"Git!!" - Isaiah 52 part 3

"Depart, depart, go out from there,

touch nothing unclean;

go out from the midst of her,

purify yourselves,

you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

But you will not go out in haste,

nor will you go as fugitives;

for the LORD will go before you,

and the God of Israel will be your rear guard."

(vs 11-12)

Lovely feet have brought good news to Israel. Their peace, happiness, and salvation is at hand. Their God reigns and their cruel captor is about to fall. What are they to do with this good news? Get out of Dodge!

I loved Matthew Henry's words on these verses this morning. "When liberty is proclaimed, let the people of God hasten out of Babylon with all convenient speed: Depart, depart, go out from the midst of her; be gone. Babylon is no place for Israelites. And it is a call to all those who are yet in the bondage of sin and Satan to make use of the liberty which Christ has proclaimed to them. Let them take heed of carrying away with them any of the pollutions of Babylon: touch no unclean thing. Let them depend on the presence of God with them and His protection of them in their removal: you shall not go out in haste. They were to go with a diligent haste, but not with a difffident distrustful haste, as if they were afraid of being pursued. God will both lead their van and bring up their rear."

Lord, help me not to linger in Babylon but to walk diligently and continually in the light of Your law and by the power of Your grace with my face set as flint towards the Celestial City!

Departing,

Lori