Isaiah 52:8

8 Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion. So they shout with joy.

Isaiah 52:8 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 52:8

The watchmen shall lift up the voice
Not the Levites in the temple, nor the prophets of the Old Testament; rather the evangelists and apostles of Christ; best of all Gospel ministers in the latter day, so called in allusion to watch men on the walls of cities looking out, and giving notice of approaching danger; see ( Isaiah 62:6 Isaiah 62:7 ) . The words may be rendered, "the voice of the watchmen; they shall lift up the voice; together shall they sing"; that is, this is the voice of the watchmen, namely, the voice of peace and salvation, which the bringer of good tidings, the same with these watchmen, publish. "Lifting up" their "voice" denotes the publicness of their ministrations, the vehemency of them, and their importance; "singing together", their joy and cheerfulness, their harmony and unity. For they shall see eye to eye;
most clearly, Zion's King reigning before his ancients gloriously; the great doctrines of peace and salvation published by them; and the great and wonderful things God will do for his church, in fulfilling prophecies relating thereunto. So the Targum,

``for with their eyes they shall see the great things which the Lord will do;''

and as their light and discerning will be most clear, like the light of seven days, so it will be alike in them; their sentiments and doctrines will exactly agree; there will be no difference nor dissension among them: when the Lord shall bring again Zion:
return his church and people to their former state, from whence they were declined; restore them as at the beginning; revive his work among them; cause his Gospel and ordinances to be professed and observed in their purity; call in his ancient people the Jews, and bring in the fulness of the Gentiles; pour out his spirit in a plentiful manner on them, and grant his gracious presence to them; so the Targum,

``when he shall return his Shechinah or divine Majesty to Zion.''

This text is by the Jews ^F14 applied to the times of the Messiah, and to the resurrection of the dead ^F15.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 Pesikta in Kettoreth Hassammim in Targ. in Numb. fol. 25. 4.
F15 T. Bab. Sanhedrhin. fol. 91. 2.

Isaiah 52:8 In-Context

6 So the day will come when my people will really know the meaning of my name. They will know what kind of God I am. They will know that I told them ahead of time they would return to their land. They will know that it was I."

7 What a beautiful sight it is to see messengers coming with good news! How beautiful to see them coming down from the mountains with a message about peace! How wonderful it is when they bring the good news that we are saved! How wonderful when they say to Zion, "Your God rules!"

8 Listen! Those on guard duty are shouting out the message. With their own eyes they see the LORD returning to Zion. So they shout with joy.

9 Burst into songs of joy together, you broken-down buildings in Jerusalem. The LORD has comforted his people. He has set Jerusalem free.

10 The LORD will use the power of his holy arm to save his people. All of the nations will see him do it. Everyone from one end of the earth to the other will see it.