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<p>The removal of the Jews from Babylon to their own land again is here spoken of both as a mercy and as a duty; and the application of <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.52.7" href="/passage/?search=Isa.52.7">Isa. 52:7</a> to the preaching of the gospel (by the apostle, <a class="bibleref" title="Rom.10.15" href="/passage/?search=Rom.10.15">Rom. 10:15</a>) plainly intimates that that deliverance was a type and figure of the redemption of mankind by Jesus Christ, to which what is here said of their redemption out of Babylon ought to be accommodated.</p>
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<p class="tab-1">I. It is here spoken of as a great blessing, which ought to be welcomed with abundance of joy and thankfulness. 1. Those that bring the tidings of their release shall be very acceptable (<a class="bibleref" title="Isa.52.7" href="/passage/?search=Isa.52.7">Isa. 52:7</a>): “<i>How beautiful upon the mountains</i>, the mountains round about Jerusalem, over which these messengers are seen coming at a distance, <i>how beautiful are their feet</i>, when it is known what tidings they bring!” It is not meant so much of the common posts, or the messengers sent express by the government to disperse the proclamation, but rather of some of the Jews themselves, who, being at the fountain-head of intelligence, had early notice of it, and immediately went themselves, or sent their own messengers, to all parts, to disperse the news, and even to Jerusalem itself, to tell the few who remained there that their brethren would be with them shortly; for it is published not merely as matter of news, but as a proof that Zion’s God reigns, for in that language it is published: they say unto Zion, <i>Thy God reigns</i>. Those who bring the tidings of peace and salvation, that Cyrus has given orders for the release of the Jews, tidings which were so long expected by those that waited for the consolation of Israel, those <i>good tidings</i> (so the original reads it, without the tautology of our translation, <i>good tidings of good</i>), put this construction upon it, <i>O Zion! thy God reigns</i>. Note, When bad news is abroad this is good news, and when good news is abroad this is the best news, that Zion’s God reigns, that God is Zion’s God, in covenant with her, and as such he reigns, <a class="bibleref" title="Ps.146.10,Zech.9.9" href="/passage/?search=Ps.146.10,Zech.9.9"><span class="bibleref" title="Ps.146.10">Ps. 146:10</span>; <span class="bibleref" title="Zech.9.9">Zech. 9:9</span></a>. <i>The Lord has founded Zion</i>, <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.14.32" href="/passage/?search=Isa.14.32">Isa. 14:32</a>. All events have their rise in the disposals of the kingdom of his providence and their tendency to the advancement of the kingdom of his grace. This must be applied to the preaching of the gospel, which is a proclamation of peace and salvation; it is gospel indeed, good news, glad tidings, tidings of victory over our spiritual enemies and liberty from our spiritual bondage. The good news is that the Lord Jesus reigns and all power is given to him. Christ himself brought these tidings first (<a class="bibleref" title="Luke.4.18,Heb.2.3" href="/passage/?search=Luke.4.18,Heb.2.3"><span class="bibleref" title="Luke.4.18">Luke 4:18</span>; <span class="bibleref" title="Heb.2.3">Heb. 2:3</span></a>), and of him the text speaks: <i>How beautiful are his feet</i>! his feet that were nailed to the cross, how beautiful upon Mount Calvary! his feet when he came <i>leaping upon the mountains</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Song.2.8" href="/passage/?search=Song.2.8">Song 2:8</a>), how beautiful were they to those who knew his voice and knew it to be the voice of their beloved! His ministers proclaim these good tidings; they ought to keep their feet clean from the pollutions of the world, and then they ought to be beautiful in the eyes of those to whom they are sent, who sit at their feet, or rather at Christ’s in them, to hear his word. They must be <i>esteemed in love</i> for <i>their work’s sake</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="1Thess.5.13" href="/passage/?search=1Thess.5.13">1 Thess. 5:13</a>), for their message sake, which is well worthy of all acceptation. 2. Those to whom the tidings are brought shall be put thereby into a transport of joy. (1.) Zion’s watchmen shall then rejoice because they are surprisingly illuminated, <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.52.8" href="/passage/?search=Isa.52.8">Isa. 52:8</a>. The watchmen on Jerusalem’s walls shall lead the chorus in this triumph. Who they were we are told, <a class="bibleref" title="Isa.62.6" href="/passage/?search=Isa.62.6">Isa. 62:6</a>. They were such as God
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<p class="tab-1">II. It is here spoken of as a great business, which ought to be managed with abundance of care and circumcision. When the liberty is proclaimed, 1. Let the people of God hasten out of Babylon with all convenient speed; though they are ever so well settled there, let them not think of taking root in Babylon, but <i>Depart, depart</i> (<a class="bibleref" title="Isa.52.11" href="/passage/?search=Isa.52.11">Isa. 52:11</a>), <i>go out from the midst of her</i>; not only those that are in the borders, but those that are in the midst, in the heart of the country, let them be gone. Babylon is no place for Israelites. As soon as they have leave to let go, let them lose no time. With this word God stirred up the spirits of those that were moved to go up, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.1.5" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.1.5">Ezra 1:5</a>. 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. And, if the Son <i>make them free, they shall be free indeed</i>. 2. Let them take heed of carrying away with them any of the pollutions of Babylon: <i>Touch no unclean thing</i>. Now that God makes bare his holy arm for you, <i>be you holy as he is, and keep yourselves from every wicked thing</i>. When they came out of Egypt they brought with them the idolatrous customs of Egypt (<a class="bibleref" title="Ezek.23.3" href="/passage/?search=Ezek.23.3">Ezek. 23:3</a>), which were their ruin; let them take heed of doing so now that they come out of Babylon. Note, When we are receiving any special mercy from God we ought more carefully than ever to watch against all impurity. But especially let those be <i>clean</i> who <i>bear the vessels of the Lord</i>, that is, the priests, who had the charge of the vessels of the sanctuary (when they were restored by a particular grant) to carry them to Jerusalem, <a class="bibleref" title="Ezra.1.7,Ezra.8.23" href="/passage/?search=Ezra.1.7,Ezra.8.23"><span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.1.7">Ezra 1:7</span>; <span class="bibleref" title="Ezra.8.23">8:23</span></a> Let them not only avoid touching any unclean thing, but be very careful to <i>cleanse themselves according to the purification of the sanctuary</i>. Christians are made to our God spiritual priests, <a class="bibleref" title="Rev.1.6" href="/passage/?search=Rev.1.6">Rev. 1:6</a>. They are to bear the vessels of the Lord, are entrusted to keep the ordinances of God pure and entire; it is a good thing that is committed to them, and they ought to be clean, to wash their hands in innocency and so to compass God’s altars and carry his vessels, and keep themselves pure. 3. Let them depend upon the presence of God with them and his protection in their removal (<a class="bibleref" title="Isa.52.12" href="/passage/?search=Isa.52.12">Isa. 52:12</a>): <i>You shall not go out with haste</i>. They were to go with a diligent haste, not to lose time nor linger as Lot in Sodom, but they were not to go with a diffident distrustful haste, as if they were afraid of being pursued (as when they came out of Egypt) or of having the orders for their release recalled and countermanded: no, they shall find that, as for God, his work is perfect, and therefore they need not make more haste than good speed. Cyrus shall give them an honourable discharge, and they shall have an honourable return, and not steal away; <i>for the Lord will go before them</i> as their general and commander-in-chief, <i>and the God of Israel will be their rearward</i>, or he that will gather up those that are left behind. God will both lead their van and bring up their rear; he will secure them from enemies that either meet them or follow them, for with his favour will he compass them. The pillar of cloud and fire, when they came out of Egypt, sometimes went behind them, to secure their rear (<a class="bibleref" title="Exod.14.19" href="/passage/?search=Exod.14.19">Exod. 14:19</a>), and God’s presence with them would now be that to them which that pillar was a visible token of. Those that are in t
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