Isaiah 62 (v1-4)

God says He will not rest until He has done something for Jerusalem’s sake (v1).  Is God’s concern with restoration of Jerusalem to a place of prominence or with spiritual restoration of the people?  The answer to that question is that God is concerned with both.  The people and the land will be blessed with new names (v4).  God will not rest till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth (v7), a promise that we must say has not yet been fulfilled.

To understand God’s concern for Israel, and for us, think about righteousness and salvation (v1).  These words have been at the center of God’s plan for Israel throughout Isa. 40-66 (cf. 45:8; 46:13; 51:5-8; 56:1; 59:16-17; 61:10; 62:1; 63:1; 64:5).  Both terms can be used in what we might call a “temporal” way.  Righteousness might refer to vindication, in the sense that the city will someday be vindicated, acknowledged by the nations as preeminent.  Salvation can refer to being saved from a present enemy of some sort.

However a study of Isaiah reveals that God also promises spiritual restoration.  In Isa. 62, for example, we see that the people will be changed.  The closing verses ring with joy in the result of Israel’s salvation.  They will be called “The Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD” (v11-12).  Both the righteousness and salvation are to be eternal, not just temporal (45:17; 51:8).  It is not enough to have Cyrus the Persian for temporal deliverance; what God promises requires the Servant/Messiah who will be “My salvation to the ends of the earth” (49:6).

We are not surprised at this, are we?  God, the Holy One of Israel, will not share His glory with another: not with idols (42:8); not with the ungodly nations (42:11-12); and not with rebellious Israel (48:9-11).  As Israel’s removal from the land was the result of her wickedness, so her return to the land will be accompanied by righteousness and salvation.  The people called Forsaken and the land named Desolate (v4) will become those in whom God delights (Hephzibah) and the place for God’s bride (Beulah).

Again we ask, “Does this surprise us?”  Remember that by God’s grace we too have left behind the desolate forsakenness of selfish and sinful lives.  We are now those in whom God delights, the Bride of Christ.  Why has God done this?  Is it because He loves us?  Yes, but that is not all.  Remember that everything God has done for us is so that we might be “for the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:6,12,14).  He saved us, such miserable sinners, so that “no flesh should glory in His presence” (1 Cor. 1:26-31).  We have been saved by grace, through faith, not of works lest anyone should boast (Eph. 2:8-9).  Our trials refine us so that we might be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pt. 1:6-9).  God saves us for His pleasure and glory.  He will not allow us to live selfishly as if we deserved the glory.  He will not share His glory with another!

He who glories, let him glory in the Lord! (Jer. 9:24; 1 Cor. 1:31)