Isaiah 52
COMMENTARY:
: 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tiding of good, that publishes salvation; that says unto Zion, Thy God reigns! (8085 “publishes” [shama] means proclaim, announce, cause to hear, call, report, shew forth, tell, or witness.
DEVOTION: The LORD has a message to share. HE wants HIS people to AWAKE to good news. HE wants them to shake the dust from their bodies.
HE is going to redeem them. While they were in captivity HIS name was blasphemed. NOW they were going to know the power of HIS name. HE is going to speak and everyone is going to listen. What is HE going to proclaim? Good news!!! HE is going to send peace and prosperity to HIS people. The feet of those who bring good tiding of good are called beautiful.
The LORD was going to do all this through HIS suffering servant who was going to come in the future. At present they were going to suffer for their sins. They were sold into slavery because of their sin but it wasn’t the LORD who had sold them. HE was paid nothing for them to go into captivity and HE wasn’t going to pay any money to get them out of captivity. HE was going to pay with SOMEONE who was worth more than money could buy. HE was going to pay for their sins through the blood of HIS Son, Jesus Christ.
This was good news. It was the good news that was spread by the true prophets of the LORD. It was the good news that was spread by those who were redeemed in Israel.
The good news that the New Testament presents is that Christ shed HIS blood on the cross. HE died for our sins. HE was buried. HE rose again from the dead to show us that we can have victory over death because of HIS substitutionary atonement.
All those who are followers of the LORD will spend eternity with HIM. All those who reject our message will spend eternity in the lake of fire with the devil and his angels.
Our feet are to bring the good tidings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are to share our faith with those who are in our world. We have an exclusive message to give to the world. There is only one way into God’s presence and that is through Jesus Christ alone. There is NO other way!!!
Are we sharing our faith? Are our feet as beautiful to those in our world as those recorded in this passage of Scripture?
CHALLENGE: The end of this verse tells us a truth we should never forget: OUR GOD REIGNS. HE is still on the throne. Praise HIS name!!!
: 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem: for the LORD has comforted HIS people, HE has redeemed Jerusalem. (5162 “comforted” [nacham] means console, to alleviate sorrow or distress, give emotional strength to, or express sympathy)
DEVOTION: One of the promises of the LORD to HIS people is that HE will be right there while they are going through trials HE allows in their lives. HE wants us to know that we are never alone when we are going through hard times.
Too often we think that we are alone when in reality HE is right there to comfort us and to give us the strength to face anything HE allows in our lives. HE loves us and part of that love is to strengthen us as we face our time here on this earth.
The world wants to give us a hard time and those who are without Christ like to see those who are believers struggle in their daily walk with the LORD, so that, they can say that the LORD is not really caring for them.
Too often even believers believe that this lie is the truth. We need to make sure that we are putting our confidence in the LORD at all times. HE is there and cares for HIS own.
One of the signs that we are trusting in HIM is to start singing during those times and have the joy of the LORD as our strength. If we are doing this those who are without Christ will wonder what is going on.
CHALLENGE: What does the world see as we go through hard times? Do they see the “joy of the LORD” or do they see discouragement? Only we can show them that the LORD is real!
:11 So the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: When joy fills our lives, it is natural for us to sing and to give thanks! On special occasions like birthdays, promotions, or weddings the sound of music and joyful laughter fills the air. When the LORD returns, the righteous remnant will sing joyfully because He will have comforted and redeemed His people. This work of grace on their behalf will show all the nations His power and the salvation He provides. [The Bible Knowledge Commentary, 1106.]
What a wonderful day that will be and we shall rejoice in the reality of the King of Kings being here on earth. Some are expecting the Lord’s return today and while that may occur as it is imminent and nothing except the Lord’s proclamation stops Him from coming we cannot predict it. When He does return the whole of Heaven and earth will rejoice that the rightful king and Sovereign Lord has re-established his throne.
May it be today, but if it isn’t, continue to work, anticipate and worship like it could be today!
CHALLENGE: Israel anticipated that return of the people to the land and the return of the Lord to the Land as well. Believers today anticipate the Lord’s return and the eternal establishment of His kingdom. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” Rev. 22:20 (Dr. Brian Miller – board members)
: 12 For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight: for the LORD will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rereward. (622 “rereward” [acaph] means gatherer, collector, rear-guard, or to bring up the rear.)
DEVOTION: Here we have another reference to the suffering servant of Isaiah. This is a person who is going to come and give Israel relief from captivity. They are in captivity because of their sin and they need a deliverer.
The children of Israel were under the control of many nations. They were presently going to go under the control of Babylon because of their sin. They were under the control of the Medes and Persians, Greeks and finally the Romans before the coming of the Messiah or suffering servant.
Once HE came we find that the children of Israel rejected HIM. They were the ones who called out for HIM to be crucified. They didn’t want a suffering servant but a King.
There is coming a time when HE will be King. HE will lead them out of captivity and form the nation of Israel again with HIM being on the throne. HE will reign with HIS saints for a thousand years.
This has not happened yet. It is still in the future. However, this passage gives us another truth we need to learn. Remember that in battle there is always the danger that the enemy can sneak up behind an army and kill them from the rear.
Here we find that the Messiah or Jesus Christ is going to lead them into victory with HIS Father in the rear of the procession protecting their backs. They will be sure to have victory with Christ in the front and the Father in the back.
We are promised victory in our daily life if we rely on the LORD for our protection. The Father sent the Son to confirm HIS promise to never leave us or forsake us. All three persons of the Godhead are working in us to give us victory over any enemy that comes from any direction to hurt us. That is part of the promise.
CHALLENGE: Realize that the enemy cannot get through the defenses of the LORD. We are protected on every side.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Singverse 8, 9
Joyverse 9
Vessels of the LORDverse 11
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 3, 5, 9-12
Lord – Adonai (Owner, Master)verse 4
GOD – Jehovahverse 4
Lord GODverse 4
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verses 7, 10, 12
God reignsverse 7
Comforts HIS peopleverse 9
Redeemed Jerusalemverse 9
God of Israelverse 12
Rerewardverse 12
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
Servantverse 13
Deal prudentlyverse 13
Exaltedverse 13
Extolledverse 13
Be very highverse 13
HIS visage was so marred more than any manverse 14
HIS form more than the sons of menverse 14
HE shall sprinkle many nationsverse 15
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Uncircumcisedverse 1
Uncleanverse 1
Egyptverse 4
Assyrianverse 4
Nationsverses 10, 15
All ends of earth shall see salvation of Godverse 10
Many are astonied at LORDverse 14
Sons of menverse 14
Kings shall shut their mouths at HIMverse 15
Not been told shall they seeverse 15
They had not heard shall they considerverse 15
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Uncircumcisedverse 1
Uncleanverse 1
Sold yourselfverse 3
Make God’s people howlverse 5
Blaspheme the name of the LORDverse 5
Unclean thingverse 11
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Awakeverse 1
Strengthverse 1
Redeemedverses 3, 9
Know name of LORDverse 6
Bring good tidingsverse 7
Publish peaceverse 7
Salvationverses 7, 10
Singverses 8, 9
See eye to eyeverse 8
Joyverse 9
Comfortverse 9
Cleanverse 11
LORD goes beforeverse 12
Presence of the LORDverse 12
Servantverse 13
Deal prudentlyverse 13
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Zionverses 1, 2, 7, 8
Put on beautiful garmentsverse 1
Jerusalemverses 1, 2, 9
Holy Cityverse 1
Captive daughterverse 2
God’s peopleverses 4, 5, 6, 9
MY (God’s) peopleverse 6
How beautiful are feet of him that bring good tidingsverse 7
Publish salvationverse 7
Watchmanverse 8
Waste places of Jerusalemverse 9
Bear vessels of the LORDverse 11
Not go out with hasteverse 12
Not go by flightverse 12
Israelverse 12
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
In that dayverse 6
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