52:1
We must not read this verse, or even this chapter, in isolation if we are to appreciate the full force of the verse and chapter. “Awake, awake Zion, clothe yourself with strength! put on your garments of splendour ...” Consider how ridiculous this would seem to the hearers, how utterly impossible. The nation had been incredibly weakened, many of them were now in exile, under the thumb of the Babylonians, Jerusalem and the temple were in ruins. How could such a people think of being clothed with strength or wearing garments of splendour? The whole concept was laughable. The reason is the salvation that the Lord would bring. The root of our rebellion is thinking we can live without God, and that is the reason for all the disasters that befall us. When we repent and turn to God everything changes. It is worth noting that these promises of restoration are often expressed in terms of Jerusalem. The salvation is both corporate and individual.
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