Isaiah 51:8, commentary and pictures

It is spoken to those who know righteousness and have God's law in their hearts, telling them not to fear human reproach, reviling and opposition because their enemies are brief. Those who reproach, revile and oppose God's people will perish and come to nothing, consumed like a garment eaten by moths and wool eaten by worms. In contrast, God's righteousness and His salvation will last forever and continue from generation to generation. That everlasting righteousness is His holy law, the transcript of His character, which will never be abolished. Christ is the source of that enduring hope, so the remnant to the very close of earth's history are to look to Him and trust in Him rather than rely on human help, refusing compromise and holding the banner of truth firmly while proclaiming God's law connected with the faith of Jesus.

Audience and Lasting Contrast

The verse is spoken to those who know righteousness and have God's law in their hearts.
Those who reproach, revile, and oppose God's people are temporary, with only a brief life, and will perish like clothing consumed by moths and like wool eaten by worms.
In contrast, God's righteousness endures forever and His salvation continues from generation to generation through every generation.

The perishable end of persecutors stands set against the everlasting continuance of righteousness and salvation.
Therefore those addressed need not fear human reproach, reviling, or opposition, since human enemies and their power are brief and will perish like a moth-eaten garment and worm-eaten wool.
That freedom from fear rests on the lasting contrast itself, that what opposes passes away while what God gives remains.

Law, Saviour, and Scripture

God's righteousness in this verse is His holy law, the transcript of His character, which will never be abolished. The moth eating like a garment and the worm eating like wool is God's appointed wrath upon antichrist and upon all who exalt themselves against His will and work. That includes those who reproach, revile, oppose, envy, and religiously persecute the faithful. Christ is the source of that enduring hope, so people should look to Him and trust in Him rather than rely on human help.

The verse belongs to the revelation in Isaiah 51-53 in which God has furnished fallen, sinful humanity a life-giving Saviour. That Saviour is revealed especially in Isaiah 53 as the only hope of a life that measures with the life of God. It is part of the promise that God's power will deliver His people and bring the redeemed back to Zion with lasting joy.

It is a plain scripture bearing on the Sabbath question, showing that God has made no change in His day of rest and holding wonderful promises for those who obey God's law. It is to be brought to the front now with Isaiah 58 and Exodus 20 in the Review and in tract form to do its work in hearts. It is cited in connection with rebuilding what has been ruined and restoring the foundations of past generations amid a general departure from truth and righteousness.

Endurance in Trial and Conflict

The verse calls for choosing what is right even when it brings inconvenience and disgrace, trusting in God instead of shaping conduct by policy to escape consequences. Its promise is for those who know righteousness and have God's law in the heart, who love God, share in Christ's sufferings, continue in persevering obedience, and refuse to sell their souls for money or for human favor. Even when bitter opposition forces the forsaking of houses, lands, and relatives, they are assured that all heaven is on their side, that God will honor them, write their names in the book of life, and give them salvation forever, while those who reproach, revile, oppose, envy, and religiously persecute them perish like a moth-eaten garment and worm-eaten wool under God's appointed wrath upon antichrist and all who exalt themselves against His will and work.

In the time of general departure from truth and righteousness and in the final conflict, this everlasting righteousness and salvation from generation to generation belongs to the remnant people of God to the very close of earth's history, where eternal interests are at stake. It calls them to refuse compromise, to keep their garments unspotted, to stand as wide-awake watchmen, and to hold the banner of truth firmly while proclaiming God's law connected with the faith of Jesus. It charges them to build the old waste places and raise up the foundation of many generations, maintaining allegiance and bearing testimony for God and for truth in the linked first, second, and third angels' messages, whose abiding, ever-living truth cannot be extinguished but deepens and widens to warn the world that Christ is coming again with power and great glory.

The same enduring righteousness and salvation gives assurance and hope in long, tedious, painful affliction. It declares that Jesus looks upon the sufferer in the night, strengthens by grace for work and counsel, bears every burden, and causes the affliction to serve God's glory. Therefore the sufferer does not murmur but trusts with assurance and hope.