Good News for All!
Opening Prayer
I worship You, Lord, for the liberation You won for me in Christ.
Read Isaiah 52:1–12
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Awake, awake, Zion,
clothe yourself with strength!
Put on your garments of splendor,
Jerusalem, the holy city.
The uncircumcised and defiled
will not enter you again.
2 Shake off your dust;
rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.
Free yourself from the chains on your neck,
Daughter Zion, now a captive.
3 For this is what the Lord says:
“You were sold for nothing,
and without money you will be redeemed.”
4 For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“At first my people went down to Egypt to live;
lately, Assyria has oppressed them.
5 “And now what do I have here?” declares the Lord.
“For my people have been taken away for nothing,
and those who rule them mock,”
declares the Lord.
“And all day long
my name is constantly blasphemed.
6 Therefore my people will know my name;
therefore in that day they will know
that it is I who foretold it.
Yes, it is I.”
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! Your watchmen lift up their voices;
together they shout for joy.
When the Lord returns to Zion,
they will see it with their own eyes.
9 Burst into songs of joy together,
you ruins of Jerusalem,
for the Lord has comforted his people,
he has redeemed Jerusalem.
10 The Lord will lay bare his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth will see
the salvation of our God.
11 Depart, depart, go out from there!
Touch no unclean thing!
Come out from it and be pure,
you who carry the articles of the Lord’s house.
12 But you will not leave in haste
or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you,
the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
We are invited to enter God’s presence with confidence. Reflect on the majesty of the God who invites you in today.Just as in the previous chapter the “arm of the Lord” was encouraged to wake up (51:9), so here God’s people are called to wake and clothe themselves with strength and splendor (1). They are to forget the slavery they knew for so long because a new day has arrived. God has had enough of his name being blasphemed and ridiculed (5)—the time has come for him to act decisively.
He tells his people beforehand so they will know their redemption is from him (6).
The picture in verses 7 and 8 is of watchmen on the walls of the city who shout for joy when they see the messengers running up, declaring “Good News!” The news is of victory, an end to oppression, God himself coming to save his people. When Jesus came proclaiming the reign of God (Matt. 4:17,23), it had much the same significance. By his sacrificial death on the cross and his victorious resurrection he has now finally dealt with all that oppressed and enslaved us (Col. 2:13–15). So now is the time to move—away from slavery and back home with a pure heart to worship the true God (11).
Apply
This salvation is not just for Israel—it must reach to “the ends of the earth” (10; Acts 1:8). How are you sharing the Good News?
Closing prayer
Paul quotes verse 7 in Romans 10:15, referring to us as God’s messengers. Pray about with whom you should share the Good News.
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