Verses 10-23

AWAKE, AWAKE! (51:9-52:10)
1. THIS IS THE CALL FOR GOD TO ACT! (9-11)
  1. Rahab, & wounded serpent, & made the depths of the sea a road are all speaking of Egypt.
2. GOD WILL ACT! (12-16)
  1. God reminds them of His greatness!
  2. He comforts…So, in whom should you be afraid? (Baby-lonians?)
    1. Believe that God has placed Himself between you & all your enemies; between you & all your circumstances!
  3. Q: How are we to fear in light of this passage?
  4. (13-15) Is not the Creator greater than the Calamity?
    1. Q: Oh, tempest tossed believer, are you dishonoring your Master by unworthy doubts & fears?
    2. The forces of evil are strong, but God is stronger.
    3. The clouds threaten, but the sun is shining.
  5. (16) God will protect his people! – He’d got you covered!
    1. I picture a boy, the sun reflecting through his magnifying glass, which is aimed at a bug. To protect that bug you interrupt the sun beam with the back of your hand.
      1. Result? The bug no longer feels the wrath of the sun…but the hand takes it all!
    2. It speaks of: safety, protection, peace!
  6. During the Sepoy mutiny in India(Sepoy=Indian soldier under British command), when a number of English men & women were shut up in a quarter of Cawnpore, expecting a terrible death by assault or slow starvation, a torn page of the Bible containing this passage(vs.16) was found on the street pavement & was of unspeakable comfort!
  7. You are my people – that is also the churches hope.
    1. This is our song, we are safe in the shadow of His hand!
3. THE CUP! (17-23)
4. Discipline Time! (17-20)
5. Q: Has it been God that has been lethargic? No, it is His people!
6. Wake yourself!(ESV); Rouse yourself!(NASB)
  1. Why? Because God is about to bless the city!
7. (17) Inebriated with sin.
  1. They even drank the Dregs! - small solid particles found in liquids such as coffee or wine that sink to the bottom of a container.
8. (17) Picture of a cup! (like drinking a cup of poison, till empty!)
9. (18) Picture of a blind woman! (stumbling in the dark)
10. (20a) Picture of youth fainting in the streets! (i.e. passed out drunk)
11. (20b) Picture of an antelope caught in a net!
12. Their time of discipline is over! (21-23)
  1. And never again to drink of that cup!
  2. Jesus talked much about “the cup” – His blood shed, new cov.
    1. We always talk about the Cross representing God’s love(which it does), but equally so.. His Wrath!
  3. Jesus Himself would drink the cup of judgment to the last dregs!
13. (21) Drunk but not w/wine – Sounds like Pentecost results(2:15)!
  1. Eph.5:18 “be not drunk w/wine,…but be filled w/the H.S.”
  2. Q: Have you ever been accused of “so walking in the Spirit” that they thought you were drunk?
    1. I remember laughing fits with my friends over something dumb.
14. (22) …God, who pleads the cause of His people! –
  1. We forget too often that he pleads are cause(s).
  2. Q: Even when we have sinned against him? Yep!(22b)
15. (23) This is wrath transference!
16. Lie down that we may walk over you – An allusion to the practice of making captives lie face downward on the ground, & using their backs as a road to walk on.
  1. Saddam – Helmets in streets 2 main entrances of Baghdad. Enemy soldiers were buried feet 1st, helmets exposed for the roads speed bumps.

return to 'Top of Page'

IsaiahIsa 50 IsaiahIsa IsaiahIsa 52

Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Isaiah 51". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/isaiah-51.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesIsaiah 51

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 1-9

Verses 1-9

Verses 10-23

Verses 10-23

Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 51