Isaiah 52:7-10
This is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. "How beautiful
on/upon the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news..."
The picture Isaiah presents is of a king, or a monarch, a sovereign coming to
town. The town is Zion, Jerusalem, which was devastated and destroyed and the
people carried to exile in Babylon. When the temple was destroyed, the meeting
place for God and His people, God left too. What remained was only
desolation.
And now, we see this picture of God returning to Zion. If you have watched on
TV or seen in real life when a monarch or head of state visits a town, there is
usually a lot of communication that goes on. Messages are relayed –
electronically today – about every move. The crowds that assemble the route pass on information, on twitter or facebook and even take pictures and transmit them to those who are not lucky to be there.
The difference is that those in this passage did not have twitter or facebook. But they positioned themselves on hill tops and mountains where they could see the convoy – or motorcade if you like – below them. They passed on information to those yet to be reached by the sovereign. Essentially, they served as lookouts.
Today too, when the President or Queen of England, visits a town, those along
the route consider themselves lucky and to be part of history. That is why they
convey their experience..
So, in our passage: Who are these lookouts or messengers on the mountains and hill top? They are anybody who happens to be there and cares to be a lookout. And what is the good news? It is the return of God to Zion. The desolation is over and God reigns again.
This is one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible. "How beautiful
on/upon the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news..."
The picture Isaiah presents is of a king, or a monarch, a sovereign coming to
town. The town is Zion, Jerusalem, which was devastated and destroyed and the
people carried to exile in Babylon. When the temple was destroyed, the meeting
place for God and His people, God left too. What remained was only
desolation.
And now, we see this picture of God returning to Zion. If you have watched on
TV or seen in real life when a monarch or head of state visits a town, there is
usually a lot of communication that goes on. Messages are relayed –
electronically today – about every move. The crowds that assemble the route pass on information, on twitter or facebook and even take pictures and transmit them to those who are not lucky to be there.
The difference is that those in this passage did not have twitter or facebook. But they positioned themselves on hill tops and mountains where they could see the convoy – or motorcade if you like – below them. They passed on information to those yet to be reached by the sovereign. Essentially, they served as lookouts.
Today too, when the President or Queen of England, visits a town, those along
the route consider themselves lucky and to be part of history. That is why they
convey their experience..
So, in our passage: Who are these lookouts or messengers on the mountains and hill top? They are anybody who happens to be there and cares to be a lookout. And what is the good news? It is the return of God to Zion. The desolation is over and God reigns again.
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