Isaiah 62

Isa 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

Isa 62:6, 7;

Ps 102:13-17),

or else Messiah (compare

Isa 62:6).

So Messiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people

(Isa 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"

(Jer 23:6).

as brightness--properly the bright shining of the rising sun

(Isa 60:19; 4:5;

2Sa 23:4;

Pr 4:18).

lamp--blazing torch.

2.

(Isa 11:10;

42:1-6; 49:7, 22, 23; 60:3, 5, 16).

new name--expression of thy new and improved condition

(Isa 62:4),

the more valuable and lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself

(Isa 62:12;

Isa 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

(Isa 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

(Isa 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

(Isa 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

Isa 62:4,

God is implied as being "married" to her; whereas her "sons" could

hardly be said to marry their mother; and in

Isa 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

Isa 54:5).

over the bride--in the possession of the bride

(Isa 65:19;

Jer 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

(Isa 52:7, 8);

the good tidings of the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon,

prefiguring the return from the present dispersion (compare

Isa 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

(Isa 43:26);

we are required to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot,

forget His promises

(Ps 119:49;

Jer 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"

(Isa 62:1);

Messiah's watchmen

(Isa 62:6, 7)

imitate Him

(Isa 62:1)

in intercessory "prayer without ceasing" for Jerusalem

(Ps 122:6; 51:18);

also for the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church

(Lu 18:1, 7;

Ro 1:9).

a praise--(See on

Isa 61:11;

Zep 3:20).

8. sworn by . . . right hand--His mighty instrument of accomplishing

His will (compare

Isa 45:23;

Heb 6:13).

sons of . . . stranger--Foreigners shall no more rob thee of the

fruit of thy labors (compare

Isa 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

(Isa 62:1)

unrestingly to seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for

(Isa 62:7),

and what Jehovah solemnly promised

(Isa 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

Isa 7:14;

Isa 40:3; 52:10-12).

standard--for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to

their return

(Isa 49:22; 11:12).

11. salvation--embodied in the Saviour (see

Zec 9:9).

his work--rather, recompense

(Isa 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

(Isa 62:4;

Jer 30:14).