Both ‘not be silent’ and ‘nor rest’ are forms of words to express the firm intention to complete a task. • God has made similar promises before about the wonderful future for *Jerusalem and its inhabitants. But that wonderful future never seems to come. So the Servant continues to urge the *Lord to... [ Continue Reading ]
In this passage, ‘you’ means the city called Jerusalem and its inhabitants.... [ Continue Reading ]
ISAIAH: GOD CONTROLS THE NATIONS GOD’S PROMISES TO HIS SPECIAL PEOPLE ISAIAH CHAPTER S 58 TO 66 _NORMAN HILLYER_ CHAPTER 62 *JERUSALEM’S NEW NAME V1 I will not be silent about *Jerusalem. Nor will I rest until *Jerusalem’s goodness shines as clearly as a bright sunrise. And until *Jerusalem’... [ Continue Reading ]
Foreign nations will think seriously about God’s actions on behalf of the people from Judah. • In the Bible, a ‘name’ refers to a person’s character. But a ‘new name’ means that the *Lord will bring about a change in the character of the inhabitants of Judah. Such a change will also mean a new rela... [ Continue Reading ]
*Jerusalem is to be like a ‘crown’ in the *Lord’s hand. This is picture language, to mean that the *Lord will make *Jerusalem a royal city. • *Jerusalem is very important in God’s great plans. Those plans are not only for the benefit of God’s special people. The plans refer to all nations. That is... [ Continue Reading ]
The two names ‘Alone’ and ‘Empty’ express what the inhabitants of Judah thought about themselves. In Isaiah 49:14-23 and 54:6-7, the inhabitants of Judah complained that the *Lord had left them ‘alone’. And that enemies had ruined the land. They had left it ‘empty’ of crops and fruit trees. • But t... [ Continue Reading ]
In ancient times, official *look-outs stood on city walls. Their duty was vital. It was to warn the inhabitants when any danger approached. Or to signal urgent messages to another city. In this verse, ‘*look-outs’ is picture language for people who send urgent messages to God by prayer. They want hi... [ Continue Reading ]
No foreign enemy will control the land ever again.... [ Continue Reading ]
In the original language, ‘praise’ in this verse means more than the use of words. It includes a gift to God (see Leviticus 19:24). • When the people returned from *exile, they would probably not be able to repair the *Temple immediately. But God promised that they would ‘drink the wine in my *Temp... [ Continue Reading ]
This is not an instruction to prepare an actual road. The words provide a word picture. The meaning is that the citizens of *Jerusalem must give a very warm welcome to the *exiles on their arrival. And nothing should prevent this welcome.... [ Continue Reading ]
The name ‘Holy Nation’ means that the people in Judah will be different from other people. The holy *Lord God has chosen them in particular to serve him in a special way. JERUSALEM ~ at the time of David and Solomon, the capital of the country called Israel. During the time of Isaiah, Jerusalem was... [ Continue Reading ]