19. Thy God reigneth: Isaiah 52:7-15
Thy God reigneth
Introduction:
(Isaiah 52:1-6) By Zion is meant the church in the days of the Messiah and following his manifestation in the flesh and his exaltation. ‘My people went down into Egypt; they were oppressed and my name was continually blasphemed;’ but Isaiah 52:6 is the good news of redemption!
1. ‘My people shall know my name’—Jehovah (Saviour-God). They shall understand my power and goodness in Christ (1 John 5:20; Jeremiah 31:33-34).
2. ‘In that day,’ when the Lord Jesus is revealed at Bethlehem, the cross, and resurrection. ‘He that hath seen me hath seen my Father’ (John 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:19).
3. ‘That I am he that doth speak.’ All the promises and prophecies are in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20) and are not the words of a weak and deceitful man, but are the words and promises of the unchangeable, omnipotent, and covenant-keeping God who speaks and says, ‘Behold, it is I’ (Luke 24:36-39).
Isaiah 52:7. This is Christ, the messenger of the covenant (Malachi 3:1), the apostle of our profession (Hebrews 3:1), who was anointed to preach glad tidings to the meek (Isaiah 61:1) ‘upon the mountains’ of Israel and of the Gentile world.
1. This may be applied to all those who preach the gospel and bring the good news of salvation in Christ, to the Lord’s sheep. The messenger and the message are both loved and welcomed.
2. ‘That publisheth peace...that publisheth salvation.’ This is the good news to Zion—city of God—church of the firstborn; permanent peace and salvation, eternal peace and salvation are accomplished by the blood of Christ. And it is full, complete, and free to them because their God, who is sovereign, who reigns, has finished the work (Hebrews 10:12-14). It is the published record (1 John 5:10-12).
Isaiah 52:8. ‘Thy watchmen;’ perhaps this refers mainly to his apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastor-teachers, bringers of good tidings in Christ.
1. ‘They lift up their voices.’ It is a public ministry (Isaiah 40:9-10). There are many of them who labor together (1 Corinthians 3:4-9; Php 1:16-18).
2. ‘They shall see eye to eye’ (2 Corinthians 4:5-7). In the Old Testament the Lord refers to his revelations to his servants as being ‘mouth to mouth’ (Numbers 12:8) and ‘face to face’ (Exodus 33:11) and ‘eye to eye’ (1 John 1:1-2). They are eye and ear witnesses of the word and works of Christ. Therefore, their testimony of the gospel shall be valuable and essential when ‘The Lord shall bring again Zion.’ Read Romans 10:13-15! They must and will hear!
Isaiah 52:9-10. This calls for joy, singing, and praise; for the Lord God has comforted and redeemed his people. He has ‘made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations.’ That is, he has revealed the gospel of his power, glory, and righteousness openly in the sight of all nations. Everywhere Christ is preached, his holiness and power are set forth (Psalms 98:3). The sound of the gospel is everywhere (Romans 10:17-18; Psalms 19:3; Hebrews 4:2).
Isaiah 52:11-12. These verses will open up to us when we read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18. When the Spirit of God reveals the gospel of Christ to us, as he did to religious Saul of Tarsus, we depart from our works religion, our former false gospel, and ‘touch not the unclean’ and have no more part with them. ‘Ye that bear the vessels of the Lord’ (his preachers) must be pure from false methods, means, and messages. His servants ‘go not in haste or by flight.’ They do not hide, flee, nor fear the enemy, but openly, boldly, quietly, and safely preach his gospel; for ‘the Lord will go before you and will be your reward.’ He will be your captain and gather you up.
Isaiah 52:13-15. The chapter is concluded with an account of the humiliation, exaltation, person, work, and office of the Messiah!
1. ‘Behold, my servant.’ This is the title given to our Lord frequently (Isaiah 42:1; Isaiah 49:5-6; Isaiah 53:11; Php 2:7).
2. ‘Shall deal prudently.’ He shall manage the affairs of his kingdom with wisdom and shall prosper (Isaiah 53:10-11). He shall give understanding and make men wise unto salvation.
3. ‘He shall be exalted, extolled, and be very high.’ Here are three words which signify the same thing to express the height, glory, and majesty to which the Father has exalted him because of his work (Php 2:5-11; Revelation 5:12-13).
4. ‘As many were astonished, amazed at thee.’ The servant of God—the Son of God—became an object of horror. His sufferings of soul were indescribable and beyond our understanding (Isaiah 53:10); and ‘his visage (his face, body, and whole appearance) were marred more than any man.’ From the manger to the cross, he was an object of ridicule, contempt, and ‘a reproach of men and despised’ (Psalms 22:6). But his death under the curse of the law and the wrath of God was with sweat and blood, with scourging and intense agony. ‘Astonished’ can not only be applied to how low he became, but to how high he is raised.
5. ‘So shall he sprinkle many nations’ (a) with his blood, which is called the blood of sprinkling (Hebrews 12:24) and shall justify them (Isaiah 53:11; Titus 3:5); or (b) with his word, which is compared to rain (Isaiah 55:10-11; Deuteronomy 32:2-3) and to water (John 3-5).
6. ‘Kings shall be silent before him’ out of humility, reverence, and admiration for his wisdom. He is the King of Kings! All who are called (1 Corinthians 1:26-30) shall be eager to hear of him.
7. ‘That which had not been told or heard shall they see and consider’ (Romans 15:19-21). This certainly is true of the Gentiles who had not the law, the testimony, or the tabernacle. But all to whom the Spirit reveals the Lord Jesus have their eyes opened to behold the glory of Christ, and their ears anointed to hear him speak in his word (Matthew 13:16-17).