Isaiah 51

Isaiah 51:1-3

The God, who delivered Abraham from among his idolatrous friends, and contrary to every natural appearance made him and Sarah the parents of millions, can easily make you to flourish, after your captivity, in Canuan, and can easily form for himself a flourishing gospel church in the world

Isaiah 51:4-8

The gospel, authorised by God, shall be published; and the ordinances of it, established and attended by his power, shall be effectual for converting multitudes to Christ, and for revealing and bestowing upon them his everlasting righteousness and salvation

Isaiah 51:9-16

The almighty power of God, which plagued the Egyptians and divided the Red sea, shall bring the Jews from Babylon and 3 their present dispersion with great joy, and deliver the church from heathenish or antichristian oppressors.—And, for your comfort against the threatened fury of oppressors, the almighty Creator has given you his promises, and has protected you, that he may re-establish you as his church and people; and has raised up and qualified Jesus Christ in order to the erection and establishment of his gospel church

Isaiah 51:17-23

Let not therefore the Jews, or the Christian church, despair under the terrible and destructive, and even stupifying, judgments of God inflicted upon them: he will, in his proper time, deliver them, and pour out his vengeance upon the Chaldeans, Syro-grecians, Romans, Antichristians, and Turks, who cruelly oppressed them

REFLECTIONS UPON CHAP. LI.—The perfections, relations, covenant promises, and providences, of God are an infinite source of consolation to his saints. With ease he accomplishes the most remarkable events in mercy. And yet it is hard to make those, who are in anguish of spirit, to hearken to his words of comfort, or to review what he has done for them, either for their humiliation or encouragement, or for their excitement to holiness. How strangely God connects his mercies and his judgments! But there is little reason to regard either the reproaches or terrors of wicked men, when JEMOYAR and his blessings are ours and near to us. And quickly will our waiting, weeping, and working, for him, be graciously rewarded with unutterable and everlasting joys. How easily can Jehovah renew and restore souls, and form and re-establish churches, by the word of his power! But terrible are even his paternal chastisements. And unfaithfulness to him is often punished by the unfaithfulness of our relations to us. By sinfully quarrelling with his providences we but entangle and torment ourselves. None can comfort when God wounds us. But, though he cause grief, he will have compassion. Whom he loveth he will love unto the end. And, if judgments begin at the house of God, where shall the ungodly sinner and persecutor appear?