Isaiah 54:4
Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.
Fear need not control God's people, for they will not be left to shame, confusion, disgrace, or defeat. The disgrace of their youth and former life and the reproach of their forsaken condition will be taken away and forgotten, so the past will no longer define them. This assurance rests on their Maker being their husband and Redeemer, the Lord of hosts and Holy One of Israel, who is near in tender union with those He redeemed to counsel, guide, comfort, and protect. It belongs with the call to enlarge the tent, stretch the curtains, lengthen the cords, strengthen the stakes, and break forth on every side until the seed inherits the nations and desolate cities are inhabited. It comforts those under heavy burden, grief, and distress to lay their burdens on Jesus, look to Him, trust His word, and rest in Him with hope for brighter days. It therefore calls those who know the truth to stop confining the work to one place and to themselves, and to go forward in earnest united effort to carry the last message of mercy to dark places, large cities, and those who have never heard.
Promise and Its Ground
Fear is forbidden to God's people and to the church, for they will not be ashamed, confounded, disgraced, or put to shame. This is a present promise to those who know the Lord, giving confidence to go forward without dread of disgrace or confusion. The shame of youth and of the former life and former condition will be forgotten, removed, and no longer remembered, and the reproach of widowhood will be forgotten and remembered no more. The past therefore will no longer define them, for its shame and reproach do not last.
This assurance stands joined to enlarging the tent and the place of habitation, stretching forth the curtains, lengthening the cords, strengthening the stakes, breaking forth on the right hand and on the left, the seed inheriting the Gentiles, and the desolate cities being inhabited. It is a present call to enlarge the work and reach new people rather than confining effort to one place. Expansion and the inheriting of the Gentiles accompany the forgetting of former shame and reproach.
The assurance rests on the surrounding declaration that their Maker is their husband, the Lord of hosts, and their Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel. The marriage image represents the tender and sacred union between Christ and the people He redeemed at the cost of Calvary. In that union God is near to counsel, guide, comfort, and protect, so the fearful are called to look to the Saviour and trust the hope given in His Word.
Comfort for the Afflicted
The whole fifty-fourth chapter of Isaiah is given to help and bless God's people by setting forth the work of Christ on their behalf. Its fourth verse belongs to those who are bowed under a heavy burden, assuring them that they need not fear disgrace or confusion because past shame and the reproach of widowhood will be forgotten. That assurance is meant to bring comfort in the midst of grief and uncertainty.
It stands as God's own personal word of hope to the fearful and distressed. It calls them to lay their burdens on Jesus and to rest in Him. It bids them look to the Saviour, trust the hope held out in His Word, and live by faith rather than by fear.
To one overwhelmed by distress it promises that shame and reproach will not last. She need not despair and need not remain ashamed. Jesus Himself offers to carry the burden, to restore and comfort her, and to give her rest, even while Satan is seeking to destroy her. She is therefore called to trust in God, to keep hope, and to expect brighter days.
The same promise assured freedom from fear and shame and confusion to the St. Helena Sanitarium after perils that had threatened to hold it back from the work for which it was designed. With victories gained, and with men connected with it who would labor according to the Lord's ordering, it would forget the shame of its youth and would no longer remember the reproach of its widowhood.
Call to Expanding Work
The promise is written for those who know the Lord and the truth that is to exert a reformatory action upon the world. In that setting it calls for extending the work of God instead of confining it to one place, to the churches, to themselves, and to those who have already heard the truth. It rebukes apathy and churches that have too long centered attention upon themselves, and urges immediate work for Christ because time is short and not a moment is to be lost.
It promises that in this outward movement God's people need not fear shame, disgrace, confusion, or being put to shame. The shame of youth and former condition and the reproach of widowhood will be forgotten, removed, and no longer remembered. With that assurance they are given confidence to go forward and to act and work for Christ now in connection with the call to enlarge their work and reach new people.
The call is for earnest united effort to take the last message of mercy to a fallen world. That means going to the dark places of the earth, to large cities, and to those who have never yet heard the message for this time. It gives encouragement and mercy to those who take up the work God has assigned them, who are to trust His promises and actively seek to rescue people from Satan's grasp, while God's blessing is not promised to those who do nothing.
Studied together with Isaiah 55 and Isaiah 58, it shows a precious and extended work for God's people in the last days of earth's history. Fear taken away means believers do not sit in church Sabbath after Sabbath merely listening to preaching but work intelligently with God for salvation. That work is done by visiting friends, neighbors, and families, creating an interest in present truth, planting the Word of God in many hearts, dealing the bread of life to hungering souls, helping others take hold of eternal realities, and lifting up Christ before the world.
When the liberty of the church is endangered and oppression by transgressors threatens apparent victory, the chapter encourages courage and true missionary work in public ministry and house-to-house labor. Nothing should discourage because God has victory for His people. Wholehearted work of that kind will reveal the efficacy of Christ's grace, awaken watchmen, remove selfishness, restore confidence, and bring unity.