It’s one thing to speak of the goodness and greatness of God to a people who’ve not known sorrow or loss. But that’s not the people this Psalm is written for. Isaiah 52 speaks squarely to God’s people who are quite familiar with humiliation, displacement, and the weight of oppression from a foreign power.
 
The messenger appears from the mountain with news they could hardly believe; news that I’m sure sounded impossible. He says that peace and salvation are coming and Zion is assured their God reigns!

The message of hope spoken of here is one of good news, one that begins with something God has already accomplished and something that’s already true. God reigns!

I know I say it all the time, but only because it’s true. We’ve reduced the Gospel (the good news) to such a small footprint, primarily convincing people to just adopt our beliefs or join our church; I fear we’ve lost the larger vision, and Isaiah gives it back. This messenger brought news of God’s returning rule; He was saving and comforting His people who thought they had been overtaken by ruin. I love it in the passage as the watchmen lift their voices because they can see the Lord restoring His glory to Zion.

Today, we may not be seeing the messenger crest the hills from a place of exile, but we do find a fullness of the idea in Jesus, the crucified and risen King. He isn’t sending us out into a ragged world with a fragile message dependent on our ability to defend it and convince people of its merits. No, we bear witness to the reign established by God Himself.
 
This should give us courage to speak without a need to be combative, to proclaim peace while our hands resist the need for control. It allows us to serve without recognition and love without reciprocity. Contrary to popular belief, our task isn’t to make Jesus King, but to faithfully announce He’s already reigning!

What would change about how you shared the good news of the Gospel if you approached witness as carrying the message of His rule and reign rather than winning an argument? How can the fact that God reigns change the way you respond when the world feels unstable and is actively resistant to the things of God?

Father, I’m so glad your messenger has declared your reign over all the earth! Sometimes, I admit, I feel pressure to control the outcomes and defend you through my intellect and power of argumentation. I pray my words would be truthful, peaceful, and full of confidence in only what You have done. Help me announce the Good News with courage and the kind of character that mirrors the King I proclaim. Amen.

“The good news I need to remember is that God reigns over __________________.”