52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger
who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation,
who says to Zion, "Your God reigns."
52:8 Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing
for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
52:9 Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for
the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
52:10 The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the
nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of
our God.
If all Christians could understand the book of Isaiah, the Christian
community would not have to worry about the future. The key verse to
the study of the main topic of Isaiah is to be found in Isaiah 30:
26. It is a prediction of a terrible destructive cataclysm, that
would make atomic weapons look like tinker toys. Isaiah also
explains how to survive such a cataclysm. The way to survive is
noted in Isaiah 26: 20-21.
"When we are freed from our chamber, the person who will free us
will say, "Thy God Reighneth" then we will say, blessed is the feet
of him that bringeth good tidings. The Lord will be that person. The
Lord will say: "Depart ye, that have been in darkness. Touch no
unclean thing. I will go before you and prepare the way before you.
Isaiah 49: 9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go Forth; to
them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the
ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. 10. They shall
not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them:
for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, every by the springs
of water shall he guide them."
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Merry Christmas, all. I'm performing a wedding Christmas afternoon,
and it'll include a short sermon. I Corinthians 13 will be one of
the scriptures, but I wanted to use also something associated with
Christmas, maybe from Isaiah. Any suggestions? kbc in sc
To KBC in SC: How about the first lesson for 12/29, Isaiah
61:10-62:5, which talks about Yahweh as the groom of Israel. You can
relate that and the New Testament picture of the church as the bride
of Christ to human marriage as a reflection of the divine love. --
Mike in Maryland
Changing events in Babylon inspire this announcement of hope and joy
to the people of Judah near the end of their exile. "Your God
reigns," says the prophet. It is not some Babylonian god who rules.
It is the dawn of comfort, redemption, and the salvation of our God.
