59:16 God Steps In God’s “strong arm” (51:5) appears again in this chapter, now emphasizing his own intervention to save the oppressed. Isaiah has just described how God hates the injustice and wickedness of his people: sinful economic abuses by the rich, deception by the courts, and violence by rulers. These are the injustices that God steps in to personally correct. Would we be found guilty of the same injustices today?
59:21 Gift of the Spirit One of the promises of the prophesied new covenant is the constant presence of God’s Spirit with his people (Ezek 36:27), rather than occasional gifting or a few temporarily-anointed prophets. The Lord promises that the redemption of Israel will include the Spirit living within them, permanently and without limit. Pentecost provides the fulfillment of this promise for every person who believes, from Israel to all the Gentile nations (Acts 2:38-39).