Chapter 52 flows naturally from the contextual thoughts of chapter 51. Israel is frightened. Israel is despairing. Israel has fainted in the midst of these perilous times. She is overwhelmed by her circumstances and overcome by her troubles. She has passed out in her fears and needs to be awakened from the slumber of hopelessness.
The cry is sounded. The alarm goes off. "Awake, awake, clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; clothe yourself in your beautiful garments." I need to hear this alarm clock and I need to wake up!!
Perilous, difficult times fall upon us all but in the midst of them we need not fall into a doze of discouragement. No! We need to awaken and when we do we need to put on the robe of our God's strength and beauty. My own garments are filthy rags. They are tattered and torn. They weigh me down, wear me out, and quite honestly, they stink! Praise God I don't have to wear them instead I need to wear Him! I need to be clothed in Christ! I need to lay aside the garments I have made for myself and "put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." (Rom 13:14).
Where Christ is worn flesh won't fit. His presence and His strength will bring about reformation in our lives. The garment of light will shatter the cloak of darkness. When clothed in Him "the uncircumcised and the unclean will no more come into you." Here these words and wear these robes. "Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captive Jerusalem; loose yourself from the chains around your neck, O captive daughter of Zion."
O LORD, awaken your people from the slumber of despondency, clothe us in your strength and beauty, chase away the unclean things that linger within, raise us from the dust and loose the chains that so often tie us down. Help us to wake up and get dressed!
In His glorious grace,
Lori
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