Isaiah 51: Awake, Awake — ReidOne Bible Study

Isaiah 51 (WEB)

1 “Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek Yahweh: look to the rock you were cut from, and to the hold of the pit you were dug from.

2 Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who bore you; for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.

3 For Yahweh has comforted Zion; he has comforted all her waste places, and has made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Yahweh; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

4 “Attend to me, my people; and give ear to me, my nation: for a law shall go out from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.

5 My righteousness is near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms shall judge the peoples; the islands shall wait for me, and on my arm shall they trust.

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and those who dwell therein shall die in the same way: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; don’t fear the reproach of men, neither be dismayed at their insults.

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn’t it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster?

10 Isn’t it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?

11 The ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

12 “I, even I, am he who comforts you: who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass;

13 and have forgotten Yahweh your Maker, who stretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he makes ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

14 The captive exile shall speedily be freed; and he shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail.

15 For I am Yahweh your God, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar: Yahweh of Armies is his name.

16 I have put my words in your mouth, and have covered you in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and tell Zion, ‘You are my people.’”

17 Awake, awake, stand up, Jerusalem, that have drunk at the hand of Yahweh the cup of his wrath; you have drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.

18 There is no one to guide her among all the sons to whom she has given birth; neither is there any who takes her by the hand among all the sons who she has brought up.

19 These two things have happened to you. Who will bemoan you? Desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword; how shall I comfort you?

20 Your sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of Yahweh, the rebuke of your God.

21 Therefore hear now this, you afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22 Thus says your Lord Yahweh, and your God who pleads the cause of his people, “Behold, I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath; you shall no more drink it again:

23 and I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, who have said to your soul, ‘Bow down, that we may walk over you;’ and you have laid your back as the ground, and as the street, to those who walk over.”

Isaiah 51 (KJV)

1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

3 For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

5 My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to generation.

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?

11 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.

12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;

13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

14 The captive exile hasteneth that he may be loosed, and that he should not die in the pit, nor that his bread should fail.

15 But I am the Lord thy God, that divided the sea, whose waves roared: The Lord of hosts is his name.

16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the Lord the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.

18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up.

19 These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee?

20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as a wild bull in a net: they are full of the fury of the Lord, the rebuke of thy God.

21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22 Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cup of trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt no more drink it again:

23 But I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee; which have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over: and thou hast laid thy body as the ground, and as the street, to them that went over.

Isaiah 51 (ASV)

1 Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Jehovah: look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged.

2 Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you; for when he was but one I called him, and I blessed him, and made him many.

3 For Jehovah hath comforted Zion; he hath comforted all her waste places, and hath made her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

4 Attend unto me, O my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall go forth from me, and I will establish my justice for a light of the peoples.

5 My righteousness is near, my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the peoples; the isles shall wait for me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

7 Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye dismayed at their revilings.

8 For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool; but my righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation unto all generations.

9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of Jehovah; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Is it not thou that didst cut Rahab in pieces, that didst pierce the monster?

10 Is it not thou that driedst up the sea, the waters of the great deep; that madest the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?

11 And the ransomed of Jehovah shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou art afraid of man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass;

13 and hast forgotten Jehovah thy Maker, that stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fearest continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he maketh ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?

14 The captive exile shall speedily be loosed; and he shall not die and go down into the pit, neither shall his bread fail.

15 For I am Jehovah thy God, who stirreth up the sea, so that the waves thereof roar: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.

17 Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, that hast drunk at the hand of Jehovah the cup of his wrath; thou hast drunken the bowl of the cup of staggering, and drained it.

18 There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand among all the sons that she hath brought up.

19 These two things are befallen thee, who shall bemoan thee? desolation and destruction, and the famine and the sword; how shall I comfort thee?

20 Thy sons have fainted, they lie at the head of all the streets, as an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of Jehovah, the rebuke of thy God.

21 Therefore hear now this, thou afflicted, and drunken, but not with wine:

22 Thus saith thy Lord Jehovah, and thy God that pleadeth the cause of his people, Behold, I have taken out of thy hand the cup of staggering, even the bowl of the cup of my wrath; thou shalt no more drink it again:

23 and I will put it into the hand of them that afflict thee, that have said to thy soul, Bow down, that we may go over; and thou hast laid thy back as the ground, and as the street, to them that go over.

Summary

God calls those who pursue righteousness to look back to the rock from which they were hewn—Abraham and Sarah—remembering how he made one man into many. He will comfort Zion, turning her wilderness into Eden, filling it with joy and thanksgiving. He urges his people not to fear the reproach of mortals, for though the heavens vanish like smoke and the earth wears out like a garment, his salvation will be forever and his righteousness will never be abolished. The people then cry out, “Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh,” recalling how God cut Rahab and dried the sea so the redeemed could pass over; the ransomed of the LORD will return to Zion with everlasting joy. God answers, “I, even I, am he who comforts you,” asking why they fear mortal man and forget their Maker who stretched out the heavens. Then comes a tender command to Jerusalem herself: “Awake, awake, stand up,” you who have drunk the cup of his wrath to the dregs. God declares he has taken that staggering cup out of her hand and will put it into the hand of her tormentors. The chapter weaves comfort, exhortation, and assurance of everlasting salvation—salvation finally secured in Christ, who drank the cup of wrath so his people never will.

Voices

The LORD (Yahweh) — The Comforter and Maker who points to his people’s origins, promises everlasting salvation, and lifts the cup of his wrath from Jerusalem.
The people who pursue righteousness — Those who seek the LORD, called to look to Abraham and Sarah, to not fear human reproach, and to plead for God’s arm to awake.
Jerusalem / Zion — The afflicted city who has drunk the cup of staggering, summoned to awake and assured that her tormentors will drink that cup instead.

Key Verse

Isaiah 51:6 (WEB)

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look on the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment; and those who dwell therein shall die in the same way: but my salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

Lessons Learned

Remembering how God worked in the past steadies our faith for the present.
God’s salvation outlasts the heavens and earth themselves; it is forever.
We need not fear the reproach of mortals who wither like grass.
God himself takes the cup of wrath from his people and removes their staggering.

Look back to grow strong. “Look to the rock you were cut from” (Isaiah 51:1, WEB). Remembering God’s past faithfulness, even from Abraham, fortifies present faith.
God’s salvation is everlasting. “My salvation shall be forever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished” (Isaiah 51:6, WEB). What God secures outlasts the universe.
Do not fear mortal opposition. “Don’t fear the reproach of men” (Isaiah 51:7, WEB), for those who scorn us are themselves fading and frail.
God removes the cup of wrath. “I have taken out of your hand the cup of staggering” (Isaiah 51:22, WEB). He himself lifts the judgment his people could not bear.

Why does God call his people to look back to Abraham and Sarah (51:1-2)?
How does the contrast between the fading heavens and God’s everlasting salvation (51:6) reorder what we fear and trust?
What does it mean to cry “Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh” (51:9), and what does it express?
What is the “cup of staggering” (51:17, 22), and what does God promise to do with it?
Where are you tempted to fear “men who shall die” (51:12) more than you trust your eternal God, and how might remembering his everlasting salvation change that?

God points to Abraham and Sarah, one couple from whom he made a multitude (51:2), to remind a discouraged people of his power to bless from small beginnings. Remembering his past faithfulness fuels hope for restoration.
Everything that seems permanent—sky and earth—will wear out, but God’s salvation lasts forever (51:6). This frees us to fear less the things that pass away and to anchor our hope in what cannot be abolished.
It is a passionate prayer for God to act with power as he did at the exodus, cutting Rahab and drying the sea (51:9-10). It expresses both confidence in God’s past deeds and longing for him to redeem again.
The cup of staggering is the experience of God’s wrath that left Jerusalem reeling (51:17). God promises to take it from his people’s hand and give it to their oppressors—pointing to Christ, who drank that cup for us.
This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name where fear of people or circumstances eclipses trust in God. As leader, lift their eyes to God’s everlasting salvation and to Christ, who removed the cup of wrath they deserved.