Isaiah 62:1-5

Isaiah 62:1-5

¹For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, 

and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, 

until her vindication shines out like the dawn, 

and her salvation like a burning torch. 

² The nations shall see your vindication, 

and all the kings your glory; 

and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will give. 

³ You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, 

and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 

⁴ You shall no more be termed Forsaken, 

and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; 

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, 

and your land Married; 

for the LORD delights in you, 

and your land shall be married. 

⁵ For as a young man marries a young woman, 

so shall your builder marry you, 

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, 

so shall your God rejoice over you.

The theme of Isaiah 62:1-5, part of a segment of the preaching of III Isaiah that extends to verse 12, is the salvation of Zion. It has a companion in Chapter 60. The prophet speaks of the promised salvation in spite of the incredulity of those he addresses. We need to remember that the setting is one of post-exilic Israel, soon after the return of a Jewish remnant from Babylonian exile. The Jewish people have experienced the devastation of an exile that meant physical, social, and political devastation. The exile is the desert. The destruction of Jerusalem, the loss of land, and the recognition that the exile was the judgment of God has shattered the soul of the chosen people. Rebuilding of people and land now needs to take place. The starting point for rebuilding is the recovery of righteousness. We start rebuilding from the inside out.  No political solution alone will suffice.  When we view this text along with the preceding chapter’s message of the Messiah, we see that righteousness comes from being clothed with the garments of salvation.  

In Isaiah 62: 1-7, the prophet speaks. III Isaiah promises such rebuilding and renewal. One reason these words are so powerful is that many people in many situations long to hear such a promise. People hunger for renewal in personal lives and community. Sadly, the hunger can render one susceptible to false promises and false messiahs. Such hunger can also make one open to a genuine word from the Lord. Like the Jewish people returning home, we long for spiritual renewal, but we may also long for renewal of a nation to its highest and best ideals. In the case of III Isaiah, a vision of a new landscape is so exciting that he cannot keep from shouting and proclaiming the good news.

Therefore, as this song continues into 62:1-3, the tone changes significantly. The Anointed One declares that Zion itself shall soon also enjoy salvation and receive recognition in her new redeemed state by all the nations.  The Anointed One, the prophet, speaks of the promised salvation in spite of the incredulity of his listeners. Thus, to achieve this end, ¹For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent (be still or inactive) and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest. This vow to both ceaseless action and ceaseless prayer has a specific objective in mind, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. The Anointed One will bring changes in Zion's status. ² The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall receive a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. The vindication of Zion will occur before the eyes of the world. This work of salvation and redemption transforms Zion so thoroughly that it becomes a new creation.  Note that according to divine privilege, the Lord, not the Anointed One, bestows the new name on Zion. The result is that Zion/Jerusalem ³ shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. They receive salvation in such a way that they will experience safety and protection. ⁴ People shall no more call you Forsaken, and people shall no more call your land Desolate. Rather, people shall call you My Delight (Hephzibah) Is in Her, and your land Married (Beulah); for the LORD delights in you, and your land shall be married. II Isaiah, in 50:1, asks where the certificate of divorce is, with which the Lord sent away Israel, due to its iniquities and transgressions. The prophet uses the image of marriage earlier.  Here it refers to a remarriage. The theme of a new name is a favorite for these Zion poems. Thus, in 60:14, III Isaiah says the city shall have the name “City of the Lord” and “Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” In 60:18, the walls will have the name “Salvation” and the gates “Praise.” As the prophet continues, ⁵ for as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

One reason these words remain so powerful is that people as individuals and communities still go through times of forsakenness and abandonment. If you have not yet had that experienced it, I think life is such that you will. The power of this passage is the hunger, promise, and hope it expresses of a deeper connection, even the intimacy of marriage, to the Creator of all who has turned toward us with such grace and love to that we can have the privilege of a new creation. If the journey has led us to a place of devastation and forsakenness, the journey does not have to be over. A new journey can begin.