S H A K E O F F T H E D U S T

A Call to God's People to Take Their Place as

Children of the King: A Study of Isaiah 53:1-2

F. Wayne Mac Leod

Light To My Path Book Distribution

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CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1 - Awake, Awake

Chapter 2 - Put on Your Strength

Chapter 3 – Beautiful Garments

Chapter 4 - Shake off the Dust

Chapter 5 - Loose the Bonds from Your Neck

PREFACE

s a prophet, Isaiah had the awesome privilege of speaking to

whole nations on God’s behalf. God revealed things to him that

He shared with no one else. Sometimes the words the Lord asked

him to speak were not well received. Like many prophets before and after

him, Isaiah would experience rejection and criticism for what He said.

Isaiah 52:1-2 is one of those times when Isaiah was asked to share a

difficult message. On that occasion, God showed him the passion He had

for His people but how far short they had fallen from that purpose. As a

people, Israel had failed to understand their calling. They were content with

so little when God had called them to much more.

In this short study, I want to take a moment to consider the call of God on

the nation of Israel in Isaiah 52:1-2. While the words are spoken to Israel,

they apply to us today as well. I trust that these prophetic words of Isaiah

will challenge us as the people of God to understand His purpose and

stimulate us to live for the glory of His name.

F. Wayne Mac Leod

1 - AWAKE, AWAKE

(1) Awake, awake – Isaiah 52:1 ESV

saiah 52:1 begins with a challenge for the people of God to awake.

The implication is that they were asleep. This was not a physical sleep

but rather spiritual. The imagery of sleep is important in this verse.

There is a world of difference between sleep and death. There is every

chance of awaking from sleep, but this is not the case with death. When

Isaiah called his people to awake, he shows us that this possibility still

existed for the people of God.

The Nature of this Sleep

What was the nature of Israel’s sleep? The sleep Isaiah refers to here is a

spiritual insensitivity. The one great enemy of the guard is sleep. As long as

these guards are awake, they are sensitive to what is going on around them.

If the enemy should attack, they can alert the city. The city depends on the

alertness of the guards and will not forgive them for falling asleep on the

job. Their security depends on these guards remaining awake and sensitive

to what is happening around them.

This is no less important spiritually. As believers in the Lord Jesus, we need

to be constantly on guard because our enemy is very subtle. How easy it is

for us to become desensitized to the evil taking place around us. Sin and

false teaching have become so common that it no longer shocks or grieves

us. When it enters the church, we hardly give it a second thought.

The sleep Isaiah speaks about in verse 1, however, is more than just

insensitivity. It is also manifested in spiritual slackness. By slackness, I am

referring to an unwillingness to do anything about the sin and error around

us. Many believers know there are problems in their community and church

but are unwilling to take the steps necessary to resolve those problems.

They are not prepared to make the required sacrifices to correct behaviours

or change their lifestyle. These believers are comfortable with where they

are and unwilling to step out of their comfort zones to make a difference.

There is a passage in Song of Solomon that has always touched me. In this

passage, a young man returns from a voyage, longing to see his lover. He

arrives at night but cannot wait until morning to see her. Arriving at her

door, he knocks. Listen to the conversation that took place that night:

(2) I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is

knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one,

for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.”

(3) I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed

my feet; how could I soil them? - Song of Solomon 5:2-3 ESV

The young woman was sleeping when she heard the knock on the door. She

awoke and listened to her lover calling out for her to open to him. Though

she had not seen him in a while, she told him that she had just taken off her

garments, washed her feet, and did not want to get them dirty again. She

was comfortable in her bed. To answer the door would mean getting dressed

and soiling her feet. This was just too much for her. Her bed was too

comfortable for her. Spiritual sleep is evidenced in our unwillingness to

sacrifice what is necessary for the Kingdom of God.

Finally, spiritual sleep is manifested in a general apathy toward God and

His Kingdom. Those who are spiritually asleep do not seem to have a

passion for the things of God. They know that spirituality among believers

is lower than it needs to be but accept this as normal. They do not see

evidence of God’s presence in their church or personal lives but excuse this

as a sign of the times. They watch the moral decline of our nation, but their

hearts are not grieved. God seems distant, but they have no desire to cry out

for His presence. They struggle with sinful attitudes in their lives but are

unwilling to wrestle against their flesh to break these chains. They have

settled for a weak and watered-down Christianity rendered powerless and

sterile by their spiritual insensitivity, slackness, and apathy.

The Danger of this Sleep

Notice in verse 1 the repetition of the word “awake.” The word is repeated

for emphasis and to underscore the importance of the command. In Isaiah

52, the prophet reminded the people of past defeats at the hands of Egypt

and Assyria:

(4) For thus says the Lord GOD: “My people went down at the first

into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for

nothing. (5) Now therefore what have I here,” declares the LORD,

“seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers

wail,” declares the LORD, “and continually all the day my name is

despised. - Isaiah 52:4-5 ESV

These verses reveal that not only was Israel oppressed by Egypt and

Assyria, but the Lord’s name was despised “continually all the day” in their

midst and the surrounding nations.

Israel’s sleep was not innocent. Her insensitivity, slackness and apathy

resulted in her defeat and the name of the Lord God being despised all day

long. How tragic it is that the God who saves us is now blasphemed because

of our spiritual sleep. Listen to what the apostle Paul said to the Romans:

(24) For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among

the Gentiles because of you.” - Romans 2:24 ESV

The Lord Jesus put it this way:

(14) “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be

hidden. (15) Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket,

but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. (16) In the

same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see

your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. -

Matthew 5:14-16 ESV

According to Jesus, God receives glory when people see our good works.

We are, therefore, to be diligent in letting the light of our testimony shine in

our community. We cannot sleep and shine. If we are to demonstrate our

good works to the community, we must be awake and alert. The glory of

God is connected to our alertness. This is not the time to allow the sleep of

insensitivity, slackness and apathy to tempt us. As guards at the gate, we

must battle this slumber. God is calling us to action. We must hear those

words, “Awake, awake,” and take them seriously. The glory of God is at

stake. Our God must not be blasphemed and despised all day because of us.

May God give us the grace to be shining lights, broadcasting His glory

without ceasing until He returns.

For Prayer:

Lord God, Isaiah speaks about how Your people were asleep. We confess

that we have also fallen into a sleep of spiritual insensitivity, slackness and

apathy. Give us a greater willingness to sacrifice, a deeper passion for the

truth and a growing desire for Your glory on this earth. Show us the need

before us and stir up our hearts to action. Thank you, that rest awaits us in

glory, but this is the time we need to be alert and active. We commit our

nations, our churches and our families to You and pray for Your protection

upon us. May we hear your call to awake from our sleep to shine brightly as

Your witnesses, for these are days of intense spiritual battle.

2 - PUT ON YOUR STRENGTH

(1) Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion - Isaiah 52:1 ESV

n the first section of Isaiah 52:1, the Lord challenged His people to

awake from their sleep. Notice, however, the next challenge in this

verse: “Put on your strength, O Zion.” There is a connection between

the call to awake and the challenge to put on their strength. This is not the

only time in Scripture that the Lord called His people to wake up and put on

their strength. Consider the words of the Lord God to the church of Sardis

in Revelation 3:

(2) Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I

have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. -

Revelation 3:2 ESV

Notice what the Lord God said to the church of Sardis. He told them to

awake and strengthen what remained and was about to die. There was an

urgency to this waking up. As they slept, they were growing weaker by the

moment. If they did not wake up and do something about it, they would

perish.

This sleep was not innocent. As they slept, the enemy was ravaging the

lives of their children and robbing them of their spiritual vitality. While they

rested quietly, the enemy was very busy. The poisonous vapours of

ungodliness were spreading rapidly around them, and many were

succumbing to its fumes.

Countless souls were perishing, and soldiers were abandoning their posts in

fear. The hurt and wounded were lacking care. There were fewer soldiers to

warn the unsuspecting of danger. Many were believing the enemy’s

propaganda and giving up hope or surrendering. The weary were not being

refreshed. There were no reinforcements to relieve those who were already

overworked. Through all this, the battle only grew in intensity and violence.

Thus the call goes out: “Awake, awake, put on your strength.”

I am reminded of Jonah, who slept in the ship’s belly during the great storm

that threatened the lives of everyone on board.

(4) But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a

mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.

(5) Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god.

And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten

it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship

and had lain down and was fast asleep. - Jonah 1:4-5 ESV

The only one who had the answer to the problem the sailors experienced

that day was Jonah, but with death looming shortly, he was sleeping. It took

a pagan unbeliever to awaken him:

(6) So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper?

Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that

we may not perish.” - Jonah 1:6 ESV

Listen to the words of Hosea concerning the people of his day:

(9) Strangers devour his strength, and he knows it not; gray hairs

are sprinkled upon him, and he knows it not. - Hosea 7:9 ESV

Hosea describes a people whose strength was being devoured by the enemy,

but they did not recognize it. They did not see it because they were asleep.

These people were becoming old before their time –their hairs were

sprinkled with gray, but they were unaware of it. One day they woke and

looked in the mirror. What a shock they had when they saw the reflection

starring back at them. There looking at them in the mirror was not the

young and vibrant youth they thought they were but an old man with a

wrinkled face and balding gray hair bent over from the stresses and strain of

life.

As they reflect on what had happened, they realize that they had become so

focused on their dreams that they had been insensitive to the call of God

and His warnings. They stand now before that mirror, recognizing that they

have very little to show for all their years. They had not woken up from

their spiritual sleep and clothed themselves with the strength their God had

provided. They had not put on their armour to take a stand.

As Isaiah prophesied that day to the people of God, he challenged them to

awake and put on their strength. There was a call on their lives, but they

could not fulfil that call if they did not get out of their bed and step into the

battle. The strength they needed for the fight was available to them. It was

theirs if they would only put it. They did not need to hide like Jonah in the

bottom of the boat. They did not need to be afraid of the battle before them.

There at the foot of their bed, folded up neatly and ready to put on, was all

the strength and courage they needed. All that was required was the faith to

clothe themselves.

The people of God in Isaiah’s day were undressed and sleeping. They had

not put on their strength. They did not live in the power that was available

to them. They slept with the covers over their head, afraid of the enemy

when they were created to be more than conquerors:

(31) What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who

can be against us? (32) He who did not spare his own Son but gave

him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us

all things? - Romans 8:31-32 ESV

(37) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through

him who loved us. (38) For I am sure that neither death nor life,

nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor

powers, (39) nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,

will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our

Lord. - Romans 8:37-39 ESV

In the Lord Jesus, we have all the strength we need to face the foe before

us. Let us hear what Isaiah tells in this verse. The strength for every trial

and task is already available to us, but we cannot experience it until we rise

from our slumber, clothe ourselves with the strength He provides, and step

out into what He has called us to do. May God give us the faith to clothe

ourselves with the strength He gives to all who come to Him.

For Prayer:

Lord God, thank you for the strength to face the battle before us. We

recognize that in You, we can conquer every enemy. You have given us all

the armour and weapons we need for the fight. We confess, however, that

all too often, we have never picked up our weapons and learned to use

them. Instead of being scarred from battle, our swords are polished and sit

neatly in their sheaths. God, you have given us these swords because they

are necessary for the struggle before us. Give us the courage now to draw

those weapons and use them to expand and defend your church. May we

clothe ourselves with the armour You have provided. Forgive us for the

many times we have faced the enemy confident in our strength, only to fall.

You offer us Your strength because ours is insufficient for the battle. Help

us not to rely on our wisdom and effort but to trust fully in what You

provide. Show us what it means to clothe ourselves with Your strength.

Teach us how to tap into the resources You provide for all who belong to

You.

3 – BEAUTIFUL GARMENTS

(1) Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your

beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city for there shall no

more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. – Isaiah

52:1 ESV

n Isaiah 52:1, the Lord has been challenging His people to awake and

clothe themselves with His strength. Notice, as we continue, He also

calls her to put on her “beautiful garments,” reminding her that she

was a holy city. Note the connection in this verse between the “beautiful

garments” and the fact that she was a holy city. The verse goes on to say

that nothing unclean or uncircumcised was to enter her gates anymore.

The word translated as “holy” speaks of something that has been set apart

from common use for God. It can also refer to a place where God has

determined to make His presence known. In this verse, both of these are

true. God had set apart the inhabitants of Jerusalem for His purpose. They

were to live for Him and be a light to the nations. He had also chosen to

make His presence known in their midst. While this was an awesome

privilege, it also brought with it great responsibility. According to Isaiah

52:1, one of those responsibilities was that she put on her beautiful

garments.

The fact that God asked His people to put on her beautiful garment shows

us that she was not wearing it at the time. When God commanded that

nothing uncircumcised and unclean enter the city anymore, we understand

that this had not always been the case. While they had been called to be

holy, they had defiled themselves, offending the God who had revealed

Himself in their midst.

The question we need to ask is this: What does this beautiful garment

represent? To answer this in part, consider the words of Isaiah in Isaiah

61:3:

(3) to grant to those who mourn in Zion—to give them a beautiful

headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be

called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may

be glorified. - Isaiah 61:3 ESV

Isaiah tells us that God wanted to give Zion a beautiful headdress to replace

her ashes, gladness instead of mourning and praise instead of a faint spirit

so that she would be called an oak of righteousness. In other words, God

would remove the ashes of shame and sin from her head and replace them

with a beautiful headdress of forgiveness and righteousness. By anointing

her with the oil of His Spirit, He would fill her with a thankful and praising

heart. She would be clothed with a garment of forgiveness, praise and

righteousness.

The apostle John adds to our understanding of this beautiful garment when

he said:

(7) Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage

of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; (8) it

was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. - Revelation

19:7-8 ESV

John speaks here of church as the bride of Christ being made ready for her

wedding. She was clothed with fine linen, bright and pure. John goes on to

tell us that this pure linen represented the righteous deeds of the saints.

These deeds, of course, were an outworking of the righteousness given to

her by Christ.

Consider what is happening in Isaiah 52:1. God calls out to His people and

tells them to awake from their spiritual slumber and put on the strength He

had given them. Israel was not just to put on His strength, however, she

was also to clothe herself with a beautiful garment of forgiveness, praise

and righteousness. Israel had not been dressed in this garment. She had

often turned to idols and disregarded the commandments of God. While she

was a child of the King, she dressed and lived like the pagan nations of her

day.

If you are a child of God today, you have been set apart by God for His

purpose. You have been forgiven and declared righteous by the work of the

Lord Jesus. You have been given His Holy Spirit to produce the fruit of

righteousness in you. The presence of God is upon you and in you. You are

not like the world. You are a child of the King, a holy child, set apart by

God for Himself.

Israel, however, lived like the nations around her. She was dressed in the

old rags of idolatry. She wore her grumbling like a shirt. The tattered old

hat of evil and lustful thoughts sat on her head. Around her neck, like a

noose, was wrapped the tie of rebellion and double-mindedness. This is

how the children of God dressed. They were no different from the nations

around them. That is how they wanted it. They didn’t want to be different.

They wanted to be just like everyone else.

Through His prophet Isaiah, however, the Lord God calls out to His people.

“Put on your beautiful garment.” You don’t have to wear those old dirty

rags anymore. Take them off and put on the beautiful garment I have

prepared for you.

We have all met believers who are still clothed in those old rags of the flesh.

For years they have refused to forgive those who have offended them. Some

never seem to overcome anger or lust in their lives. God speaks to each of

us through Isaiah 52:1, calling us to cast off the deeds and attitudes of the

flesh and put on the garment of forgiveness. Clothe yourself with the mind

of Christ. Let Him dress you with the fruit of His Spirit. These old rags are

not only beneath your dignity as a child of God, but they offend the One

who has chosen you to belong to Him.

God reminded His people that they were holy people chosen by Him. They

had a responsibility to put off uncleanness and anything that defiled them:

O Jerusalem, the holy city for there shall no more come into you the

uncircumcised and the unclean. – Isaiah 52:1 ESV

These words were not only a declaration of who they were as a people but a

call to vigilance. As God’s children, they were to live holy lives, dressed in

their beautiful garments of righteousness and praise. God had prepared a

wonderful robe for them. Dressed in this robe, they would overcome the

world and shine as a brilliant example of the power of God to overcome.

How are you dressed today? When people look at you, do they recognize

you as a child of the King, or do they suppose you to be just like everyone

else around them? Are you dressed in your beautiful robe of praise and

righteousness? He has given You a robe of righteousness. Be proud to wear

it. Let everyone see that you are His.

Let me share one final thought here. Notice that the Lord calls His people to

put this garment on. He has prepared it for you. It lays there at the foot of

your bed. Putting this garment on, however, requires first taking off the old

rags. Will you hear the Lord’s call today and recognize that you are still

wearing the old rags of the flesh? Will you confess this to Him and ask Him

to forgive you?

Today is the day to hear the call of Isaiah 52:1—“Put on your beautiful

garments.” Cast off the old rags of the flesh. Don’t go another day in those

filthy garments. God is speaking to you right now. He is willing to forgive

and clothe you with something new. You do not have to live a moment

longer in those shameful robes. He has a beautiful garment for you to wear.

If you belong to Him, you are a holy child, one who must awake from

sleep, put on His strength and clothe yourself with the beautiful garment of

forgiveness, praise and righteousness. Wear this garment proudly as a gift

from your loving heavenly Father.

For Prayer:

Lord Jesus, we confess that while you have given us a garment of

forgiveness, praise and righteousness, we have often clothed ourselves with

an angry, grumbling, and sinful spirit. There have been times when we have

not forgiven our brother or sister as we should have. We have not always

lived as children of God. Forgive us for not being the light and example we

should be. Teach us to walk as You have called us to walk. Transform our

character and help us to shine as holy lights in our community. May we

wear our beautiful garments with pride.

4 - SHAKE OFF THE DUST

(2) Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem;

- Isaiah 52:2a ESV

saiah 52:2a paints a sad picture of God’s people. In the last part of

verse 1, the prophet challenged his people to put on her beautiful

garment. Here in verse 2, he now calls her to shake off the dust and

arise. I picture a beggar sitting on the dusty ground in old rags, breathing in

the dust from the feet of those who pass by. It is a picture of poverty,

desperation and helplessness.

Remember here that these were the children of God. He had chosen them

from all other nations to be His people. She was to be a light to the nations

and a reflection of the glory of her Creator. However, as we look at this

verse, we have to ask ourselves how much of her Creator she reflected.

What a sad picture this is. The poverty-stricken and distressed children of

the King sit like beggars on the roadside, breathing in the dust from the feet

of pagan passers-by. There is no reflecting light here. She is hopeless and

despairing.

While she declares herself to be a child of God, she is painfully aware of

her poverty. People look down on her and mock her. She has no vision.

There in the dust, she has no passion for the needs of others, for she cannot

seem to get past her own misery. She is despised and ridiculed by the

people who pass by. Her light has gone out, and she does not reflect the

glory of her heavenly Father or her true identity.

Of course, this is exactly where Satan wanted her. As long as she does not

rise from the dust and take her seat, Satan had nothing to fear. As long as

she was blinded to her true identity and purpose, she would never be a

threat.

Some time ago, I was at a conference where the speaker shared an

illustration about a believer in a prison cell. He reminded us that the door to

the cell had been unlocked, and the believer was free because of the price

Jesus paid on the cross. He then proceeded to ask the question: “What keeps

believers in these prison cells? Why have so many believers never

experienced the victory the Lord Jesus died for them to have? He went on

to tell us that one of the reasons is because they believe the lies of Satan,

who stands at that door, convincing them that they can never truly expect to

leave their cell and are destined to live in the dust. He blinds their eyes to

the extent of Christ’s work on their behalf.

Isaiah spoke to the people of his day who sat in the dust feeling sorry for

themselves. He challenged them to shake off the dusty lies of the enemy

and arise. That same call goes out to us today. Yes, you are unworthy, but

Christ died for you. Yes, you are weak, but God has placed His Holy Spirit

to direct and empower you. Yes, you lack wisdom, but that wisdom is

available to all who ask. There is no excuse for remaining in the dust. In the

Lord Jesus, you are more than an overcomer (1 John 4:4; 5:4). He who has

chosen you will also equip you. He has made you His child with all its

rights and privileges.

The dust of discouragement, failure and hurt weigh us down and keep us

from rising up. But realize that God has something more for you. He has

called you to be a “royal priesthood” and “holy nation” (1 Peter 2:9). He

has chosen you to be His ambassador in a dark and dying world (2

Corinthians 5:20). You may not feel worthy of this, but by virtue of His call

and equipping, you have every qualification you need. You go in His name

and authority.

Isaiah urged his people to rise and be seated. God’s call was for His people

to get up off the ground and take their place at the table. The Father had set

a place for them, but their seat was empty. Maybe the prophet reflected on

the words of the psalmist in Psalm 23 when he told his people to arise and

take their seat:

(5) You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. (6) Surely goodness

and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell

in the house of the LORD forever. - Psalms 23:5-6 ESV

There at the table was an overflowing cup with more blessings than she

could ever imagine. Those invited to this supper are truly blessed:

(9) And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are

invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me,

“These are the true words of God.” - Revelation 19:9 ESV

There is a banquet table set out for God’s children. It is a feast, the likes of

which we have never seen. The fruit of God’s Spirit is in abundant supply.

As we sit to eat, we are clothed with beautiful garments of righteousness,

forgiveness and praise. The Lord Jesus sits at that table with us:

(20) Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice

and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he

with me. - Revelation 3:20 ESV

If you belong to the Lord today, rise from the dust and take your seat. The

Father has a place for you at the table. You are invited to a feast of rich

blessing and fellowship. At that table, you will find the strength to

overcome. You will hear the truth of God’s purpose for your life. You will

rise from that table strengthened to fight the battle before you. There is no

hope in the dust. Stop believing the lies of the enemy who tells you that you

are destined for this. Rise up, put on your beautiful garment and clothe

yourself with the strength of the Lord. Be seated at your place at the

banquet set for you.

Isaiah’s call echoes through the ages, and its tones ring in our ears today.

Children of God, it is time to rise up. If there ever was a time when we

needed to shake off the dust, it is now. The banquet is prepared, and your

place has been set. Come and eat. Feast on the richness of His blessings and

go in the strength and courage His provision and fellowship bring to break

down the gates of hell and set the prisoner free. This is our calling and

purpose. This is your privilege.

For Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank you that You died to make it possible for me to be seated

with you in heavenly places. I thank you that in You I can rise from the dust

of sin and shame and take my place proudly at the banquet of your grace

and blessing. Lord, I recognize that unless I feast richly at that table, I have

nothing to offer this world. All the wisdom and strength to overcome is at

that table. Please help me to take my place. Teach me as I fellowship with

You at that table. Strengthen me with the blessings from that table so I can

take my authority as Your representative. May I be sustained by Your

provision so that I can represent you as I ought.

5 - LOOSE THE BONDS FROM

YOUR NECK

(2) loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. -

Isaiah 52:2 ESV

s we began our reflections on Isaiah 52:1-2, we saw that God’s

people were caught in a deep sleep of death. God challenged

them to awake, put on their strength and their beautiful garment.

She was sitting in the dust, but God called her to take the seat He had

prepared for her. Here in the final part of verse 2, God encourages her to

loose the bonds from her neck.

Let’s consider the picture these words paint for us. The children of God

were in bonds. Those bonds were likely made of rope or chains wrapped

around their necks, restraining them. The verse tells us that she was captive,

being held against her will. The chain around her neck told everybody that

she was not free but held by someone else and forced into slavery. It is a

picture of helplessness and hopelessness.

The phrase, “O captive daughter of Zion,” is striking. Zion, or Jerusalem,

was the principal city of Israel and represented God’s chosen people. Here

we have the children of Israel held as captives and humiliated by her enemy.

She is bound up with a chain around her neck. This is a shameful picture of

God’s chosen race. The daughter of the King of kings is being dragged into

captivity by the chains of her enemy.

This condition is far from what God wanted for His people. He had called

her to be a light to the world and a reflection of His glory and majesty to the

nations. Instead, her enemy had conquered her. Her city had been overrun

and defeated. Her temple was broken down, and the flame of her testimony

was blown out.

What is most upsetting about this is that all this was of her own doing.

Instead of standing strong in holiness, she had lusted after ungodly ways.

She longed to be like the nations and turned her back on the God of Israel.

She stuck out her neck for the enemy to enchain her, and that is exactly

what he did.

She had been warned many times about this. God sent one prophet after

another to speak to her, but she refused to listen. She wanted to do things

her own way. She was not interested in being different from the nations.

She ignored her calling to represent the Lord God. She chose rather to

identify with the world around her, and now she was paying the price for

her decisions.

The picture would be one of despair and hopelessness were it not for three

words – “loose the bonds.” There is something very strange in these words.

God tells those being led off into captivity to take off their chains. How was

this possible? It was possible because their God was the Almighty God of

Israel. He was the Creator of the universe.

You say, “But, God’s people turned their backs on Him and rebelled against

Him.” That is true, but the God of Israel is faithful and forgiving. He does

not cast off His people. Though they had disobeyed Him, they were still His

people, and His love for them had never changed.

The words “loose the bonds” tell us that God was still giving His people a

chance. They could once again be free. These chains did not have to

remain. Just as they had invited the enemy to enchain them, they could also

now set themselves free from his grip. The victory was theirs to take. Their

enemy had no ultimate power over them. They could, in the strength God

provided, strip those chains from their neck and walk away in total

freedom.

What was true for Israel is also true for us. We have seen many who have

professed salvation in Jesus Christ walk away and fell into the snare of the

enemy. We have watched our youth wander down a path of rebellion and

resistance. They, too, have invited the chains of the enemy.

We have witnessed churchgoers living in sin. We have ourselves lived with

secret struggles and habits. Some have been entrapped by bitterness, anger

and an unwillingness to forgive. Others have been ensnared by false

teaching and traditions. We have sometimes lived a lie. There are so many

chains that bind us. Many enemies hold us in captivity even as believers

today. The words of Isaiah speak once again – “loose the chains from your

neck, O captive daughter of Zion.”

What hope these words give us today. We don’t have to live defeated lives

as believers. The enemy has been defeated at that cross. The power of the

resurrection can restore life to our dying frame. We can rise up in the

strength of the Lord. The enemy cannot hold us when the Lord stands with

us.

The enemy would like to have you think that there is no victory. He would

like you to believe that he now has full control, but in your heart, you know

different. You are, in the Lord Jesus, an overcomer. It is not His purpose

that you remain in sin. It is not His purpose that you live under the control

of the enemy.

Enough is enough. The enemy has had too many victories in our world. Let

us awake from our sleep. Let us put on the strength He provides. Let us

clothe ourselves in the beautiful garments of forgiveness, praise and

righteousness. It is time for us to rise up from the dust and take our seat of

authority and dignity as children of the King of kings. Make it your

commitment today to no longer allow the enemy to lead you by that chain

around your neck. Today is the day to stop in your tracks and say: “I’m

done with these chains. I will put up with them no more. This is the day I

choose the Lord. This is the day I pull off those bonds and rise up to serve

the Lord and experience the fullness of His life in me.

For Prayer:

Lord God, thank you that You sent Your Son to die to break the power of

sin and pay its penalty. Thank you that because of His work, I can live in

victory over the chains the enemy has placed around my neck. Thank you

also that You have placed Your Holy Spirit in me to empower and lead me

in Your purpose. I ask that You would help me to know Him more and walk

in the power He provides. I confess that I have not always tapped into the

source of my authority and power over sin. I recognize that there are sins

over which I still need a victory in my life. I ask that You would show me

how to loose those chains so that I can be free. May I never be content to

live enchained by sin when You have provided all I need to be free from its

power in my life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Light To My Path Book Distribution

Light To My Path Book Distribution (LTMP) is a

book writing and distribution ministry reaching

out to needy Christian workers in Asia, Latin

America, and Africa. Many Christian workers in

developing countries do not have the resources

necessary to obtain Bible training or purchase

Bible study materials for their ministries and

personal encouragement.

F. Wayne Mac Leod is a member of Action

International Ministries and has been writing

these books with a goal to distribute them freely to needy pastors and

Christian workers around the world.

These books are being used in preaching, teaching, evangelism and

encouragement of local believers in over sixty countries. Books have now

been translated into several languages. The goal is to make them available

to as many believers as possible.

The ministry of LTMP is a faith-based ministry, and we trust the Lord for

the resources necessary to distribute the books for the encouragement and

strengthening of believers around the world. Would you pray that the Lord

would open doors for the translation and further distribution of these books?

For more information about Light To My Path Book Distribution visit our

website at www.lighttomypath.ca