Isaiah 62:1-12

In chapter 62, God continues to speak of the restoration of Israel.

For Zion's sake [that is, Jerusalem] will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth (Isaiah 62:1).

God said, "I'm not going to rest until I have accomplished it."

And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken (Isaiah 62:2-4);

And, of course, the people have felt forsaken. Just recently they had another commemoration for those who survived the Holocaust. And you talk to so many people in Israel today or those who are here who have survived the Holocaust, and so often their question was, "Where was God when our parents or our uncles were burned in the ovens in Germany? Where was God? Where was God?" And that is a common question that you hear asked by them. And they themselves feel forsaken by God. But, "You will no longer be called Forsaken."

neither will your land be termed Desolate: but you will be called Hephzibah (Isaiah 62:4),

Which means the Lord delights in thee.

and thy land [will be called] Beulah (Isaiah 62:4):

Which means married.

For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee (Isaiah 62:5).

As a bridegroom over the bride. So, again, this beautiful figure of speech that God relates to Israel as a bridegroom to His bride. Now in the New Testament, that same kind of relationship exists between Christ and His church, as Paul writing to the Ephesians writes about marital relationships. "Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it. And wives, submitting yourselves unto your own husbands as unto the Lord. Now I speak to you," Paul said, "of a mystery. For I speak concerning Christ and His church how that we have this beautiful, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ as the bride to the bridegroom. And that love and all that is there." So it is a figure of the Old Testament between God and Israel. In the New Testament of... That is, God the Father and Israel; in the New Testament of Jesus and the church.

I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence (Isaiah 62:6),

In other words, calling for intercessors.

And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he makes Jerusalem a praise in the eaRuth (Isaiah 62:7).

In other words, don't stop praying until the fulfillment of this takes place and God makes Jerusalem that glorious praise of the earth once more. The Bible says. "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper who will pray for your peace" (Psalms 122:6). And so we are encouraged here of continual intercession and prayer, giving Him no rest. Interesting phrase concerning prayer.

You remember Jesus made an illustration of prayer in which He used very unlikely types of figures. It was a judge who had this little widow woman coming in every day and saying, "Avenge me my adversary." And every day she was there seeking to be avenged to her adversary. Finally, Jesus said, though the judge said, "I don't fear God or man, but this little woman is going to drive me crazy." And so he gave the judgment for her. And He was using that as an illustration to encourage us in persistence in prayer.
Now, I have great difficulty with this in my own mind and in the understanding of it. The difficulty lies in the man that Jesus chooses in a figure to represent God, for he was an unjust judge. The man says, "I don't fear God or man." And the persistence of this little woman. But the illustration is this. If even an unjust judge will yield to the persistence, how much more will a righteous, just Father in heaven answer the petitions of His children who call upon Him continually. So He's not really using the judge. He's using the judge in a sharp contrast to God rather than as a figure of God, but in sharp contrast. So even if an unjust judge will yield to persistency, how much more. And so much of the New Testament is in contrast. If this would happen, how much more then will God your Father. So don't give God rest until He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

The LORD hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for your enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for that which thou hast labored (Isaiah 62:8):

Now, so often they found that... You remember, and it was something that persisted through their history. When their enemies had overrun them, they would come in and take their crops. You remember Gideon was threshing in a cave to hide it from the Midianites because the Midianites would watch them. As soon as they thresh the wheat, they'd come in and rip them off. And so you'd labor and someone else would take it from you. And they experienced this many times. They would build up the land and build up these places and other people would come in and take it. So God says that's not going to happen anymore.

But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness. Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people. Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed to the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work is before him. And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken (Isaiah 62:9-12).

So God's restoration of the people. "