God’s Gracious Command: Rise Up! – Isaiah 51:17-52:12
51 (17) Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of Jehovah the cup of his wrath, you who have drained to the dregs the goblet of wine that makes men stagger. (18) Of all the sons whom she bore there is none to guide her; of all the sons whom she raised there is none to take her by the hand. (19) These two calamities have come upon you—who can comfort you?—ruin and destruction, famine and the sword of war. How can I comfort you? (20) Your sons have fainted; they lie helpless at the head of every street, like an antelope caught in a net. They are filled with the wrath of Jehovah, the rebuke of your God. (21) Therefore, hear this, you who are afflicted, you who are drunk—but not with wine. (22) This is what your Lord Jehovah says, your God who defends his people: See, I have taken out of your hand the cup of wine that made you stagger, the goblet of my wrath, you will never drink from it again. (23) I will put it into the hands of your tormentors, those who have commanded you, Lie down, so that we may walk over you! You offered them your back like the ground, like the street, for them to walk over.
52 Awake, awake, O Zion! Clothe yourself with strength! Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. From now on the uncircumcised and the morally defiled will no longer enter into you. (2) Shake the dust off yourself. Rise up and sit on your throne, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains around your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!—(3) for this is what Jehovah says, You were sold for nothing, therefore, you will be redeemed without money. (4) This is what the Lord Jehovah says, At first my people went down to Egypt in order to temporarily live there; and then the Assyrians oppressed them for no just reason. (5) Now therefore, what am I doing here, says Jehovah, seeing that my people have been taken away for no just reason? Those who rule over them howl with glee, declares Jehovah, and my name is continually blasphemed all day long. (6) Therefore, my people shall know my name. Therefore, on the day I act they shall know that I am the one who says, Here I am!
(7) How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings good news of blessing, who proclaims salvation, who announces to Zion, Your God reigns! (8) Listen! Your watchmen raise their voices; together they shout for joy. When Jehovah returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes. (9) Burst out with joy, sing together, you ruins of Jerusalem; because Jehovah has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem! (10) Jehovah will lay bare his holy arm in the sight of all the nations; all the ends of the earth will see the salvation provided by our God. (11) Depart, depart; go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out of her midst! Cleanse yourselves, you who carry the vessels of Jehovah! (12) But you will not leave in haste, neither will you depart in flight; because Jehovah will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rearguard.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
