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Reflections on ISAIAH.
No.8.
(49: 13 - 52: 12).
The call to hearken and to awake
leading to Israel's restoration (51: & 52:).
pp. 6 - 11
We have seen in Isa. 50: that the Messiah is spoken of as having the awakened ear, and
now we are to consider an extension of this essential feature of true discipleship as it is
applied to Israel. Chapters 51: and 52: are occupied with this theme, as may be seen at a
glance:
51: 1. Hearken unto Me
51: 9. Awake, awake
51: 4. Hearken unto Me
51: 17. Awake, awake
51: 7. Hearken unto Me
52: 1. Awake, awake;
but it will take more than a glance to acquaint ourselves with the argument that develops.
Let us endeavour to follow these great exhortations. The first call to hearken is addressed
to "Ye that follow after righteousness" (Isa. 51: 1). While the last is addressed to "Ye that
know righteousness" (Isa. 51: 7). In the first passage, the people are `followers' and
`seekers' and they are directed to the great covenant basis of all their hopes:
"Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn . . . . . look unto Abraham your father . . . . . I
called him alone" (Isa. 51: 1, 2).
The word translated `alone' echad signifies `oneness' or `unity'. There was a
`oneness' about Abraham that was sadly lacking in his descendants, but which must be
emulated as they `hearken' as Abraham did and `believed in the Lord' and so was
counted `righteous'.
Israel's restoration hinges upon this:
"For the Lord shall comfort Zion . . . He will make her wilderness like Eden" (Isa. 51: 3).
The second call to `hearken' is addressed by the Lord to "My people" and "My
nation"; and there He declares "My righteousness is near; My salvation is gone forth",
and in contrast with the very heaven that shall `vanish away like smoke' and the earth
itself that shall `wax old like a garment' this salvation shall be `for ever', and this
righteousness shall `not be abolished' (Isa. 51: 4-6).
Similar teaching is found in the third section (Isa. 51: 7, 8) where they that "know
righteousness" are called upon to `fear not the reproach of men' by reason of this same
eternal quality of righteousness and salvation.
The intimate association of `righteousness' with `salvation' is a blessed anticipation of
the full presentation of that doctrine which is the glory of the epistle to the Romans.