Isaiah 52

Isaiah focuses in this chapter on the Resurrection event. At the Resurrection and Second Coming the Lord calls for all faithful to “Awake” because death is a sleep (v. 1a). He by His creative act clothes them with strength and with a beautiful garment of perfection (v. 1b-c). It will be the faithful remnant called Zion and Jerusalem, “the holy city” because it is the New Jerusalem or Heavenly Jerusalem and Heavenly Zion. It is eternity starting for the verse says that the “unclean will no more come into you” (v. 1e-f). There is no case in history where this happened. At the Resurrection Christ asks the remnant to “shake yourself from the dust, rise up” (v. 2a). The remnant is called “captive Jerusalem” and “captive daughter of Zion” because the remnant in death is captivated by Satan and Resurrection sets them free. Satan is involved since the remnant were “sold for nothing” since Adam and Eve’s Fall and they “will be redeemed without money” by the blood of the Lamb (v. 3). Spiritual Israel went down to Egypt to reside there since 1850 BCE when Joseph was there and were oppressed for 400 years slavery and also the Assyrians oppressed them since 723 BCE when Israel were taken into exile (v. 4). At the end-time spiritual Israel will “be taken away without cause” (v. 5). However, after the Time of Trouble the remnant “My people shall know My name” (v. 6). It is at that time “that day” the Lord will say “Here I am” because the Lord arrived from the sky, from Heaven with all His angels. At Christ’s Coming it can be said “how lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation” (v. 7). Christ announces salvation from the graves and says to Zion “your God reigns” meaning God the King reign then. He received His kingship at closing of the Door of Mercy. The Alert Adventists or watchmen of the faithful remnant “lift up voices, they shout joyfully together for they will see with their own eyes when the Lord restores Zion” (v. 8). The living spiritual remnant at the Second Coming witness the Resurrection first-hand and shout with wonder. The waste places of Jerusalem is asked to also “shout joyfully together” (v. 9a-b). The Resurrection is an event where the Lord “has comforted His people” and “He has redeemed Jerusalem” (v. 9c-d). The Holy arm of the Lord will be working at the Resurrection and “all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God” (v. 10). At a certain point in history shortly before the Second Coming the Lord will ask the remnant to come out of Babylon “depart, depart, go out from there touch nothing unclean” (v. 11a-b). They need to go out from the midst of Babylon and “purify yourselves” (v. 11c). They will not go out in haste (v. 12a). They will have the Lord before them and behind them at the same time (v. 12c-d). Christ the Messiah is “My Servant” (v. 13a) and He will prosper (v. 13a); will be high and lifted up (v. 13b) like Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness on the staff when they had to experience faith; He will be “greatly exalted” (v. 13b) for He received Kingship at the end of the Investigative Judgment when the Door of Mercy closes and the Time of Trouble started. People were astonished by the suffering of the remnant through the ages (v. 14a) “just as many were astonished at you” [the remnant]. Christ appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than other humans (v. 14b-c). “Though He had no taint of sin upon His character, yet He condescended to connect our fallen human nature with His divinity” (RH [May 26, 1896]: 13). As the King of Kings at the Second Coming, Christ will shut the mouth of kings “on account of Him” and “what had not been told them they will see and what they had not heard they will understand” (v. 15c-d).

Dear God

The Resurrection is a joyful experience for your remnant when they all see their loved ones rise from the grave. It will be a glorious reunion that no one wants to miss. Also us, O Lord. Amen.

Koot van Wyk, (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Kyungpook National University, Department of Liberal Education, Sangju, South Korea; conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia