Your God Reigns, Isaiah 52

INTRODUCTION

Zion has called on Yahweh to awake (Isaiah 51:9), and Yahweh has responded by rousing Jerusalem from her sleep (51:17). Now, Yahweh rouses Zion to wake up to get ready for release and a wedding (52:1).

THE TEXT

“Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. Shake yourself from the dust, arise; sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!” (Isaiah 52:1-15).

AWAKE, AWAKE!

Zion’s exile is a sleep, a death (cf. Ezekiel 37). She wears sackcloth, sits in ashes, and the streets teem with uncircumcised Babylonians (Isaiah 52:1-2). Now, Yahweh calls her from the dust, and tells her to put on festal clothing, the garments of priests and the beautiful robe of a bride. She will again be the holy city (v. 1; cf. Isaiah 1:26). Captive daughter of Zion is being freed; she will arise to sit enthroned in glory, the queen next to King Yahweh. Yahweh doesn’t have to pay off any debts (v. 3). He will do what He did in Egypt and Assyria, delivering Zion from bondage (vv. 4-5). Yahweh brought Israel from Egypt so that Egypt and Israel would know Him (Exodus 6:7; 7:5, 17; 8:10); He brings Zion from the dust so that “My people shall know My name” (v. 6).

YOUR GOD REIGNS

Specifically, Zion’s return from Babylonian exile will demonstrate that Yahweh reigns (v. 7). Isaiah imagines a herald announcing the news of Yahweh’s enthronement (v. 7), and the watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem shouting joyfully that Zion is returning home (v. 8). The children’s return to Zion is also Yahweh’s return to His palace. Zion’s waste places will break out with singing (v. 8) because Yahweh has “comforted” His people (v. 9). As in the Exodus, He has rolled up His sleeves, bared His arm before all the nations, so that everyone could see Yahweh’s salvation (v. 10). This was a public, real-time event. Zion’s exile was the death of a nation: She was left without king, without land, without power. Even Zion’s God seemed to have died, powerless to save her from Nebuchadnezzar. Zion’s return demonstrates that Yahweh is alive and well and brings His people from the grave with His mighty arm.

PROCESSION TO ZION

It is a new exodus, but it is not a new exodus. When Israel left Egypt, they plundered the Egyptians. When they leave Babylon, the don’t touch anything (v. 11). This is partly because Cyrus will restore to Zion all the plunder that Nebuchadnezzar took (Ezra 1), so that the Israelites will march from Babylon carrying all the vessels of Yahweh (Isaiah 52:11). When Israel left Egypt, they had to leave hastily, because Pharaoh was hostile. Their departure from Babylon will be leisurely (v. 12), because it will be supported and endorsed by Yahweh’s servant, Cyrus (cf. Isaiah 44:16-45:7). As in the Exodus, their return from exile will also be Yahweh’s return. Yahweh will surround them as they return, leading them and guarding the stragglers in the back (v. 12b). In the first exodus, Yahweh brought Israel to Sinai and sprinkled them with the blood of the covenant (Exodus 19-24). When He brings Zion back from Babylon, His Servant will “sprinkle many nations” (Isaiah 52:15).