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Commentary on Isaiah 52 verses 7–12
The removal of the Jews from Babylon to their own land again is here spoken of both as a mercy and as a duty; and the application of Isa 52:7 to the preaching of the gospel (by the apostle, Rom 10:15) plainly intimates that that deliverance was a type and figure of the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ, to which what is here said of their redemption out of Babylon ought to be accommodated.
I. It is here spoken of as a great blessing, which ought to be welcomed with abundance of joy and thankfulness. 1. Those that bring the tidings of their release shall be very acceptable (Isa 52:7): "How beautiful upon the mountains, the mountains round about Jerusalem, over which these messengers are seen coming at a distance, how beautiful are their feet, when it is known what tidings they bring!" It is not meant so much of the common posts, or the messengers sent express by the government to disperse the proclamation, but rather of some of the Jews themselves, who, being at the fountain-head of intelligence, had early notice of it, and immediately went themselves, or sent their own messengers, to all parts, to disperse the news, and even to Jerusalem itself, to tell the few who remained there that their brethren would be with them shortly; for it is published not merely as matter of news, but as a proof that Zion's God reigns, for in that language it is published: they say unto Zion, Thy God reigns. Those who bring the tidings of peace and salvation, that Cyrus has given orders for the release of the Jews, tidings which were so long expected by those that waited for the consolation of Israel, those good tidings (so the original reads it, without the tautology of our translation, good tidings of good), put this construction upon it, O Zion! thy God reigns. Note, When bad news is abroad this is good news, and when good news is abroad this is the best news, that Zion's God reigns, that God is Zion's God, in covenant with her, and as such he reigns, Psa 146:10; Zac 9:9. The Lord has founded Zion, Isa 14:32. All events have their rise in the disposals of the kingdom of his providence and their tendency to the advancement of the kingdom of his grace. This must be applied to the preaching of the gospel, which is a proclamation of peace and salvation; it is gospel indeed, good news, glad tidings, tidings of victory over our spiritual enemies and liberty from our spiritual bondage. The good news is that the Lord Jesus reigns and all power is given to him. Christ himself brought these tidings first (Luk 4:18, Heb 2:3), and of him the text speaks: How beautiful are his feet! his feet that were nailed to the cross, how beautiful upon Mount Calvary! his feet when he came leaping upon the mountains (Sol 2:8), how beautiful were they to those who knew his voice and knew it to be the voice of their beloved! His ministers proclaim these good tidings; they ought to keep their feet clean from the pollutions of the world, and then they ought to be beautiful in the eyes of those to whom they are sent, who sit at their feet, or rather at Christ's in them, to hear his word. They must be esteemed in love for their work's sake (Th1 5:13), for their message sake, which is well worthy of all acceptation. 2. Those to whom the tidings are brought shall be put thereby into a transport of joy. (1.) Zion's watchmen shall then rejoice because they are surprisingly illuminated, Isa 52:8. The watchmen on Jerusalem's walls shall lead the chorus in this triumph. Who they were we are told, Isa 62:6. They were such as God set on the walls of Jerusalem, to make mention of his name, and to continue instant in prayer to him, till he again made Jerusalem a praise in the earth. These watchmen stand upon their watch-tower, waiting for an answer to their prayers (Hab 2:1); and therefore when the good news comes they have it first, and the longer they have continued and the more importunate they have been in praying for it the more will they be elevated when it comes: They shall lift up the voice, with the voice together shall they sing in concert, to invite others to join with them in their praises. And that which above all things will transport them with pleasure is that they shall see eye to eye, that is, face to face. Whereas God had been a God hiding himself, and they could scarcely discern any thing of his favour through the dark cloud of their afflictions, now that the cloud is scattered they shall plainly see it. They shall see Zion's king eye to eye; so it was fulfilled when the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and there were those that saw his glory (Joh 1:14) and looked upon it, Jo1 1:1. They shall see an exact agreement and correspondence between the prophecy and the event, the promise and the performance; they shall see how they look one upon another eye to eye, and be satisfied that the same God spoke the one and did the other. When the Lord shall bring again Zion out of her captivity the prophets shall thence receive and give fuller discoveries than ever of God's good-will to his people. Applying this also, as the foregoing verse, to gospel times, it is a promise of the pouring out of the Spirit upon gospel ministers, as a spirit of wisdom and revelation, to lead them into all truth, so that they shall see eye to eye, shall see God's grace more clearly than the Old Testament saints could see it: and they shall herein be unanimous; in these great things concerning the common salvation they shall concur in their sentiments as well as their songs. Nay, St. Paul seems to allude to this when he makes it the privilege of our future state that we shall see face to face. (2.) Zion's waste places shall then rejoice because they shall be surprisingly comforted (Isa 52:9): Break forth into joy, sing together, you waste places of Jerusalem; that is, all parts of Jerusalem, for it was all in ruins, and even those parts that seemed to lie most desolate shall share in the joy; and they, having little expected it, shall break forth into joy, as men that dream, Psa 126:1, Psa 126:2. Let them sing together. Note, Those that share in mercies ought to join in praises. Here is matter for joy and praise. [1.] God's people will have the comfort of this salvation; and what is the matter of our rejoicing ought to be the matter of our thanksgiving. He has redeemed Jerusalem (the inhabitants of Jerusalem that were sold into the hands of their enemies) and thereby he has comforted his people that were in sorrow. The redemption of Jerusalem is the joy of all God's people, whose character it is that they look for that redemption, Luk 2:38. [2.] God will have the glory of it, Isa 52:10. He has made bare his holy arm (manifested and displayed his power) in the eyes of all the nations. God's arm is a holy arm, stretched out in purity and justice, in defence of holiness and in pursuance of his promise. [3.] All the world will have the benefit of it. In the great salvation wrought out by our Lord Jesus the arm of the Lord was revealed and all the ends of the earth were made to see the great salvation, not as spectators of it only, as they saw the deliverance of the Jews out of Babylon, but as sharers in it; some of all nations, the most remote, shall partake of the benefits of the redemption. This is applied to our salvation by Christ. Luk 3:6, All flesh shall see the salvation of God, that great salvation.
II. It is here spoken of as a great business, which ought to be managed with abundance of care and circumcision. When the liberty is proclaimed, 1. Let the people of God hasten out of Babylon with all convenient speed; though they are ever so well settled there, let them not think of taking root in Babylon, but Depart, depart (Isa 52:11), go out from the midst of her; not only those that are in the borders, but those that are in the midst, in the heart of the country, let them be gone. Babylon is no place for Israelites. As soon as they have leave to let go, let them lose no time. With this word God stirred up the spirits of those that were moved to go up, Ezr 1:5. And it is a call to all those who are yet in the bondage of sin and Satan to make use of the liberty which Christ has proclaimed to them. And, if the Son make them free, they shall be free indeed. 2. Let them take heed of carrying away with them any of the pollutions of Babylon: Touch no unclean thing. Now that God makes bare his holy arm for you, be you holy as he is, and keep yourselves from every wicked thing. When they came out of Egypt they brought with them the idolatrous customs of Egypt (Eze 23:3), which were their ruin; let them take heed of doing so now that they come out of Babylon. Note, When we are receiving any special mercy from God we ought more carefully than ever to watch against all impurity. But especially let those be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord, that is, the priests, who had the charge of the vessels of the sanctuary (when they were restored by a particular grant) to carry them to Jerusalem, Ezr 1:7; Ezr 8:24, etc. Let them not only avoid touching any unclean thing, but be very careful to cleanse themselves according to the purification of the sanctuary. Christians are made to our God spiritual priests, Rev 1:6. They are to bear the vessels of the Lord, are entrusted to keep the ordinances of God pure and entire; it is a good thing that is committed to them, and they ought to be clean, to wash their hands in innocency and so to compass God's altars and carry his vessels, and keep themselves pure. 3. Let them depend upon the presence of God with them and his protection in their removal (Isa 52:12): You shall not go out with haste. They were to go with a diligent haste, not to lose time nor linger as Lot in Sodom, but they were not to go with a diffident distrustful haste, as if they were afraid of being pursued (as when they came out of Egypt) or of having the orders for their release recalled and countermanded: no, they shall find that, as for God, his work is perfect, and therefore they need not make more haste than good speed. Cyrus shall give them an honourable discharge, and they shall have an honourable return, and not steal away; for the Lord will go before them as their general and commander-in-chief, and the God of Israel will be their rearward, or he that will gather up those that are left behind. God will both lead their van and bring up their rear; he will secure them from enemies that either meet them or follow them, for with his favour will he compass them. The pillar of cloud and fire, when they came out of Egypt, sometimes went behind them, to secure their rear (Exo 14:19), and God's presence with them would now be that to them which that pillar was a visible token of. Those that are in the way of their duty are under God's special protection; and he that believes this will not make haste.
(Verse 9, 10.) Rejoice and praise together, O deserted Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has prepared his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. LXX: Let the deserted Jerusalem burst into joy together, for the Lord has had mercy on her, and has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will reveal his holy arm in the sight of all the nations. And all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. After the people of Judah were led into captivity and the city was burned, there were few or no inhabitants in Jerusalem. But when the one who spoke through the prophets and was with God in the beginning, the Word of God, dwelt amongst us and became flesh, the deserts of Jerusalem were restored. And he came, of whom it is written: 'He will build my city and bring back the captivity of my people, so that it shall never again be lamented by Jeremiah: How lonely sits the city that was full of people: she has become like a widow who was multiplied among the nations' (Lamentations 1:1). But let David hear the one singing, 'When the Lord restored the captivity of Zion, we became like those who are comforted' (Psalm 126:1, 4). And after a little while: We became joyful. And so that we know that these things are said not about the Jewish people, but about all who will believe in the Lord through the apostles, he sets forth and says: He who comforted her, or had mercy on her, and he who rescued or redeemed her, he himself has prepared or revealed his holy arm, in the sight of all nations: and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. From which it is clear that, after the spiritual Jerusalem, that is, the Church, which was abandoned by the Jews, has been built by the Apostles, the arm of the Lord is revealed to all nations, and all the ends of the earth see his salvation. Which is understood in two ways. Either the Father reveals his arm to all nations, or the Son reveals his strength. Concerning which it is written: For power went out from him and healed all (Luke 6:19). And again: I perceived that power had gone out from me, which healed the woman with an issue of blood (Mark 5:30). But that the Son of God is called the right hand and arm of the Father, there are many testimonies, of which we will mention a few: His right hand and holy arm have worked salvation for him (Psalm 98:2). And elsewhere: In my arm the nations will hope (Isaiah 51:5). Concerning this, Jacob says: To him shall be the expectation of the nations (Genesis 49:10). And the eighty-eighth psalm: Your arm with power. With this arm the Lord brought the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt. Concerning this, he spoke to the prince of the Apostles: Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven (Matthew 16:17). And the Apostle Paul about himself (Galatians 1:15): When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, to reveal His Son in me. And what was foretold that He joined together all the ends of the earth, those who are to see the salvation of God, is shown from what is said in another place: Turn to Me from the ends of the earth, and you will be saved (Isaiah 45:22); and through Jeremiah: The nations shall come to you from the ends of the earth (Jeremiah 16:19); and again: All the families of the nations will remember and turn to the Lord, because the kingdom belongs to the Lord, and He shall rule over the nations (Psalm 22:28 and following); so that not only the diversity of individual nations, but also all the corners of the world, who will believe, may be foretold in Christ. According to what he himself says: But when this Gospel has been preached in the whole world, then the end will come (Matthew 24:14). Others understand the highest and farthest parts of the earth to mean those who do not dwell in the middle of the earth, but on its extreme borders like the ends of wheels, leaving low things behind and hastening towards lofty ones.
The God of the universe will show his power, he says, to all the nations—for he gives to his power the name “arm”—and all people will know the Provider of salvation.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 52:10 stands as a triumphant declaration of God's sovereign and irresistible intervention on behalf of His people, a display of divine power intended for global observation. This verse proclaims that the Lord will visibly demonstrate His holy strength, ensuring that His redemptive work, which brings deliverance and wholeness, will be unmistakably witnessed by all peoples across the entire earth. It foreshadows a grand spiritual liberation and a universal acknowledgment of God's ultimate salvation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 52:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. The most prominent is Anthropomorphism, where God is described with human attributes, specifically having an "arm." This vivid imagery of God "making bare His holy arm" transforms an abstract concept of divine power into a tangible, relatable action, emphasizing His readiness and ability to act decisively. This is further enhanced by Metonymy, where the "arm" stands in for God's entire power and strength. The phrase "in the eyes of all the nations" uses Synecdoche, where "eyes" represent the entire perception and witness of humanity. The repetition of "all the nations" and "all the ends of the earth" serves as Hyperbole to emphasize the truly global and comprehensive nature of God's universal revelation and salvation, ensuring no corner of the world is untouched by this divine display. The entire verse functions as a powerful Prophecy, foretelling a future event of divine intervention and universal recognition.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 52:10 is a pivotal prophetic declaration that profoundly shapes our understanding of God's redemptive plan, moving beyond a narrow, nationalistic scope to embrace a universal vision. It reveals a God who is not only mighty to save His chosen people but who desires His saving acts to be witnessed and acknowledged by all humanity. This verse establishes that God's ultimate purpose is the global display of His glory through His salvation, setting the stage for the New Testament's emphasis on the worldwide proclamation of the Gospel. It underscores that God's power is always exercised for holy and redemptive purposes, culminating in the comprehensive deliverance that brings wholeness and peace to all who believe.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 52:10 offers a profound source of encouragement and a clear call to missional living for believers today. It reminds us that our God is not a distant or passive deity, but one who actively intervenes in human history, unveiling His power for all to see. In a world often marked by despair, conflict, and a sense of God's hiddenness, this verse assures us that God's "holy arm" is still at work, bringing about His redemptive purposes. It challenges us to look beyond our immediate circumstances and embrace a global perspective, recognizing that God's salvation is for "all the ends of the earth." This truth should ignite within us a passion for evangelism and missions, compelling us to participate in God's grand plan to make His salvation known to every nation, tribe, and tongue. We are called to be witnesses to this revealed salvation, living lives that reflect its transforming power and actively sharing the good news so that others may also "see the salvation of our God."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "The LORD hath made bare his holy arm" mean?
Answer: This phrase is a powerful anthropomorphism, attributing a human action to God. In ancient Near Eastern warfare, a warrior would "make bare" or roll up his sleeve to prepare for battle, signifying readiness for decisive, unhindered action and the full exertion of strength. Thus, when the Lord "makes bare His holy arm," it means He is openly and powerfully displaying His sacred, set-apart strength and authority to intervene on behalf of His people and to accomplish His purposes. It speaks to God's active, visible, and irresistible power.
How does this verse relate to the idea of universal salvation?
Answer: Isaiah 52:10 explicitly states that God's saving work will be witnessed "in the eyes of all the nations" and that "all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." This demonstrates a clear move beyond a purely nationalistic understanding of salvation, indicating God's desire for His redemptive power to be revealed globally. While the immediate context is Israel's deliverance from exile, the language points to a broader, universal scope of God's ultimate plan for humanity, foreshadowing the global reach of the Gospel message, as commanded by Christ to His disciples to be His witnesses "to the ends of the earth" in Acts 1:8.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 52:10 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "holy arm" of the Lord, made bare for all to see, is none other than the incarnate Son of God, Jesus, through whom God's saving power is fully revealed. Just as the prophet declares that "all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God," the New Testament proclaims that Jesus is the very embodiment of this salvation. When Simeon held the infant Jesus, he declared, "my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel" as recorded in Luke 2:30-32. The "salvation" (Hebrew: yeshu'ah) of Isaiah 52:10 resonates deeply with the name of Jesus (Yeshua), meaning "Yahweh saves." Through Christ's life, death, and resurrection, God's saving power was undeniably displayed, not just to Israel but to the entire world. The Great Commission, commanding disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations" in Matthew 28:19, is the ongoing fulfillment of this prophecy, ensuring that the light of God's salvation, revealed in Christ, continues to shine "to the ends of the earth" as described in Acts 1:8, until every nation has seen and experienced the saving grace of our God.