Isaiah 52:2, commentary and pictures

Isaiah 52:2 calls captive Jerusalem, lying in dust and humiliation, to shake herself free, arise and sit enthroned, and loose the bands from her neck into freedom. It belongs to Zion's awakening with good tidings of peace and salvation when God reigns and redeems, comforts and restores His people, for having sold herself for nothing she will be redeemed without money, and as the holy city she is to awake, put on strength and beautiful garments into which the unclean shall no more come. It stands in Isaiah 51-53 as a prophecy of Christ's work, in which God has given fallen humanity a life-giving Saviour, revealed in Isaiah 53 as the only hope of a life that measures with the life of God. It promises Zion's full deliverance from bondage and restoration to glory, when the church militant rises after severe conflict from affliction, dust and captivity into strength, beauty, freedom and holiness, forgiven through Jesus, redeemed by the Lord as Saviour and Mighty One of Jacob, established in righteousness with beauty for ashes and joy for mourning where no weapon formed against her shall prosper. It is now the Lord's call to His people as Jerusalem to see eye to eye in harmony, to find no safety in human wisdom or strength, and to do their very best with self-sacrificing effort and freewill gifts to establish centers of education and carry the message to all the world so all nations see the salvation of God.

Meaning and Immediate Context

The call is addressed to Jerusalem as the captive daughter of Zion, pictured as lying in dust and humiliation under bondage. She is bidden to shake herself from the dust, to arise, to sit down enthroned and take her place in freedom, and to loose the bands from her neck. It belongs to Zion's awakening at the coming of good tidings of peace and salvation, the proclamation that God reigns, and the redemption, comfort and restoration of Jerusalem. That restoration is God's own redeeming of His people and His bringing Zion back.

The following verse explains her condition, that she had sold herself for nothing and shall be redeemed without money, her captivity not having been bought through a price paid by others. It is a call to awake and put on strength and beautiful garments as the holy city. Into that holy city the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no more come.

It stands in Isaiah 51-53 as part of a prophecy about Christ's work. There God has furnished fallen, sinful humanity a life-giving Saviour. That Saviour is revealed especially in Isaiah 53 as the only hope of a life that measures with the life of God.

Redemption and Future Glory

The call is to Jerusalem pictured as captive and lying in dust and humiliation, to rise, take her place, and cast off the bonds around her neck. That rising from humiliation to be freed from bondage is the Lord's redemption of Zion. It presents Zion's restoration and deliverance as part of the promised glory of God's people.

It shows the church militant rising at the triumph of the future from affliction, dust and captivity into strength, beauty, freedom and holiness. This comes after severe conflict, the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, when captive Zion is called to shake off dust, arise, sit enthroned, and loose the bands from her neck. Then she puts on beautiful garments as the holy city into which the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no more come. The rising means full forgiveness through Jesus, removal of rebuke, and redemption by the Lord as Saviour and Mighty One of Jacob. It means establishment in righteousness with beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and protection in which no weapon formed against her shall prosper.

The same image of Jerusalem rising from dust and casting off captivity portrays captive Zion rising and casting off bondage at the jubilee. It is the pious slave who rises in triumph and shakes off his chains when the jubilee begins. At that same time the wicked master is confounded and cannot understand God's voice.

Present Call to Action

It is the Lord's call for His people to see eye to eye, with every soul coming into harmony. Addressed to the churches as Jerusalem, the captive daughter of Zion, it bids her shake herself from the dust, arise and sit down, loose the bands from her neck, and awake and put on strength and beautiful garments as the holy city into which the uncircumcised and the unclean shall no more come, with the assurance that though sold for nothing she shall be redeemed without money. In that rising from humiliation, releasing the bonds of captivity, and taking her place in freedom, bound up with God redeeming His people and bringing Zion back, is portrayed the joy and overcoming grace found in homes marked by unity, peace, and love. It means there is no safety in placing confidence in human wisdom or strength.

Together with Isaiah 48, 51, 52, 58, and 60, it is a message that should stir souls, be carried in mind, and move to seeking the Lord and doing the works essential to be done. It centers on the great subject for now, the commandments of God as the testing truth for this time, to be made straight and plain for the saving of souls. This is to be done without giving enemies opportunity for questioning doubts and without turning aside to questions that are not vital and that cause division and confusion.

In Isaiah 52:1-10 showing the salvation of God, it calls God's people to do their very best with self-sacrificing effort and large freewill gifts to establish educational centers and to carry the message to all parts of the world. So the work stands in its highest beauty, missionaries are educated and sent to foreign fields, and the eyes of all nations see the salvation of God, with blessing resting on those whose ways please Him. Belonging to prophecy about Christ's work, studying it is a help and blessing to Christ's people.