". The victory is peace but a peace that is more than simply an end to war. Good News! Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! It is almost as if God said, I can abide with My name being blasphemed continually every day among the nations. The LORD has made bare His holy arm The call to separate from Babylon both literal and spiritual is a call to purity, for those who bear the vessels of the LORD. Our voices brought together now redefine who we are as recipients of the wonderful good news brought by the messenger. The ruins of the city are invited, ironically, to break forth in singing (52:9). But God promises there will come a day when they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks. But it is not Cyrus who is the ultimate guarantor of their freedom. i. Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." As we have already seen the mountains represent the nations ( Isaiah 2:2 ). i. Yalkut Simeoni in Psal. He allowed Babylonia to place the people of Judah in bondage as punishment for their sins, but is now free to secure Judahs release. Who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns! The good news news of peace, glad tidings, and salvation can all be summed up in the glorious proclamation, Your God reigns! Where God reigns, peace reigns. Use this table to get a word-for-word translation of the original Hebrew Scripture. Therefore My people shall know My name; To give thanks in advance is the highest form of praise (Oswalt, 370). Also, this does not likely mean that the sentinels see a vision of God (cf. ASV: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! These sentinels see the messenger at a distance, but understand from his gestures that the news is good. The beholder is supposed to be standing amidst the ruins of the desolated city, and the messenger is seen running on the distant hills. you who bear the vessels of Yahweh (v. 11b). 1-3), (2) as well as in his death (vv. Just let it be known and praised among My people.. see Revelation 19:1. that sitteth unto Zion, thy God reigneth; that saith to Zion, the church of Christ, that Christ, who is truly God, and their God, has taken to himself, in a more open and visible manner, his great power and reigns as the Lord God omnipotent; and this is good news and glad tidings; see Psalm 97:1. 2. However, for a person in trouble, the instrument of salvation will appear as a thing of beauty regardless of its intrinsic appearance. Zion, of course, refers to Mount Zion on which Jerusalem is built. Who brings glad tidings of good things, Seen on the distant hills, running rapidly, he is a beautiful object. In this case, the sentinels lift up their voices and sing together. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. 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. All rights reserved. Therefore they shall know in that day asked the LORD to put on strength (Isaiah 51:9). The Lord has made known his victory! Again, we pick up on the cosmic proportions of this victory, of Gods return. A second image used is that of sentinels keeping watch from the walls of the city. i. Zion and the towns of Judah constitute the watchmen. This page last updated: November 29, 2022. 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." Proud member Today, we as well are keenly aware of the battles around us, the many places of death that the celebration of Christmas Day does not do away with. Put on your strength, O Zion: The first Awake, awake! Depart! Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; The Lord is king! welcome the publishers of such tidings! The battlefield is not just any confrontation between two armies but the field of history itself in which God is triumphant, for it is not only Jerusalem that is redeemed but also all the nations. The ASV, which is also in the public domain due to expired copyrights, was a very good translation, but included many archaic words (hast, shineth, etc. And their singing calls forth singing from all the ends of the earth. halcyon days! i. Not only is a messenger coming to announce a victory from the battlefield, but Gods self is coming in triumph. Turning to the text for Christmas day, the call goes out to the people to Listen! (52:8; echoing 51:1,4,7,21). Published: APRIL 1, 2020 16:27. 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). It is in the midst of death that a song arises, rejoicing in a promise. 9. fol. Prepare yourselves for the great day of the Lord." (D&C 133:10) It is a cosmic peace. The Christmas season always seems like a time to sing the good old songs. To exiles who have lost hope that they might ever be free again, the one who announces peace and good news and salvation is beautifulright down to his feet. When Darius found a copy of Cyrus decree, he then lent his full support, including funds, to allow the rebuilding of the temple, and the former exiles completed the rebuilding (Ezra 6). Awake, awake! The good news will be announced and the saved will go out victorious (Isaiah 52:7-12). And His form more than the sons of men. The victory that is proclaimed does not belong to this or that king, to this or that country, to this or that ideology, but to God alone. Yet, they would be blessed by being redeemed without money. Verse 1. This echoes the meaning of Isaiah's name, which means the "salvation of Yahweh." 2 Having read the book, one might wonder about the strong presence of judgment that runs through the first thirty-nine chapters when the theme is salvation. Leave! But now the tables have been turned; Israels captors will drink the cup of wrath instead. So one . correct. Psalm 97, one of the psalms appointed for Christmas Day, also echoes this theme in song. His holy purpose is not only that people should observe Torah law faithfully, but also that they might establish justice and provide for those in need. The prophet calls the people to listen so that they can hear the voices of the sentinelsso that they can share in the joy that the sentinels are experiencing. c. The LORD has made bare His holy arm: The thought beginning at Isaiah 51:9 (Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD!) (g) Signifying that the joy and good tidings of their deliverance would make their affliction in the mean time more easy: but this is chiefly meant of the spiritual joy, as in Na 1:15, Ro 10:15. If the Suffering Servant was about someone who already lived and died prior to Jesus, that would seem to imply that at least Israel already had a restored relationship with God. The church, under the names of Zion and Jerusalem, is exhorted to awake and clothe herself with strength, and with beautiful garments, to shake off her dust, and loose her bands, since she should become a pure and separate people, Isa 52:1,2 and whereas the Lord's people had been afflicted formerly by the Egyptians, and more lately by the Assyrians, a free redemption is promised them; and the rather they might expect it, since the Lord was no gainer by their affliction, but a loser in his name and honour, as well as they distressed, Isa 52:3-5. 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. What God has done has an effect, not only on Israel, but on the entire creation. Who proclaims salvation, Menasseh Ben Israel, Nishmat Chayim, fol. With Yahweh to defend them, they can feel safe at last from all enemies and dangers. That My people are taken away for nothing? KJV: How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! A Youth Group message that shares two messages in one. But I cannot see any such allusion here. For you shall not go out with haste, The feet speak of activity, motion, and progress, and those who are active and moving in the work of preaching the gospel have beautifulfeet. Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? Psalm Commentary on Psalm 98 Though the "servant" in Isaiah 53 is not openly identified - these verses merely refer to "My servant" (52:13, 53:11) - the "servant" in each of the previous Servant Songs is plainly and repeatedly identified as the . Therefore my people shall know (Hebrew: yada) my name (v. 6). Isaiah 52:7 appears to share text with Nahum 1:15, although Nahum does not mention the beauty of the evangelists' feet. We hate suffering and try to avoid it. The Targum is. 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. His glory and His great work will stop every word. Meaning: How beautiful! The Lord returns! Isaiah 52:7 in all English translations. What is your job. More than any man does not literally mean that by appearances, Jesus was beaten more severely than any man would ever be beaten. Hear the good news! Where God reigns, glad tidings reign. THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL
Copyright 2002-2023 Got Questions Ministries. Yahweh will go before them to scout out the way and will protect them from behind. Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; The call is to break forth together into joy, sing together, even though the people have not yet been privileged to see the fruits of Yahwehs determination to redeem them. Depart! God didn't hand them over for a payday), it will be redeemed without money (says God). But as long as the Lord abandons Zion, the people as well will remain in exile. The words may with the greatest propriety, and in agreement with the context, be understood of that angel, or set of Gospel ministers in the latter day, represented as flying in the midst of the heavens, having the everlasting Gospel to preach to all nations, which will precede the fall of Babylon, ( Revelation 14:6 Revelation 14:8 ) : that publisheth peace; peace by the blood of Jesus Christ, a principal article of the Gospel, and of its good news; hence it is called the Gospel of peace, and the word of reconciliation; peace of conscience, which flows from the same blood applied, and of which the Gospel is the means; and peace among the saints one with another, and among men, which shall at this time be enjoyed; there, will be no discord nor animosities among themselves, nor persecution from their enemies: happy times! How can the two coexist? Before any of His suffering is announced, His glorious triumph is assured. The good news of return from exile is described in 52:7-8. The watchmen cannot refrain from singing with joy. No wonder those who bring good news have beautiful feet; they are out partnering with God for the salvation of men. Depart! You can also change some of your preferences. [1] Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. The Assyrian oppressed them, and the Babylonians took them away for nothing, and ruled cruelly over them. Awake This is a prediction and promise what she should do, that she should awake or arise out of her low estate, and be strong and courageous. After clicking the link below, choose "Alcoholic Beverage Code" in the . When we speak of physical beauty, we seldom if ever mention feet. We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Here, the promise is that the work of the Messiah will bring cleansing to many nations. How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. halcyon days! These sentinels would be on watch for approaching enemies, but would be delighted to see a messenger bearing good news. For the uncircumcised and the unclean Shall no longer come to you. Yada denotes a deep kind of knowing that comes from experiencefrom relationship. It is difficult, sometimes hugely difficult, to leave the familiar and to step out in faith into the unfamiliar. Song of Solomon 2:8 The voice of my beloved! The first people to see the messenger would be the watchmen or sentinels looking out over the surrounding countryside. Commentary on Isaiah 52:1-12. In truth, Yahweh has been accomplishing his purposes through the Babylonian captivity, but that is something that neither the exiles nor the Babylonians could understand. The text sets up a classic scenario. Then the arm was bared the symbol of any mighty undertaking or initiative. (Bultema). The feet is here used figuratively: beautiful refers not to the feet but to the entire messenger/message. VI (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2001), Tucker, Gene M. in Craddock, Fred B.; Hayes, John H.; Holliday, Carl R.; and Tucker, Gene M.,Preaching Through the Christian Year, C (Valley Forge: Trinity Press, 1994), Watts, John D. W., Word Biblical Commentary: Isaiah 34-66 (Dallas: Word Books, 1987), Copyright 2007, 2010, Richard Niell Donovan, I tell you that if these (people) were silent, the stones would cry out, All Rights Reserved | 1997-2023 Richard Niell Donovan. The returned exiles experienced great opposition from local people and the project ground to a halt (Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4-5). 7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news (Hebrew: mebasser) of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, Your God reigns!. The Messiah is certainly Israels Messiah, yet He belongs to more than Israel. these are words of rejoicing and admiration. 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. HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET 7How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news (Hebrew: mebasser) of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!" The messenger has brought good news "from Babylon to Jerusalem" (Brueggemann, 138). He shall be exalted and extolled means that the Messiah will triumph. The voice of your watchmen! In the body of the song (53:1-9), Isaiah confessed (on behalf of his own people) that (1) Israel utterly rejected the Servant of the Lord in his life (vv. How beautiful How exceeding precious and acceptable; upon the mountains Of Judea, to which these glad tidings were brought; are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings Tidings, first, Of the release of the Jews from captivity in Babylon; and, secondly, Of the redemption and salvation of mankind by the Messiah. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. i. The Christ will be marred more than any man yet he will be the King of kings (Isaiah 52:13-15). The Targum is. The astonishment mentioned may be subtly referred to in the New Testament. From the words of the prophet that begin Second Isaiah (Comfort! c. Therefore they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks: In Isaiahs day, they didnt know that the LORD had spoken through His Word. 3. Where God reigns, salvation reigns. (c) 2021 The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik ewm@enduringword.com. Yahweh is holy and expects his people to be holy. for Yahweh has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem (v. 9b). What does Isaiah 52:7 Mean? 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 . tells Zion to put on strength in light of the first two awakenings. Singing, this essential activity of any proclamation, brings that which identifies us most individually our voice and mixes it with many other voices. They call Zion to awake and get dressed in beautiful garments to celebrate the fact that the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer tread the streets of Jerusalem (v. 1). 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