But really it isnt surprising. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:7 Menasseh Ben Israel, Nishmat Chayim, fol. You waste places of Jerusalem! i. 3 For thus says the LORD: "You were sold Unlike their departure from Egypt, where they had to flee in haste and were threatened by pursuing soldiers, their departure from Babylonia will be unhurried and safe from threat. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. My name continually all the day is blasphemed, Yahweh says (v. 5). Yahwehs bared arm serves to warn those who would oppose Yahwehs purposes. In neither situation was there any reason other than Yahweh to hope that they might find freedom. ii. is completed. c. His visage was marred more than any man: This speaks of the cruel and vicious beating Jesus endured at the hands of His enemies. 3. No wonder it is a time for joy and singing. 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 . What God has promised (see 40:1-2) has now arrived. We have come full circle. The Christmas season always seems like a time to sing the good old songs. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Shake yourself from the dust, arise, Sit down, O Jerusalem, Loose yourself from your neck bands, As the returning captives see (verse 8), so that sight is now available to all peoples. xxix. This joy does not ignore the historical context. However, it is not Cyrus who will save the people, but Yahweh. God has acted for a particular people, for a particular city, for Jerusalem but the entire world and all people are brought into the vision and actualization of this deliverance. Commentary on Isaiah 52:7-10 The text from Second Isaiah follows closely on Christmas Eve's reading from First Isaiah though historically they are situated far apart. Is It Ok for Christians to Follow Zodiac Signs? The good news is that Yahweh (working through the agency of Cyrus of Persia) has defeated Babylon. The word ruins describes Jerusalem after the Babylonian devastation. for they shall see eye to eye, when Yahweh returns (sub) to Zion (v. 8b). Perhaps the messenger raises his arms above his head in a V for victory. Many religious and ethnic communities have intricate celebrations for the declaration of a new family members name. And the people of God are called to go out of Babylon, the manner of their departure is directed, and something said for their encouragement, Isa 52:11,12. They had made God their enemy, and knew not how to make him their friend. It is not God that has become lethargic; but we that have slept and need to awake. 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. You can tell by the way the feet move! Awake, awake! 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. O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off. He brings the message to Judah. What does it mean to set your face like flint in Isaiah 50:7. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. It is almost as if God said, I can abide with My name being blasphemed continually every day among the nations. It comes running to greet the oppressed. (l) "evangelizantis bonum", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius; "qui nuntiat bonum", Cocceius. Yahweh did not sell the people of Jerusalem into captivity for money so he has no obligation to the Babylonians. Verses 4-5 recount Israels bondage to Egypt and Assyria and the resultant effect on Yahwehs reputation. The watchmen who see this happy return are probably those in Jerusalem who had long awaited the messengers. iv. Cyrus of Persia will allow them to depart under the protection of his imperial decree, and will even provide funds to help them with the restoration of Jerusalem and the temple. Israel will soon be free. Let the word of God tell you who He is. His holy arm is bared for battle against those who would subvert his holiness or the holiness of his people. The Targum is. For what had not been told them they shall see, Awake, awake! 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. The situation is very much like that of their ancestors in Egypt, who were also in bondage to another powerful nation. 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! What God has done has an effect, not only on Israel, but on the entire creation. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. 8The voice of your watchmen! 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). How Daniels Prophecy of 70 Weeks Connects to the End Times, 4 Ways the Parable of the Sower Encourages Spiritual Growth. In this case they sing the news of victory for all to hear. Yalkut Simeoni in Psal. Yada denotes a deep kind of knowing that comes from experiencefrom relationship. But God promises there will come a day when they shall know in that day that I am He who speaks. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, Prophesy! The text sets up a classic scenario. Nahum 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! When the LORD brings back Zion. Yahweh is holy and expects his people to be holy. Therefore My people shall know My name: Yet God will glorify Himself; first, He will do it among His own people. These sentinels would be on watch for approaching enemies, but would be delighted to see a messenger bearing good news. Gods return to Zion does not mean that God has been absent from the ruined city, but that God will closely accompany the people in their return to Jerusalem, surrounding them all the way (see verse 12). Ahaz, in fear, called them two powerful princes. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. Verse 1. 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! Hear the good news! To a person dying of thirst, a cup of water would be beautiful even if the cup were chipped or soiled. 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). And all the ends of the earth shall see They call captive Jerusalem to wake up and loose the bonds of captivity (v. 2). 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. They can be assured that God will surround them in their return home, going before them and bringing up the rear. He doesnt assure us of comfort, but of victory. Gods action is not some private act or simply some spiritual event, for the people will return home as part of a visibly socio-political event and the ruins of Jerusalem shall be reconstructed. Speak comfortably to Jerusalem; Their lives have been ruined by the Babylonians, but now they can rejoice and break forth in singing because Yahweh has made possible their restoration. All rights reserved. Who proclaims peace, Proud member VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. In the Bible, it is often used to speak of Jerusalem itself. But Yahweh has not abandoned the exiles but is instead planning their redemption. For they shall see eye to eye The salvation of our God. Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. Commentary, explanation and study verse by verse. So shall He sprinkle many nations: Sprinkling is often associated with cleansing from sin in the Old Testament (Exodus 24:8, Leviticus 3:8, Numbers 19:21, Ezekiel 36:25). Turning to the text for Christmas day, the call goes out to the people to Listen! (52:8; echoing 51:1,4,7,21). And their singing calls forth singing from all the ends of the earth. 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 This passage is interpreted of the Messiah and his times, by many Jewish (m) writers, ancient and modern; See Gill on Romans 10:15. The news had reached His people through a messenger whom the prophet pictured as running across mountains with his message (cf. Those who rule over them Isaiah 52:7 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! It is a poetic hyperbole used to express the terrible effect of the beating He endured. Nevertheless, our LORD says that the world hated Him, and if it hated Him, it will hate us as well. 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! Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Isaiah 52is the fifty-second chapterof the Book of Isaiahin the Hebrew Bibleor the Old Testamentof the ChristianBible. The watchmen cannot refrain from singing with joy. [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. Yet, they would be blessed by being redeemed without money. 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. In this case, the sentinels lift up their voices and sing together. First, the messenger signaled that the news was good. But My salvation will be forever, and My righteousness will not be abolished: Those tied to the earth (not to heaven) will be cast away, and even the earth will vanish away. This question is still asked today, and the answer is extremely important. Isaiah exulted in the good news that the Lord had just revealed. 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. i. Your God reigns! are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings. asked the LORD to put on strength (Isaiah 51:9). OVERVIEW These verses are an allegory (a work in which the characters represent other things and symbolically express a deeper . No wonder those who bring good news have beautiful feet; they are out partnering with God for the salvation of men. God didn't hand them over for a payday), it will be redeemed without money (says God). All rights reserved. It may be applied to all other ministers of the Gospel in later ages, who are bringers of the same good tidings to the children of men, to whom their very feet are beautiful, and even at a distance, upon the high mountains; not to carnal men, but sensible sinners, to whom the good news of salvation by Christ is welcome. The LORD has made bare His holy arm THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL So His visage was marred more than any man, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Now their freedom is dependent on their willingness to do what Yahweh has commanded. This will be a deeply comforting event for the people, but this will also be a very public matter, visible and concrete; all nations, indeed all the ends of the earth shall see what God has done. When the Lord returns to Zion, The word redeemed has to do with release from bondage, and usually involves some sort of payment or ransom to achieve the release. Break forth into joy, sing together, And My name is blasphemed continually every day. Isaiah 52:7 appears to share text with Nahum 1:15, although Nahum does not mention the beauty of the evangelists' feet. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. 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) Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. touch no unclean thing! The text from Second Isaiah follows closely on Christmas Eves reading from First Isaiah though historically they are situated far apart. Yahweh has made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations (v. 10a). How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings 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 to Gospel times are these words applied, and to more persons than one, ( Romans 10:15 ) , who were not only seen "upon the mountains" of the land of Israel, as the Targum paraphrases it, where both Christ and his apostles preached, but upon the mountains of the Gentile world; and may denote the pains they took, the circuit they made, and the difficulties they had to encounter with; and the publicness of their ministrations, which lay in bringing "good tidings" of the incarnate Saviour, of God manifest in the flesh, for the word F11 here used has the signification of flesh in it; of good things in the heart of God for his people, in the covenant of grace, in the hands of Christ, and as come by him, and to be had from him; as pardon by his blood; justification by his righteousness; eternal life and happiness through him; and of all good things to be enjoyed now and hereafter. Sentinels are trained to alert the populace to danger, but are happy to announce good news instead. ), The Lectionary Commentary: Theological Exegesis for Sundays Text. We often interpret that as sexual knowledge, which is true to the marriage context. Copyright 2023, Bible Study Tools. First, it is the image of a messenger that travels by foot over mountain passes to bring good news to a beleaguered people regarding a victory over the enemy the fastest means to spread news in that world. What God has done is captured in such key words as salvation and redeem; both of these words are understood in a comprehensive sense, with effects both bodily and spiritual. Commentary on Isaiah 52:1-12. You shall be redeemed without money but it doesnt mean that it doesnt cost anything. So it is here. Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning. For the LORD has comforted His people, These sentinels see the messenger at a distance, but understand from his gestures that the news is good. Our website uses cookies to store user preferences. And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. 3 ). The watchers know of this wondrous news as they see the feet of the messenger running towards them. 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. that bringeth good tidings of good; or, "that bringeth good tidings" {l}; for the original does not require such a tautology; it means the same good tidings as before, and which follow after: that publisheth salvation; by Jesus Christ, as wrought out by him for sinners, which is full, complete, and suitable for them, and to be had of him freely; and what better tidings than this? This shows the English words related to the source biblical texts along with brief definitions. With their voices they shall sing together; What does Isaiah 52:7-12 mean? In this earlier instance, we might think of the ruins of the city as a metaphor for the people of Jerusalem. The news is stated in cosmic terms: Your God reigns! Once again, we encounter the realignment of all earthly power and authority. The voice of your watchmen! a. Now the men who held Jesus mocked Him and beat Him. A cascade of words is used to describe the communication these messengers/sentinels convey: peace, good news, salvation (repeated at the beginning and end of the pericope), Gods return to Zion, comfort, redemption. The lesson to be learned here is that we should be slow to interpret difficulty as a sign of Gods displeasure. This peace and good news and salvation are not simply for the exiles in Babylon. Chapters 40-55 are known as "Deutero-Isaiah" and date from the time of the Israelites' exile in Babylon. 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. 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