Isaiah 51:1-16 ~ The Lord of Hosts is His Name

Here am I and the children the Lord has given me


Isaiah 51:1-16

English Standard Version, David Cochran Audio Bible


1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord:
look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.
2 Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah who bore you;
for he was but one when I called him,
that I might bless him and multiply him.
3 For the Lord comforts Zion;
he comforts all her waste places
and makes her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the Lord;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.

4 “Give attention to me, my people,
and give ear to me, my nation;
for a law [for a teaching] will go out from me,
and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
5 My righteousness draws near,
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will judge the peoples;
the coastlands hope for me,
and for my arm they wait.
6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;
for the heavens vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and they who dwell in it will die in like manner
[will die like gnats];
but my salvation will be forever,
and my righteousness will never be dismayed.

7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness,
the people in whose heart is my law;
fear not the reproach of man,
nor be dismayed at their revilings.
8 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 to all generations.”

9 Awake, awake, put on strength,
O arm of the Lord;
awake, as in days of old,
the generations of long ago.
Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,
who pierced the dragon?
10 Was it not 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 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return
and come to Zion with singing;
everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

12 “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,
13 and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker,
who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth,
and you fear continually all the day
because of the wrath of the oppressor,
when he sets himself to destroy?
And where is the wrath of the oppressor?
14 He who is bowed down shall speedily be released;
he shall not die and go down to the pit,
neither shall his bread be lacking.
15 I am the Lord your God,
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
the Lord of hosts is his name.
16 And I have put my words in your mouth
and covered you in the shadow of my hand,
establishing [planting] the heavens
and laying the foundations of the earth,
and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”


Isaiah 51 is like a Davidic Psalm. Almost all of Isaiah 51 tells hows much we can rely upon the LORD God Almighty. The last paragraph is about the judgment of God. When we accept God's Love, ask Him to live in us, we agree the Lord will provide for us. We agree we are in God's plan. The time of blessing, the time of adversity are in His Hand.

My husband and I were talking about adjusting today. Adjusting to being an empty nester, having sons in college who don't always answer the phone. After years of youth ministry and kids piled all over the carpet. My husband played in a disc golf tournament - he is pretty good - and missed placing by a stroke. I went to help at a Church function and had a moment of pure sarcasm creating big embarrassment from a new person, who later apologized.

I told my husband, I still had a good time at the Church function (if God will help me not to blow on the sparks of resentment this week and not pry my fingers off of forgiveness). We talked about it being a moment of growth - not to seethe with grudge. He said he had enjoyed his disc golf - I had enjoyed my Church function. It was because it doesn't matter as much what people think. Joy comes from within. To be able to say to Father God in our need, ouch - don't like that, please help, but if not I'll be okay.

Our good friend, our previous minister told me - happier people can shake things off - they just aren't as defining. We went to a Pregnancy Assistant Center North Dinner and the speaker was Jeb Bush. Three times, as we were seated in this Gala - I drank from my water glass, once from my ice tea and the ice cubes shifted to soak me with liquid. It wasn't so awful, just puzzling to be sitting in finery at a gala with a soaking blouse. I think everyone at the table was glad the after dinner coffee was uneventful! I didn't care and I know I would have before. TMI today, yes, but the freedom to just be me - flaws and all. I am a Child of the King.

Free to sit, soaking, listing to someone passionate about rights of the unborn, rights of the handicapped. Rights of the elderly. Free to enjoy someone telling of their work with happiness.

It must have worked for my husband as well, after we spoke, he went out to play and had his first hole in one, an eagle. He wasn't even mildly disappointed at not placing. We rest in God's hands.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Father God, in Isaiah 51 You tell us to rest from worry. Trust in You, trust in the name of Jesus Christ. You overcome. You overcome trouble, You overcome the world. Using our eyes of faith to hope in You.

Peace! Not to be timid, to rest in Your powerful spirit. You are Love, You give us the ability to have self-discipline. You use the gifts You gave us to Your glory. Sent me! Sent the gift of Your peace. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


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