Isaiah 52:1-12
Monday, 23 January 2023
Awake, Awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no longer come to you. - Isaiah 52:1
God's people were in captivity. They were brought to nothing by the nation who captured them and oppressed them severely. Here in captivity, they turned to their God and He comes to their rescue. As we read in Psalm 107:19-20: "Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And he saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed. And delivered them from their destructions." God here summons His dear people to gather their strength and rise up from the dust because their captivity has been done away with. A heavenly herald- the prophet is blowing the trumpet of freedom. There was glad tidings and proclamation of salvation and a triumphant declaration: “Your God reigns!” (V.7). What a joy for all who were in captivity to hear this jubilant call for which they waited years together! As a response to this, the first thing they are called to do is to awake. When God leads His people back, He leads them in full triumph. He will carry them on His shoulder and bring them safely to their land. To achieve this, they have to prepare themselves for this journey. They have to come back in complete surrender to their God and put on the beautiful garments of praise, be covenanted with Him and be separate. The journey with the God of the Hebrews, was an awesome journey. He always led them triumphantly and majestically. The only condition was that they had to be centered on Him. Even today these conditions prevail. God is making His wake-up call to His people. Those who are covenanted with Him, and who hear this call need to act accordingly. The first response to this call comes in the changed attitude. Instead of a slave’s slumber we need to put on the victor’s attitude. Many a time, these triumphant wake-up call by God goes unheard by His people- because they look to their surrounding for things to change. But for a believer it starts with faith in God and continues through faith. Always God works in a believer’s life through faith. Understanding this passage prophetically today, the Church of God needs to rise up and go forth in triumph. These are the last days when all the forces of darkness are trying its best to defeat God's army in myriads of ways. But God says, wake up dear saints, and put on the garments of worship and be separate from the rest and align with God. He will lead us triumphantly in jubilant procession till we enter the heavenly Jerusalem that is our eternity. We need to gather our strength and come out of captivity. In this beautiful chapter God gives us a gist of our deliverance:
· Awake- and put on the victor’s attitude (Vs.1 &2)
· Be heralds of God's glory and salvation (Vs.7)
· Be separate (Vs.11)
· Look to the Leader Jesus Christ. (Vs.13-15)
If we have these four things in our lives, we will be victorious. May God bless you today to respond to God's awakening call.
Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I call out in distress. Please deliver me and help me to walk beside You in triumph. Help me to be a herald of Your good news of salvation to this dying world and to model Jesus through my life. In Jesus name, amen.