As Isaiah shares the prophecy of the coming King, these words would be often repeated by coming generations as a reminder of God’s redemption. Some would catch glimpses, others not, and even in our modern day, these passages are read for encouragement and comfort.
God is calling his backslidden people back to himself:
Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure,
you who carry the articles of the Lord’s house. But you will not leave in haste or go in flight;
for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. Isaiah 52:11-12 NIV
As we near the verses on Christ himself, our hearts must be prepared, just as those who were going out to share this good news were required to be purified while carrying the articles of the Lord. Only in relationship with Christ and thus filled with his Spirit, will we be able to grasp the depth and meaning of the message to be believed.
The good news for those in Isaiah’s time, and for us today, is that God goes before us and hems us in. He protects his people and protects his message.
Think about that.
With all the messages the world spews forth today, there is ONE message that has lasted the millennia and remained true—the message of Christ our Redeemer.
It’s obvious then why there is no reason to rush or escape in fear; we can stand firm in the message of Christ. His words are solid rock, and we can build our lives on them in complete confidence.
Do you realize that when you share the good news of Jesus, God is preparing the way before you? He’s also got your back! That message is the article we hold in our hands and share with the world. It’s no wonder we need to keep our hearts and minds pure. When we have a clear conscious before Christ by keeping our slate clean in confession of sins, we are the best messengers for his name.
As we move forward in this passage, prepare your heart and mind for God to reveal Christ in an even deeper way, both for you to believe and share with others.
This message to be believed is for sharing!
Grace and Peace