John Calvin Commentary Isaiah 51:16

"And I have put my words in thy mouth, and have covered thee in the shadow of my hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people." — Isaiah 51:16 (ASV)

And I have put my words in your mouth. He again returns to the doctrine which he had previously stated, namely, that the Lord comforts his Church: I, I am he that comforteth you (Isaiah 51:12). So he now says that he put into the mouth of the prophets what they should say. From this we may infer that these words do not proceed from men, who often prove false, but from God, who cannot lie (Titus 1:2). The Lord speaks to all the prophets, first to Isaiah, and then to the rest in their order; but ultimately we must come to Christ. These things must not be limited either to Isaiah or to Christ, but must be extended to all the prophets. The Lord wishes that believers should hear the consolation from the prophets, as if he were present and addressed them, and even declares that he speaks openly by their mouth.

Therefore, we should also conclude that no one should come forward to comfort the Church except those who speak from the mouth of the Lord; for those who utter their own dreams, though they take shelter under the name of God, should be rejected. But we must understand the Prophet’s meaning; for, since he shows that the consciences of men always tremble until the Lord confirms them, he instructs us to hold to this principle: that it is God who speaks by the prophets, for otherwise consciences will always remain in doubt and uncertainty. Yet the way of speaking is highly emphatic when he repeats the commandments of God, by which he was encouraged to carry out his office.

And in the shadow of my hand. Though he had already said this, yet the repetition is not unnecessary, so that we may fully believe that God will always assist his ministers, enabling them, by relying on his direct help, to be raised by him above all obstacles.

Now, to be covered with that shadow of the Lord, two things are necessary:

1. They must be certain that what they proclaim is the word of God.
2. They must do so by God’s command.

Those who rashly step forward may indeed boast of the name of God, but in vain; for when they come to the actual struggle, they will falter. And if we have the testimony of conscience, we have no reason for having doubts about God’s protection and help, by which he will enable us to gain the victory. The purpose of this commission follows.

That I may plant the heavens; that is, that I may restore everything to its proper order. There are, indeed, various interpretations of these words, but the true meaning appears to me to be this: that heaven and earth are said to be restored by the doctrine of salvation, because, as Paul says, in Christ are collected all things that are either in heaven or in earth (Ephesians 1:10). Since the fall of the first man, we see nothing but frightful confusion, which troubles even the non-rational creatures and makes them suffer, in some respects, the punishment of our sins. Consequently, that confusion cannot be repaired except by Christ.

Therefore, since the whole face of the world is disfigured by frightful desolation, there is good reason to say that godly teachers renew the world, as if God formed heaven and earth anew by their hand. And from this it is clear how great the heinousness of our guilt is, which has resulted in such dreadful confusion in the nature of things.

Thus, the heavens are said to be planted and the earth to be founded when the Lord establishes his Church by the word; and he does this through the agency of ministers, whom he directs by his Spirit and protects against hidden enemies and various dangers, so that they may effectively accomplish what he has commanded.

That I may say to Zion, You are my people. Finally, he shows that this points to something higher than the visible form of the world, which will soon perish; specifically, to stir up and nurture in the hearts of believers the hope of a heavenly life. The true stability of the Church, the restoration of the world, consists in this: that the elect are gathered into the unity of faith, so that, with one accord, all may lift their hearts to God, who also invites them sweetly and gently by these words, I am your God. And from this we see how highly God values the salvation of the Church, since he not only prefers it to the whole world, but even shows that the stability of the world depends on it. We must also observe what is the word which the Lord commands to be proclaimed; for it not only establishes a rule for living, but also testifies to our adoption, in which our salvation primarily consists.