Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength! Put on your garments of splendor, Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again. Shake off your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, Daughter Zion, now a captive. – Isaiah 52:1-2

Today's Scripture Reading (September 15, 2023): Isaiah 52

A few years ago, a Twitter (now X) acquaintance had a nickname for me; he called me "The Per Verse Pastor." Say that quickly, and it doesn't sound good. But I understood his complaint, and I have admitted that to him. His objection was that I handle the Bible one (or sometimes two or even three) verses at a time. But the problem is that the Bible wasn't written that way. In fact, the verse numbers and chapter breaks are not part of the original document. They were added later, and sometimes, we really don't understand why they are inserted where they are.

Maybe a good case in point is this chapter of Isaiah. The reality is that verses 1-12 of this chapter really should be added to the previous chapter of Isaiah. And verses 13-15 are an excellent introduction to Isaiah 53. The result is a chapter that maybe shouldn't exist, yet it does for some unknown reason.

But the problem is much deeper than that. I go verse by verse more out of convenience than for any other reason. But even then, I often recognize that I must go beyond the scripture passage under examination to get to the passage's true meaning. And that is true in these two verses. We can't make proper sense of this passage without looking back at what the prophet wrote in Isaiah 47.

"Go down, sit in the dust,
    Virgin Daughter Babylon;
sit on the ground without a throne,
    queen city of the Babylonians.
No more will you be called
    tender or delicate.
Take millstones and grind flour;
    take off your veil.
Lift up your skirts, bare your legs,
    and wade through the streams.
Your nakedness will be exposed
    and your shame uncovered.
I will take vengeance;
    I will spare no one" (Isaiah 47:1-3)

The parallels between the two passages are significant. While the prophet speaks of Babylon's nakedness, Jerusalem is clothed in splendor. While Babylon sits in the dust, Jerusalem is instructed to shake the dust off. While Babylon sits on the ground, Jerusalem assumes her position on a throne. Zion might now be a captive and Babylon the master, but the time is coming when everything will change.

Of course, this is a Jerusalem we have not seen yet. It is a spiritual Jerusalem or New Jerusalem. It is a version of the Holy City that we don't know, but one day, we will.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53