Isa 52:3-6 | KingComments | STEP | Again the call of the LORD to Zion comes to awaken ( ) and to clothe oneself with strength ( ). That strength is needed to trust in God. Jerusalem is called Zion here because God in His grace is now about to come to His purpose. The city is now called “the holy city” because she is the city of the Holy One of Israel. Likewise, the call comes to Jerusalem to be clothed with beautiful garments. The strength of the redeemed is the strength of God through redemption (cf. ; ). This will only become fully true in the end time, because since and also during Cyrus, their deliverer from the power of Babylon, there has been no question of clothing with strength. He still addresses the city. She is in a state of extreme desolation and covered with dust. She is powerless under the treatment of the enemy and deprived of her priestly and royal garments. Instead, she wears the chains of captivity around her neck ( ). She must awaken. However, she must not only awaken, but also put herself in a position of calm dignity and authority; she must clothe herself with spiritual strength. She will again become a festive city of the LORD. Strangers will no longer pass through her. The terrible invasion of the king of the North is now past perfect tense. Although they threaten Jerusalem again (Isaiah 37-38), they will be defeated just as they were then. No nation in the world will conquer Jerusalem again, for the LORD Himself will encamp around the holy city and defend her ( ). This has not been fulfilled by the Medes and Persians and the following empires that have always ruled over Jerusalem during the “the times of the Gentiles” ( ). Babylon has sat as queen, but will be humbled to the dust, while Jerusalem will be raised from the dust to sit on the throne of glory. Jerusalem will break her chain. Babylon is no longer mentioned here by name. First she is broken as a religious power. Then the political and religious power of the antichrist or the second beast are broken. Finally, the political power of the restored Roman Empire is definitively broken. The “the times of the Gentiles” ( ) are then fulfilled and past. The promises that follow in stand, with their comfort, against the background of past misery. The people of the LORD are reminded that they have been sold “for nothing” ( ). They have been given into the hands of the nations, without any benefit to the LORD. His only purpose is to bring them to repentance under His chastening rod. No money will be paid for their redemption. He will work their salvation by sovereign grace and omnipotent power. Their deliverance will come exclusively from Him. He will do so by chastising their enemy. The deliverance from the power of oppressive Egypt and Assyria are mentioned as illustrations ( ). The question in has the meaning: ‘What advantage do I have in the midst of My people?’ The people “have been taken away without cause” and their oppressors continually blaspheme the Name of the LORD. This blasphemy will cease by the intervention of the LORD in power and majesty. His Name, so blasphemed by the nations, shall be revealed to His people ( ). His nature, His features and His power, represented by His Name, will be revealed to them in the day of their redemption. He makes Himself known as the ‘I am’, the faithful God of the covenant. His Self-revelation works that they will know the voice of their Redeemer ( ). Then the prayer “hallowed be Your name” ( ) will be fulfilled. In this way the Lord reveals Himself to us also in times of oppression and difficulty. He uses these circumstances as a means to increase our knowledge of Him, of His features, power and grace. When we ourselves are no longer capable of anything, He makes Himself known to us in His omnipotence. We are like Peter sinking into the water, calling upon the Lord and then learning to know the mighty power of the Lord’s arm and more than that.

‏ Isaiah 52:3-6

Zion Raised From the Dust

Again the call of the LORD to Zion comes to awaken (Isa 51:17 ; 9) and to clothe oneself with strength (Isa 52:1). That strength is needed to trust in God. Jerusalem is called Zion here because God in His grace is now about to come to His purpose. The city is now called “the holy city” because she is the city of the Holy One of Israel. Likewise, the call comes to Jerusalem to be clothed with beautiful garments.

The strength of the redeemed is the strength of God through redemption (cf. Jdg 6:12-16; Psa 84:5 ; 7). This will only become fully true in the end time, because since and also during Cyrus, their deliverer from the power of Babylon, there has been no question of clothing with strength.

He still addresses the city. She is in a state of extreme desolation and covered with dust. She is powerless under the treatment of the enemy and deprived of her priestly and royal garments. Instead, she wears the chains of captivity around her neck (Isa 52:2). She must awaken. However, she must not only awaken, but also put herself in a position of calm dignity and authority; she must clothe herself with spiritual strength.

She will again become a festive city of the LORD. Strangers will no longer pass through her. The terrible invasion of the king of the North is now past perfect tense. Although they threaten Jerusalem again (Isaiah 37-38), they will be defeated just as they were then. No nation in the world will conquer Jerusalem again, for the LORD Himself will encamp around the holy city and defend her (Isa 27:2-3).

This has not been fulfilled by the Medes and Persians and the following empires that have always ruled over Jerusalem during the “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24). Babylon has sat as queen, but will be humbled to the dust, while Jerusalem will be raised from the dust to sit on the throne of glory. Jerusalem will break her chain.

Babylon is no longer mentioned here by name. First she is broken as a religious power. Then the political and religious power of the antichrist or the second beast are broken. Finally, the political power of the restored Roman Empire is definitively broken. The “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24) are then fulfilled and past.

The promises that follow in Isa 52:3-6 stand, with their comfort, against the background of past misery. The people of the LORD are reminded that they have been sold “for nothing” (Isa 52:3). They have been given into the hands of the nations, without any benefit to the LORD. His only purpose is to bring them to repentance under His chastening rod. No money will be paid for their redemption. He will work their salvation by sovereign grace and omnipotent power. Their deliverance will come exclusively from Him. He will do so by chastising their enemy.

The deliverance from the power of oppressive Egypt and Assyria are mentioned as illustrations (Isa 52:4). The question in Isa 52:5 has the meaning: ‘What advantage do I have in the midst of My people?’ The people “have been taken away without cause” and their oppressors continually blaspheme the Name of the LORD. This blasphemy will cease by the intervention of the LORD in power and majesty. His Name, so blasphemed by the nations, shall be revealed to His people (Isa 52:6).

His nature, His features and His power, represented by His Name, will be revealed to them in the day of their redemption. He makes Himself known as the ‘I am’, the faithful God of the covenant. His Self-revelation works that they will know the voice of their Redeemer (Isa 63:1). Then the prayer “hallowed be Your name” (Mt 6:9) will be fulfilled.

In this way the Lord reveals Himself to us also in times of oppression and difficulty. He uses these circumstances as a means to increase our knowledge of Him, of His features, power and grace. When we ourselves are no longer capable of anything, He makes Himself known to us in His omnipotence. We are like Peter sinking into the water, calling upon the Lord and then learning to know the mighty power of the Lord’s arm and more than that.