Reassurance of God’s Forgiveness
August 27, 2019
Commentary
The implication of this passage is that when a person does not remember who God really is and what He has done, he will always fear men, rather than God (vv. 12-16). God’s people feared Babylon and not God. He asked them why they are afraid of mere human beings (vv. 12-13). They had reason to fear Babylon because of the harm it wanted to do to them, but they should have realized that God’s power is much greater than Babylon’s. The imprisoned remnant would soon be freed to return to the Promised Land in another “Exodus” (v. 14) because the Lord (vv. 15-16) is their God. He does not leave us comfortless but His goal if to teach us to draw close to Him in times of heartache.
In this passage God asked Jerusalem to be awake because He is doing something (vv. 17-23). The remnant in Babylon had prayed as though God was asleep and needed to be awakened (vv. 17-18). “Desolation, destruction, famine and the sword” spoke of the awful plight of the city (v. 19). In the terrible destruction of Jerusalem many young men had died (v. 20).
The Lord said you are drunk but not from wine (v. 21). He pronounced that the time of judgment was over (v. 22) for them and the cup of judgment would be given to her tormentors who had walked on the dead bodies in Jerusalem (v. 23). The people of Judah experienced ruin instead of prosperity, destruction instead of liberty. Because of their sins the people suffered, but God promised to restore Jerusalem as a holy city where sinners cannot enter.
Application
God considered the captivity sufficient penalty for Israel and that a new era of forgiveness and blessing is about to come down upon them. I may be going through trials and tribulations in my life, but God loves me so much that He wants to bless me in spite of my forsaking Him.
Isaiah 51:12– 23 (NET)
12 “I, I am the one who consoles you. Why are you afraid of mortal men, of mere human beings who are as short-lived as grass?
13 Why do you forget the Lord, who made you, who stretched out the sky and founded the earth? Why do you constantly tremble all day long at the anger of the oppressor, when he makes plans to destroy? Where is the anger of the oppressor?
14 The one who suffers will soon be released; he will not die in prison, he will not go hungry.
15 I am the Lord your God, who churns up the sea so that its waves surge. The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is his name!
16 “I commission you as my spokesman; I cover you with the palm of my hand, to establish the sky and to found the earth, to say to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
17 Wake up! Wake up! Get up, O Jerusalem! You drank from the cup the Lord passed to you, which was full of his anger. You drained dry the goblet full of intoxicating wine.
18 There was no one to lead her among all the children she bore; there was no one to take her by the hand among all the children she raised.
19 These double disasters confronted you. But who feels sorry for you? Destruction and devastation, famine and sword. But who consoles you?
20 Your children faint; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a snare. They are left in a stupor by the Lord’s anger, by the battle cry of your God.
21 So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine.
22 This is what your Sovereign Lord, even your God who judges his people says: “Look, I have removed from your hand the cup of intoxicating wine, the goblet full of my anger. You will no longer have to drink it.
23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’ You made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walked over you.”
Illustration: Sister Hissyfit Was Left Off The Invitation List
A pastor arranged for a gathering of the women’s auxiliary. It was to be a garden party on the church lawn, under the old oak. At the last moment, the morning of the party, the preacher discovered he left Sister Hissyfit off the invitation list. The pastor called the dear sister and begged forgiveness. I’m so sorry we didn’t catch this sooner, Mrs. Hissyfit, won’t you please come to the garden party, cajoled the pastor? Beggin’ won’t help now, preacher, said the offended Mrs. Hissfit, I’ve already prayed for rain.(Source unknown – Lou Nicholes, Missionary/Author).