Chapter 51 - Ye that follow after righteousness

*Verse 1A: Lets Identify "ye that follow after righteousness" -

Romans 9:30 ¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.

Here Paul identifies Israel as the ones who always were following after righteousness -he teaches that they (Israel) never attained righteousness - Chapter 51 continues to address Israel - Judah in particular.

Isaiah 28:9 ¶ Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

Isaiah 28:14 ¶ Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

God's Law was the stumblingstone for the Old Testament Jews - God's WORD in carnet - Jesus Christ was the stumblingstone for the Jews who He first came to and continues to be the stumblingstone for those who reject His Salvation. .

1Peter 2:6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Romans 9:32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

The Jews sought the LORD by they wanted to find Him on their terms not His! Understand why Malachi recorded in Malachi 3:14 Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? Why did they feel it was a waste of time to serve (sacrifice, keep the ordinances, feasts) they never reached the righteousness, The LORD was our real enemy. By faith alone seems much too simple - 2Cointhians 11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
 

Eze 33:12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
Eze 33:13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

Verses 1B& 2:  ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him

Those who seek the LORD should go back to the basic precept for righteousness - Genesis 15:6 And he (Abram) believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness. Galatians 3:6, Why Sarah Heb 11:11-12

Remember Abraham & Sarah - how her body of old age was as a stone, not able to produce life

Look to the promise The LORD made to Abraham.

Zec 7:12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts

Eze 11:19 And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh:

Mt 3:9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham

The rock - The LORD, Jesus Christ - Ex 17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Joseph - Ge 37:23 ¶ And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; 24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. -

Ge 50:19 And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?
20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

Genesis 28:10-22 another rock they should remember - The promise of The LORD  and Jacobs promise to the LORD.

If you want to find the LORD - look to the rock, righteousness will be imputed to those who believe

See many events the Jews had throughout history that should have been pictures of how The LORD promised they would endure and how He delivered them from destruction.

If you think you can work hard enough catch up with righteousness you will never attain to it, it will always be several steps ahead of you. The only way to have righteousness applied to for The LORD, The Holy One Of Israel to bring it back to where you are and because of your belief, by faith in Him, He will establish you in His righteousness.

Verses 4-8 - This is His plea to those who follow after righteousness - Hearken unto ME, hear with action. Hear Me and believe, and you will receive something more permanent than the heavens and earth, His righteousness, His salvation. Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Judah had their past to look to and  learn from. They had the example of Abraham and Sarah to look to to see how to have righteousness accounted unto them through belief. They could never catch up with righteousness. It is not about them being righteous it is about His Righteousness and His Salvation - It is not about them it is about HIM!

*Next Lesson Isaiah 51: 9-17 - Question why did the Jews contend with The LORD  about hoe He brought them out of Babylon captivity?