@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).