"For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: 'At first My people went down to Egypt to live; lately, Assyria has oppressed them. And now what do I have here?' declares the Lord. 'For My people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock,' declares the Lord. 'And all day long My name is constantly blasphemed. Therefore My people will know My name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.'" (Isaiah 52:4-6)
In Isaiah's day the Assyrians were the major threat to everyone in the region. But Babylon would rise from the ashes and defeat Assyria and also Judah, among other nations. The people will have the prophecies of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets; when they are released from captivity they will know that the Lord foretold it long before it happened. They will give glory to His name.
When the people begin returning to the land, they will proclaim the news far and wide to those in exile and to those who fled the incoming enemy army and are living as fugitives in other lands. "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!' Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes." (Isaiah 52:7-8)
The generation that returns to the land will see with their own eyes the Lord's promises coming true. They will shout for joy and praise His name. They will speak of the power of the Lord. "Burst into song of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord will lay bare His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God." (Isaiah 52:9-10) The imagery in verse 10 is the imagery of one who rolls up his sleeves to perform manual labor or to engage someone in a fight. The people will proclaim that the Lord has performed great works on their behalf and that He has fought their enemies for them.
When the captives leave the land of their captivity, it won't be as refugees. It won't be like people making a run for it. It will be by permission of the government that defeats their oppressors. It will be with that government's blessing. "Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the articles of the Lord's house. But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard." (Isaiah 52:11-12)
The people they have lived among during their captivity were idolatrous people. The government that sets them free is made up of idolatrous people. The descendants of Jacob are not to carry with them any of those practices when they leave. They aren't to bring any religious objects of the foreigners with them. They must forsake any changes they may have made to assimilate into foreign cultures. Now that they will be free to practice their own religion in the ways prescribed by God, they are to fully assimilate back into the culture of their forefathers.
This should be good news to all the people descended from the sons of Jacob. But another type of good news is in view here. A good news will come in a farther-off time to the descendants of Jacob and to the whole world. This will be the good news of the gospel and as we conclude Chapter 52 and move on into Chapter 53 we find Isaiah prophesying about the life, the death, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the "good news that will cause great joy for all the people". (Luke 2:10)
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