Thus says your Lord, the LORD, even your God, who defends His people: "See, I have removed from your hand the cup of staggering. From that goblet, the cup of My fury, you will never drink again. Thus says your LordThis phrase establishes the authority and divine origin of the message. The Hebrew word for "Lord" here is "Adonai," which signifies God's sovereign rule and mastery over all creation. It is a reminder to the Israelites of God's ultimate authority and His personal relationship with them as their covenant-keeping God. This introduction sets the tone for a message of hope and deliverance, emphasizing that it is not merely a human promise but a divine decree. the LORD
The use of "the LORD" in all caps represents the Hebrew name "YHWH" or "Yahweh," the personal and covenantal name of God. This name is deeply significant in the Hebrew tradition, representing God's eternal existence, faithfulness, and unchanging nature. It reassures the Israelites of God's enduring commitment to His promises and His active presence in their lives, even amidst their suffering and exile. even your God
This phrase emphasizes the personal relationship between God and His people. The Hebrew word "Elohim" is used here, which, while often denoting God's power and majesty, also underscores His role as the God of Israel. It is a reminder of the special covenant relationship that God has with His people, affirming that He is not a distant deity but their personal protector and provider. who defends His people
The Hebrew root for "defends" is "riyb," which can mean to contend, plead, or strive on behalf of someone. This portrays God as a divine advocate and protector, actively working to deliver His people from their oppressors. Historically, this reflects God's intervention in Israel's history, such as the Exodus from Egypt, and serves as a promise of future deliverance from Babylonian captivity. See, I have taken from your hand
The word "See" is a call to attention, urging the Israelites to recognize and understand the significance of God's actions. The phrase "I have taken from your hand" suggests a deliberate and compassionate act by God to remove something burdensome from His people. It implies a shift from judgment to mercy, highlighting God's desire to relieve His people from their suffering. the cup of staggering
The "cup of staggering" symbolizes the severe judgment and suffering that the Israelites have experienced. In the ancient Near Eastern context, a cup often represented one's fate or destiny, and to drink from a cup of wrath was to endure divine punishment. The imagery of staggering suggests the overwhelming nature of this judgment, leaving the people disoriented and powerless. from that goblet of My wrath
The "goblet of My wrath" reinforces the idea of divine judgment. The Hebrew word for "wrath" is "chemah," which conveys intense anger or indignation. This phrase underscores the seriousness of Israel's previous transgressions and the resulting consequences. However, it also highlights God's control over His wrath, as He is the one who decides when it is poured out and when it is withdrawn. you will never drink again
This promise of never drinking from the cup of wrath again is a profound assurance of God's forgiveness and restoration. It signifies a new beginning for the Israelites, free from the cycle of judgment and exile. This promise is rooted in the covenantal faithfulness of God, who, despite His people's failures, remains committed to their ultimate redemption and restoration. It is a message of hope, encouraging the Israelites to trust in God's future plans for them. Persons / Places / Events 1. The LORD (Yahweh)The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is both the Creator and Redeemer. He is portrayed as a defender and deliverer of His people. 2. God's People (Israel)The nation of Israel, who are the recipients of God's promises and His chosen people. They have experienced God's discipline but are now being promised deliverance. 3. The Cup of Staggering/FuryA metaphor for God's wrath and judgment, which Israel had been experiencing due to their disobedience but is now being removed. 4. IsaiahThe prophet through whom God delivers this message of hope and restoration to His people. 5. Babylonian CaptivityThe historical context of Israel's suffering and exile, which is the backdrop for this promise of deliverance. Teaching Points God as Defender and DelivererGod is portrayed as a defender of His people, emphasizing His protective nature. Believers can trust in God's deliverance from spiritual and physical adversities. The Removal of JudgmentThe promise that Israel will no longer drink from the cup of God's fury signifies the end of divine judgment. This can be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate deliverance through Christ, who bore God's wrath on our behalf. Hope in RestorationThis verse offers hope and assurance of restoration. Believers can find comfort in knowing that God’s discipline is temporary and His ultimate plan is for our restoration and peace. The Sovereignty of GodThe passage highlights God's sovereignty over history and His ability to change the course of events for His purposes. Trusting in God's sovereignty can bring peace amidst life's uncertainties. Bible Study Questions 1. How does understanding God as a defender change your perspective on current challenges you face? 2. In what ways can the metaphor of the "cup of staggering" be applied to personal experiences of discipline or hardship? 3. How does the promise of never drinking from the cup of God's fury again relate to the New Testament understanding of salvation through Christ? 4. What are some practical ways you can remind yourself of God's sovereignty and deliverance in your daily life? 5. How can the themes of judgment and restoration in Isaiah 51:22 encourage you to share the gospel with others? Connections to Other Scriptures Jeremiah 25:15-17This passage also uses the metaphor of the cup of God's wrath, which nations must drink as a symbol of divine judgment. Revelation 14:10The imagery of the cup of God's wrath is echoed in the New Testament, symbolizing ultimate judgment against sin. Psalm 75:8Describes God's judgment as a cup that the wicked will drink, reinforcing the theme of divine justice. People Isaiah, Rahab, SarahPlaces Jerusalem, Rahab, Tigris-Euphrates Region, ZionTopics Add, Anger, Beaker, Behold, Bewilderment, Bowl, Cause, Chalice, Contends, Cup, Defends, Dregs, Drink, Fury, Goblet, Goblet-cup, Master, Overcomes, Pleadeth, Pleads, Reeling, Says, Stagger, Staggering, Takes, Thus, Trembling, WrathDictionary of Bible Themes Isaiah 51:22 5283 cup
5292 defence, divine
8728 enemies, of Israel and Judah Isaiah 51:22-52:12 6659 freedom, acts in OT Library August 25 Morning
Look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.--ISA 51:1. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity.--None eye pitied thee but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, Live. He brought me up . . . out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily PathJanuary 26. "I Called Him Alone and Blessed Him" (Isa. Li. 2).
"I called him alone and blessed him" (Isa. li. 2). When we were in the East we noticed the beautiful process of raising rice. The rice is sown on a morass of mud and water, ploughed up by great buffaloes, and after a few weeks it springs up and appears above the water with its beautiful pale green shoots. The seed has been sown very thickly and the plants are clustered together in great numbers, so that you can pull up a score at a single handful. But now comes the process of transplanting. He first …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth The Awakening of Zion
'Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old.'--ISAIAH li. 9. 'Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion.'--ISAIAH lii. 1. Both these verses are, I think, to be regarded as spoken by one voice, that of the Servant of the Lord. His majestic figure, wrapped in a light veil of obscurity, fills the eye in all these later prophecies of Isaiah. It is sometimes clothed with divine power, sometimes girded with the towel of human weakness, sometimes …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Hearken and Look; Or, Encouragement for Believers
THE second verse contains my actual text. It is the argument by which faith is led to look for the blessings promised in the third verse. It is habitual with some persons to spy out the dark side of every question or fact: they fix their eyes upon the "waste places," and they study them till they know every ruin, and are familiar with the dragons and the owls. They sigh most dolorously that the former times were better than these, and that we have fallen upon most degenerate days. They speak of "shooting …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 27: 1881 A Prospect of Revival
THE pedigree of God's chosen nation Israel may be traced back to one man and one woman--to Abraham and Sarah. Both of them were well stricken in years when the Lord called them, yet, in the fulfilment of his promise, he built up of their seed a great nation, which, for number, was comparable to the stars of heaven. Take heart, brethren; these things are written for our example and for our encouragement. His Church can never sink to so low an ebb that he cannot soon build her up again, nor in our …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 62: 1916 "Sing, O Heavens; and be Joyful, O Earth; for the Lord Hath Comforted his People. " -- Isaiah 49:13.
"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." -- Isaiah 51:3. "Sing, O Heavens; and be joyful, O Earth; for the Lord hath comforted his people." -- Isaiah 49:13. A living, loving, lasting word, My listening ear believing heard, While bending down in prayer; Like a sweet breeze that none can stay, It passed …
Miss A. L. Waring—Hymns and Meditations Of Inward Silence
Of Inward Silence "The Lord is in His Holy Temple, let all the earth keep silence before him" (Hab. ii. 20). Inward silence is absolutely indispensable, because the Word is essential and eternal, and necessarily requires dispositions in the soul in some degree correspondent to His nature, as a capacity for the reception of Himself. Hearing is a sense formed to receive sounds, and is rather passive than active, admitting, but not communicating sensation; and if we would hear, we must lend the ear …
Madame Guyon—A Short and Easy Method of Prayer Of Rest in the Presence of God --Its Fruits --Inward Silence --God Commands it --Outward Silence.
The soul, being brought to this place, needs no other preparation than that of repose: for the presence of God during the day, which is the great result of prayer, or rather prayer itself, begins to be intuitive and almost continual. The soul is conscious of a deep inward happiness, and feels that God is in it more truly than it is in itself. It has only one thing to do in order to find God, which is to retire within itself. As soon as the eyes are closed, it finds itself in prayer. It is astonished …
Jeanne Marie Bouvières—A Short Method Of Prayer And Spiritual Torrents Lii. Manna. Exodus xvi. 4.
I.--Manna like salvation, because undeserved. The people murmured at the very first difficulty. If they had been grateful they would have said, "The God who brought us out of Egypt, and through the Red Sea, will not allow us to die of hunger." But instead of this they accused Moses of being a murderer. And in answer to this God said, "I will rain bread from heaven." What an illustration of Romans v. 8. II.--Manna like salvation, because it saved the people from perishing. Nothing else would …
Thomas Champness—Broken Bread Early Battles
Six months of joyous service amongst the Welsh miners was cut short by a telegram announcing to the sisters the serious illness of Mrs. Lee. Taking the news to their Divisional Commander, they were instructed to Headquarters. It was found that the illness was due to shock. The income from investments of the little estate left by Mr. Lee had dwindled; it now had disappeared altogether. Captain Lucy faced the matter with her usual practical decision. 'Mother, darling, there are two ways out. Either …
Minnie L. Carpenter—The Angel Adjutant of "Twice Born Men" Stedfastness in the Old Paths.
"Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls."--Jer. vi. 16. Reverence for the old paths is a chief Christian duty. We look to the future indeed with hope; yet this need not stand in the way of our dwelling on the past days of the Church with affection and deference. This is the feeling of our own Church, as continually expressed in the Prayer Book;--not to slight what has gone before, …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII An Appendix to the Beatitudes
His commandments are not grievous 1 John 5:3 You have seen what Christ calls for poverty of spirit, pureness of heart, meekness, mercifulness, cheerfulness in suffering persecution, etc. Now that none may hesitate or be troubled at these commands of Christ, I thought good (as a closure to the former discourse) to take off the surmises and prejudices in men's spirits by this sweet, mollifying Scripture, His commandments are not grievous.' The censuring world objects against religion that it is difficult …
Thomas Watson—The Beatitudes: An Exposition of Matthew 5:1-12 Ci. Foretelling his Passion. Rebuking Ambition.
(Peræa, or Judæa, Near the Jordan.) ^A Matt. XX. 17-28; ^B Mark X. 32-45; ^C Luke XVIII. 31-34. ^b 32 And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem [Dean Mansel sees in these words an evidence that Jesus had just crossed the Jordan and was beginning the actual ascent up to Jerusalem. If so, he was in Judæa. But such a construction strains the language. Jesus had been going up to Jerusalem ever since he started in Galilee, and he may now have still be in Peræa. The parable …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the Poultry, 1689. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my left. It was very frequently republished; …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3 Thirdly, for Thy Actions.
1. Do no evil, though thou mightest; for God will not suffer the least sin, without bitter repentance, to escape unpunished. Leave not undone any good that thou canst. But do nothing without a calling, nor anything in thy calling, till thou hast first taken counsel at God's word (1 Sam. xxx. 8) of its lawfulness, and pray for his blessings upon thy endeavour; and then do it in the name of God, with cheerfulness of heart, committing the success to him, in whose power it is to bless with his grace …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety Death Swallowed up in victory
Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory! D eath, simply considered, is no more than the cessation of life --that which was once living, lives no longer. But it has been the general, perhaps the universal custom of mankind, to personify it. Imagination gives death a formidable appearance, arms it with a dart, sting or scythe, and represents it as an active, inexorable and invincible reality. In this view death is a great devourer; with his iron tongue …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2 Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Isaiah 51:22 NIVIsaiah 51:22 NLTIsaiah 51:22 ESVIsaiah 51:22 NASBIsaiah 51:22 KJV
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