Isaiah 51:4 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

Hearken unto me, my people: seeing the Gentiles will hearken to me, as I have formerly told you, take heed that you Jews, whom I chose to be my peculiar people, do not reject my counsel, nor forsake your own mercies, as I fear you will do. A law; a new law, even the doctrine of the gospel, which ought to have the force of a law with you, and I expect your obedience to it, no less than to my law delivered by Moses. I will make my judgment to rest: judgment is here the same thing with law in the former clause, the word of God, which is frequently called judgment, as hath been observed again and again, or the evangelical doctrine, of which he saith that he will make it to rest, i.e. settle and establish it; whereby he may-possibly intimate the stability and perpetuity of this light in the church, that it shall not be like the light of the Mosaical dispensation, which was only to shine for a season, even until the time of reformation, Hebrews 9:10, when all those dark shadows were to vanish and give place to the Sun of righteousness, and to that kingdom and state that should never be moved, as we read, Daniel 2:44 Hebrews 12:26-28, and in many other places. For a light of the people, Heb. of or to the peoples; not only to you Jews, but unto people of all sorts and nations, who shall receive and walk in that light which you will reject, and use all possible endeavours to extinguish.

Isaiah 51:4

4 Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.