Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"Put on your strength, O Zion"
Text: Isaiah 52:1
A CRY TO ZION TO AWAKE
Zion was the special name for Jerusalem as the religious capital of ancient Israel. Jerusalem as they knew it was no more, for it was razed to the ground by the Babylonians. But Zion was more of a spiritual entity! It can arise once more!
“Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you.
Shake yourself from the dust, arise;
Sit down, O Jerusalem!
Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck,
O captive daughter of Zion!”
Isaiah 52:1-2
1. Zion and Jerusalem
a) They are identified together in this text.
b) Jerusalem was lovingly regarded as “the holy city”.
c) Even more significantly, it was called “Zion” by the LORD.
d) Zion is mentioned more than 150 times in the Bible (Isaiah and Psalms in particular):
i) As a holy city.
ii) As refuge for all worshippers.
2. The cry to Zion.
a) To put on strength.
b) To put on “beautiful garments”.
c) To be awakened spiritually to God.
3. A solemn word to Zion.
a) Their enemies would no longer invade them.
b) They were described as “the uncircumcised and the unclean”.
4. A great exhortation to “the captive daughter of Zion”.
a) “Shake yourself from the dust, arise”
i) Zion must bestir itself.
ii) The LORD has freed Zion.
b) “Sit down, O Jerusalem!”
i) It must dare to sit down in dignity.
ii) It must not continue to lie down submissively for the enemies to walk over it.
c) “Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck”
i) The bonds around the neck have been broken!
ii) Zion must lose the mindset of being slaves!