ISAIAH 52
Deliverance for Jerusalem
Wake up, wake up, O Zion!
Clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem,
for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.
Rise from the dust, O Jerusalem.
Sit in a place of honor.
Remove the chains of slavery from your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion.
For this is what the Lord says:
“When I sold you into exile,
I received no payment.
Now I can redeem you without having to pay for you.”
This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Long ago my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria. 5What is this?” asks the Lord. “Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exultation. My name is blasphemed all day long. But I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power. Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.”
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns!
The watchmen shout and sing with joy,
for before their very eyes they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem.
Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song,
for the Lord has comforted his people.
He has redeemed Jerusalem.
The Lord has demonstrated his holy power
before the eyes of all the nations.
All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.
Get out! Get out and leave your captivity,
where everything you touch is unclean.
Get out of there and purify yourselves,
you who carry home the sacred objects of the Lord.
You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives.
For the Lord will go ahead of you;
yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.
The Lord’s Suffering Servant
See, my servant will prosper;
he will be highly exalted.
But many were amazed when they saw him.
His face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human,
and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man.
And he will startle many nations.
Kings will stand speechless in his presence.
For they will see what they had not been told;
they will understand what they had not heard about.
STUDY AND REFLECT:
The messenger described in Isaiah 52 is eager to share the good news. His feet are described as lovely and beautiful as they run to carry a message of salvation and hope to the people. Paul says that we must “put on the readiness” or be “fully prepared” with the gospel of peace. Other people need it too! And we can be confident that the Lord has prepared us with the tools we need to fight the enemy and advance the gospel. Through God’s Word, you can pronounce freedom and peace over your own circumstances and the lives of those you love. Compare Isaiah 52:7 with Ephesians 2:17 and 6:15. Do these feet seem motionless and waiting? Or are the feet in action and on the move? What are some areas of your life where you need to be on the offensive instead of the defensive, moving forward in your walk and taking back ground from the enemy?
PODCAST:
https://grace-marketing2018.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/Forge_Podcast_Week_4_-_Holden_Meyers_1.mp3