The Bible Breakdown

Isaiah 52: Joy is Coming

• Brandon Cannon • Episode 630

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Well, hello everybody. Welcome back to the Bible Breakdown Podcast with your host, pastor Brandon. Today, isaiah, chapter 52, and today's title is Joy is Coming. Joy is Coming. It's almost like when you have a vacation coming up. When it's six months away, you're like, okay, it'll get here one day. Then when it's four months away, you're like it's getting closer. Three months away, you start planning, you start getting excited. Two months, one. You start planning and you start getting excited Two months, one month. And then you get on that countdown 28 days, 14 days, seven days. It's almost like that when it comes to the joy of the Lord.

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I don't know when it's going to be here, but I know it's coming and I'm preparing for it because they're going to be awesome when it gets here. We're going to jump into that in just a moment. But if you like what we're doing here, make sure you like, share and subscribe to the YouTube channel and the podcast, make sure you leave us that five-star review on the podcast and make sure you're going to the Bible Breakdown Discussion on Facebook. They're doing an amazing job doing devotions every day. I love seeing those every day, and the more we dig, the more we find, and I want to say a quick thank you to everybody who has been sharing the podcast and the YouTube channel. I love watching how the podcast continues to reach into different places all over the world, and I also want to give a quick apology, because I've noticed that there are people in Japan and all different Asian nations who are listening. I am sorry for my Southern accent. I know it's not super deep, but it just is what it is. I hope you can pay attention and hear me the best you can. If you can't, my many apologies, because this is the best I got, but I am so thankful that you are listening. Please continue to spread the word, as we are just rallying around and creating now literally a global community of people who are reading God's word every single day, and it is my honor to be your friendly neighborhood Bible tour guide just gushing about God's word together, especially Isaiah 52. So if you have your Bible, I want to get it ready with me. In the new living translation, remember, the overall theme is God is our salvation and the thing is is that we know that God is trustworthy? At this point, isaiah 52, we know God is trustworthy and even if our current situation doesn't look good, we know it's coming and so we get excited for what's coming, almost like when a vacation is coming. I don't know how this is with you, but when I know I've got a vacation coming, it gives me strength for today, because I know that day is on the way. Now I'm still weary and I'm still tired, but I know if I can just make it a few more days, I'm going to have a good time, and that's what the joy of the Lord is like. Not only does it give us hope for today, but it also gives us an expected hope that what we're going through today is not always going to be that way, and that's what we're going to learn about in Isaiah, chapter 52. So if you're ready, let's read God's word today.

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Verse one says this wake up. Wake up, o Zion. Clothe yourself in strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, o holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer. Rise from the dust, o Jerusalem, sit in a place of honor. Remove the chains of slavery from your neck, o captive daughter of Zion, for this is what the Lord says when I sold you into exile. In other words, what he's saying is is I didn't want to do it, but I sent you. Now I'm getting you back, verse 4.

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This is what the sovereign Lord says. Long ago, my people chose to live in Egypt. Now they are oppressed by Assyria. What is this, asked the Lord? Why are my people enslaved again? Those who rule them shout in exaltation. My name is blasphemed all day long, but I will reveal my name to my people and they will come to know its power. Then, at last, they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them. How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messengers who bring good news, the good news of peace and salvation, the news that the God of Israel reigns. The watchmen shout and sing with joy, for before their very eyes they will see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. Let the ruins of Jerusalem break into joyful song, for the Lord has comforted his people and he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has demonstrated his holy power before the eyes of all the nations. All the ends of the earth will see the victory of our God.

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Get out. Get out and leave your captivity where everything you touch is unclean. Get out from there and purify yourselves. Who carry home and sacred objects of the Lord? You will not leave in a hurry, running for your lives, for the Lord will go ahead of you. Yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind. See, my servant will prosper. He will protect you from behind. He was a man and he will startle many nations. Kings will stand speechless in his presence, for they will see what they have not been told and they will understand what they had not heard about. Well, as you can see, there are two things happening in this chapter. The second half is what we're actually going to get into tomorrow, and it is the beginning of probably one of the most important chapters in the entire book of Isaiah one of the most controversial books in all of Isaiah and I'm really excited to read it to you because it is one of the most explicit prophecies about the Messiah in the entire Old Testament. It's going to be powerful, but we're going to save that for tomorrow.

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The first half is talking about how joy is on the way. I love how God's word says that when I deliver you, you're not gonna have to sneak out, you're not gonna have to pretend like everything is one way and then do another. I'm gonna deliver you in such a way that you're gonna be able to stand strong and be proud at what I am doing, and can I encourage you with that today? God is moving in your life in more ways than you can imagine. God is moving in your life in more ways than you can imagine.

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God is always working, and what I love about the Lord is that when he delivers us, he doesn't do it in a private way. He doesn't do it in a secret way, because when God delivers us from trouble, he has two things he's doing at the same time. Number one is he is rescuing us, and number two, he is displaying his glory for all to see, so that others can come to him as well. And so what God wants to do in your life, he wants to turn into a testimony so that we can share it with others. And so this is what I want to encourage you with today Testify of the Lord's goodness before he delivers you. I know that may seem hard, but testify of his goodness before he delivers you. I know that may seem hard, but testify of his goodness before he delivers you. In other words, what that means is is, before you see the incoming, tell everybody about your trust in God.

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Maybe you're walking with someone right now, and they know the difficulty you've been going through, the mental health struggles you've been having the relationship troubles. You've been having the problems with your children, the problems with your parents, problems with school, problems with work, financial problems, whatever it is, and as you are doing the best you can do with what you know how, and you're honoring the Lord, why don't you go ahead and, before you see it coming, tell somebody I know joy is coming, I know God's going to get me through this and I'm going to celebrate beforehand so that when it happens, it's going to encourage both of us. Here's my question of the day who do you know that you need to testify to before the joy comes? Who do you know? Who is somebody you know who is going through something similar to what you're going through? Or maybe they're walking with you. Who is someone today that you can say you know what? Thank you so much for walking with me, and I just want you to know. I trust that God's going to get us through this and I want to go ahead and celebrate it now so that, when it happens, you and I will know it could have only been the Lord.

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Let's pray together right now. God, thank you so much for today. Thank you, god, that joy is coming. Joy is on the way. Even if we don't see it, we know it's coming and before it even happens, we say thank you, god, for what you are doing and we celebrate you In Jesus' name. We pray Amen and say it with me. God's word says in Isaiah, chapter 12, verse 2, god has come to save me. I trust in him and will not be afraid. The Lord, god, is my strength and my song. He has given me victory. I love you. I'll see you tomorrow for a powerful chapter. Isaiah, chapter 53.

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Brandon Cannon

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