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