ISAIAH 62:1-12
FORSAKEN NO MORE
[Revelations 2:16-17, 3:11-13]
God has a wonderful end in mind for His people. Long ago He purposed the redemption, righteousness, and restoration of the people of Zion. They may anger Him by their sin and hard heartedness, but God stands ready to save and make them holy.
Though the people had deserted God and His ways, He will not forget them nor forsake them. He will continue to speak to them and call them into a deep and meaningful relationship. One day the people of Zion will respond and become His holy, righteous people. God speed the day.
I. BECOMING GOD’S DELIGHT, 1-5.
II. BEING GOD’S WATCHMEN, 6-9.
III. BLESSINGS FOR GOD’S WORKMEN, 10-12.
In verse 1 God promises to continue speaking to and dealing with the people of Zion until glorious changes are wrought in their lives. For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet, until her righteousness goes forth like brightness, and her salvation like a torch that is burning.
God has been actively working to bring about a bright day for His people. In the past God has been charged with not listening to the cries of His people (42:14; 45:15-19; 57:11; 64:12; 65:6) but He was working and will continue to work. The reason the people might not have seen Him working or benefitted from His working is because He is working for His people’s righteousness and salvation. They, like we, want Him working for our greatness and comfort instead.
Day and night our unresting Christ pleads for the people and city that crucified Him. It is in answer to His supplications that she will one day arise from her spiritual ruins. The righteousness of God will shine forth in the character of His saved people, for God has promised to bring to bring it to pass.
Is it not also true that He ever lives to intercede for us also? See Hebrews 7:25. Certainly God’s sifted like wheat Simons in His service would drift beyond hope, if He did not pray for us (Lk. 22:31). Every one of us are recipients of Jesus’ intercessions. Otherwise there would be no hope for our salvation and righteousness.
Verse 2 indicates what happens when His people shine with God’s salvation and righteousness. The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory. And you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate [lit pierce].
The work of God will no longer be hidden within the lives of His people but the nations and kings will see their righteousness and the glory it will bring them. The mention of kings implies even kings will submit to God’s people’s new condition and identity.
His people’s reputation will be so transformed that God will give them, each of them (sg. you) a new name (Rev. 2:17; Isa 56:5). (Similar to when God changed Abram, Jacob, Simon & Saul’s name). Their new name will reflect the new condition and character that God’s work of salvation provides for them. God will name His people in accordance to what they are.
Verse 3 contains another indication of the transformation of both the people and their condition. You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem (lit. turban) in the hand of your God.
A crown of beauty (glory) and a royal diadem are used to express the greatness of God’s handiwork in the life’s of those who shine with His righteousness. In His care and protection their royal beauty will formed. God will graciously bless those who dare to trust Him and believe His promises far beyond what they could do for themselves.
The long awaited change of condition is further expressed in verse 4 by a change of names. It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," Nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; But you will be called, "My delight is in her," And your land, "Married"(Beulah); For the Lord delights in you, and to Him your land will be married.
The future will be entirely different for God’s people. They will no longer be forsaken nor desolate but they will be called "My delight is in her," (Hebrew Hephzi-bah). When the people stop trying to exalt themselves and turn to God through the Servan, He will bless them so that they become a fruitful delight instead of arrogantly desolate of His relationship blessings.
The conditions of choice, joy, commitment and covenant that come with marriage make it a good word for conveying what God clearly wants to say. When the people of Zion surrender their independence and commit themselves fully to God, God delights it them. So much so that the people of God will be as YAHWEH’s wife. The original blessing upon marriage in Genesis 1:28 was to be fruitful and fill the land. Now the promises is upon prospering [or indwelling - tibashel] the people and their place.
Verse 5 continues to use the thought of marriage. For as a young man marries a virgin, so your sons will marry you. And as the (exultation of the) bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.
Righteous Zion would no longer be barren, forsaken and desolate but be a delight to God and have spiritual sons and bear spiritual fruit. Thus God will rejoice greatly (with great joy) over the bride at the great wedding feast. His joy would be that of a bridegroom over a new bride. The language expresses the utmost rejoicing.
With all that God’s ancient people endured what a source of comfort it would be to meditate upon their being called "My Delight is in You." It is still true today. When circumstances and problems attempt to destroy hope may you too hear your triumphant Bridegroom whisper to you His bride ( 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:27; Rev. 21:2,9) the new name that is for you and you alone.
II. BEING GOD’S WATCHMEN, 6-9.
Verses 6-9 contain assurances that YAHWEH will not forget His promises to Zion. Verse 6 calls upon God’s intercessors to preserver in prayer for the promises of God. On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have appointed watchmen. All day and all night they will never keep silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves;
God always has had and will have His watchmen. They are appointed by Him and placed upon the walls (both spiritual and representative) that God’s uses to protect His people (Ezekiel 3:17-19; 33:7-9). These watchmen (both angelic and human) here are stationed on the spiritual walls of Jerusalem to remind YAHWEH of His pledges. They are to call upon God to do what He has promised to do, like Daniel did (Dan. 9:2-19).
They are called upon to imitate the interceding Servant (verse 1) in that they will not keep silent. These restless watchmen are reminding God of His promises, particularly those concerning the restoration of His people and of Zion.
Christ’s intercession must be supplemented by ours-whether for the restoration of the Jews, the upbuilding of the Church, or the salvation of individuals. There must be oneness of prayer between the Intercessor before the Throne, and His "reminders" on earth. And there will be, if the Holy Spirit is allowed to exercise His ministry of making intercession with us on behalf of the saints according to the will of God (Rom. 8:26-27).
The watchmen are again called upon to continually intercede in verse 7. And give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.
[I think that (lo,) "to him," refers to God in verse 6.] This challenge reminds us that we ought not to lose courage, even when we see nothing but ruin and wretchedness and desolation. It is still our duty to pray that the Lord will restore Zion and even Jerusalem, because He promised that He will do it.
We also ought to plead and to beseech God with earnest prayer that He will give some success to our labors, which will otherwise be unprofitable. Let us learn to turn our minds and hearts to God, that He may not permit our labors to be unsuccessful. Remember that the purpose of His work through us is to bring praise to Himself, in this case by bringing Jerusalem praise and fame among the nations.
Verse 8 promises that in the new Jerusalem the fruits of one’s labors will never again be taken by others. The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by His strong arm, "I will never again give your grain as food for your enemies; Nor will foreigners drink your new wine for which you have labored."
Because Israel had broken covenant with God, He had allowed their enemies to reap the results of their labors (Deut. 28:30-33; Amos 5:1; Mic. 6:15). But now that they are keeping covenant with God they would enjoy the fruits of their labors. They have been restored and so has the blessing of their covenant relationship (Deut. 28:4-5, 7,11) which includes God’s blessing on the work of their hands.
The fulfillment of the covenant promises of God depend on His strong arm, that is, His strength and ability. The arm of the Lord is usually associated with the Servant/Messiah and His work. The LORD swears on the strength and ability of the Messiah Himself that He will keep His promises. The strength and might of the mighty of this world will be broken. But when we cast ourselves on the arm of the Lord (33:2), He will never fail us. [Oswalt; Isaiah ch 40-66; 586]
From verse 9 we learn that in that day Zion’s spiritual blessings will be enjoyed by those who deserve them. But those who garner it will eat it and praise the Lord. And those who gather it will drink it in the courts of My sanctuary.
The produce of Zion will be only for those who have a right to them meaning those who work for its production, and they will be grateful. The receipt of the blessings of God should result in the praise of God. In that day those who partake of the blessings of God will not forget the Blesser. Instead of taking credit for the good that comes to us, they will give credit and glory to Him to whom it is due.
It is a great tragedy that today man takes credit for the blessing of God who made them all possible. In the new Jerusalem that will not be the case. There the enjoyment of God’s blessings is not be lessened but heightened by the joyful awareness of God’s goodness in giving them.
When we believe that the only reason we are blessed is because of superior ability or industry or foresight, the seeds of pride are sown. Let us remember that all we have is a gift, including our ability, industry, and foresight. All is a gift from the hand of God who delights to delight His children so that we might know true joy and love.
III. BLESSINGS FOR GOD’S WORKMEN, 10-12.
Verses 10-12 summarize the import of what is being promised and calls believers to act. Those of Zion are instructed to prepare the way for the salvation of a
multitude. Having sworn to bless their work, in verse 10 God calls His people to assist people on their way to Him. Go through, go through the gates, Clear the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway, remove the stones. Lift up a standard over the peoples.
With such great and faithful promises extended, God calls those who truly want to see them fulfilled into action. He asks us to step out in faith in the assurance that all His promises are true. They are to act, to make the way to salvation as clear and level (or straight) as possible. They are to remove the stones of stumbling and help the people set themselves apart as the people of God.
Only as the people of God act together in faith to level the way for each other will people ever come in a multitude to salvation, to the city of our God. Those that dare to act on the belief that their Messiah is the Savior or the World will expend the effort to make a way for all the peoples of the earth to come to the Lord.
Verse 11 asks His people every where to proclaim to the world that the Savior of mankind has arrived in the Messiah. Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth, say to the daughter of Zion, "Lo, your salvation comes; Behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him."
The Sovereign Lord wants all the earth, particularly His people the daughter of Zion to know that He has not forgotten them, nor has He forgotten their work. He will repay them their wages and reward them for their labor. He also reminds those who remain in their rebellion that they too will receive repayment of recompense for their folly.
The Lord has offered salvation and there will be reward for those who join Him in this great work. The resulting reward will be bestowed by Christ 2 Cor. 5:10).
Part of the resulting change of the coming of God’s salvation to His people is relayed in verse 12. And they will call them, "the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord." And you will be called, "Sought out, a city not forsaken."
Four relational terms are given in this concluding verse. The end result of God’s work is a relationship with Himself. The first result is that His people, the daughter of Zion will be call the holy people. They will finally be righteous as their God is righteous.
The next name they will be called is the redeemed of the Lord. We will be completely delivered from destructive relating and relationships into enabling and up-building relating and relationships.
Instead of ignored or forsaken we will be called Sought out, by our Lord and also by others. We will enter into a relationship of worth and dignity. Lastly we will abide with the Lord and therefore be called a city not forsaken.
CONCLUSION / TIME OF RESPONSE
God has given us a glimpse of the glorious future that lies at the end of God’s highway of faith. His servants will become a holy people doing justice and righteousness. The same grace of God which saved us will transform us and enable us to live holy lives.
Even though we wait for the new Jerusalem, for that promise to be carried out to its final extent, we should avail ourselves to His grace now so that God might enable us to be all we can be for His name sake.
So stop complaining and pouting. As you wait for God to fulfill His promises praise His name and ask Him to bless the work of your hands for His eternal glory.
