Isaiah 62:1-12

Isaiah 62:1-12 NIV

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your vindication, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord ’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.

The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled; but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the Lord , and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”

Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations. The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.

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Isaiah 62 is a call to the exiles to rally themselves to rebuild Jerusalem. Though the city lies in ruin, the Lord promises a great rebirth. Though Israel thinks of itself as deserted, the Lord is giving them a new identity through His hopeful message.

It's difficult to know if the voice of the speaker is the Lord or the prophet Isaiah. Since the prophet speaks on behalf of God it's easier to think of the speaker in first person as being the Lord. However, Isaiah 61 clearly has the prophet speaking in first person, so it's a safe bet that Isaiah 62 begins in the voice of Isaiah.

Isaiah will not keep quiet until the Lord has fulfilled His promise to restore Jerusalem to glory. When the rulers of the gentile nations see how Israel's God has rescued and vindicated them, they will talk about them differently. No longer will Israel be thought of as deserted or desolate. They will be thought of as delightful and married to their God. Their new name is Hephzibah, which means, "My delight is in her." The Lord will delight in Jerusalem like a young man delights in his bride. God will marry himself to Jerusalem so that the city will be called Beulah, which means married.

The Lord speaks in first person beginning in verse 6, claiming that He has put watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. God bids them to not sleep, but continue to call upon the Lord until He fulfills his promise to rebuild Jerusalem and restore her glory. Indeed God asks that the watchmen (the priests and Levites) not to let Him rest, but to keep goading the Lord with their prayers until the city is restored.

That's an interesting thought. Quite often we think God is too busy working on much bigger problems than to be bothered with our individual concerns. Yet here in scripture God says, "Keep calling on me and hold me accountable to my promises to you." What would it mean to your prayer life and your relationship with God if you approached Him in this way? What if you trusted God enough to hold him accountable to His word? He's given you permission to do so!

God promises to make Jerusalem the praise of the earth! Never again will they be invaded and plundered. The food and drink they work to produce will be enjoyed by them, and not handed over to some tyrant king. History shows that God's promise here was not kept forever. For a long while it held true, but something happened to change the relationship with Jerusalem. The Greeks occupied and oppressed Israel after Israel's restoration under Persian rule. Sadly, Rome comes centuries later and taxes Israel severely. When Israel rebels the Romans destroy Jerusalem and Israel ceases to be a sovereign nation for nearly 2000 years.

Does this history negate God's word? Are His promises not to be trusted? The Jews did not entertain such questions. They know the Lord to be fully accountable and most trustworthy. They continue to embrace these promises to find their ultimate fulfillment. The church of Jesus Christ embraced these promises too, when John the apostle spoke of the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven adorned as a bride ready for her husband. God's promises often have a now and not yet aspect to them. There is, in a spiritual sense, a present fulfillment, but in the fullest sense there is more to be done.

The Jews look upon the rubble of their city and felt shame, sadness and despair, but the Lord calls to them. "Don't think of yourself in this way! You are loved! You are beautiful! And you will be the queen of all the cities of the earth. So raise the banner high and rally the people. Clear the road. Raise the gates. Enter the city and rejoice." The Lord is coming with reward for His beloved and recompense for the enemies of Israel. Soon the sadness will end and Jerusalem will be known as a city sought after, for they will be once again God's holy people.

As you look upon the world you too may feel sad, ashamed and desperate. But the Lord calls you to hold Him accountable to His promises. He calls you to lift your head and heart and think of yourself and this broken world in terms of what shall be. Paradise was lost, but behold the Lord is making all things new!

Revelation 21:1-5 NIV

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”