Isaiah 51:12, commentary and pictures

God Himself is the one who comforts His people, bearing all their burdens and giving assurance and hope. On that ground there is no reason to be afraid of mortal people, whose life is brief, fragile and temporary as grass. Such fear of human reproach, oppression and fury is a forgetting of the Lord their Maker and Deliverer, who created the heavens and the earth, rules creation, divided the sea and can free the captive. That promise belongs especially to the final crisis, the time of trouble, when earthly powers threaten God's captive and oppressed people with death, for the same Lord who made them and divided the Red Sea will use His power to protect them and bring their captivity to an end. In that judgment the terror and destruction that fall on transgressors need not frighten God's children, whose grass-like lives are secure in eternity, and the cup of trembling is taken from those who have His law in their hearts never to be drunk again.

God's Comfort Against Fear

“I, even I, am he that comforteth you” means that God Himself is the personal Comforter of His people, bearing all their burdens and giving them assurance and hope. On that ground the verse asks the comforted, 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. Mortal people are brief, fragile and temporary, their lives fading like grass, so fear of them is rebuked as unfitting for those whom God comforts.

That fear fastens especially on human reproach, oppression and fury, and on threats of human power over the captive and oppressed. Such fear is a forgetting of the Lord their Maker and Deliverer, who created the heavens and the earth, rules over creation, divided the sea, and can free the captive exile. Israel was reproved because, fearing its oppressor, it had forgotten its Maker and His works, and remembering His power and past dealings would have kept His people from fearing human threats continually. In the crisis when earthly powers threaten death or starvation, the call is therefore to trust God rather than oppressors, for He will use His power to protect and deliver.

These words were spoken by Christ Himself to the congregation of Israel in the wilderness when enshrouded in the pillar of cloud.

End-Time Deliverance and Judgment

The promise belongs to the final crisis, the time of trouble, when earthly powers threaten God's captive and oppressed people with death by violence or starvation. In that hour they may feel endangered like captive exiles, yet the comfort of God forbids fear of persecutors who are mortal and short-lived. The question stands why those whom God comforts should fear mortal human beings who are as brief as grass, while forgetting their Maker, and calls them to trust God rather than their oppressors.

In that crisis the Lord who made His people will use His power to protect and deliver them. He is the One who divided the sea, the Red Sea, and He can bring their captivity to an end.

This comfort accompanies the removal of the cup of trembling from those who know righteousness and have His law in their hearts, so they will not have to drink it again. In the setting of the final judgment the same comfort assures God's children that they need not fear while the wicked face destruction, for their own lives are as brief as grass compared with eternity. The judgment that brings terror and destruction to transgressors brings joy to the obedient. The verse is relevant to rebuilding what has been laid waste and restoring the foundations of past generations during a time of departure from truth and righteousness.

Obedience and Daily Trust

The verse is a plain scripture bearing on the Sabbath question, showing that God has made no change in His day of rest and holding out wonderful promises to those who obey His law. It belongs on the front with Isaiah 58 to do its important work in hearts now. It calls every worker to draw nigh to God, by faith to lay hold of infinite power, and to receive the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.

The verse states God's covenant with the people He is seeking to save today, the terms of salvation, and the education of most value today, spoken to the congregation of Israel in the wilderness when enshrouded in the pillar of cloud. It gives lessons for the mental, physical, and moral improvement of the whole being, for the formation of right sentiments and for practical usefulness. It teaches the laws of God's kingdom and how to conduct oneself as a citizen of heaven for present and eternal good, even the knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

As part of the encouragement of Isaiah 51:7-16, the verse teaches to look to and trust Christ for help rather than relying on people. Its warning not to fear mortal men whose lives are as brief as grass applies when humans try to control others, since authority over a person belongs to God and not to other people or groups. Jesus Himself by it blesses and comforts the widow, standing to her as God and Husband. That means commune with Jesus, continue trusting Him who has never failed, and be of good courage in the Lord.

The verse offers hope and comfort during affliction, with assurance that God Himself comforts His people and bears all their burdens. That assurance strengthens by grace to endure tedious affliction for His glory without murmuring. It teaches trust that Jesus watches over through the night.