All Glory to God our Father
Let us turn to Isaiah 52
1 Awake, awake,
Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion;
Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city;
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Will no longer come into you.
We find in Isaiah 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord;
This is the Church asking YHWH (How the Hebrews referred to their Creator) to awaken and see to their plight. Which is a lot like the clay making demands to the Potter in Jeremiah 18 and God turns this around and tells them WAKE UP from your drunkenness and clothe yourself in your in garments of Honor and Glory provided by the Lord. The foreign invaders will no longer control the city at the time of the final restoration.
So a double meaning here. God is talking about Babylon and also the Second Coming of our Messiah. Keep in mind that these prophets are probably wondering at the meanings coming out of their own mouths. They are being given parts of the puzzle and may have had insight as to what the message was, but not everything. And that is a very good example of Faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” Hebrews 11: 1
The kind of faith that we should have that God will provide our daily bread. And bread is symbolic of those things we need in our everyday life. Food, medicine, companionship, our needs are many and God knows them all. Faith tells us that we trust in God and He will sustain us.
Another aspect of this gift for God is we are told that we have been forgiven our sins if we have accepted our Savior and King, but that takes Faith to believe it, too. Our flesh is weak and prone to remembering all those sins, the great deceiver is very diligent at pushing those sins in our faces, as if to say “no, you weren’t really forgiven.”
I mentioned last week that the citizens of Jerusalem were prone to taking council of their fears. To be down in the mouth and morose at the consequence of their sins.
2 Shake yourself from the dust, rise up,
O captive Jerusalem;
Loose yourself from the chains around your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.
To sit on the ground, to sit in the dust, is an expression descriptive of mourning Job 2:13 Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great.
Jerusalem is here called on to arise and shake off the dust, as indicating that the days of her grief were ended, and that she was about to be restored to her former beauty and splendor.
One thing to keep in mind is Isaiah is speaking of the future here. He is talking about the conquest of Jerusalem that happen around 587 BC. The approximate date at which he speaks this passage is about 650 BC.
Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck – Jerusalem had been a captive, and confined as a prisoner. She is now called on to cast off these chains from her neck, and to be again at liberty. In captivity, chains or bands were attached to various parts of the body. They were usually affixed to the wrists or ankles, but it would seem also that sometimes collars were affixed to the neck. The idea is, that the Jews, who had been so long held captive, were about to be released, and restored to their own land. Once again, released from Babylon from which they had been captured due to their iniquities and then also when Jesus comes to rule as King, released from the bondaged of their sin of denying The Son of God as their Savior.
3 For thus says the Lord, “You were sold for nothing and you will be redeemed without money.”
The people had complained that God had “sold them” into the hands of their enemies Psalm 44:12 You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them. “Not so,” is the answer from God. “There was no real sale, only a temporary transfer, and therefore Jehovah can redeem you at His own pleasure.
4 For thus says the Lord God, “My people went down at the first into Egypt to reside there; then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause.
When in Egypt they had protection and sustenance, and therefore owed subjection to the king of Egypt. And yet when he oppressed them God punished him severely, and delivered them out of his hands. And the Assyrian oppressed them, the king of Babylon, who is called the king of Assyria, (2 Kings 23:29,) as also the Persian emperor is called, (Ezra 6:22,) because it was one and the same empire which was possessed, first by the Assyrians, then by the Babylonians, and afterward by the Persians.
Remembering in history, how often the Assyrian has oppressed them also, without cause. Remember the history of Sennacherib, Tiglath-pileser, and Salmaneser, and how they have laid the land waste, and remember also how He has delivered it from these oppressions. With the same certainty, and the same ease, He can deliver the people from the captivity at Babylon. Isaiah refers to different periods and events; and the idea is, that God had delivered them when they had been oppressed alike by the Egyptian, and by the Assyrians, and that he who had so often interposed would also rescue them from their oppression in Babylon.
5 Now therefore, what do I have here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that My people have been taken away without cause?” Again the Lord declares, “Those who rule over them howl, and My name is continually blasphemed all day long.
And my name continually every day is blasphemed – That is talking about Babylon. The proud and oppressive Babylonians loved to add to the sorrows of the exiles by reproaching the name of their God, and by saying that he was unable to defend them and their city from ruin. This is the third reason why God would interpose to rescue them. The three reasons in this verse are, that they had been taken away for nought; that they were suffering grievous and painful oppression; and that the name of God was reproached. On all these accounts he felt that he had something to do in Babylon, and that his interposition was demanded.
6 Therefore My people shall know My name; therefore in that day I am the one who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’”
In that day; when He shall redeem His people: which work was begun by the return of the Jews from Babylon, and afterwards carried on, and at last perfected, by the coming of the Messiah.
7 How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
8 Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices,
They shout joyfully together;
For they will see with their own eyes
When the Lord restores Zion.
9 Break forth, shout joyfully together,
You waste places of Jerusalem;
For the Lord has comforted His people,
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord has bared His holy arm
In the sight of all the nations,
That all the ends of the earth may see
The salvation of our God.
The gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears. Let those weary and heavy laden under the burden of sin, find relief in Christ, shake themselves from the dust of their doubts and fears, and loose themselves from those bands. The price paid by the Redeemer for our salvation, was not silver or gold, or corruptible things, but his own precious blood.
11 Depart, depart, go out from there,
Touch nothing unclean;
Go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves,
You who carry the vessels of the Lord.
The context points to a great deliverance. It is a good example of the prophetical habit of casting prophecies of the future into the mold of the past.
12 But you will not go out in haste,
Nor will you go as fugitives;
For the Lord will go before you,
And the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
Depart ye, depart ye – This is a direct address to the exiles in their captivity. The same command occurs in Isaiah 48:20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! Declare with the sound of joyful shouting, proclaim this, Send it out to the end of the earth;
Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob.”
It is repeated here for the sake of emphasis; and the urgency of the command implies that there was some delay likely on the part of the exiles themselves. Many of them had become strongly attached to living in Babylon and not all that enthused to going back home. Most of those who were made captive would have died before the close of the exile. Their children, who constituted the generation to whom the command to return would be addressed, would have known the land of their fathers only by report. And since it had been sacked by the Babylonians, why go back to a ruined land.
The Exalted Servant
13 Behold, My servant will prosper,
He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.
This is the beginning of a new prophecy. From Isaiah chapter 40 to here has been a message of deliverance of the people of God. This includes in it three distinct parts: the deliverance of the Jews from the captivity of Babylon, the deliverance of the Gentiles from their miserable state of ignorance and idolatry, and the deliverance of mankind from the captivity of sin and death.
Cyrus is expressly named as the immediate agent of God in effecting the first deliverance. A greater person is spoken of as the agent who is to effect the two latter deliverances, called the Servant, the Elect, of God, in whom his soul delighteth. Now these three subjects have a very close relation to one another; for, as the agent who was to effect the two latter deliverances, that being the Messiah, was to be born a Jew, with interesting limitations of time, family, and other circumstances, the first deliverance was necessary in the order of providence, and, according to the determinate counsel of God, to the accomplishment of the two latter deliverances; and the second deliverance was necessary to the third, or, rather, was involved in it, and made an essential part of it. (Benson Commentary)
14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people,
So His appearance was marred more than any man
And His form more than the sons of men.
Here begins that wonderful and faithful description of the office, character, and glory of the Messiah, which has struck conviction to many of the most hardened unbelievers. Christ is Wisdom itself; in the work of our redemption there appeared the wisdom of God in a mystery. Those that saw him, said, Surely never man looked so miserable: never was sorrow like unto his sorrow. But God highly exalted him. That shall be discovered by the gospel of Christ, which could never be told in any other way. And Christ having once shed his blood for sinners, its power still continues. May all opposers see the wisdom of ceasing from their opposition, and be made partakers of the blood of sprinkling, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost; obeying him, and praising his salvation. (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary)
15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations,
Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him;
For what had not been told them they will see,
And what they had not heard they will understand.
The “sprinkling” is that of the priest who cleanses the leper (Leviticus 4:6; Leviticus 4:17), and this was to be done by Him who was Himself counted as a leper “smitten of God”
The kings shall shut their mouths . The reverence, as in Isaiah 49:7, Job 29:9; Job 40:4, is that of silent wonder at the change which has passed over the suffering Servant. Wisdom Of Solomon 5:1-5 presents an interesting parallel, the reference there being to the person of the ideal righteous sufferer. In that case, as in this, there was, so to speak, a transfiguration “beyond all that men looked for.”
And the last 2 verses are marked change from Isaiah 6:9 He said, “Go, and tell this people: ‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand.’
All of which points to “Keep yourself ready for that day, for we do not know the hour. Love one another and accept the joy that is waiting for you to embrace, that we might be content in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in. Our home is not here nor should we long for the things of this world. We are children of God, and our inheritance is waiting in heaven. Be patient and waiting with great hope and expectation.
I listened to an interesting Sermon by John MacArthur on Monday. It was on Paul talking to the Galatians.
We find in Galatians 3:1-5 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?
4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?
5 So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?
And in the course of things Paul schools them in righteousness. Tells them when the flesh is in control, and it is obvious. Immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, hatred, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing.” And that’s not an exhaustive list, and so he adds, “and things like these,” which is kind of an et cetera.
In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” The fruit of the Spirit is put in the singular because it is a virtue, it is not a list from which you pick. You don’t say, “Well today I’m going to show joy. Next Tuesday I may show gentleness. Couple days after that I may try to love somebody.” Doesn’t work like that. This is not a list.
You can do that in your sin. You can say, “Tomorrow I’m going to be impure, and then I’m going to go to a party and tell some lies, and then I’m going to get drunk.” I mean, you can plan your sin; it comes in bits and pieces. But when you walk in the Spirit, it comes as a package.
So sin is a list to choose from, but virtue is produced collectively.
The point I am coming to is of this package of virtues, Love and Joy is what I want to talk about. Love is first in the list because love is the greatest, according to 1 Corinthians 13. It’s the word agapē, familiar word from the verb agapaō. It is love, “to love,” and “love at the highest level.” This is the supreme word for the noblest of loves. There are other words for love that speak of friendship, and marital love, and even an erōs kind of love. But this is the word that speaks of the noblest kind of love, and this is the kind of love that is characteristic of God
What is love like? “Love is patient,” – verse 4 – “love is kind, is not jealous; love doesn’t brag, is not arrogant, doesn’t act unbecomingly; it doesn’t seek its own, is not provoked, doesn’t take into account a wrong suffered, doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;” – and then – “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” That’s the nature of love.
And Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This is the love that is the noblest love of all loves. It means you seek only the best for everyone around you. You endure anything and everything. You believe the best about everyone. You speak the best about everyone. You sacrifice yourself even to the point of giving up your life for others. This is the essence of agapé love.
John 15:12, “This is My commandment, that you love one another,” – said Jesus – “just as I have loved you. I want you to love the way I have just loved you.” How had He just loved them? By washing their dirty feet.
And then we have Joy. What is its nature? It’s not superficial. It’s not related to circumstances. It’s not the kind of joy that you feel when something good comes along in your life. It’s joy unrelated to shifting circumstances. It’s joy that has nothing to do with whether you’re healthy or sick, nothing to do with whether you’re alone or in a crowd, nothing to do with whether you are paid enough or not enough, nothing to do with whether you have enough food or not enough food; not related whatsoever to whether your circumstances are positive or negative; not related at all to whether you have trouble in your life. No, this word is not related to that.
The word related to that is “happy.” Happy is related to the word “happen,” which is related to “happenstance.” Happy means you like the circumstances you’re in. We understand that. This is not that, this is chara. This is deep down, settled joy. This is miles below the surface of the troubled sea. This is in the dead calm of the depth of your soul. It doesn’t move, it’s unassailable, it’s immovable. It’s the deep-seated joy that provides for you constant – listen to these words – constant satisfaction and contentment.
Jesus actually said in John 15:11, “My joy I give you; you have My joy.” The very joy that the Son possesses in the promise of the Father, we possess in the promise of the Son.
I have to say that since I have accepted Christ, I have experienced this Joy. And it is not a heady emotional kind of thing that is always talked about. What it is to me is contentment with my circumstances, happiness that transcends my growing inability to care for myself or to be self sufficient to any extent. I have no worries, none. I know God is in charge of all, and there is no downside to what the future holds. And that Joy is available to everyone of you. If what I just described doesn’t sound like much, I have to tell you, that not having any worries or concerns and waking up content each morning is a very great blessing to me. As for Love, I can do that kind of Love that was described. I can think the best of people, I can listen to their troubles, help them when they need help, hope the best for them, not be judgmental. I was concerned that Love was what I knew, between family or husband and wife. No, this is a greater Love. Think about these things. They are important and they will have an impact on those around you. And that’s really the point.