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Isaiah 51:6-8
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished…

Job 13:28
And he, as a rotten thing, consumeth, as a garment that is moth eaten.

Psalm 39:11
When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every manis vanity. Selah.

Who is there to condemn Me?
This rhetorical question highlights the futility of any accusations or condemnation against the Servant, as God's support renders any such attempts powerless. This theme of divine vindication is prevalent in the New Testament, particularly inRomans 8:33-34, where Paul speaks of God's elect and the inability of anyone to bring a charge against them because of Christ's intercession. The Servant's confidence in God's justice and protection prefigures the ultimate vindication found in Jesus Christ, who, despite facing condemnation, was justified by God through His resurrection.

See, they will all wear out like a garment;
This imagery of garments wearing out signifies the temporary and perishable nature of those who oppose the Servant. In the ancient Near Eastern context, clothing was a valuable commodity, and its deterioration symbolized the inevitable decline of human power and opposition. This metaphor is consistent with other biblical passages that describe the transience of human life and strength (e.g.,Psalm 102:26). It serves as a reminder of the enduring nature of God's purposes and the ultimate futility of resisting His will.

the moths will devour them.
The reference to moths devouring garments further illustrates the idea of decay and destruction. Moths, small and seemingly insignificant creatures, can cause significant damage, symbolizing how even the mightiest adversaries can be brought to ruin by seemingly minor forces when God is involved. This imagery is echoed inJob 13:28 andMatthew 6:19, where the destructive power of moths is used to convey the impermanence of earthly treasures and opposition. It reinforces the message that those who stand against God's servant will ultimately face destruction, while God's purposes endure.

Isaiah’s Servant speaks with calm confidence: “Surely the Lord GOD helps Me.” That single sentence shifts the whole scene from uncertainty to absolute assurance.

• The focus is on who God is—“the Lord GOD,” the covenant name coupled with sovereign power.

• Help here is personal and active. The psalmist voices the same security: “Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul” (Psalm 54:4).

• Such assurance echoes forward: “The LORD is on my side; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6) and “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6).

This opening clause anchors the entire verse: the Servant—and by extension all who belong to Him—rests on the unshakable character of God.

Because God helps, no accusation can stick.

•Romans 8:33-34 asks the same rhetorical question: “Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is there to condemn us?”.

• In earthly courts, condemnation depends on a higher authority. Here, the highest court—God Himself—has already ruled in favor of His Servant.

•John 5:22 notes that “the Father judges no one, but has assigned all judgment to the Son”; yet the Servant stands uncondemned even in that ultimate tribunal.

So every potential accuser—whether human or spiritual—finds the case dismissed before it even begins.

Isaiah invites us to look: “See …” The fate of the accusers contrasts sharply with the permanence of the Servant.

• Clothes eventually fray and fade; the natural process of decay is built in.Psalm 102:26 observes, “They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment”.

•Hebrews 1:11-12 applies the same imagery to creation itself in comparison to the eternal Son.

• Every opposing system, every unjust verdict, every voice of condemnation—no matter how loud—has an expiration date baked in by God’s design.

The Servant stands; His enemies unravel.

The picture tightens: not only will the garment age, but “the moths will devour” it.

• Jesus warned about treasures “where moth and rust destroy” (Matthew 6:19). Here, the moth becomes a metaphor for the silent, relentless judgment of God on opposition.

• Isaiah uses the same thought later: “The moth will eat them like a garment” (Isaiah 51:8).

•Job 13:28 compares frail humanity to “a garment that moths eat.” Accusers who align against God’s Servant sign on to that destiny.

Decay is certain, irreversible, and God-ordained; those who resist His purposes find themselves consumed by forces they cannot see coming.

Isaiah 50:9 draws a straight line from God’s faithful help to the utter futility of every accusation. Because the Lord is the Servant’s defender, condemnation has no footing. Every adversary will fade, unravel, and be quietly eaten away by time and judgment, while the Servant—and all who trust in Him—remain secure, vindicated, and unafraid.

Parallel Commentaries ...