Isaiah 51:7

Isaiah 51:7 says, 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.  God called on those who believed in Him to not be afraid if they were reproached and reviled by non-believers.  The people of the world may reproach and revile us as followers of Jesus Christ today, but we should never allow that to stop us from being faithful to God. 

Verse eight adds, 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.  God said that those who opposed the people of Israel, His chosen people when they lived in obedience to Him, would be eaten up like a moth eating a garment or a worm eating wool.  They were powerless, but unlike them, God’s righteousness would last forever and His salvation from generation to generation.  We must come to God through His righteousness and not our own, and we must accept His salvation from generation to generation.  The people of Israel were not all saved forever because God chose them, but they were saved generation to generation when they put their faith in Him. 

Verse nine continues, 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?  God called on His people to awake to His righteousness once more as they had in the past and remember that He had given them victory over their enemies in the past and He would do so then and in the future.  We as followers of Christ should look to the Bible to times when God rescued His people in the past and also be able to look back on times when God has rescued us from bad situations in the past and then acknowledge that He has the power to deliver us forever from the power and penalty of sin. 

Verse ten states, 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?  The people of Israel were reminded to look back to the time when God had dried the sea, when they passed out of Egypt on dry land, and acknowledge that He was still the same God Who still had that power.  We should not serve God just because of what He has done for us in the past, when He ransomed us form the power of sin and death, but we should serve Him because He can continue to do the same thing every day.  His power will never fail. 

Verse eleven adds, 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.  Isaiah said that when the redeemed people returned to Zion that they would come singing and everlasting joy would be on their head.  They would obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning would flee away.   This may have happened temporarily then, but the prophesy is ultimately about those who put their faith in Jesus Christ and the everlasting joy that we will have when He comes again, this time as the Conquering Lord and calls His people to their everlasting home. 

Verse twelve continues, 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;  Isaiah said that God said that He was the One Who comforted them and then asked why they should be afraid of men who would die, or the son on man who was like the grass.  The son of man here is not a reference to Jesus Christ but simply means a physical son.  Since God comforts us, why do we fear anyone or anything in this world.  God has secured the everlasting victory. 

Verse thirteen concludes, 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?  God continued by asking them if they had forgotten the Lord their Maker.  When things are going badly in life for us as followers of Christ, we should never forget Who our God is and that He is in control.  This might be even more so when things are going very well for us, since there is a tendency to forget God when they are and to begin to think that we deserve all the things He blesses us with to use for our own comfort and glory.