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# Isaiah

## Chapters 51 and 52

Introduction Chapter 1 Chapters 2 to 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapters 7 to 9 Chapters 9:8 to 12 Chapters 13 and 14 Chapters 15 to 18 Chapters 19 to 23 Chapter 24 Chapters 25 and 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapters 33 and 34 Chapter 35 Chapters 36 to 39 Chapter 40 Chapters 41 to 43 Chapters 44 and 45 Chapters 46 to 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapters 51 and 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapters 55 to 57 Chapters 58 and 59 Chapter 60 Chapters 61 and 62 Chapter 63 Chapters 64 and 65 Chapter 66 | #### The remnant encouraged and acknowledged: God's salvation universally manifested The application is found in chapters 51 and 52 to the end of verse 12, and that to the remnant of Israel. In verse 13 a fresh division of the prophecy begins. The remnant in the last days are exhorted to have confidence. Those who follow after righteousness are a little flock; but God had called Abraham alone, and had blessed and increased him; He can do the same for the remnant. Compare Ezekiel 33:24, where we see in what manner carnal confidence, walking in unrighteousness, can imitate, to its own ruin, divine faith. Jehovah will comfort Zion. Verse 4 is the second exhortation. The remnant are acknowledged as Jehovah's nation. His righteousness was near; salvation and deliverance were already gone forth from Him, and should be for ever. In verse 7 there is a further step. They are a people who know righteousness, who have the law in their heart; they are not to fear men who should be devoured by the judgments of God. But His righteousness and His salvation should be everlasting. The remnant, thus set in their place, are revealed by the Spirit of prophecy as owned of Jehovah. The same Spirit speaks by the mouth of the remnant (v. 9), to implore His intervention in power, and to claim the perfect lovingkindness of Jehovah, and the assured salvation of His redeemed ones, as well as the re-establishment of Zion in everlasting joy. The remnant thus encouraged, the Spirit turns to Zion, and even as "Awake! awake!" had been addressed to the arm of Jehovah, so is it now to Zion herself, oppressed and trodden under foot of strangers. As if to say it was Zion that had need to awake, not the Lord, for the salvation was there. The cup shall now be given to those that afflicted her again. "Awake! awake!" is once more addressed to her, that she may stand up and clothe herself in strength and glory. For Jehovah has made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of Israel's God. This threefold repetition of "hearken" (v. 1, 4 and 7), followed by the threefold repetition, "Awake! awake!" is extremely beautiful. The verses 11, 12 of chapter 52 shew that in those days Israel will be captive among apostate Gentiles, as in the days of Babylon. Verse 13 is closely connected with that which precedes. It is Christ's position in those times of glory and of deliverance wrought by Jehovah. Nevertheless it may be considered separately, and as beginning a new subject, because it forms a whole with respect to the Lord Jesus Himself. Christ shall be very highly exalted in those days. But what had His position been? On this subject the Spirit of prophecy enlarges. The kings shall be astonished at His glory -- His whose visage had been so marred, more than any man. |

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