Isaiah 52 (NIV)

In today’s passage we hear the prophet calling the very few Jews who remained in Jerusalem during the exile to ready themselves, to awake and to dust themselves off in preparation for the return of the LORD and his people. Despite Israel's lack of trust, Yahweh is bringing his people back to Jerusalem and is going to raise up a Servant who will restore them and take their job of blessing the nations upon himself.

Picture the scene… you are a Jewish child, and you’ve lived in Jerusalem long after the majority of your people have been hauled away into captivity. The Temple is a heap of rubble and the LORD is not present there. There are watchmen on what remain of the walls, and one day you hear them calling out that there is a messenger coming. You wait, because you’ve learned that a lone messenger means something very specific, a lone messenger means that he carries good news. News of Victory… Could it be, could this all be over? Is the LORD returning to Jerusalem, to the Temple, with his people?

The past year at points has felt like a kind of exile. Many of us have felt distant from God; we’ve felt disconnected from our normal lives, our family, our friends, our neighbors. Our society's fault lines are shifting and it has caused the earth to shake under our feet. In many ways this year has felt like exile and we need a return. As you listen to today’s passage, listen with an ear towards your longings for return. Things will never be the same, and in some ways that’s a good thing, but nonetheless each of us needs to get back up on our feet, dust ourselves off and walk into tomorrow with the LORD as our rear guard. We need the Servant who will come and take on our shame and show us the way.

----------REFLECT----------

1. What image stood out to you in today’s passage?

2. Consider what it must have felt like to hear the news that the exile was over, that Israel was about to return home. That despite all the hopelessness the LORD our God still reigns. In what area of your life do you long for such news?

3. Toward the end of this passage it turns towards the Servant, as if to ask, how is any of this possible? And it says that he will act wisely but will suffer on our behalf. That many will be appalled at him but that he will shut the mouths of kings. The Servant comes to the defense of God’s people. Jesus silences those who would mock us in our shame. In what ways do you need Jesus to act on your behalf today?

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