II. Isaiah Chapter Fifty-Two Commentary Verses
52:1-6- Not by Money Are Ye Redeemed
YLT TEXT: Awake[1], awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, Put on the garments of thy beauty[2], Jerusalem -- the Holy City[3]; For enter no more into thee again, Do the uncircumcised and unclean[4]. Shake[5] thyself from dust, arise, sit, O Jerusalem, Bands of thy neck have loosed themselves, O captive, daughter of Zion[6]. For thus said Jehovah[7]: 'For nought[8] ye have been sold, And not by money are ye redeemed[9]. 'For thus said the Lord Jehovah: 'To Egypt My people went down at first to sojourn there[10], And Asshur -- for nought he hath oppressed it[11]. And now, what -- to Me here, An affirmation[12] of Jehovah, That taken is My people for nought? Its rulers cause howling[13], -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And continually all the day My name is despised[14]. Therefore doth My people know My name, Therefore, in that day, Surely I am He who is speaking[15], behold Me.' (Isaiah 52:1-6, cf. Isaiah 52:1-6, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Awake, awake, put on thy strength, dearest reader, put on the garments of thy beauty, dearest reader—enter thou into the Holy City (”A Letter of Invitation,” “Be Holy,” “Psalms Twenty-Nine Commentary”).
Zion, that high hill, is here brought low: weak, face in the dust, dirty garments. Not very beautiful. The default condition, even posture, even “reward,” of contention, of enmity with Jehovah God. Not very beautiful. A Captive State. But this chapter as said above is a pivotal one in this regard. A manifest turning is declared, is soon afoot on the mountains. O the Grace of God, so beautiful. Invigorating, strengthening, beautifying, Grace: “…Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, Put on the garments of thy beauty, Jerusalem -- the Holy City…”. Whence this beautifying Grace? It comes from the God of compassion, the Lover of Souls, even contenders[16], forgiving.
Strength, and beauty, are here married together. The one buttresses the other and vice versa. We may understand it spiritually in general, but physically as well in the immediate context of Captive Zion. Devoid of each, face in the dust, Zion in Her plight shall be restored unto the strength of Beauty and the beauty of Strength. How so? Profane things, even contentions with and enmity toward Jehovah God, this profanity, weakens and disfigures a people, a person. Sin does this. Grace, the Grace of God, appropriated, this rebirth, strengthens and beautifies, beautifies and strengthens, a people, a person (John 3:1-3, “John chapter Three Commentary”). Here is rest, liberation, and restoration unto Strength and Beauty, unto Beauty and Strength. Here is Gospel Grace (Salvation): “…For enter no more into thee again, Do the uncircumcised and unclean...”. Only in this way, this non-entry, is Salvation (life eternal in the presence of holy God) realized. In the immediate context, a more mundane salvation is afoot. Captive Judah would soon be liberated, restored, and given rest from the turmoil of Captivity. Again, no longer a Captive State here, but a Jubilee State (Psalms 126:1-2, “Jesus Our Jubilee”), precisely the Grace State, the Salvation State, beautiful, strong.
Beatification, the beautifying, begins by shaking off the dust (“The Beatitudes”). It takes strength to do this. The picture is that of lying face down in the dust here. Pretty (but not so pretty) helpless. And then from that prone position, up a bit; arising, and finally, sitting. My, what a Journey, those few moves, finally sitting, when one is at first face down in the dust. Whence the strength to shake off the dust here, such that captive bands might loose themselves along the way, arising, sitting? A Strong Arm, holy, and bare, as we shall see presently (Isaiah 51:9, 53:1): “…Shake thyself from dust, arise, sit, O Jerusalem, Bands of thy neck have loosed themselves, O captive, daughter of Zion…”. Finally, we are sitting. But we must needs soon stand in the Way.
Grace in the Way, gets us to our feet in the Way. But first came a whipping (Isaiah 51:17). A “good” one if you will, an unforgettable one. Sprawled out; face in the dust. Then, only then, arising, sitting. “Licking the wounds;” thinking it over; praying it over; standing in the Way; Grace.
As the Trial, so the Grace, each to the sinner comes for free: “…For thus said Jehovah: 'For nought ye have been sold, And not by money are ye redeemed…”. Jehovah God put this whipping on His Covenant People of that day[17], it cost them only their Sin, which has no value (Sin is a depreciating value-construct; it has negative-trending value). What Sin here? Even as their captors despised God’s Name (for example, Daniel 5:23), so they had despised that blessed Name, “all day long.” That is, for a long time, before He finally stepped in to save the sinking “CovenantShip”. Satisfied, secular, secure, snobs these particular Covenant People, so-called; fat, feistily forgetful; they forgot Him: ‘…you love your idols so much?, here, have your fill of them. You despise my Name so much?, here, listen to those who have you under their thumb despise my Name, get your fill of it, you who are called by my Name; and why do you suddenly call on my Name to redeem you?!…’. But still He redeemed His Covenant People by His Grace, certainly; it cost them only His labors and Sacrifice: “…And now, what -- to Me here, An affirmation of Jehovah, That taken is My people for nought? Its rulers cause howling, -- an affirmation of Jehovah, And continually all the day My name is despised...”. Despised, “coming and going,” by His own, and by His enemies. But His own are here in this Captivity Caldron learning the exceeding value of that Name. So sad and tragic that the important, valuable things in life oftentimes can only be appreciated after spending some time in the Captivity Caldron. Such a difficult, hard, painful lesson, is not necessary (“A Letter of Invitation”).
Well, Covenant People weak and ugly, ugly and weak right here, and largely not owing to the humiliations put on them by their adversary Babylon, but sprawled out, face in the dust, owing to the humiliation of a self-inflicted sick soul before the Lover of their souls, whom they despised in their affluent, secular security (the court, the nobles, the priests!, the rulers; the “lowly” and the poor whom these others fleeced and preyed on and marginalized were not taken into Captivity by the way; but of course all suffered greatly at Nebuchadnezzar’s hands—Judgment inevitably touches everybody when it comes). Time for an attitude adjustment so that the Covenant People might look like Covenant People—strong, and beautiful; beautiful, and strong, retethered to Jehovah God. And please look, here it comes aright adjusted, Omniscience gets it right again: “…Therefore doth My people know My name, Therefore, in that day, Surely I am He who is speaking, behold Me.'…” (red font added). It took a howling-calamity, howling voices, their own, to sober them, to motivate them to get refamiliarized with His Voice[18], His saving Arm; to get them refamiliarized with His Name: “…Surely I am He who is speaking, behold Me…”. This is not: ‘…Thus says the LORD…’, as we find often in other settings in Scripture, rather: ‘…It is I, the Lover of your souls, the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the One who delivered you with a mighty hand beforetime, as now; the One you discounted, and forgot, and dishonored…’. O the precedent here for Covenant Peoples. Let us cherish and honor and love that Name Jehovah, and let us dwell on it often, and put Him uppermost, high on the throne of our hearts, and central in our minds. Let us attentively listen and hear His Voice in His Word (John 1:1, 14), thus honoring Him. And let us not forget His Deliverance/s.
52:7-10- Jehovah Hath Made Bare His Holy Arm Before the Eyes of All the Nations
YLT TEXT: How comely[19] on the mountains[20], Have been the feet of one proclaiming tidings[21], Sounding[22] peace[23], proclaiming good tidings, Sounding salvation[24], Saying to Zion[25], 'Reigned hath thy God.' The voice of thy watchmen[26]! They have lifted up the voice, together they cry aloud, Because eye to eye they see[27], in Jehovah's turning back to Zion. Break forth, sing together, O wastes[28] of Jerusalem[29], For Jehovah hath comforted[30] His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem. Jehovah hath made bare[31] His holy arm[32] Before the eyes of all the nations, And seen have all the ends of the earth, The salvation of our God. (Isaiah 52:7-10, cf. Isaiah 52:7-10, NLT).
COMMENTARY: In the introduction we mentioned that this prophetic chapter of Isaiah is a pivotal one, and the verses of this section specifically are why. The further context in the following sections makes it clear that rest, liberation, and restoration—this Grace—is afoot on the mountains at two levels; one concerns Captive Judah, the other concerns Captive Humankind, the former grace being a type of the latter Grace. And the Pivot, is Jehovah’s bared, holy Arm: “…saying to Zion, ‘Reigned hath thy God.’…” (“The Sovereignty of Jehovah God), for on precisely that Arm turns a sad, Sorry State at both levels into a joyous, Jubilee State at both levels (“ Isaiah 51:9-11, 53:1, Jesus Our Jubilee”). It all starts with a proclamation; really good news, jubilee news, is afoot: peace (the war is over, rest may flourish) and salvation (liberation and restoration) are at hand: “… How comely on the mountains, Have been the feet of one proclaiming tidings, Sounding peace, proclaiming good tidings, Sounding salvation…” (Song of Solomon 2:8, cf. Romans 10:14-15). And notice if you will another sort of pivot—what a turn here from the previous verses, where in their secure, settled state they barely turned a watchful eye toward the things of Jehovah, His Name, but after a while in the Captive Caldron, when things got bad enough for a “howling”, howling voices, my how watchful they became, and sounded an altogether different voice: “…The voice of thy watchmen! They have lifted up the voice, together they cry aloud, Because eye to eye they see, in Jehovah's turning back to Zion…”. Hardly can these watchmen be reckoned with that nasty lot that could have cared less about Jehovah’s Name. It is good to be a watchperson, it says something about the Tether (“Matthew Chapter Twenty-Five Commentary: Watch Therefore, for Ye Have Not Known the Day nor the Hour in Which the Son of Man Doth Come” [loving God, as preparedness to meet Him, is a today-thing]). Anyway, the glory is God’s here, because He “stuck with them” through it all, bearing long, in their (Covenant People, so-called) negligent, even offensive concern for His Name, and then pulled them out of the flames so to speak: “…eye to eye they see, in Jehovah’s turning back to Zion…”. And again: “…For Jehovah hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem…”. The prophetic text speaks globally here as well though we think: “…Jehovah hath made bare His holy arm Before the eyes of all the nations, And seen have all the ends of the earth, The salvation of our God…” (cf. Luke 3:6, Acts 8:34-35). All this jubilee news is factual, and is directly applicable to once Captive Judah and to once Captive Humankind (“A Letter of Invitation”). Praised be thy Name great savior God of Good Turns, thou blessed, bloodied, Pivot. Amen.
52:11-12- Going Before You is Jehovah
YLT TEXT: Turn aside, turn aside, go out thence, The unclean touch not, go out from her midst, Be ye pure[33], who are bearing the weapons[34] of Jehovah. For not in haste do ye go out, Yea, with flight ye go not on, For going before you is Jehovah, And gathering[35] you is the God of Israel! (Isaiah 52:11-12, cf. Isaiah 52:11-12, NLT).
COMMENTARY: Salvation is good, is great, is terrific, and when it comes, it is time to move on, because, after all, it is now possible to do so: “…For not in haste do ye go out, Yea, with flight ye go not on, For going before you is Jehovah, And gathering you is the God of Israel!...”. Jehovah, the God of Good Turns, before and aft (cf. Exodus 14:19). Moving on, at His pace, just right; thus, moving on, in lockstep with Him. Easy, His pace. Perfect, His pace. Doable, His pace. Military drill field paces—disciplined, orderly; honor, integrity; courage, loyalty; purity, as befits a soldier of God, thus following our Captain, the Captain of (even our) Salvation, bearing His weapons, His sacred things: “…Be ye pure, who are bearing the weapons of Jehovah. …”. Time to leave the old behind, and engage the New, at His pace, just right, easy, perfect, doable: “…For not in haste do ye go out, Yea, with flight ye go not on, For going before you is Jehovah, And gathering you is the God of Israel!...”. Leaving the old behind, engaging the New: “…Turn aside, turn aside, go out thence, The unclean touch not, go out from her midst…” (“Be Holy”). Of course, many in the immediate context were loath to be gathered unto Jehovah; were content to “stay in Babylon,” thus pacing, more palatable paces, just like their kin in spirit beforetime wanted to “pace back to Egypt,” to slavery, but God says here, when I bring my Salvation, GET OUT, move on, at My pace, in lockstep with Me. Definitely, get out (“A Letter of Invitation”).
52:13-15- For the Life of the Flesh is in the Blood, And I Have Given It to You on the Altar to Make Atonement for Your Souls
YLT TEXT: Lo, My servant[36] doth act wisely[37], He is high[38], and hath been lifted up, And hath been very high. As astonished[39] at thee have been many, (So marred[40] by man his appearance, And his form by sons of men.) So doth he sprinkle[41] many nations. Concerning him kings shut their mouth, For that which was not recounted[42] to them they have seen, And that which they had not heard they have understood! (Isaiah 52:13-15, cf. Isaiah 52:13-15, NLT).
COMMENTARY: This is a difficult section. Don’t know what to say here or where to start. Better start the right way. My sin caused my Lord this misery and hurt and pain. He bore long with me, in my negligent, even offensive concern for His Name. And then He pulled me out of the flames at such great cost to Himself. How can I, we, be worth that much?
See how Father God speaks of His Servant, of His Beloved, the Beloved Suffering Servant Jesus: “…Lo, My servant doth act wisely, He is high, and hath been lifted up, And hath been very high…” (cf. Isaiah 49:7, 53:11-12). Coming out of eternity past this Beloved Suffering Servant, High. He, high, on the highest plane, His normative existence, as God; in this way, coming out of eternity past, high. Very high; deity, here addressed as incarnate: “…He is high, and hath been lifted up, And hath been very high…”.
Wisdom dwells with such a One—the LogoS (John 1:1-2)—consummate high-plane wisdom. He acting, that is, serving (John 1:14), wisely (“Be Holy”). The Standard here; knowledge, wisdom, understanding, holiness. The Word of God. Very Wisdom, thus acting, wisely, in concert with His nature. But precisely how? Acting wisely, precisely how? Wisdom, is servile. But not servile per se, servile to and for the good cause of and for the sake of, out of love for, and respect for, and concern for, Father God. The Fear of the LORD here, consummate Fear of the LORD. In this way, the Beloved Suffering Servant manifestly acted wisely (Isaiah 53:5, 10, John 19:30): “… As astonished at thee have been many, (So marred by man his appearance, And his form by sons of men.) So doth he sprinkle many nations…”. Consider please the Divine Will here from eternity past: “…For it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement…” (Leviticus 17:11, Fig. 1). In this way, the Beloved Suffering Servant, Wisdom, the Sacrifice on God’s Altar (Hebrews 13:10), sprinkles the nations, making atonement, servile, ghastly—to that extent—on behalf of Father God, for you and me dearest reader, whom He purchased at such a great cost to Himself. Thus did Jehovah God. But why? Here is Divine Love, that High Standard, with arms wide open, in this manner arms spread on the cross-beam, holy, bared, bloodied, as fighting for you and me, indeed, as embracing, even embracing you and me dearest, beloved, reader (John 3:16, 1John 4:9-10, “A Letter of Invitation”).
Praised be your Name great savior God, Blessed Sacrifice of God, for us, whom we adore and love and thank; multiplied thanks, so inadequate. Amen.
Illustrations and Tables
Figure 1. It is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement (Leviticus 17:11).
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