Isaiah 62

Is 62:1-12. Intercessory Prayers for Zion's Restoration, Accompanying God's Promises of It, as the Appointed Means of Accomplishing It.

1. I--the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede for Zion (compare Is 62:6, 7; Psa 102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Is 62:6). So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Is 42:4; 50:7).

righteousness thereof--not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration to God's favor: hence "salvation" answers to it in the parallelism. "Judah" is to be "saved" through "the Lord our (Judah's and the Church's) righteousness" (Jr 23:6).

as brightness--properly the bright shining of the rising sun (Is 60:19; 4:5; 2Sa 23:4; Pr 4:18).

lamp--blazing torch.

2. (Is 11:10; 42:1-6; 49:7, 22, 23; 60:3, 5, 16).

new name--expression of thy new and improved condition (Is 62:4), the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Is 62:12; Is 65:15; Re 2:17; 3:12).

3. (Zec 9:16)

in ... hand of ... Lord--As a crown is worn on the head, not "in the hand," hand must here be figurative for "under the Lord's protection" (compare De 33:3). "All His saints are in thy hand." His people are in His hand at the same time that they are "a crown of glory" to Him (Re 6:2; 19:12); reciprocally, He is "a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty" to them (Is 28:5; compare Mal 3:17).

4. be termed--be "forsaken," so as that that term could be applicable to thee.

Hephzi-bah--(2Ki 21:1), the name of Hezekiah's wife, a type of Jerusalem, as Hezekiah was of Messiah (Is 32:1): "my delight is in her."

Beulah--"Thou art married." See the same contrast of Zion's past and future state under the same figure (Is 54:4-6; Re 21:2, 4).

land ... married--to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].

5. thy sons--rather, changing the points, which are of no authority in Hebrew, "thy builder" or "restorer," that is, God; for in the parallel clause, and in Is 62:4, God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could hardly be said to marry their mother; and in Is 49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. The plural form, builders, is used of God in reverence as "husbands" (see on Is 54:5).

over the bride--in the possession of the bride (Is 65:19; Jr 32:41; Zep 3:17).

6. I--Isaiah speaking in the person of the Messiah.

watchmen upon ... walls--image from the watches set upon a city's wall to look out for the approach of a messenger with good tidings (Is 52:7, 8); the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare Is 21:6-11; 56:10; Eze 3:17; 33:7). The watches in the East are announced by a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen.

ye that ... mention ... Lord--Hebrew, "ye that are the Lord's remembrancers"; God's servants who by their prayers "put God in remembrance" of His promises (Is 43:26); we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Psa 119:49; Jr 14:21).

7. no rest--Hebrew, "silence"; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest in silence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, "I will not hold ... peace ... not rest" (Is 62:1); Messiah's watchmen (Is 62:6, 7) imitate Him (Is 62:1) in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem (Psa 122:6; 51:18); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church (Lu 18:1, 7; Ro 1:9).

a praise--(See on Is 61:11; Zep 3:20).

8. sworn by ... right hand--His mighty instrument of accomplishing His will (compare Is 45:23; He 6:13).

sons of ... stranger--Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the fruit of thy labors (compare Is 65:21, 22).

9. eat ... and praise--not consume it on their own lusts, and without thanksgiving.

drink it in ... courts--They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts held in the courts surrounding the temple (De 12:17, 18; 14:23, &c.).

10. What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in (Is 62:1) unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for (Is 62:7), and what Jehovah solemnly promised (Is 62:8, 9), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations are commanded to "go through the gates" (either of their own cities [Rosenmuller] or of Jerusalem [Maurer]), in order to remove all obstacles out of "the way of the people (Israel)" (see on Is 7:14; Is 40:3; 52:10-12).

standard--for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return (Is 49:22; 11:12).

11. salvation--embodied in the Saviour (see Zec 9:9).

his work--rather, recompense (Is 40:10).

12. Sought out--Sought after and highly prized by Jehovah; answering to "not forsaken" in the parallel clause; no longer abandoned, but loved; image from a wife (Is 62:4; Jr 30:14).