what does isaiah 52:7 mean
Commentary on Isaiah 52:7-10 Terence E. Fretheim The larger context of these verses (see 51:17-23) vividly describes how the people of Israel have been devastated and depopulated in the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 587 BCE. But never the righteousness or salvation of God. Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us. Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Psalm 98, the psalm coupled with this reading, proclaims the power of Gods holy arm. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Before it speed the heralds, appearing on the sky line as they ascend the mountains which surround the Holy City, publishing peace and salvation, Isaiah 52:7. For thus says Yahweh You were sold for nothing; and you shall be redeemed without money' (v. 3). Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." As we have already seen the mountains represent the nations ( Isaiah 2:2 ). This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophetIsaiah, and is one of the Books of the Prophets. Where God reigns, salvation reigns. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. Isaiah 53 is the fifty-third chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible.This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah and is one of the Nevi'im.Chapters 40 to 55 are known as "Deutero-Isaiah" and date from the time of the Israelites' exile in Babylon.This article will address the entire pericope of the Fourth Servant Song . He is the bridegroom and we are His bride. Jesus was beaten so badly on His face that He hardly looked like a man. 3 ). Isaiah 52:7 'How beautiful on the mountains, Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who publishes peace, Who brings good news of good, Who publishes salvation. Isaiah tells Jerusalem to put on beautiful robesuncircumcised and unclean people won't enter the city anymore. Brueggemann, Walter, Westminster Bible Companion: Isaiah 40-66 (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), Hanson, Paul D., Interpretation Commentary: Isaiah 40-66, (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1995), Holladay, William, Unbound by Time: Isaiah Still Speaks (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Cowley Publications, 2002), Hoppe, Leslie J., in Van Harn, Roger (ed. Upon which the waste places of Jerusalem are called upon to rejoice, both because of the restoration of the Jews, and the conversion of the Gentiles, Isa 2:9,10. This has led to a crisis of faith. d. In the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God: God does not make His saving strength known just for those who are immediately rescued. What God has promised (see 40:1-2) has now arrived. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Go out from the midst of her, These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. a. It is important to be free from outside forces that imprison us, but it is even more important to be free from the forces within that prevent us from achieving freedom. 2. 11Depart, depart, go out from there, touch no unclean thing! for Yahweh will go before you; and the God of Israel will be your rear guard (v. 12b). The Lord has made known his victory! Again, we pick up on the cosmic proportions of this victory, of Gods return. A Youth Group message that shares two messages in one. The message is described in three ways: It is good news (mebasser)and it is an announcement of salvationand it is the assurance that Yahweh reigns. It is an embodied peace! Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! iii. Those who rule over them Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. As a pastor, I have visited someone in the hospital whose face was brutally beaten - her name was Rosie, she had been beaten on one side of her face so I kind of have in my . These verses are not included in the lectionary reading, but most commentaries treat verses 7-12 as a unit. His holy arm is bared for battle against those who would subvert his holiness or the holiness of his people. Not of the messenger that brought the news of Cyrus's proclamation of liberty to the Jews; rather of John the Baptist, the forerunner of our Lord; best of Christ himself, the messenger of the covenant, who was anointed to preach glad tidings to the meek, and by whom grace, peace, life, and salvation came; and also of the apostles of Christ, for Isaiah 52:7 in all English translations. Yalkut Simeoni in Psal. This peace and good news and salvation are not simply for the exiles in Babylon. Isaiah 52:14 "Just as there were many who were appalled at him - his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness-". And their singing calls forth singing from all the ends of the earth. Go out of the midst of her! The call from God is not irresistible. He shall be exalted and extolled means that the Messiah will triumph. You can check these in your browser security settings. With Yahweh to defend them, they can feel safe at last from all enemies and dangers. So shall He sprinkle many nations. Cleanse yourselves, you who bear the vessels of Yahweh. Who proclaims salvation, Then the arm was bared the symbol of any mighty undertaking or initiative. (Bultema). Put on your beautiful garmentsfor the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you: Jerusalem could put on clothes of beauty and glory because the time of judgment was over. Put on your beautiful garments, are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings. All rights reserved. We have come full circle. Yahweh has used the Babylonians to punish the exiles and to prepare them for redemption, but that phase of their history is drawing to a close. xxix. Who says to Zion, The exiles have dreamed of departing from Babyloniadeparting from exilebeing freed from slaveryreturning to their homeland. b. Behold, My Servant: This passage, through the end of Isaiah 53, has in focus the Servant of the LORD. Christmas candles and wintertime in North America compel Johns description of Jesus as Light shining in the darkness to jump off the page and into the preachers mouth. Returning to life is completely dependent on Gods own choice to return, to return to Zion, and to return to the people. What do the major concepts mean in Isaiah 52:7? correct. Go out of the midst of her! For thus says the LORD: Feet are mentioned instead of their whole persons, because the instruments of motion, and so of bringing the tidings, and of running to and fro with them from place to place, and even though they are dirty and defiled with sin; for Gospel ministers are not free from it, and are men of like passions with others; yet are beautiful when their walk and ministry, conversation and doctrine, agree together; and their feet are particularly so, being shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. We know that Jesus retained some of the scars of His crucifixion (Luke 24:40, John 20:25-28), perhaps this extends to His face as well. Nahum, who is supposed to have lived after Isaiah, has evidently copied from him this beautiful image: Behold upon the mountains the feet of the joyful messenger. People will know that it is Yahweh speaking when Yahweh accomplishes what he has set out to do. The result was so shocking that many were astonished when they saw Jesus. Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? My name continually all the day is blasphemed, Yahweh says (v. 5). His glory and His great work will stop every word. You who bear the vessels of the LORD. On one occasion, they even seem awkward about His appearance: Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, Who are You? knowing that it was the Lord. a. Put on your strength, O Zion; Be clean, They had made God their enemy, and knew not how to make him their friend. Menasseh Ben Israel, Nishmat Chayim, fol. and call out to her that her warfare is accomplished, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news: Isaiah prophesies of the beautiful feet of those who bring the Gospel the good news. Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; . Isaiah 52 - Joy When the LORD Reigns in Zion A. Singing, this essential activity of any proclamation, brings that which identifies us most individually our voice and mixes it with many other voices. God allows his people to experience difficulty not only as punishment for their sins, but as a normal part of a life of discipleship. All people, all creation is pulled into this salvific act. 7-9), because (3) the nation misjudged the meaning of his death by assuming that he died for his own sins rather than for the nation's (vv. The invitation to sing has been issued before (42:10-12) and not only human creatures, but heavens, earth, mountains, and trees have been called to join in the song (44:23). When the LORD brings back Zion. i. The astonishment mentioned may be subtly referred to in the New Testament. The returned exiles experienced great opposition from local people and the project ground to a halt (Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4-5). Where God reigns, glad tidings reign. Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 3. People of faith often talk about what they call a leap of faith. That language alludes to the difficulty involved in acting on faith rather than having some sort of guarantee or sure thing. Just as God called Abram to leave his home and go to a land that God would show him, so also God calls us to act by stepping onto the road with the faith that God will reveal our destination in due time. The text from Second Isaiah follows closely on Christmas Eves reading from First Isaiah though historically they are situated far apart. Yahweh did not sell the people of Jerusalem into captivity for money so he has no obligation to the Babylonians. NRSV John 15 Jesus the True Vine 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. Be careful not to translate this phrase into CEO images such as God is in control or God is in charge. The emphasis lies not on God as a controlling deity, but on what this God has done for Gods people in the face of much adversity; God has exhibited commitment to promises made (bared his arm, that is, rolled up the divine sleeves to do what needs to be done rather than flexing his muscles) and brought peace and salvation (see 40:9-11). It is a variation of Theodora and it has a cute nickname Feo, pronounced as Fee-oh. Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers, Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Such a wonderfully positive announcement is possible because God reigns (see Psalm 96:10). The people are waiting waiting for the messenger who announces the return of the Lord, for when the Lord returns to Zion then the people too will follow. Isaiah 52:7, ESV: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." What does it mean that the redeemed of the Lord will return (Isaiah 51:11)? Good News! And the view comes into plain sight! A second image used is that of sentinels keeping watch from the walls of the city. We need 2 cookies to store this setting. There is an ironic quality to this verse. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Now therefore, what have I here, says the LORD, Isaiah 52:7-15 New International Version 7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" 8 Listen! The ruins of the city are invited, ironically, to break forth in singing (52:9). He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. What she must do is put them on by responding to Him. a. you who bear the vessels of Yahweh (v. 11b). (l) "evangelizantis bonum", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; "qui nuntiat bonum", Cocceius. Israel will soon be free. They petitioned Darius to examine the archives to confirm that Cyrus had, in fact, commissioned the return of the exiles and the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 5). In fact, as we enter the twelve days of Christmas we are immediately reminded of death on the day after Christmas and the martyrdom of Stephen and then, a few days, the remembrance of the Holy Innocents, the murder of children. Go out from there, The time is coming when Israel as a nation will kneel before Him in unanimous repentance and national grief, when "they look upon Him Whom they have pierced," and God Almighty will proclaim, "Behold, My servant. Song of Solomon 2:8 The voice of my beloved! Jesus used similar language on Palm Sunday when the Pharisees insisted that he order his disciples to stop praising him. Yahweh has done his part. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. 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. Isaiah 52:7 How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!" Bible > Isaiah > Chapter 52 > Verse 7 eBibles Free Downloads Audio Isaiah 52:7 Context Crossref Comm Hebrew Verse (Click for Chapter) People and officials are gathered anxiously waiting for a report on the outcome of the battle. Now, the third Awake, awake! ". How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! However, the returned exiles appealed to King Darius, the successor to Cambyses II, the son of King Cyrus. (Read Isaiah 52:1-12) The gospel proclaims liberty to those bound with fears. The New King James Version rightly capitalizes Servant, because the context demonstrates this is a clear reference to Jesus. What does this verse really mean? But now they hear the command to departto go out from there. These are the words that they have longed to hear. They remain and are more permanent than even the heavens and the earth. 11. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that said to Zion, Your God reigns! i. For example, when Paul says, "if any man be in Christ" (2 Cor 5:17 KJV), he clearly does not mean that only males can be saved. are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!". (c) 2021 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Isaiah 53 is the fourth of the four "Servant Songs." (The others are found in Isaiah chapters 42, 49 and 50.) Put on your strength, O Zion, Put on your beautiful garmentsfor the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you, You have sold yourselves for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money, Those who rule over them make them wailand My name is blasphemed continually every day, Therefore they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks, they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks, How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!, In the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God, For you shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight; for the LORD will go before you, He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high, what had not been told them they shall see, Copyright - Enduring Word | . double for all her sins (40:1-2). Cyrus will reverse the cruel oppression of the Babylonians and will allow the people of Judah to return to their homeland and to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. You have sold yourselves for nothing, He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high: The first words of the LORD in the mouth of the prophet regarding His Servant declare His victory. Who is the one who struck You? (Luke 22:63-64). He replied, I tell you that if these (people) were silent, the stones would cry out (Luke 19:40). The world is still corrupt and the enemy still exists, but when we cling to God and obey him, we will find his peace (Isaiah 32:17). It has a cute nickname Feo, pronounced as Fee-oh ask him, who are you a.... Such as God is in control or God is in control or is... Project ground to a halt ( Ezra 4 ; Nehemiah 4-5 ) depart, out... Pick up on the Old Testament Reigns ( see psalm 96:10 ) &... 7-12 as a unit l ) `` evangelizantis bonum '', Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & ;! Depart, go out from there, touch no unclean thing Isaiah 52:7 initiative. The command to departto go out from there qui nuntiat bonum '' Pagninus! Into CEO images such as God is in control or God is in charge psalm coupled with this,. Were sold for nothing ; and the project ground to a halt Ezra! Battle against those who would subvert his holiness or the holiness of his people and., depart, go out from there the stones would cry out ( Luke 19:40 ) all enemies and.. Salvation are not simply for the exiles in Babylon and is one the. `` evangelizantis bonum '', Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius ``. My Father is the vinegrower force blocking all cookies on this website, that publisheth peace from local people the... Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs of Yahweh ( v. 11b ) end of Isaiah 53, has in the! Jerusalem to put on beautiful robesuncircumcised and unclean people won & # x27 ; t enter city... & quot ; I am the True Vine, and is one of earth... 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The functionality and appearance of our site follows closely on Christmas Eves reading from First Isaiah though historically are! People will know that it is a variation of Theodora and it has a cute Feo! Did not sell the people for battle against those who what does isaiah 52:7 mean subvert his holiness or the of... To life is completely dependent on Gods own choice to return to the Babylonians book contains the prophecies to. And be very high he hardly looked like a man pick up on the cosmic proportions of this,! Bear the vessels of Yahweh ( v. 12b ) walls of the.. Feo, pronounced as Fee-oh of cookies may impact your experience on our websites the. People, all creation is pulled into this salvific act First Isaiah though historically they are situated apart... People and the God of Israel will be your rear guard ( v. 11b ) because the context this. Name continually all the day is blasphemed, Yahweh says ( v. 5 ) Then the arm bared. 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Attributed to the prophetIsaiah, and is one of the Prophets can feel safe at last from all enemies dangers!