Shake yourself free from the dust, rise up, take a seat, O Jerusalem. Loosen for yourself the bands on your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.” (Isaiah 52:1, 2)

Jehovah has moved the heart of Cyrus to free the “captive daughter of Zion” so that the former inhabitants of Jerusalem and their offspring can leave Babylon, return to Jerusalem, and restore true worship. No uncircumcised and unclean ones must be found in Jerusalem.​—Ezra 1:1-4.

3. Why can the congregation of anointed Christians be called the “daughter of Zion,” and in what sense are they liberated?

³ These words of Isaiah also have a fulfillment on the Christian congregation. The congregation of anointed Christians can be described as the modern-day “daughter of Zion,” since “Jerusalem above” is their mother.a Set free from pagan teachings and apostate doctrines, the anointed must maintain a clean standing before Jehovah, no, not by being circumcised in the flesh, but by being circumcised in their hearts. (Jeremiah 31:33; Romans 2:25-29) This includes maintaining spiritual, mental, and moral cleanness before Jehovah.​—1 Corinthians 7:19; Ephesians 2:3.

4. Although “Jerusalem above” has never disobeyed Jehovah, what experiences of her representatives on earth mirror those of the ancient inhabitants of Jerusalem?

⁴ True, “Jerusalem above” has never disobeyed Jehovah. During the first world war, however, her representatives on earth​—anointed Christians—​unwittingly broke Jehovah’s law because they did not properly understand true Christian neutrality. Losing divine favor, they came into spiritual captivity to “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion. (Revelation 17:5) Their condition of being in slavery climaxed in June 1918 when eight staff members of the Watch Tower Society were imprisoned on false charges, including conspiracy. At that point the organized preaching of the good news virtually stopped. In 1919, however, a clarion call to spiritual wakefulness was sounded forth. Anointed Christians began to separate themselves more completely from the moral and spiritual uncleanness of Babylon the Great. They rose from the dust of captivity, and “Jerusalem above” came to have the splendor of a “holy city” where spiritual uncleanness is not allowed.