Isaiah 52
Living Like There is No Tomorrow
This is the 3rd wake up call given to Jerusalem. This is a command not only to wake up but to get ready! God is not calling these people to just put off their old ways and habits but to put on their “beautiful garments.” Babylon, the nation that enslaved God’s people, would fall and God’s people would rise from the ashes. God is calling His people to be ready. Ready for what? He wanted them to be dressed and ready for His coming; for Him to free them from captivity and return them home.
The whole point of the first 12 verses of this chapter was for them to live and be prepared for the return home. They were live each day as though it was the day they were going to leave. When the people of Israel left their captivity from Egypt back in Exodus they took everything they could from the Egyptians – silver, gold, jewelry, and clothing. But here God commands them to leave everything unclean behind. God was bringing His people home more pure then when they were taken captive.
Just like God’s people were called to live life expecting to be taken home at any time, so should we live life expecting to go home at any time. As Christians, this earth is not our home. The house that you live in is not your home. The minute you give your life to Christ you eternal home is Heaven. And so, because our new home is Heaven we should live life ready and expecting to go home at any time. You don’t know when you will be taken home. The Lord could come at any moment to take us home. Would you live your life differently if that was your first thought in the morning and the last though before you went to bed?
What would you change if you knew that you only had 1 week before the Lord came to take us all home? Would you try and fix any broken relationships? Would you tell as many people as you could about Christ? Would you even be excited that you get to go to Heaven? Ask God to change your heart and to help you live each day as though it were your last.
The only reason that you and I get to go to Heaven is because of what Christ the “Servant” did for us on the cross. Jesus was broken for us. He was so beaten that you could not even recognize Him as a man. He did it because we needed a way of forgiveness because of the sin we have committed. He defeated sin and death and provided a way of forgiveness when He died and rose again. How can you gain that forgiveness? By repenting of your sin and putting your hope and faith in Jesus. We will look at this more closely in chapter 53.
