“How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
‘Your God reigns!’”
~Isaiah 52:7 (NIV).
This is what the Lord says. Consistent with the Lord Jesus’ final consummating command in Matthew 28:18-20—the Great Commission, the Father lifts the sweet evangelist into heaven and kisses him or her for their convicted beauty, sealing the task as anointed, post-victory.
And on the mountain the evangelist climbs, both bringing a “high” message and so they can get some vocal resonance occurring. The “messenger” brings the Lord’s message with glee.
The proclamation of a message fervently about peace, goodness and salvation is always welcome as the Lord’s kingship is displayed for all to see, reminiscent of Psalms 93:1, 97:1 and 99:1.[1]
This is good news at any time, especially during a time of palpable affliction; it breathes hope into the situation and a joy held for better times; for the King of kings rules indeed—over all—now in reality. It might seem strange that Isaiah’s working context is ruination—yet good news is most hope-filled in these sorts of desperate times as souls hold out for the last morsel of hope with which to cling to.
What is heralded is the homecoming of the Lord. In more plain terms, peace is obviously the end of war, conflict and threat; good tidings means there’s very little bad news on the horizon—certainly nothing of contemptible note; and, salvation indicates the reign of the wicked has ceased and those in bondage have been released.[2] The messenger brings their message in the sight of all this. They proclaim something that—in context—has already taken place.
And so it is for us. We live nearly 2,000 years hence from the most salvific act in the history of the world—where salvation was declared with finality in the resurrected and ascended Christ. This is the cosmic backdrop of our message. It is not a new message. But it does need to be proclaimed with “newness.”
The stain of wrath has since been removed. We are free. We should then live free.
© 2010 S. J. Wickham.
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