The Lord's Wake-up Call | Isaiah 51:17-52:12
The Lord issues a wake-up call with four alarming warnings that show why we need the Suffering Servant: (1) the effect of the Lord's wrath, (2) the neglect of the Lord's redemption, (3) the prospect of the Lord's return, and (4) the respect of the Lord's purity. This sermon is part 5 in "The Suffering Servant," Bryan Craddock's series of verse-by-verse sermons on Isaiah 49-55.
Have you ever been woken up by a smoke alarm? I am not talking about that irritating beep that goes off every ten minutes when the battery is dying. That sound wakes you up gradually and leaves you half asleep stumbling around in the dark trying to figure out where it’s coming from. I am talking about the constant, piercing full volume wail, the one you hear when you burn something in the kitchen. Has that ever woken you up in the middle of the night?
I am thankful that I have never had a fire in my home. But I did have a similar experience when I lived in Southern California. I was woken up one day at 4:30 a.m. by a major earthquake, and I sprang out of bed fully alert. I suspect that is how it is with a fire alarm. But the terrible part with an earthquake is that there is no warning. By the time you wake up, it is too late to escape. Thankfully, there was no serious damage at my home.
The Lord uses the Prophet Isaiah to deliver a warning about destruction that will come upon the people of Jerusalem. In Isaiah 39, he sounds the alarm that they are going to be conquered and led into exile by the Babylonian Empire. He does not reveal when it will happen, but we know that it is still a hundred years in the future. So, they have plenty of time to get ready, and in Isaiah 40-66 he gives them extensive instruction to prepare them.
But a hundred years is a long time, and people tend to be complacent. So, in Isaiah 51:17-52:12, the Lord issues a wake-up call with four alarming warnings that show why we need the Suffering Servant. This is all leading up to chapter 53, the most important prophecy in the book. Some of the details in the passage relate to the people who lived in Jerusalem at that time, but the warnings still apply to us today. Jesus and his apostles both stress the need for us to stay spiritually alert. So, we must heed the Lord’s wake-up call.
The Effect of the Lord’s Wrath
In some places, the Bible uses wine as a picture of prosperity and blessing. But Proverbs 23:29-35 describes the foolish way that people behave when they have had too much to drink. They see things that are strange and say things that are perverse. They wake up bruised and beaten, though they cannot remember how it happened. Nevertheless, they keep going back for more.
As Isaiah attempts to wake people up spiritually, he warns them that the effect of the Lord’s wrath is similar to drunkenness. In Isaiah 51:17-18, he says,
Wake yourself, wake yourself, stand up, O Jerusalem, you who have drunk from the hand of the LORD the cup of his wrath, who have drunk to the dregs the bowl, the cup of staggering. There is none to guide her among all the sons she has borne; there is none to take her by the hand among all the sons she has brought up.
The people of Jerusalem need to be alert, but they are hungover. They are staggering around, and no one is guiding them in the right way. What brought this about? Verses 19-20 say,
These two things have happened to you-- who will console you? --devastation and destruction, famine and sword; who will comfort you? Your sons have fainted; they lie at the head of every street like an antelope in a net; they are full of the wrath of the LORD, the rebuke of your God.
Since the prophet speaks in the past tense, this could describe the siege that they experienced when the Assyrians attacked them. But it could also be a futuristic view looking back at the destruction that will be brought about by the Babylonians. Both nations were driven by a desire to conquer territory and gain power. Yet in his sovereignty, the Lord used them to punish the people of Jerusalem for their disobedience. They were tools in the outpouring of his wrath.
The first part of Isaiah 51 focused on drawing comfort from the Lord’s promises. But here Isaiah asks, “Who will console you?” The sad fact is that no one is looking to the Lord. The sons who should provide leadership are all passed out.
Yet the Lord still gives them a promise in verses 21-23. He says,
Therefore hear this, you who are afflicted, who are drunk, but not with wine: Thus says your Lord, the LORD, your God who pleads the cause of his people: "Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering; the bowl of my wrath you shall drink no more; and I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, 'Bow down, that we may pass over'; and you have made your back like the ground and like the street for them to pass over."
At some point, their experience of God’s wrath will stop. The cup will be handed off to those who have oppressed them. The Assyrian and Babylonian empires will both be destroyed. But this prophecy is probably pointing forward to the final judgment, because Jerusalem’s suffering did not end after their return from Babylon. They experience oppression from the Greeks and then from the Romans. In fact, the suffering of Jewish people continues today.
Our entire world is also stumbling around, inebriated with the wrath of God. In Romans 1:18-21, Paul says,
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
As Paul continues, he lists the behavioral effects of this spiritual stupor. People foolishly worship everything but God. They give themselves over to their lustful desires and all sorts of unrighteous deeds. What is worse, they find ways to approve and even applaud such behavior. They are filled with the wrath of God, heading toward its final outpouring in eternal punishment.
What hope is there? How does anyone sober up? How does that toxic cup ever get taken away? Jesus told the disciples of a cup that he would drink (Mk 10:38). As he prayed in Gethsemane, he even asked the Father to take it away (Mt 26:39; Mk 14:36; Lu 22:42). But John 18:11 tells us that when they came to arrest him, he said, “Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” Only Jesus can deliver us from the wrath of God. He drank it so that we would not have to do so.
Do you believe that? If so, then praise God that he intervened in your life and sobered you up to understand the gospel. That is a gift of his mercy and grace. Don’t take it for granted, and don’t look down on those who are still under the influence. Pray for them and offer them the living water.
The Neglect of the Lord’s Redemption
Do you ever feel like you're just throwing money away? We talk about it going up in flames or going down the drain. It all means the same thing. It is wasted. We are not getting anything of value out of it.
Isaiah 52:1-5 may express a similar idea. It uses the phrase “for nothing” three times. The Hebrew term is taken from a root word that refers to “grace.” So, most commentators take it in a positive sense as something freely given. But in Psalms and Proverbs the term is used eleven times, and all of them are negative. They are translated “without cause” or “without reason.”
So, I think Isaiah’s point is that Jerusalem needs to wake up lest they neglect the Lord’s redemption. They are in danger of wasting something of inestimable value. The passage begins in verses 1 and 2, by saying,
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. Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
The city and its people could be clothed in holiness. The influence of ungodly outsiders could be stopped. The city could be set free from captivity to sit and rule as the Lord’s capital over all the nations. This is God’s plan and purpose for them, but they must wake up to fulfill it. They are not responding to his work in their lives. Verses 3 and 4 say,
For thus says the LORD: "You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money." 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.
It sounds positive to be redeemed without money. But to be sold and oppressed “for nothing” cannot be good. Over 700 hundred years before Isaiah’s time, the people of Israel experienced slavery in Egypt. They were redeemed through the Exodus. But in a sense, it was all for nothing. It was a tremendously important step in God’s plan, but the generation who witnessed the plagues and walked through the sea perished in the wilderness for their disobedience. What a waste!
During Isaiah’s time, Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians. The Lord preserved them and ultimately rescued them. But that experience did not transform them in the way that it should have. It was all for nothing. We see it in their king, Hezekiah. Though he trusted the Lord, he still behaved in a foolishly arrogant and self-absorbed way that prompted the Lord’s revelation that they would be conquered by the Babylonians.
So, how will Jerusalem respond to that terrible trial when it comes? After all that they have experienced, will they trust God fully? Verse 5 says,
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.
The opportunity to fully turn to the Lord will be wasted. The experience of the exile will accomplish nothing significant in the spiritual lives of the Jewish people. Some say that the Babylonians are the wailing rulers who despise the Lord. But the word “wail” usually refers to sorrowful crying. So, it is probably the rulers of Jerusalem who are mourning. They have given up. They despise the name of the Lord by their failure to trust him.
Today we have far greater insight about God’s plan of redemption. We have the testimony of the Gospels to the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. We also have teaching from his apostles. Is it all for nothing as far as you are concerned? Has it transformed your life? In 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, Paul says,
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you." Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
Don’t neglect the Lord’s redemption! Receive his saving grace and let it transform your life.
The Prospect of the Lord’s Return
After climbing a hot, dusty hill, someone’s feet will probably not be in the best condition. Even with sturdy boots on, their feet will be sweaty and smelly. If they are walking barefoot or in sandals, the dirt will only make it worse. So, what could possibly lead someone in that moment to see those feet as beautiful?
We find out in Isaiah 52:6-10. Those feet are beautiful when they belong to a messenger who announces the prospect of the Lord’s return. Verse 5 ends with the Lord’s name being despised, but in verse 6, he says,
Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am."
Isaiah uses the phrase “in that day” 42 times, and this is the final mention of it. It refers to the day of the Lord, the sequence of end times events that include final judgment and the restoration of God’s blessing in a new heaven and earth. So, this verse is a promise not that people will simply be aware of God’s name. They will know it in such a way that it shapes everything about them. They will hear his voice and respond to it. He will be fully present with them.
As God’s messengers proclaim this great hope, even their feet seem beautiful. Verses 7-8 say,
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." The voice of your watchmen--they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
Our Sovereign God is always reigning, and that truth is the foundation for all our peace and happiness. But this declaration looks forward to a new expression of his reign when the Lord visibly returns. Zechariah 14:4 says that on that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives right across from Jerusalem. That is where Jesus ascended into heaven, and it is where he will return to. So, this connection between Jesus and Old Testament prophecy provides support for his deity.
When he comes, he will bring true peace and happiness forever. So, is it accurate to call this a warning? I think so. Isaiah’s point is that we should rejoice in the prospect of his return now. If we fail to do so, then we forfeit the peace and comfort that we should be enjoying. In verses 9 and 10, he says,
Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the LORD has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. 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.
Even in the devastation of the Babylonian conquest of Jerusalem, the people can find comfort and joy in the prospect that the Lord’s saving work will be undeniable. One day all the nations will see. In fact, Jesus sends out his followers to proclaim that salvation prior to his return. In Romans 10:14-15, Paul even quotes from Isaiah 52:7 as he explains our mission. He says,
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
So, don’t miss out on the peace and joy of looking forward to the Lord’s return, and if you know it, then share it. You too can have beautiful feet!
The Respect of the Lord’s Purity
As we go through life, we are constantly tempted to take the easy way. Why subject yourself to the difficulty of going uphill? In our spiritual lives, the easy way is to go along with the world, accepting its values and conforming with its behavior. But because of his holiness, the Lord calls his people to be set apart. If we are heading toward his kingdom, then we must heed the warning to respect his purity.
In Isaiah 52:11-12, the prophet makes this point for a particular group of people. He says,
Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the LORD. For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
The word “vessels” is a generic term. Elsewhere it refers to equipment for farming, fighting, hunting, and even for making music. But here it probably refers to the equipment that the priests used in the Temple. Most commentaries say that the prophet is speaking to people when they are released from their captivity in Babylon to return to Jerusalem. In fact, Ezra 1:7 lists the vessels that are returned to the people by Cyrus, the King of Persia. So, this could be a warning to leave behind the impurity of the nations as they return to the land.
Some commentators choose that view because they think that Isaiah 40-66 was written by someone other than Isaiah, someone living 170 years later at the time of their return from exile. They don’t allow for divine revelation. But if we accept that Isaiah wrote this passage a hundred years before the exile, then it is possible that he might be warning the priests and Levites about what is coming. This may be a warning to depart from Jerusalem and to separate from its complacency and worldliness before the Babylonians attack. That would be a much harder decision, one for which you would need assurance of God’s protection
Everyone who follows the Lord in any age is called to respect his purity. In fact, Paul speaks of New Testament believers as the temple of the living God. In 2 Corinthians 6:16-18, he says,
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."
We are called to live as those who are set apart for the Lord. We should turn away from sin and walk in humble obedience, being holy because he is holy. The world does not appreciate that, however, because it exposes their sinfulness. They will mock us and even persecute us, but we must trust the Lord to go before us and be our rear guard. Don't be enticed by the world. Respect the Lord’s purity.
__________
We need to wake up spiritually. We must heed Isaiah’s warnings about the effect of the Lord’s wrath, the neglect of his redemption, the prospect of his return, and the respect of his purity. But we have all failed to listen. That is why we need a redeemer, and Isaiah will tell us more about the Servant and his saving work in chapter 53.
Perhaps these warnings are new to you. The wrath of the Lord is a frightening thing. But as we have seen there is salvation in Jesus Christ. So, if you have never done so, I urge you to change direction. Perhaps the Lord is waking you up today. Repent and believe in him.
If you would like to learn more about being spiritually alert, I encourage you to spend some time in Matthew 24-25. Jesus calls us to watch and pray. Is that how you live? Are you becoming complacent under the world’s influence? Renew your commitment to the Lord and pass on his warnings to others. May all the ends of the earth see the salvation of our God!
Reflect
Which of these warnings are the most sobering for you? Why?
Has the Lord woken you up spiritually? If so, how did it come about?
How should these warnings shape our witness for Christ?