WVW: Ya’ll Got Beautiful Feet- Isaiah 52:7
During this weird time where we are all in quarantine and watching church services on Facebook or Youtube, I was really upset; You see, My pastor preached one of the most amazing gospel- centered sermons I had ever heard. I remained upset though because the video angle only showed his face and I really wanted to compliment him on his beautiful feet. I’m sure his feet were glistening while he was preaching. Wait…. What? As odd as that sounds, it seems like Isaiah 52:7 teaches that people who bring good news, have really beautiful feet; with that said, I think it’s a perfect verse to explain on this Weird Verse Wednesday!
Isaiah 52:7
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’”
Why feet?
At first glance, this verse is quite ironic. In our society, when we think of beauty, we almost never mention someone’s stinky feet as being beautiful; however, in this context, it is not talking about their appearance- it is talking about their action. Imagine this, if you were drowning, how beautiful would it be to have a saving lifeguard running your way. If you were dying of thirst, imagine the beauty of a life saving glass of water. Imagine how beautiful it would be to have a lifeboat if you were in a sinking ship. None of the aforementioned things are physically beautiful, but what they bring to human life certainly is.
What’s the context?
In our passage, Isaiah prophetically sees the messenger’s feet that bring good news to a land that desperately needed it. In Isaiah, this is one of the many times in scripture where we learn that Israel is desperate and desolate. In this case, Israel had already experienced God’s punishment in Egypt, and they were desperate for some good news and Isaiah knew a messenger was coming to give it to them.
After a deserving, weary time for Jerusalem, Judah’s redemption was coming through the defeat of Babylon. They no longer had to experience the face of da feet…. Sorry guys, I had to do it.
What does this passage mean for us today?
Understanding Israel’s history is vital for Christians to read the Bible properly. We see a lot of people love to cherry pick Bible verses in order to take them out of context to show apparent Bible contradictions. The beautiful thing about this passage and the Old Testament as a whole is that it paints a beautiful picture that points to Jesus Christ for us today.
Almost a millennium after this event in Isaiah 52, the apostle Paul references this passage in Romans 10: 14-15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” In conclusion, like Judah rejoiced at the good news they received of redemption, we too must rejoice at the message of the Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ taking the wrath of God on himself in our place by dying for the sins of those who put their faith in Him.
If you do not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, please write us an email at Bibledingers@gmail.com or look us up on any social media platform. We will be happy to pray with you and answer any questions that you have. We love you guys.
Ding on,
Nick