Isaiah 51:16, commentary and pictures

God places His own message in the mouth of His people and shields them with His hand in order to establish His work in heaven and earth and to claim Zion as belonging to Himself. It was first spoken to fearful, hurrying exiles dreading their oppressors, assuring them of release from captivity, unfailing provision, and deliverance by the Lord who controls the sea. Zion here is those who know righteousness and carry His law in their hearts, sheltered by Him to do His rebuilding work of raising up old foundations, restoring what is broken, and holding high the banner of truth. They are not to fear human reproach but to speak boldly for Him to the end, proclaiming the messages of warning and the sacredness of His law and Sabbath. In the coming time of trouble, when His afflicted people face threats of death and want, He will protect and free them, and these assurances received by living faith bring comfort, praise, spiritual growth, and power to endure.

Promise in Its Setting

The promise is that God places His own words in the mouth of His people and covers them under the shadow of His hand, sheltering them by His power. He does this with a threefold purpose, to plant the heavens and to lay the foundations of the earth and to declare to Zion that they are His people, establishing His work and affirming His covenant with them. It was spoken to the hastening captive exile bowed down in fear of the oppressor, assuring release from the pit and bread that would not fail. The speaker is the Lord of hosts who divided the roaring sea, even the Red Sea, and as He delivered Israel then so He pledges to protect and deliver His people in their coming time of danger. In the time of trouble that deliverance means protection from captivity when the afflicted face threats of death, hunger, starvation, and violence and need not fear their oppressors.

In this setting Zion is those who know righteousness and have God's law in their hearts. The chapter to which the promise belongs is one of assurance and hope, showing that the Lord bears all the burdens of His people. From it comes confidence in His care and comfort in affliction, even through tedious suffering.

The chapter speaks directly to people in their own day, calling them to awaken to their position and to let a warning light go forth. It calls them to seek the Lord, to repent of sins and to do what is right. To those who trust in God it offers hope and courage.

Mission Entrusted to Zion

God shelters His people under His protection and puts His words in their mouths so they can serve His purpose to establish His work and to affirm them as His covenant people, declaring to Zion that they are His own.
In a time of general departure from truth and righteousness He puts His own words in the mouth of His remnant and covers them in the shadow of His hand while they do the rebuilding work of raising up the foundation of many generations and rebuilding the old waste places that have been laid waste.
In that work they hold firmly the banner of truth, proclaiming the law of God with the faith of Jesus.
They are not to fear the reproach of men but to speak boldly for God, sheltered and empowered by Him, bearing the first, second, and third angels' messages to the close of this earth's history, while He owns them as Zion.

Zion here is the people who know righteousness and have God's law in their hearts, called to restore what has been broken and to honor the Sabbath under His word, protection, and acknowledged belonging.
The verse is a plain scripture on the Sabbath question, proving that God has made no change in His day of rest and holding wonderful promises for those who obey His law.
It belongs with Isaiah 58 and the other Sabbath scriptures to be gathered, put in tract form, and kept before the people, and now is the time for it to do its important work in hearts, teaching the sacredness of the law.
Its rebuilding of waste places and restoring of foundations stands alongside the call to honor the Sabbath amid departure from truth and righteousness.

God puts His words into the lips of those He chooses for His service so they can represent Him, looking for people humble enough to be taught His way.
He can use them in proportion to the Spirit's presence within them, and their work is acceptable when it reflects His image and bears the lasting marks of His principles.
He puts His word in a servant's mouth and guards him so the truth can reach the people, and in Wycliffe's case He guarded him and prolonged his life and work until he had laid a foundation for the Reformation.

Comfort and Holy Living

In the time of trouble God's afflicted people will face threats of death, hunger, starvation, and violence, and fear their oppressors, yet they need not fear, for the God who divided the sea and the Red Sea will manifest His power to protect them and deliver them from captivity. He gives His words to His people and shelters them by His power and by His hand, establishing the heavens and the earth while claiming Zion as His own and declaring them His people. In the setting of the captive exile's fear and oppression this pledge assures coming deliverance from danger and from the pit, just as He divided the sea for Israel.

He bears all burdens and gives assurance and hope in tedious affliction, strengthening sufferers by His grace to keep working and to endure pain for His glory without murmuring. They may be confident that Jesus watches over them in the night. These assurances of comfort and encouragement are to be received by living faith in God, leading to praise throughout the day, a message of mercy for others, spiritual growth, and sanctification through its truths. Every worker is to draw nigh to God by faith, lay hold of infinite power, and receive the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, and now is the time for this work to be done in hearts. It is a plain scripture on the Sabbath question proving that God has made no change in His day of rest, holding wonderful promises for those who obey His law, to be gathered with Isaiah 58 and the other Sabbath scriptures, put in tract form, and kept before the people to teach the sacredness of the law.

The image of sheltering and keeping in the hollow of His hand applies to the Lord's care for the household. The chapter holds God's covenant with the people He is saving today, the terms of salvation, and the education of most value now. It holds instruction spoken by Jesus Christ as the great I AM when He educated His church in the wilderness, to be dwelt upon, observed, and worked out in practice for the mental, physical, and moral improvement of the whole being, for right sentiments and practical usefulness for present and eternal good. That instruction gives the highest knowledge a human can possess, the knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which strengthens the mental powers as in Daniel's case and trains citizens of heaven to live by the principles of God's kingdom. Together with Isaiah 52 and Isaiah 53, it furnishes fallen, sinful man a life-giving Saviour, revealing the only hope of a life that measures with the life of God.