Isaiah 52:1-12, What is all the excitement about in Isaiah?

What kind of a question is that?  What do I mean “exciting?”  Actually, maybe the question should be, What is so panicky?  Here’s what I mean.

·       In 51:1-8, 3 times God says, “Listen to Me! Listen to Me! Listen to Me!”  It’s like a dad talking to his teenage kid.  God wants them to get the message that He is going to save them and His salvation and righteousness is forever (51:6,8).

·       Their answer is, Awake! Awake!  Again, it’s like a dad to his teen, only this time the people are saying this to God: “Wake up! Wake up!”  You used to save Israel, back in the good old days (51:9-11).

·       God responds to them with the same words, “Wake up! Wake up!”  You’ve had it bad, as bad as it can get.  You have drunk of the cup of the LORD’s fury!  But it’s time to stand up.  I’m going to give the same cup to those who have afflicted you (51:17-23).

·       And then the LORD says it again (52:1): “Wake up! Wake up!”  Quit acting like captives.  Put on your fine clothes.  You are going to be redeemed from slavery and it won’t cost you a dime (52:3).  This is the best possible news, O Israel, that your God reigns (52:7) and is going to bring His salvation (52:10).

·       God says they need to leave their captivity behind.  Only He is so excited or emphatic or however you describe it, that He again has to say it twice (52:11): “Get out of there! Get out of there!” 

What I’m saying is that there is something exciting going on here.  I went back into the earlier chapters of Isaiah and you don’t have these double-commands.  You don’t see them back in Isa. 7 or 9 or 11 where you have the tremendous promises of Immanuel, the Child of the virgin, the Son of God, who will be “God with us.” 

As a matter of fact, as far as I can tell, the double “Awake” is used only one other time in the Bible (Jud. 5:12 in the time of Deborah and Barak).  In Isa. 40:1-2 you have a double or even a triple “comfort” but it doesn’t sound as exciting.  Maybe it is.  It’s the same subject as here: Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” says your God.  Speak comfort to Jerusalem and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.  In other words, she has drunk from the cup of the LORD’s fury but now it’s over.  The battle is over!

Why is it that in the journey from Isaiah 40 that it doesn’t get enthusiastic or passionate or urgent or full of emotion (I love a Thesaurus) until Isaiah 51?  Well, we’ll answer that question tomorrow.  Maybe you already know.  The answer was slipped into 40:2 but maybe you missed it.  See you tomorrow!