Isaiah 52

What happened to Israel would happen to her Messiah. The difference was in which of them went on to accomplish God's redemptive purpose. The Creator of all things judged sin, and brought forth justice. His rulings are justice by definition.

We closed the previous chapter with the question whether Israel would embrace His rule, obey, and lay claim to His promises. Isaiah continues in this chapter calling for Israel to seize the moment and rise from the ashes and rubble of destruction. The literal destruction yet to come at the hands of Babylon, now decreed and surely on the way, was but a symbol of Judah wallowing in sin's destruction. Rise, people of God, to reclaim the just heritage of His calling!

It was Israel who chose to sell herself into slavery in sin. Her enemies conquered her, made her slaves without offering any price. In His justice, God had ruled those enemies would receive no compensation when He chose to set His people free. They were enslaved in Egypt, and crushed by Assyria. Both of these nations went beyond God's justified wrath, and blasphemed God Himself. So it is with Babylon. She would go beyond God's calling, like abusive policemen overstepping their authority, turning their mission of executing justice on its head. But God will not allow this to continue unnoticed. There will come That Day when He will execute justice Himself, and there will be no doubt who is God, and who God is.

The day of God's wrath need not be entirely bad news. Those who wait, longing for His justice, will celebrate the coming of His Executive Officer, who will see His justice done. We know Him as the Messiah. While He surely brings the wrath of God's condemnation on sin, He also brings redemption for those who call on the Lord as their Savior. He will announce to Zion her God reigns. Zion will be known by celebrating His coming, those who cannot keep silent for their joy that sin is judged in all the earth. The name "Zion" is reserved for those who long for the day His truth spreads abroad to all Creation.

So let that "Zion" come out of the midst of the false Zion. Just as the Remnant would return, leaving behind the captivity of Babylon, so the spiritual Zion would bear the vessels of God's incarnation in the Holy Spirit. Not refugees from destruction, for as Cyrus sent an armed escort for the Remnant, so God Himself would provide the honor guard for His spiritual children.

They will be as His Messiah. He would come with a level of prudence seldom seen among men. Surely He will bear God's own glory and praise. He would change the whole world, by first accepting the full price of sin in Himself. So His followers would bear persecution without complaint. Yet the most potent of human authorities will have no power to argue or overrule His ministry. It will shock them into silence, for nothing on earth can prepare a man to face God's justice.