God brought the people of Israel back to their homeland from Babylon, just as he had brought them out of Egypt many years before (Isaiah 48:20–21). (This first rescue from Egypt is called the exodus.) This time, when leaving Babylon, the people needed to be pure and take their time, not rushing to leave (52:11,12).
The experience in exile and the journey compare to a desert from which the Lord rescues (see Isaiah 35:1):
He creates a road through the desert and turns it into a place with water, plants, and animals (Isaiah 43:19–20).
He feeds them (49:10).
He protects them from the heat (49:10).
He gives them strength (58:11).
He changes their sorrow into great joy (51:3).
He pours out his Spirit on them (44:3–4).
Christians also experience an "exodus." They leave behind sin and death through Jesus' death and resurrection. The Holy Spirit helps Christians have a new life. They serve God joyfully while waiting for his kingdom to fully arrive.
Passages for Further Study
Isaiah 35:8–10; 42:14–16; 43:18–21; 44:3–4; 48:20–21; 49:9–12; 52:11–12; 58:8–12; Jeremiah 31:2–17; Joel 3:17–21; Luke 1:78–79; John 7:38; 15:19; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 6:17–18; Ephesians 5:8; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 13:12–14; Revelation 7:16