Connect Isaiah 51:5 with New Testament teachings on salvation through Jesus Christ. The Verse at the Center “My righteousness draws near, My salvation is on the way, and My arms will bring justice to the nations. The coastlands will wait for Me, and they will hope in My arm.” A Promise Draws Near – God speaks of a righteousness that is “drawing near,” not merely an idea but an event coming into history. – New Testament fulfillment: – Romans 3:21–22: “But now, apart from the Law, the righteousness of God has been revealed... through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21: “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” – Jesus is the Person in whom God’s righteousness arrives, satisfying the prophetic promise. Salvation on the Way—Arriving in Christ – Isaiah foresees salvation “on the way”; the Gospels present its arrival. – Luke 2:30–32: Simeon, holding the infant Jesus, declares, “My eyes have seen Your salvation... a light for revelation to the Gentiles.” – John 3:17: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – The future tense of Isaiah becomes the present reality in Jesus’ incarnation, cross, and resurrection. God’s Arms Bring Justice – “My arms will bring justice to the nations.” The imagery points to divine strength acting on humanity’s behalf. – Isaiah 53:1 links the “arm of the LORD” with the Suffering Servant. – On the cross, those outstretched arms satisfy justice (1 Peter 2:24). – Romans 5:9: “Having now been justified by His blood, we will be saved from wrath through Him.” – Justice here is not mere retribution; it is God’s saving act that sets things right through substitutionary atonement. Salvation Reaches the Nations – “The coastlands will wait for Me.” The distant islands symbolize the Gentiles. – Acts 13:47: Paul quotes Isaiah 49:6, applying it to his Gentile mission: “I have made you a light for the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.” – Ephesians 2:13: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” – Isaiah’s global horizon is realized as the gospel spreads beyond Israel. Hope Anchored in His Arm – Waiting in hope is not passive; it trusts the Lord’s proven strength. – Hebrews 6:19–20: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul... Jesus has entered on our behalf.” – Titus 2:11–13: “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men... while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearance of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” – The same “arm” that accomplished salvation now upholds believers until final redemption. Living the Fulfilled Promise – Receive the righteousness offered in Christ by faith (Romans 10:9–10). – Rest in the finished salvation He has achieved (John 19:30). – Reflect His justice and mercy to “coastlands” still waiting to hear (Matthew 28:19–20). |
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