Isaiah 51:17
Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out.
The cup of fury and its dregs mean God's judgment poured out in full measure for grave injustice, especially the oppression and suffering inflicted on enslaved people, which brings His anger upon the land until it drinks the dregs. That warning is directed to the United States and especially to religious bodies that supported or practiced slavery, whose oppression of enslaved people would bring the land to drink the dregs of God's wrath. That warning is directed to the land of light and to Babylon, which will face God's judgment for oppression and the suffering inflicted on enslaved people, with the dregs representing the full measure of divine punishment and Babylon to be repaid double for her deeds. That warning is directed to the nation as a whole, whose oppression of enslaved people brings God's anger upon the land until it drinks the dregs of His fury.
The chapter containing the verse is precious and is to be read with assurance and hope in affliction because the Lord bears all the burdens of His people. The verse gives assurance and hope in tedious, painful affliction that Jesus watches over the sufferer waking in the night and bears all burdens. Such affliction serves the glory of the Lord, and His grace gives strength to keep writing and counseling others without murmuring. The chapter shows that God has provided fallen, sinful humanity with a life-giving Saviour, and together with the next two chapters, especially the chapter about the suffering servant, it reveals humanity's only hope of a life that measures with the life of God.
The verse is a plain scripture on the Sabbath question to be brought to the front now to do its important work in people's hearts. Joined with the chapter on true Sabbath observance it makes clear that God has made no change in His day of rest and holds out wonderful promises to those who obey His law. It is to be gathered into tracts and publications to teach those who do not know what the Bible says about the Sabbath. It calls every worker to draw near to God by faith laying hold of infinite power and to receive the sanctification of the Holy Spirit.