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 - (; .) FOR THOU SHALT FORGET THE SHAME OF THY YOUTH - Israel's unfaithfulness as wife of Yahweh almost from her earliest history. AND SHALT NOT REMEMBER THE REPROACH OF THY WIDOWHOOD - Israel's punishment in her consequent dismissal from God and barrenness of spiritual children in Babylon, and her present dispersion (; ;...

4._Fear not, for thou shalt not be ashamed. _Here, as formerly, he strengthens the hearts of believers, and addresses the whole Church; for the calamity was universal, and the Church appeared to be totally ruined. He bids her be of good cheer, and next assigns the reason; that the issue of her troubles will be such that she “shall not be ashamed;” as if he had said, “Although for a time thou art wretched, yet thy affairs shall be prosperous;” and as it is elsewhere said, “They who hope in the Lord shall not be ashamed.” (Psalms 25:3) _Blush not; _that is, “cherish good hope, and be confident.” Those men “blush” who are ashamed, and who, being disappointed of their hope, suffer their hearts to be cast down. He next assigns the same reason, “for thou shalt not be exposed to shame.” I consider that here, as formerly, כי _(ki) _signifies

1-5 Observe the low state of religion in the world, for a long time before Christianity was brought in. But by preaching the gospel, multitudes were converted from idols to the living God. This is matter of great rejoicing to the church. The bounds of the church were extended. Though its state on earth is but mean and movable, like a tent or tabernacle, it is sometimes a growing state, and must be enlarged as the family increases. But the more numerous the church grows, the more she must fortify herself against errors and corruptions. Thy Maker is thy Husband. Christ is the Holy One of Israel, the Mediator of the covenant made with the Old Testament church. Long he had been called the God of Israel; but now he shall be called the God of the whole earth. And he will cleanse from sin, and cause every true believer to rejoice in this sacred union. We never can enough admire this mercy, or d...

Verse Isaiah 54:4. _FOR THOU SHALT FORGET THE SHAME OF THY YOUTH_] That is, "The bondage of Egypt: _widowhood_, the captivity of Babylon." - _Secker_....

FEAR NOT ... - (See Isaiah 41:10, note, Isaiah 41:14, note). NEITHER SHALT THOU BE CONFOUNDED - All these words mean substantially the same thing; and the design of the prophet is to affirm, in the strongest possible manner, that the church of God should be abundantly prospered and enlarged. The image of the female that was barren is kept up, and the idea is, that there should be no occasion of the shame which she felt who had no children. FOR THOU SHALT FORGET THE SHAME OF THY YOUTH - In the abundant increase and glory of future times, the circumstances of shame which attended their early history shall be forgotten. The ‘youth’ of the Jewish people refers doubtless to the bondage of Egypt,

SECTION IV.—A RENEWAL OF PROMISES TO ISRAEL, COMBINED WITH EXHORTATION (CH. 54-56:8). EXPOSITION ISAIAH 54:1 A PROMISE TO ISRAEL OF GREAT INCREASE, AND OF GOD'S PERSISTENT PROTECTION. There is no close connection between this chapter and the last, or even between this section and the preceding. Isaiah 54:1 take up the thought of...

FEAR NOT,.... The fulfilment of these things; however unlikely and unpromising they might seem, yet God was able to perform them; and therefore way should not be given to a fearful, distrustful, and unbelieving heart: FOR THOU SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED; as men are, when disappointed of what they have been hoping for and expecting; but so it should not be with the church, she should not be ashamed of her hope, faith, and confidence; for there would be a performance of all that the Lord had spoken: nor should she be ashamed of her barrenness, which should cease; and of the fewness of her children or converts, which would be many; and of the straitness of the place of her tent or habitation, which would now be enlarged: NEITHER BE THOU CONFOUNDED, FOR THOU SHALT NOT BE PUT TO SHAME; other words made use of to express the same thing, and for the further confirmation of it, that she needed not,...

Isaiah 54:1. _Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD._ This promise is made to the long-barren and desolate Gentile Church the may well sing, for God has visited her in mercy, and, at this day, her children are more numerous than those of the Jewish Church. We have waited, but we have been well repaid for our waiting, for we have a larger and richer blessing than God's ancient people ever enjoyed. Isaiah 54:2. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and o

CHAPTER 54 ISRAEL CALLED TO SING 1. _The blessings of restoration (Isaiah 54:1) _ 2. _Mercy bestowed (Isaiah 54:7) _ 3. _The earthly glory of Jerusalem (Isaiah 54:11) _ 4. _Jehovah keeps and defends His people (Isaiah 54:15) _ After the cross the singing. What singing there will be in the earth when at last “they will look upon Him, whom they have pierced.” Israel will some day know the full meaning ofIsaiah 53:1-12 2, and when He is owned at last the glories and blessings of restoration will, through infinite grace, be bestowed upon them. Enlargement and faithfulness will be the results. The shame of Israel

LIV. ZION SHALL BE RESTORED TO HER PLACE AS YAHWEH'S WIFE, NEVER AGAIN TO BE REJECTED. The poet pictures Zion as a barren wife, left desolate by her husband. Let her break into transports of joy, for Yahweh promises that her children shall yet be more than the children of a wife not deserted so many that her tent must be enlarged. He bids her stretch forth her tent-hangings (so LXX), without stint lengthening the cords and strengthening the tent-pegs to support the larger tent. For Zion's inhabitants shall overflow south and north, overrunning other nations and peopling the deserted cities. Let Zion not blush for shame: the shame of her early days as Yahweh's bride the Egyptian captivity and her widowhood the exile, when her husband, Yahweh, forsook her shall be forgotten. For Yahweh has called her to Him, as a husband summons to his favour a wife neglected and dejected the Heb. forsaken...