ISAIAH 62 COMMENTARYEDITED BY GLENN PEASE

Zion’s New Name1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,

for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,till her vindication shines out like the dawn,

her salvation like a blazing torch.

1.BARNES, “For Zion’s sake - (See the notes at Isa_1:8). On account of Zion; that is, onaccount of the people of God.

I will not hold my peace - There have been very various opinions in regard to the personreferred to here by the word ‘I.’ Calvin and Gesenius suppose that the speaker here is theprophet, and that the sense is, he would not intermit his labors and prayers until Zion should berestored, and its glory spread through all the earth. The Chaldee Paraphrast supposes that it isGod who is the speaker, and this opinion is adopted by Grotius. Vitringa regards it as thedeclaration of a prophetic choir speaking in the name of the officers of the church, andexpressing the duty of making continual intercession for the extension of the Redeemer’skingdom. Estius supposes it to be the petition of the Jewish people praying to God for theirrestoration. Amidst such a variety of interpretation it is not easy to determine the true sense. If itis the language of God, it is a solemn declaration that he was intent on the deliverance of hispeople, and that he would never cease his endeavors until the work should be accomplished.

If it is the language of the prophet, it implies that he would persevere, notwithstanding allopposition, in rebuking the nation for its sins, and in the general work of the prophetic office,until Zion should arise in its glory. If the former, it is the solemn assurance of Yahweh that thechurch would be the object of his unceasing watchfulness and care, until its glory should fill theearth. If the latter, it expresses the feelings of earnest and devoted piety; the purpose topersevere in prayer and in active efforts to extend the cause of God until it should triumph. I seenothing in the passage by which it can be determined with certainty which is the meaning; andwhen this is the case it must be a matter of mere conjecture. The only circumstance which is ofweight in the case is, that the language, ‘I will not be silent,’ is rather that which is adapted to aprophet accustomed to pray and speak in the name of God than to God himself; and if thiscircumstance be allowed to have any weight, then the opinion will incline to the interpretationwhich supposes it to refer to the prophet. The same thing is commanded the watchman on thewalls of Zion in Isa_62:6-7; and if this be the correct interpretation, then it expresses the

appropriate solemn resolution of one engaged in proclaiming the truth of God not to intermithis prayers and his public labors until the true religion should be spread around the world.

I will not rest - While I live, I will give myself to unabated toil in the promotion of this greatobject (see the notes at Isa_62:7).

Until the righteousness thereof - The word here is equivalent to salvation, and the ideais, that the deliverance of his people would break forth as a shining light.

Go forth as brightness - The word used here is commonly employed to denote thesplendor, or the bright shining of the sun, the moon, or of fire (see Isa_60:19; compare Isa_4:5;2Sa_23:4; Pro_4:18). The meaning is, that the salvation of people would resemble the clearshining light of the morning, spreading over hill and vale, and illuminating all the world.

As a lamp that burneth - A blazing torch - giving light all around and shining afar.

2. TEED, “As we start to look at chapter 62, we need to keep in mind that the Lord Himself

is the

speaker. We know that from verse 6. God promises to keep speaking and working till His

purposes for Jerusalem are fulfilled. This is not only for the sake of Zion but also for the

sake of the nations of the world. There will be no righteousness and peace on this earth

till Jerusalem gets her new name and becomes a crown of glory to the Lord.

Once again we see the use of marriage as an analogy for the relationship between God

and His people. As an unfaithful wife, Israel was “forsaken” by the Lord, but not

“divorced” (Isaiah 50:1-3). Her trials will all be forgotten when she receives her new

name, “Hephzibah,” which means, “my delight is in her.” God delights in His people

and enjoys giving them His best. The old name, “Desolate,” will be replaced by

“Beulah,” which means “married” (see also Isaiah 54:1). When a bride marries, she

receives a new name. In the case of Israel, she is already married to Jehovah; but she will

get a new name when she is reconciled to Him.

3. GILL, “For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I willnot rest,.... By Zion and Jerusalem, the church in Gospel times is meant, as it often is in thisbook, and elsewhere; see Heb_12:22, for whose glory, prosperity, and safety, a concern is here

expressed. Some take them to be the words of God himself, as the Targum and Kimchi; whoseems to be silent and at rest, and even as it were asleep, when he does not arise and exerthimself on the behalf of his people; but here he declares he would not be as one silent and atrest, nor let the kingdoms and nations of the world be at rest until the deliverer of his people wascome, either Cyrus the type, or Christ the antitype: others take them to be the words of Israel incaptivity, as Aben Ezra; though he afterwards observes they are the words of God, or of thechurch of God, soliciting her own restoration, prosperity, and glory: but they are the words ofthe prophet, expressing his great love and affection for the church, and his importunate desire ofher happiness, intimating that he would never leave off praying for it till it was completed; notthat he expected to live till the Messiah came, or to see the glory of the latter day, and of thechurch in it; but the sense is, that he would continue praying for it without ceasing as long as helived, and he knew his prayers and his prophecies would live after he was dead; and that therewould be persons raised up in the church that would succeed him in this work, till all theglorious things promised and prophesied of should be accomplished:

until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness; meaning either till the church'sinnocence is made as clear as the brightness of the sun at noonday, and she is vindicated fromthe calumnies and reproaches cast upon her, and open vengeance is taken on her enemies by theLord, from whom her righteousness is, and by whom her wrongs will be righted; or until therighteousness of Christ, which is by imputation her righteousness, is wrought out by him andrevealed in the Gospel, and she appears to all to be clothed with it, as with the sun, Rev_12:1,which will be the case when to her shall be given to be arrayed openly with that fine linen, cleanand white, which is the righteousness of the saints, and will be the time of her open marriage tothe Lamb, Rev_19:7,

and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth; which gives light, and is seen afar off;her open deliverance from all her enemies, Pagan, Papal, and Mahometan; and her salvation byJesus Christ, which will be more clearly published in the Gospel ministry in the latter day, andmore openly seen and enjoyed in the effects of it. The Vulgate Latin version of this and thepreceding clause is,

"until her righteous one goes forth as brightness, and her Saviour as a lamp that burneth;''

meaning Christ the righteous, and the Saviour of his body the church, who in his first comingwas as a burning and shining light, even like the sun, the light of the world; and whose spiritualcoming will be in such a glorious manner, that he will destroy antichrist with the brightness of it,and is therefore very desirable, 2Th_2:8. The Targum of the whole is,

"till I work salvation for Zion, I will give no rest to the people; and till consolation comes toJerusalem, I will not let the kingdoms rest, till her light is revealed as the morning, and hersalvation as a lamp that burneth.''

4. HENRY, “The prophet here tells us,I. What he will do for the church. A prophet, as he is a seer, so he is a spokesman. This

prophet resolves to perform that office faithfully, Isa_62:1. He will not hold his peace; he willnot rest; he will mind his business, will take pains, and never desire to take his ease; and hereinhe was a type of Christ, who was indefatigable in executing the office of a prophet and made ithis meat and drink till he had finished his work. Observe here, 1. What the prophet's resolutionis: He will not hold his peace. He will continue instant in preaching, will not only faithfullydeliver, but frequently repeat, the messages he has received from the Lord. If people receive not

the precepts and promises at first, he will inculcate them and give them line upon line. And hewill continue instant in prayer; he will never hold his peace at the throne of grace till he hasprevailed with God for the mercies promised; he will give himself to prayer and to the ministryof the word, as Christ's ministers must (Act_6:4), who must labour frequently in both and neverbe weary of this well-doing. The business of ministers is to speak from God to his people and toGod for his people; and in neither of these must they be silent. 2. What is the principle of thisresolution - for Zion's sake, and for Jerusalem's, not for the sake of any private interest of hisown, but for the church's sake, because he has an affection and concern for Zion, and it lies nearhis heart. Whatever becomes of his own house and family, he desires to see the good ofJerusalem and resolves to seek it all the days of his life, Psa_122:8, Psa_122:9; Psa_118:5. It isGod's Zion and his Jerusalem, and it is therefore dear to him, because it is so to God andbecause God's glory is interested in its prosperity. 3. How long he resolves to continue thisimportunity - till the promise of the church's righteousness and salvation, given in the foregoingchapter, be accomplished. Isaiah will not himself live to see the release of the captives out ofBabylon, much less the bringing in of the gospel, in which grace reigns through righteousnessunto life and salvation; yet he will not hold his peace till these be accomplished, even the utmostof them, because his prophecies will continue speaking of these things, and there shall in everyage be a remnant that shall continue to pray for them, as successors to him, till the promises beperformed, and so the prayers answered that were grounded upon them. Then the church'srighteousness and salvation will go forth as brightness, and as a lamp that burns, so plainlythat it will carry its own evidence along with it. It will bring honour and comfort to the church,which will hereupon both look pleasant and appear illustrious; and it will bring instruction anddirection to the world, a light not only to the eyes but to the feet, and to the paths of those whobefore sat in darkness and in the shadow of death.

4B. PULPIT COMMENTARY, “For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace. In the past God has keptsilence (Isa_42:14; Isa_57:11). "The Servant" has not caused his voice to be heard. Babylon has beenallowed to continue her oppression unchecked. But now there will be a change. God will lift up his voice,and the nations will hear; and the "salvation" of Israel will be effected speedily. For Jerusalem's sake."Zion" and "Jerusalem" are used throughout as synonyms (Isa_2:3; Isa_4:3, Isa_4:4; Isa_31:4, Isa_31:5,and Isa_31:9; Isa_33:20; Isa_40:9; Isa_41:27; Isa_52:1; Isa_64:10, etc.), like "Israel" and Jacob." Strictlyspeaking, "Zion" is the mountain, "Jerusalem" the city built upon it. Until the righteousness thereof go forth(comp. Isa_54:17; Isa_61:10, Isa_61:11). As brightness; or, as thedawn (comp Isa_60:3; Pro_4:18; Dan_6:19). Salvation … as a lamp that burneth; rather, as a torch thatblazeth (comp. Jdg_15:4; Nah_2:1-13 :14; Zec_12:6). Israel's "salvation'' would be made manifest;primarily by her triumphant return from Babylon, and more completely by her position in the final kingdomof the Redeemer.

5. JAMISON, “Isa_62:1-12. Intercessory prayers for Zion’s restoration, accompanying God’spromises of it, as the appointed means of accomplishing it.

I — the prophet, as representative of all the praying people of God who love and intercede forZion (compare Isa_62:6, Isa_62:7; Psa_102:13-17), or else Messiah (compare Isa_62:6). SoMessiah is represented as unfainting in His efforts for His people (Isa_42:4; Isa_50:7).

righteousness thereof — not its own inherently, but imputed to it, for its restoration toGod’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; Isa_4:5; 2Sa_23:4;Pro_4:18).

lamp — blazing torch.

5B, COFFMAN, “The big thing in this chapter is the New Name God promised to give his peoplein Isaiah 62:2; and much to the surprise of this writer, none of the writers we have consulted on thissubject has anything convincing to say about it. Only one writer, namely, the 19th-century Adam Clarke,knew what it was (and is); and his total comment was less than four short lines; but he did tell us what thenew name is, CHRISTIAN.[1]

True to Isaiah's pattern of "here a little and there a little" (Isaiah 28:10,13), the prophet here returns to therevelation regarding that new name, mentioned also in Isaiah 56:5, where the passage affirms that: (1)the name will be given by God Himself, (2) within his walls and in his house, in his Church, (3) a memorialname, (4) a name better than that of sons and of daughters, and (5) an ever-flaming name that shallnever be cut off.

We find ourselves absolutely astounded that so many present-day commentators profess not to knowwhat God's name for his people really is. We shall certainly attempt to clarify that.

This chapter, of course, is a continuation of the same theme which has dominated several of thepreceding chapters, namely, the blessings of God under the New Covenant. The speaker is thought to beJehovah, the Servant, or the prophet Isaiah; but regardless of which is correct, the message is that ofGod Himself. "The close connection with the preceding chapter is evident.

6. K&D 1-3, “Nearly all the more recent commentators regard the prophet himself asspeaking here. Having given himself up to praying to Jehovah and preaching to the people, hewill not rest or hold his peace till the salvation, which has begun to be realized, has been broughtfully out to the light of day. It is, however, really Jehovah who commences thus: “For Zion's sakeI shall not be silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I shall not rest, till her righteousness breaks forthlike morning brightness, and her salvation like a blazing torch. And nations will see theyrighteousness, and all kings thy glory; and men will call thee by a new name, which the mouthof Jehovah will determine. And thou wilt be an adorning coronet in the hand of Jehovah, and aroyal diadem in the lap of thy God.” It is evident that Jehovah is the speaker here, both fromIsa_62:6 and also from the expression used; for chashah is the word commonly employed insuch utterances of Jehovah concerning Himself, to denote His leaving things in their existingstate without interposing (Isa_65:6; Isa_57:11; Isa_64:11). Moreover, the arguments which maybe adduced to prove that the author of chapters 40-66 is not the speaker in Isa_61:1-11, alsoprove that it is not he who is continuing to speak of himself in Isa_62:1-12 Jehovah, having nowbegun to speak and move on behalf of Zion, will “for Zion's sake,” i.e., just because it is Zion, Hisown church, neither be silent nor give Himself rest, till He has gloriously executed His work ofgrace. Zion is now in the shade, but the time will come when her righteousness will go forth asnogah, the light which bursts through the night (Isa_60:19; Isa_59:9; here the morning sunlight,

Pro_4:18; compare shachar, the morning red, Isa_58:8); or till her salvation is like a torch which

blazes. יבער belongs to כלפיד (mercha) in the form of an attributive clause = although it might ,בער

also be assumed that יבער stands by attraction for תבער (cf., Isa_2:11; Ewald, §317, c). The verb

,.which is generally applied to wrath (e.g ,בער Isa_30:27), is here used in connection with

salvation, which has wrath towards the enemies of Zion as its obverse side: Zion's tsedeq(righteousness) shall become like the morning sunlight, before which even the last twilight hasvanished; and Zion's yeshu‛ah is like a nightly torch, which sets fire to its own material, and

everything that comes near it. The force of the conjunction עד (until) does not extend beyond

Isa_62:1. From Isa_62:2 onwards, the condition of things in the object indicated by עד is morefully described. The eyes of the nations will be directed to the righteousness of Zion, the impressof which is now their common property; the eyes of all kings to her glory, with which the glory ofnone of them, nor even of all together, can possibly compare. And because this state of Zion is anew one, which has never existed before, her old name is not sufficient to indicate her nature.She is called by a new name; and who could determine this new name? He who makes thechurch righteous and glorious, He, and He alone, is able to utter a name answering to her newnature, just as it was He who called Abram Abraham, and Jacob Israel. The mouth of Jehovahwill determine it (נקב, to pierce, to mark, to designate in a signal and distinguishing manner,nuncupare; cf., Amo_6:1; Num_1:17). It is only in imagery that prophecy here sees what Zionwill be in the future: she will be “a crown of glory,” “a diadem,” or rather a tiara (tsenıph; Chethibtsenuph = mitsnepheth, the head-dress of the high priest, Exo_28:4; Zec_3:5; and that of the king,Eze_21:31) “of regal dignity,” in the hand of her God (for want of a synonym of “hand,” we haveadopted the rendering “in the lap” the second time that it occurs). Meier renders יהוה ביד (בכף)Jovae sub praesidio, as though it did not form part of the figure. But it is a main feature in thefigure, that Jehovah holds the crown in His hand. Zion is not the ancient crown which theEternal wears upon His head, but the crown wrought out in time, which He holds in His hand,because He is seen in Zion by all creation. The whole history of salvation is the history of thetaking of the kingdom, and the perfecting of the kingdom by Jehovah; in other words, thehistory of the working out of this crown.

7. CALVIN, “1.On account of Zion I will not be silent. That sad captivity being at hand, which was

almost to blot out the name of the whole nation, it was necessary to confirm and encourage believers by

many words, that with strong and assured confidence they might rely on these promises under the burden

of the cross. Here, therefore, the Prophet, discharging that office which had been entrusted to him, openly

declares that he will not be slack in the performance of his duty, and will not cease to speak, till he

encourage the hearts of believers by the hope of future salvation, that they may know and be fully

convinced that God will be the deliverer of his Church. He too might have been dismayed by the unbelief

of that people, and might have lost courage when he saw that matters were every day growing worse,

and when he foresaw that terrible vengeance. But, notwithstanding so great difficulties, he will still persist

in his duty, that all may know that neither the massacre of the people nor their unbelief can prevent God

from executing his promises at the proper time.

And on account of Jerusalem I will not rest. It was necessary that these things should be frequently

repeated, because such is the depravity of our mind that we speedily forget God’ promises. When he

says that he will not cease to speak, he likewise reminds others of their duty, that they may take courage,

and expect with assured confidence their restoration, though it be long delayed, and even that their

unwearied attention may answer to the voice of God which constantly addresses them. We know by

experience every day how necessary this is, while Satan endeavors by every method to turn us aside

from the right course.

At the same time he shews what ought to be the aim of godly teachers, namely, to spend and devote

themselves entirely for the advantage of the Church; for when he says “ account of Zion,” he means that

our chief care ought to be that the Church may be preserved, and that none are good and faithful

teachers but they who hold the salvation of the Church so dear as to spare no labors. Some explain this

as relating to prayer, but I choose rather to refer it to doctrine; and it is more natural to view it as meaning’

that no inconvenience or annoyance shall wear out his patience, and no opposition shall retard him from

proceeding in the office of teaching which God has enjoined on him concerning the redemption of the

Church. For if he had survived that very sad calamity, the unbelieving multitude would undoubtedly have

persecuted him, as well as the other Prophets, by many reproaches; but whatever may happen, he says

that he is fortified by unshaken firmness, never to be dumb through shame, but to proceed with

unremitting eagerness in his course. Besides, by this form of expression he procures credit to his

predictions, and maintains their authority, so that, even when he is dead, they do not cease to resound in

the ears of believers.

Till her righteousness go forth as brightness. By “” he means the rights of the Church; for during the

period of calamity, she appeared to be condemned. Her “” therefore, “ forth” when she is perfectly

restored, and regains her former condition; for that righteousness lay concealed during the captivity.

And her salvation. To “” he adds “” because they whom God justifies, or to whom he re-restores their

rights, do likewise regain their “” Hence we infer that we are wretched and without assistance, so long as

God withholds his grace from us on account of our sins; and therefore in other passages he frequently

gave the appellation of “ righteousness of God” to that which he here affirms to be the righteousness of

the Church. Thus we are undone while we are destitute of the righteousness of God; that is, while we

slumber in our sins, and God shews himself to be a severe judge by punishing us for them.

The phrase “ forth” means that the righteousness of the Church was hidden and, as it were, buried for a

time: she deserved in the sight of God no favor; but, on the contrary, her unspeakable iniquities prevailed

to such an extent that there remained nothing but God’ righteous vengeance. But here the Prophet has

his eye on men who already looked upon the afflicted Church as lost, and by their pride and reproaches

almost cast her down to hell.

May burn like a lamp. Finally, he compares her to the world, and says, that with respect to the world she

shall be righteous, when God shall have purged away her sins and undertaken her cause. By these

words the Prophet teaches that we ought always to entertain favorable hopes of the restoration of the

Church, though she be plunged under thick darkness and in the grave; for although for a time she is

overwhelmed and hidden, yet she has God for her avenger in heaven, who, after having chastised her

moderately, will at length shew that she was the object of his care. And indeed his righteousness must be

illustrious and manifest, and that for the salvation of those whom he hath chosen to be his people and

heritage.

8. BI, “The Church blessed and made a blessing

(Isa_62:1-12):—The words of the great Deliverer are continued from the foregoing chapter.

1. He will not rest until the glorious change in the condition of His people is accomplished(Isa_62:1).

2. They shall be recognized by kings and nations as the people of Jehovah (Isa_62:2-3).

3. She who seemed to be forsaken is still His spouse (Isa_62:4-5).

4. The Church is required to watch and pray for the fulfilment of the promise (Isa_62:6-7).

5. God has sworn to protect her and supply her wants (Isa_62:8-9).

6. Instead of a single nation, all the nations of the earth shall flow into her (verse ,10).

7. The good news of salvation shall no longer be confined, but universally diffused(Isa_62:11).

8. The glory of the Church is the redemption of the world (Isa_62:12). (J. A. Alexander.)

The gradual development of the glory of Jerusalem

“For Zion’s sake I shall not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I shall not rest, until herrighteousness breaks forth like morning-splendour, and her salvation like a burning torch.” (F.Delitzsch, D. D.)

The moral illumination of the world

I. THE PRESENT IMPLIED OBSCURITY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. “The righteous Oneand the Saviour” (Vulgate). Whenever the righteous One and Saviour are hidden there isobscurity.

II. HER ANTICIPATED GLORY. The burning lamp is a symbol of the presence of Jehovah.Jesus is termed “the brightness of His Father’s glory and the express image of His person.”

Connect both the figures in the text. The Sun of Righteousness shall go forth like the light of themorning.

1. Manifestly. Light maketh manifest.

2. Irresistibly, as the light of the morning.

3. Universally. As all the earth turns to the sun, all are visited by the morning light.“Righteousness shall go forth as brightness” in all the earth.

III. THE MEANS BY WHICH THE WORK IS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED. “For Zion’s sake I willnot hold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest.” Some think these are expressions ofJehovah. Correct or not, it is a Scriptural truth; it has long lain near the heart of God! Others,that Jesus is the speaker. The world is His purchased property, but His own world received himnot. Yet the Father has pledged Himself to vindicate His right: “Ask of me.” The most commonopinion is that these words are Isaiah’s, as a man of God and as a minister of God. It is proper tobe used by all who mention the name of the Lord. Human agency, then, is the means employed.In providence God helps man by man. In grace the same. The Word of God is to be carried andheld forth as light. The text indicates the manner also.

1. It shall be consistent—prayer and exertion. “Not hold my peace, not rest.”

2. Affectionate exertions also—from a principle of love. “For Zion’s sake.”

3. Persevering. “Until the righteousness go forth.” (J. Summerfield, M. A.)

The extension of the Gospel

I. THE BLESSING OF THE GOSPEL AS APPLIED TO YOUR OWN SOULS. Two inclusiveblessings, righteousness and salvation.

II. THE EXTENSION OF THIS BLESSING THROUGHOUT THE EARTH. It is evident that it isin the promise of God that it shall be so, because it is made the subject of the perseveringintercession of Christ. “For Zion’s sake will I,” etc.

III. THE GROUND OF OUR ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE EXTENSION OF THISBLESSING. What can be stronger? It is the grace of the intercession of the Son of God. (C.Bridges, M. A.)

Divine unrest

(with Isa_62:6-7):—

I. THE CAUSE OF DIVINE UNREST. The needs of the Church, Zion; the condition of the city,Jerusalem. It is in the lack of “righteousness,” the need of “salvation.” This is still true of ourChurches and cities. The sin is pro found, the sorrow unfathomable. Yet there is not totaldarkness. There is twilight; but all the Divine yearning is, that the twilight may brighten intonoon.

II. THE NATURE OF THIS DIVINE UNREST. It is not chiefly that of indignation at wrong, butit is the unrest of anxiety for others, the unrest of pity. It is—

1. Unselfish.

2. Universal. Even God will share it.

III. THE MANIFESTATION OF THIS DIVINE UNREST.

1. In loud human proclamation of the truth.

2. In prayer to God.

3. In God’s unrest, in which He gives Jesus to save and bless. Christ’s piercing cry of grief,“O Jerusalem,” utters the unrest in God. Learn—

(1) The remedy for all the unrest of the universe. “Righteousness,” “Salvation.”

(2) The opportunity good men have for communion with God. Be unhappy because ofthe sin and sorrow in the world. Have fellowship with Christ. Share the Divine unrest.(U. R. Thomas, B. A.)

The heavenly workers and the earthly watchers

(with verses6, 7)—

1. The preceding chapter brings in Christ as proclaiming the great work of deliverance forwhich He is anointed of God; the following chapter presents Him as treading the wine-pressalone, which is a symbol of the future judgment by the glorified Saviour. Between these twoprophecies of the earthly life and the still future judicial energy, this chapter lies, referring,as I take it, to the period between these two—i.e to all the ages of the Church’s developmenton earth. For these Christ here promises His continual activity, and His continualbestowment of grace to His servants who watch the walls of Jerusalem.

2. Notice the remarkable parallelism in the expressions: “I will not hold My peace;” thewatchmen “shall never hold their peace.” And His command to them is literally, “Ye thatremind Jehovah—no rest (or silence) to you! and give not rest to Him.” So we have hereChrist, the Church and God, all represented as unceasingly occupied in the one great work ofestablishing “Zion ‘ as the centre of light, salvation and righteousness for the whole world.

I. THE GLORIFIED CHRIST IS CONSTANTLY WORKING FOR HIS CHURCH. We are too aptto regard our. Lord’s real work as all lying in the past, and, from the very greatness of ourestimate of what He has done, to forget the true importance of what He evermore does.. He wasreceived up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. In that session on the thronemanifold and mighty truths are expressed. It proclaims the full accomplishment of all thepurposes of His earthly ministry; it emphasizes the triumphant completion of His redeemingwork by His death; it proclaims the majesty of HIS nature, which returns to the glory which Hehad with the Father before the world was; it shows to the world, as on some coronation day,their King on His throne, girded with power. But whilst on the one side Christ rests as from aperfected work which needs no addition nor repetition, on the other He rests not day nor night.When the heavens opened to the rapt eyes of John in Patmos, the Lord whom he beheld was notonly revealed as glorified in the lustre of the inaccessible light, but as actively sustaining andguiding the human reflectors of it. He “holdeth the seven stars in HIS right hand,” and “walkethin the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.” Not otherwise does my text represent the presentrelation of Christ to His Church. “I will not rest.” Through all the ages His power is in exercise.He inspires in good men all their wisdom: and every grace of life and character. Nor is this all.There still remains the wonderful truth of His continuous intercession for us. In its widestmeaning that word expresses the whole of the manifold ways by which Christ undertakes andmaintains our cause. So we have not only to look back to the cross, but up to the throne. Fromthe cross we hear a voice, “It is finished.” From the throne a voice, “For Zion’s sake I will nothold My peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest.”

II. CHRIST’S SERVANTS ON EARTH DERIVE FROM HIM A LIKE PERPETUAL ACTIVITYFOR THE SAME OBJECT. “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never

hold their peace day nor night. On the promise follows, as ever a command “Ye that remindJehovah, keep not silence.” There is distinctly traceable here a reference to a twofold form ofoccupation devolving on these Christ-sent servants. They are watchmen, and they are also God’sremembrancers. In the one capacity as in the other, their voices are to be always heard. Theformer metaphor is common in the Old Testament, as a designation of the prophetic office, but,in accordance with the genius of the New Testament, as expressed on Pentecost, when the spiritwas poured out on the lowly as well as on the high, on the young as on the old, and allprophesied, may be fairly extended to disignate not some select few, but the whole mass ofChristian people. The remembrancer’s priestly office belongs to every member of Christ’spriestly kingdom, the lowest and least of whom has the privilege of unrestrained entry intoGod’s presence-chamber, and the power of blessing the world by faithful prayer.

1. Our voices should ever he heard on earth. A solemn message is committed to us by thevery fact of our belief in Jesus Christ and His work.

2. Our voices should ever be heard in heaven. They who trust God remind Him of Hispromises by their very faith; it is a mute appeal to His faithful love, which He cannot butanswer. Beyond that, their prayers come up for a memorial before God and have as real aneffect in furthering Christ’s kingdom on earth as is exercised by their entreaties andproclamations to men.

3. These two forms of action ought to be inseparable. Each, if ,genuine, will drive us to theother, for who could fling himself into the watchman’s work, with all its solemnconsequences, knowing how weak his voice was, and how deaf the ears that should hear,unless he could bring God’s might to his help? And who could honestly remind God of Hispromises and forget his own responsibilities?

4. The power for both is derived from Christ. He sets the watchmen; He commands theremembrancers. And, as the Christian power of discharging these twofold duties is drawnfrom Christ, so our pattern is His manner of discharging them, and the condition ofreceiving the power is to abide in Him. Christ asks no romantic impossibilities from us, butHe does ask a continuous, systematic discharge of the duties which depend on our relationto the world, and on our relation to Him.

III. THE CONSTANT ACTIVITY OF THE SERVANTS OF CHRIST WILL SECURE THECONSTANT OPERATION OF GOD’S POWER. “Give Him no rest: “ let there be no cessation toHim. These are bold words. Those who remind God are not to suffer Him to be still. The prophetbelieves that they can regulate the flow of Divine energy, can stir up the strength of the Lord. Itis easy to puzzle ourselves with insoluble questions about the co-operation of God’s power andman’s; but practically, is it not true that God reaches His end, of the establishment of Zion,through the Church? The great reservoir, is always., full to the brim; however much may bedrawn from it, the water sinks not a hair’s breadth; but the bore of the pipe and the power of thepumping-engine determine the rate at which the stream flows from it. “He could there do nomighty works because of their unbelief.” (A. Maclaren, D. D.

Hindrances to the spread of the Gospel

Our particular inquiry is, What obstacles to the conversion of the world are found among thosewho, in different ways, are enlisted in the cause of foreign missions?

I. THE DEFECT OF OUR CHRISTIAN CHARACTER, OR THE WANT OF A HIGHER DEGREEOF HOLINESS.

II. THE DIRECT INDULGENCE OF AFFECTIONS WHICH ARE SELFISH AND EARTHLY.

III. DIVISION AND STRIFE AMONG CHRIST’S FOLLOWERS.

IV. THE UNNECESSARY EXCITEMENT OF POPULAR PREJUDICE.

V. FALLING SHORT IN OUR DUTY IN REGARD TO THE BENEVOLENT USE OF

PROPERTY.

VI. THE WANT OF A PROPER FEELING AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF OUR

DEPENDENCE ON GOD FOR THE SUCCESS OF OUR EFFORTS. (Leonard Woods, D. D.)

I. ENCOURAGEMENTS.

The encouragements and duties of Christians

1. There are declarations respecting the character and essential attributes of God, as, forexample, His sovereignty, His power, His justice, His wisdom, His love; even from which, ifwe had no express or specific direction, we might justly and safely infer that the Almightycannot always permit His own world to remain the almost unmitigated form of generalapostasy and wretchedness; and that for the sake of His own glory He will cause a vast andmighty change, by which the revolt of the world shall be terminated, and by which it shall berecovered and reclaimed to Himself.,

2. There are declarations with regard to the sufficiency and design of our Saviour’s sacrifice(Joh_1:29; Joh_12:32; Heb_2:9; 1Jn_2:2). That the sacrifice of Christ, of which such is thedeclared sufficiency and design has hitherto but very partially and imperfectly accomplishedits object is plain; that, so long as the world continues as it is, that partiality andimperfection must still continue is plain also; and we must therefore judge that it never canfulfil the objects for which it was originally offered, except in the final effusion of the DivineSpirit among all the nations of the earth.

3. There are declarations in regard to thee majesty and extent of the Saviour’s exaltation androyalty. As the reward and the recompense of His sufferings, He has been made thepossessor of a wonderful mediatorial kingdom, a kingdom in the gaining and maintaining ofthe authority of which the Spirit is the agent, and the Word is the instrument—that kingdomin which the Spirit, through the Word, is destined to maintain a universal sway (Psa_2:7-8;Isa_9:6; Psa_62:8, etc.).

4. There are those declarations with regard to the final and renovating change, as we findthem expressed throughout the general structure of the prophetical writings. Because Hewho cannot lie has promised, therefore we believe.

II. OBLIGATIONS.

1. There are peculiar duties pressing upon the ministers and other public officers of theChurch of Christ. The ministers are called upon to cultivate peculiar eminence in personalholiness; they ought to cultivate an enlarged and most accurate acquaintance withevangelical truth, an ardent zeal for the glory of God, a tender compassion for the souls ofmen! They ought to give themselves up wholly to their high vocation. They ought to labourwith quenchless ardour and perseverance, while prayer ought to be, as it were, their veryfood, their very air, and their very being. As to the other public officers of the Church, theirspecial duty appears to be the following—exemplary firmness in the belief of Christiandoctrine, in the practice ofChristian precepts, and in the manifestation of a Christian spirit;fervent, brotherly love amongst themselves, towards all their fellow-Christians, andespecially towards the poor, whose interest they are invoked to superintend; cheerfulassistance to the pastors of the flock, in all measures which may be deemed proper forpreserving the purity of the Church, and for the conversion of the ungodly; and an earnest

endeavour with regard to all departments of Christian character, that they may shine aslights in the world.

2. But there are general duties which press upon all the members of a Christian Church.

(1) A careful avoidance of all worldly conformity.

(2) The practice of sincere brotherly affection towards all other followers of the LordJesus Christ.

(3) Increased zeal in maintaining and extending that ministry which has been ordainedfor the conversion of men.

(4) A strong mental confidence in the fact that the change upon which our aspirationshave been fixed shall actually be accomplished. There is nothing by which God is somuch dishonoured as unbelief.

(5) There must also be the spirit of importunate prayer (Isa_62:1; Isa_62:6). (JamesParsons.)

Intercessory prayer and the Divine reapers

The prophet here tells us—

I. WHAT HE WILL DO FOR THE CHURCH (Isa_62:1).

II. WHAT GOD WILL DO FOR THE CHURCH (Isa_62:2-5).

1. The Church shall be greatly admired. “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness” etc.

2. She shall be truly admirable. “Thou shalt be called by a new name, etc. Two names Godshall give her.

(1) He shall call her His crown (Isa_62:8).

(2) He shall call her His spouse (Isa_62:4-5). (M. Henry.)

9. MACLAREN, “THE HEAVENLY WORKERS AND THE EARTHLY WATCHERS

Isa_62:1, Isa_62:6-7

Two remarks of an expository nature will prepare the way for the consideration of these words.The first is that the speaker is the personal Messiah. The second half of Isaiah’s propheciesforms one great whole, which might be called The Book of the Servant of the Lord. One majesticfigure stands forth on its pages with ever-growing clearness of outline and form. The language inwhich He is described fluctuates at first between the collective Israel and the one Person who isto be all that the nation had failed to attain. But even near the beginning of the prophecy we readof ‘My servant whom I uphold,’ whose voice is to be low and soft, and whose meek persistence isnot to fail till He have ‘set judgment in the earth.’ And as we advance the reference to the nationbecomes less and less possible, and the recognition of the person more and more imperative. Atfirst the music of the prophetic song seems to move uncertainly amid sweet sounds, from whichthe true theme by degrees emerges, and thenceforward recurs over and over again with deeper,louder harmonies clustering about it, till it swells into the grandeur of the choral close.

In the chapter before our text we read, ‘The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lordhath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.’ Throughout the remainder of theprophecy, with the exception of one section which contains the prayer of the desolate Israel, this

same person continues to speak; and who he is was taught in the synagogue of Nazareth. Whilstthe preceding chapter, then, brings in Christ as proclaiming the great work of deliverance forwhich He is anointed of God, the following chapter presents Him as ‘treading the wine-pressalone,’ which is a symbol of the future judgment by the glorified Saviour. Between these twoprophecies of the earthly life and of the still future judicial energy, this chapter of our text lies,referring, as I take it, to the period between these two-that is, to all the ages of the Church’sdevelopment on earth. For these Christ here promises His continual activity, and His continualbestowment of grace to His servants who watch the walls of His Jerusalem.

The second point to be noticed is the remarkable parallelism in the expressions selected as thetext: ‘I will not hold My peace’; the watchmen ‘shall never hold their peace.’ And His commandto them is literally, ‘Ye that remind Jehovah-no rest (or silence) to you, and give not rest toHim.’

So we have here Christ, the Church, and God all represented as unceasingly occupied in the onegreat work of establishing ‘Zion’ as the centre of light, salvation, and righteousness for the wholeworld. The consideration of these three perpetual activities may open for us some great truthsand stimulating lessons.

I. First, then, The glorified Christ is constantly working for His Church.

We are too apt to regard our Lord’s real work as all lying in the past, and, from the verygreatness of our estimate of what He has done, to forget the true importance of what Heevermore does. ‘Christ that died’ is the central object of trust and contemplation for devoutsouls-and that often to the partial hiding of Christ that is ‘risen again, who is even at the righthand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.’ But Scripture sets forth the present gloriouslife of our ascended Lord under two contrasted and harmonious aspects-as being rest, and asbeing continuous activity in the midst of rest. He was ‘received up into heaven, and sat on theright hand of God.’ In that session on the throne manifold and mighty truths are expressed. Itproclaims the full accomplishment of all the purposes of His earthly ministry; it emphasises thetriumphant completion of His redeeming work by His death; it proclaims the majesty of Hisnature, which returns to the ‘glory which He had with the Father before the world was’; it showsto the world, as on some coronation day, its King on His throne, girded with power and holdingthe far-reaching sceptre of the universe; it prophesies for men, in spite of all present sin anddegradation, a share in the dominion which manhood has in Christ attained, for though we seenot yet all things put under Him, we see Jesus crowned with glory and honour. It prophesies,too, His final victory over all that sets itself in unavailing antagonism to His love. It points usbackward to an historical fact as the basis of all our hopes for ourselves and for our fellows,giving us the assurance that the world’s deliverance will come from the slow operation of theforces already lodged in its history by Christ’s finished work. It points us forwards to a future asthe goal of all these hopes, giving us that confidence of victory which He has who, havingkindled the fire on earth, henceforward sits at God’s right hand, waiting in the calm and sublimepatience of conscious omnipotence and clear foreknowledge ‘until His enemies become Hisfootstool.’

But whilst on the one side Christ rests as from a perfected work which needs no addition norrepetition, on the other He ‘rests not day nor night.’ And this aspect of His present state is asdistinctly set forth in Scripture as that is. Indeed the words already quoted as embodying theformer phase contain the latter also. For is not ‘the right hand of God’ the operative energy ofthe divine nature? And is not ‘sitting at the right hand of God’ equivalent to possessing andwielding that unwearied, measureless power? Are there not blended together in this pregnantphrase the ideas of profoundest calm and of intensest action, that being expressed by theattitude, and this by the locality? Therefore does the evangelist who uses the expression expandit into words which wonderfully close his gospel, with the same representation of Christ’s swift

and constant activity as he had been all along pointing out as characterising His life on earth.‘They went forth,’ says he, ‘and preached everywhere’-so far the contrast between the Lordseated in the heavens and His wandering servants fighting on earth is sharp and almost harsh.But the next words tone it down, and weave the two apparently discordant halves of the pictureinto a whole: ‘the Lord working with them.’ Yes! in all His rest He is full of work, in all their toilsHe shares, in all their journeys His presence goes beside them. Whatever they do is His deed,and the help that is done upon the earth He doeth it all Himself.

Is not this blessed conviction of Christ’s continuous operation in and for His Church that whichunderlies, as has often been pointed out, the language of the introduction to the Acts of theApostles, where mention is made of the former treatise that told ‘all which Jesus began both todo and teach’? The gospel records the beginning, the Book of the Acts the continuance; it is onebiography in two volumes. Being yet present with them He spoke and acted. Being exalted He‘speaketh from heaven,’ and from the throne carries on the endless series of His works of powerand healing. The whole history is shaped by the same conviction. Everywhere ‘the Lord’ is thetrue actor, the source of all the life which is in the Church, the arranger of all the providenceswhich affect its progress. The Lord adds to the Church daily. His name works miracles. To theLord believers are added. His angel, His Spirit, bring messages to His servants. He appears toPaul, and speaks to Ananias. The Gentiles turn to the Lord because the hand of the Lord is withthe preachers. The Lord calls Paul to carry the gospel to Macedonia. The Lord opens the heart ofLydia, and so throughout. Not ‘the Acts of the Apostles,’ but ‘the Acts of the Lord in and by Hisservants,’ is the accurate title of this book. The vision which flashed angel radiance on the face,and beamed with divine comfort into the heart, of Stephen, was a momentary revelation of anabiding reality, and completes the representation of the Saviour throned beside Almighty power.He beheld his Lord, not seated, as if careless or resting, while His servant’s need was so sore, butas if risen with intent to help, and ready to defend-’standing on the right hand of God.’

And when once again the heavens opened to the rapt eyes of John in Patmos, the Lord whom hebeheld was not only revealed as glorified in the lustre of the inaccessible light, but as activelysustaining and guiding the human reflectors of it. He ‘holdeth the seven stars in His right hand,’and ‘walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.’

Not otherwise does my text represent the present relation of Christ to His Church. It speaks of acontinuous forth-putting of power, which it is, perhaps, not over-fanciful to regard as dimly setforth here in a twofold form-namely, work and word. At all events, that division stands outclearly on the pages of the New Testament, which ever holds forth the double truth of our Lord’sconstant action on, in, through, and for His Zion, and of our High Priest’s constant intercession.

‘I will not rest.’ Through all the ages His power is in exercise. He inspires in good men all theirwisdom, and every grace of life and character. He uses them as His weapons in the contest of Hislove with the world’s hatred; but the hand that forged, and tempered, and sharpened the blade isthat which smites with it; and the axe must not boast itself against him that heweth. He, theLord of lords, orders providences, and shapes the course of the world for that Church which isHis witness: ‘Yea, He reproved kings for their sake, saying, Touch not Mine anointed, and do Myprophets no harm.’ The ancient legend which told how, on many a well-fought field, the ranks ofRome discerned through the battle-dust the gleaming weapons and white steeds of the GreatTwin Brethren far in front of the solid legions, is true in loftier sense in our Holy War. We maystill see the vision which the leader of Israel saw of old, the man with the drawn sword in hishand, and hear the majestic word, ‘As Captain of the Lord’s host am I now come.’ The Word ofGod, with vesture dipped in blood, with eyes alit with His flaming love, with the many crowns ofunlimited sovereignty upon His head, rides at the head of the armies of heaven; ‘and inrighteousness doth He judge and make war.’ For the single soul struggling with daily tasks andpetty cares, His help is near and real, as for the widest work of the collective whole. He sends

none of us tasks in which He has no share. The word of this Master is never ‘Go,’ but ‘Come.’ Heunites Himself with all our sorrows, with all our efforts. ‘The Lord also working with them’ is adescription of all the labours of Christian men, be they great or small.

Nor is this all. There still remains the wonderful truth of His continuous intercession for us. Inits widest meaning that word expresses the whole of the manifold ways by which Christundertakes and maintains our cause. But the narrower signification of prayer on our behalf isapplicable, and is in Scripture applied, to our Lord. As on earth, the climax of all His intercoursewith His disciples was that deep yet simple prayer which forms the Holy of Holies of John’sGospel, so in heaven His loftiest office for us is set forth under the figure of His intercession.Before the Throne stands the slain Lamb, and therefore do the elders in the outer circle bringacceptable praises. Within the veil stands the Priest, with the names of the tribes blazing on thebreastplate and on the shoulders of His robes, near the seat of love, near the arm of power. Andwhatever difficulty may surround that idea of Christ’s priestly intercession, this at all events isimplied in it, that the mighty work which He accomplished on earth is ever present to the divinemind as the ground of our acceptance and the channel of our blessings; and this further, that theutterance of Christ’s will is ever in harmony with the divine purpose. Therefore His prayer has init a strange tone of majesty, and, if we may so say, of command, as of one who knows that He isever heard: ‘I will that they whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am.’

The instinct of the Church has, from of old, laid hold of an event in His earthly life to shadowforth this great truth, and has bid us see a pledge and a symbol of it in that scene on the Lake ofGalilee: the disciples toiling in the sudden storm, the poor little barque tossing on the waterstinged by the wan moon, the spray dashing over the wearied rowers. They seem alone, but upyonder, in some hidden cleft of the hills, their Master looks down on all the weltering storm, andlifts His voice in prayer. Then when the need is sorest, and the hope least, He comes across thewaves, making their surges His pavement, and using all opposition as the means of Hisapproach, and His presence brings calmness, and immediately they are at the land.

So we have not only to look back to the Cross, but up to the Throne. From the Cross we hear avoice, ‘It is finished.’ From the Throne a voice, ‘For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, and forJerusalem’s sake I will not rest.’

II. Secondly, Christ’s servants on earth derive from Him a like perpetual activityfor the same object.

The Lord, who in the former portion of these verses declares His own purpose of unweariedaction for Zion, associates with Himself in the latter portion the watchmen, whom He appointsand endows for functions in some measure resembling His own, and exercised with constancyderived from Him. ‘I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never holdtheir peace day nor night.’ On the promise follows, as ever, a command (for all divine giftsinvolve the responsibility of their use, and it is not His wont either to bestow without requiring,or to require before bestowing), ‘Ye that remind Jehovah, keep not silence.’

There is distinctly traceable before a reference to a two-fold form of occupation devolving onthese Christ-sent servants. They are watchmen, and they are also God’s remembrancers. In theone capacity as in the other, their voices are to be always heard. The former metaphor iscommon in the Old Testament, as a designation of the prophetic office, but, in the accordancewith the genius of the New Testament, as expressed on Pentecost, when the Spirit was pouredout on the lowly as well as on the high, on the young as on the old, and all prophesied, it may befairly extended to designated not to some selected few, but the whole mass of Christian people.The watchman’s office falls to be done by all who see the coming peril, and have a tongue to echoit forth. The remembrancer’s priestly office belongs to every member of Christ’s priestlykingdom, the lowest and least of whom has the privilege of unrestrained entry into God’s

presence-chamber, and the power of blessing the world by faithful prayer. What should we thinkof a citizen in a beleaguered city, who saw enemy mounting the very ramparts, and gave noalarm because that was the sentry’s business? In such extremity every man is a soldier, andwomen and children can at least keep watch and raise shrill cries of warning. The gifts, then,here promised, and the duties that flow from them, are not the prerogatives or the tasks of anyclass or order, but the heritage and the burden of the Lord to every member of His Church.

Our voices should ever be heard on earth. A solemn message is committed to us, by the very factof our belief in Jesus Christ and His work. With that faith come responsibilities of which noChristian can denude himself. To warn the wicked man to turn from His wickedness; to blow thetrumpet when we see the sword coming; to catch ever gleaming on the horizon, like the spears ofan army through the dust of the march, the outriders and advance-guard of the coming of Himwhose coming is life or death to all, and to lift up our voices with strength and say, ‘Behold yourGod’; to peal into the ears of men, sunken in earthliness and dreaming of safety, the cry whichmay startle and save; to ring out in glad tones to all who wearily ask, ‘Watchman, what of thenight? will the night soon pass?’ the answer which the slow dawning east has breathed into ourelse stony lips, ‘The morning cometh’; to proclaim Christ, who came once to put away sin by thesacrifice of Himself, who comes ever, through the ages, to bless and uphold the righteousnesswhich He loves and to destroy the iniquity which He hates, who will come at the last to judge theworld-this is the never-ending task of the watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. The NewTestament calls it ‘preaching,’ proclaiming as a herald does. And both metaphors carry onecommon lesson of the manner in which the work should be done. With clear loud voice, withearnestness and decision, with faithfulness and self-oblivion, forgetting himself in his message,must the herald sound out the will of his King, the largess of his Lord. And the watchman whostands on his watch-tower whole nights, and sees foemen creeping through the gloom, or firebursting out among the straw-roofed cottages within the walls, shouts with all his might theshort, sharp alarm, that wakes the sleepers to whom slumber were death. Let us ponder thepattern.

Our voices should ever be heard in heaven. They who trust God remind Him of His promises bytheir very faith; it is a mute appeal to His faithful love, which He cannot but answer. And,beyond that, their prayers come up for a memorial before God, and have as real an effect infurthering Christ’s kingdom on earth as is exercised by their entreaties and proclamations tomen.

How distinctly these words of our text define the region within which our prayers should evermove, and the limits which bound their efficacy! They remind God. Then the truest prayer isthat which bases itself on God’s uttered will, and the desires which are born of our own fanciesor heated enthusiasms have no power with Him. The prayer that prevails is a reflected promise.Our office in prayer is but to receive on our hearts the bright rays of His word, and to flash themback from the polished surface to the heaven from whence they came.

These two forms of action ought to be inseparable. Each, if genuine, will drive us to the other,for who could fling himself into the watchman’s work, with all its solemn consequences,knowing how weak his voice was, and how deaf the ears that should hear, unless he could bringGod’s might to his help? and who could honestly remind God of His promises and forget his ownresponsibilities? Prayerless work will soon slacken, and never bear fruit; idle prayer is worsethan idle. You cannot part them if you would. How much of the busy occupation which is called‘Christian work’ is detected to be spurious by this simple test! How much so-called prayer isreduced by it to mere noise, no better than the blaring trumpet or the hollow drum!

The power for both is derived from Christ. He sets the watchmen; He commands theremembrancers. From Him flows the power, from His good Spirit comes the desire, to proclaimthe message. That message is the story of His life and death. But for what He does and is we

should have nothing to say; but for His gift we should have no power to say it; but for Hisinfluence we should have no will to say it. He commands and fits us to be intercessors, for Hismighty work brings us near to God; He opens for us access with confidence to God. He inspiresour prayers. He ‘hath made us priests to God.’

And, as the Christian power of discharging these twofold duties is drawn from Christ, so ourpattern is His manner of discharging them, and the condition of receiving the power is to abidein Him. He proposes Himself as our Example. He calls us to no labours which He has notHimself shared, nor to any earnestness or continuance in prayer which He has not Himselfshown forth. This Master works in front of His men. The farmer that goes first among all thesowers, and heads the line of reapers in the yellowing harvest-field, may well have diligentservants. Our Master ‘went forth, weeping, bearing precious seed,’ and has left it in our hands tosow in all furrows. Our Master is the Lord of the harvest, and has borne the heat of the daybefore His servants. Look at the amount of work, actual hard work, compressed into these threeshort years of His ministry. Take the records of the words He spake on that last day of His publicteaching, and see what unwearied toil they represent. Ponder upon that life till you catch thespirit which breathed through it all, and, like Him, embrace gladly the welcome necessity oflabour for God, under the sense of a vocation conferred upon you, and of the short space withinwhich your service must be condensed. ‘I must work the work of Him that sent me, while it isday: the night cometh, when no man can work.’

Christ asks no romantic impossibilities from us, but He does ask a continuous, systematicdischarge of the duties which depend on our relation to the world, and on our relation to Him.Let it be our life’s work to show forth His praise; let the very atmosphere in which we move andhave our being be prayer. Let two great currents set ever through our days, which two, like thegreat movements in the ocean of the air, are but the upper and under halves of the onemovement-that beneath with constant energy of desire rushing in from the cold poles to bewarmed and expanded at the tropics, where the all-moving sun pours his directest rays; thatabove charged with rich gifts from the Lord of light, glowing with heat drawn from Him, andmade diffusive by His touch, spreading itself out beneficent and life-bringing into all colderlands, swathing the world in soft, warm folds, and turning the polar ice into sweet waters.

In the tabernacle of Israel stood two great emblems of the functions of God’s people, whichembodied these two sides of the Christian life. Day by day, there ascended from the altar ofincense the sweet odour, which symbolised the fragrance of prayer as it wreathes itself upwardsto the heavens. Night by night, as darkness fell on the desert and the camp, there shone throughthe gloom the hospitable light of the great golden candlestick with its seven lamps, whose steadyrays outburned the stars that paled with the morning. Side by side they proclaimed to Israel itsdestiny to be the light of the world, to be a kingdom of priests.

The offices and the honour have passed over to us, and we shall fall beneath our obligationsunless we let our light shine constantly before men, and let our voice rise like a fountain nightand day’ before God- even as He did who, when every man went to his own house, went alone tothe Mount of Olives, and in the morning, when every man returned to his daily task, went intothe Temple and taught. By His example, by His gifts, by the motive of His love, our resting,working Lord says to each of us, ‘Ye that remind God, keep not silence.’ Let us answer, ‘ForZion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest.’

III. Finally, The constant activity of the servants of Christ will secure the constantoperation of God’s power.

‘Give Him no rest’: let there be no cessation to Him. These are bold words, which many peoplewould not have been slow to rebuke if they had been anywhere else than in the Bible. Those who

remind God are not to suffer Him to be still. The prophet believes that they can regulate the flowof divine energy, can stir up the strength of the Lord.

It is easy to puzzle ourselves with insoluble questions about the co-operation of God’s power andman’s; but practically, is it not true that God reaches His end, of the establishment of Zion,through the Church? He has not barely willed that the world should be saved, nor barely that itshould be saved through Christ, nor barely that it should be saved through the knowledge ofChrist; but His will is that the world shall be saved, by faith in the person and work of Christ,proclaimed as a gospel by men who believe it. And, as a matter of fact, is it not true that theenergy with which God’s power in the gospel manifests itself depends on the zeal and activityand prayerfulness of the Church? The great reservoir is always full-full to the brim; howevermuch may be drawn from it, the water sinks not a hairsbreadth; but the bore of the pipe and thepower of the pumping-engine determine the rate at which the stream flows from it. ‘He couldthere do no mighty works because of their unbelief.’ The obstruction of indifference dammedback the water of life. The city perishes for thirst if the long line of aqueduct that strides acrossthe plain towards the home of the mountain torrents be ruinous, broken down, choked withrubbish.

God is always the same-equally near, equally strong, equally gracious. But our possession of Hisgrace, and the impartation of His grace through us to others, vary, because our faith, ourearnestness, our desires, vary. True, these no doubt are also His gifts and His working, andnothing that we say now touches in the least on the great truth that God is the sole originator ofall good in man; but while believing that, as no less sure in itself than blessed in its message ofconfidence and consolation to us, we also have to remember, ‘If any man open the door, I willcome in to him.’ We may have as much of God as we want, as much as we can hold, far morethan we deserve. And if ever the victorious power of His Church seems to be almost paling todefeat, and His servants to be working no deliverance upon the earth, the cause is not to befound in Him who is ‘without variableness,’ nor in His gifts, which are ‘without repentance,’ butsolely in us, who let go our hold of the Eternal Might. No ebb withdraws the waters of that greatocean; and if sometimes there be sand and ooze where once the flashing flood brought life andmotion, it is because careless warders have shut the sea-gates.

An awful responsibility lies on us. We can resist and refuse, or we can open our hearts and drawinto ourselves His strength. We can bring into operation those energies which act throughfaithful men faithfully proclaiming the faithful saying; or we can limit the Holy One of Israel.‘Why could not we cast him out?’ ‘Because of your unbelief.’

With what grand confidence, then, may the weakest of us go to his task. We have a right to feelthat in all our labour God works with us; that, in all our words for Him, it is not we that speak,but the Spirit of our Father that speaks in us; that if humbly and prayerfully, with self-distrustand resolute effort to crucify our own intrusive individuality, we wait for Him to enshrineHimself within us, strength will come to us, drawn from the deep fountains of God, and we tooshall be able to say, ‘Not I, but the grace of God in me.’

How this sublime confidence should tell on our characters, destroying all self-confidence,repressing all pride, calming all impatience, brightening all despondency, and ever stirring usanew to deeds worthy of the ‘exceeding greatness of the power which worketh in us’-I can onlysuggest.

On all sides motives for strenuous toil press in upon us-chiefly those great examples which wehave now been contemplating. But, besides these, there are other forms of activity which maypoint the same lesson. Look at the energy around us. We live in a busy time. Life goes swiftly inall regions. Men seem to be burning away faster than ever before, in an atmosphere of pureoxygen. Do we work as hard for God as the world does for itself? Look at the energy beneath us:

how evil in every form is active; how lies and half-truths propagate themselves quick as theblight on a rose-tree; how profligacy, and crime, and all the devil’s angels are busy on hiserrands. If we are sitting drowsy by our camp-fires, the enemy is on the alert. You can hear thetramp of their legions and the rumble of their artillery through the night as they march to theirposts on the field. It is no time for God’s sentinels to nod. If they sleep, the adversary does not,but glides in the congenial darkness, sowing his baleful tares. Do we work as hard for God as theemissaries of evil do for their master? Look at the energy above us. On the throne of theuniverse is the immortal Power who slumbereth not nor sleepeth. Before the altar of the heavensis the Priest of the world, the Lord of His Church, ‘who ever liveth to make intercession for us.’Round Him stand perfected spirits, the watchmen on the walls of the New Jerusalem, who ‘restnot day and night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty.’ From His presence come,filling the air with the rustle of their swift wings and the light of their flame-faces, theministering spirits who evermore ‘do His commandments, hearkening to the voice of His word.’And we, Christian brethren, where are we in all this magnificent concurrence of activity, forpurposes which ought to be dear to our hearts as they are to the heart of God? Do we work forHim as He and all that are with Him do? Is His will done by us on earth, as it is heaven?

Alas! alas! have we not all been like those three apostles whose eyes were heavy with sleep evenwhile the Lord was wrestling with the tempter under the gnarled olives in the pale moonlight ofGethsemane? Let us arouse ourselves from our sloth. Let us lift up our cry to God: ‘Awake,awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord, as in the ancient days in the generations of old’; andthe answer shall sound from the heavens to us as it did to the prophet, an echo of his prayerturned into a command, ‘Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion.’

10. MEYER, “THE LAND OF BEULAH

Isa_62:1-12

The Intercessor, Isa_62:1-4. Messiah is speaking here. Throughout the ages, He ever lives tomake intercession. He asks that His Church may be one, that the heathen may be given Him forHis inheritance, and that Israel may be restored. It is the cry of the unresting Savior. WhenJesus pleads for thee, poor soul, thou canst not be desolate and forsaken. God loves, though allhate; God delights, though all abhor; God remains, though all forsake.

Intercessors, Isa_62:5-7. The Great High-Priest calls us to be priests. The unresting Lord callson us not to rest. He says, “Watch with me.” He gives us rest from sin and sorrow, that we maynot rest from prayer. We must take no rest and give God no rest. We are to become God’s“remembrancers,” Isa_62:6, R.V.

The divine answer, Isa_62:8-12. To the prophet’s mind the prayer is already answered as soonas spoken. Already the highway must be prepared for the return of the exiles. So to us, who havelain among the ashes, salvation comes apace. Make ready to trail thy Deliverer! Then learn tobecome the salt and benediction of others!

2 The nations will see your vindication,

and all kings your glory;you will be called by a new name

that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.

1.BARNES, “And the Gentiles shall see - (see Isa_11:10 :÷ come a up I father me sayIsa_49:22; Isa_60:3, Isa_60:5, Isa_60:16).

And all kings thy glory - (See the notes at Isa_49:7, Isa_49:23; Isa_52:15; Isa_60:3,Isa_60:10-11, Isa_60:16).

And thou shalt be called by a new name - A name which shall be significant andexpressive of a greatly improved and favored condition (see Isa_62:4). The idea is, that theywould not be in a condition in which a name denoting humiliation, poverty, and oppressionwould be appropriate, but in circumstances where a name expressive of prosperity would beadapted to express their condition. On the custom of giving significant names, see the notes atIsa_7:3; Isa_8:1.

Which the mouth of the Lord shall name - Which shall be the more valuable becauseYahweh himself shall confer it, and which must therefore be appropriate (see the notes atIsa_62:4, Isa_62:12.)

2. TEED 1-5, “God announces here that He will continue to work on Jerusalem’s behalfuntil her righteousness, salvation, and glory are observed by the rest of the world (Isaiah

61:10-11) and the city is called by a new name. In the ancient Near East names often

signified one’s anticipated or present character. So Jerusalem’s having a new name meansit will have a Savior, you too have been given a new name to signify your new relationship

with God? (See Revelation 2:17 and 3:12.) When we receive Christ we become a brand new

person inside (2 Corinthians 5:17) and this new name seems to go along with that. Like a

crown, Jerusalem will be an adornment to the Lord. She will be a lighthouse to the world,

displaying His splendor; that is, her inhabitants will make evident Christ’s character bytheir conduct. The beauty seen in Jerusalem’s reflection of Christ’s righteousness is seen in

these verses, as well as her new status as Christ’s holy bride. God will not be permanently

thwarted in his plan to create a holy nation, despite Israel’s sorry record of failure and

disobedience. In the last days of the Tribulation she will display Christ’s righteousness and

rather than being called Deserted (62:12) or Desolate, previous characteristics of the city,

Jerusalem will be named Hephzibah, meaning “My delight is in her,” and Beulah, meaning

“Married one.” The words “so will your sons marry you” imply that people again will live

in Jerusalem and God will be happy that His plan for the ages has been fulfilled.new

righteous character. Did you know that, if you have asked Christ to be your personal

3. GILL, “And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness,.... The innocence of her case, andthe justness of her cause, and the vengeance took on her enemies, all being so clear as beforedeclared; as well as her justifying righteousness, which being published in the Gospel to theGentiles, they shall see it, embrace it, and shall be justified by it, Rom_1:17 or "thy righteousOne", as the Vulgate Latin version, Christ:

and all kings thy glory; or, "thy glorious One", as the same version; her Lord in whom sheglories, and who is a glory to her, whom kings shall fall down before and worship, Psa_72:10 orthe glorious state of the church, which shall draw the eyes of kings unto it, and who shallpromote it by bringing their glory into it, Isa_60:1. Vitringa thinks all this refers to the times ofConstantine, before which kings had not seen the glory of the church, nor had she seen kingssubject to her; but now they began to see the glory of the kingdom of Christ: but it is better tointerpret it of the latter day, when not only kings begin to see, not a few of them, but all ingeneral shall see it:

and thou shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name;either "Jehovah Shammah", "The Lord is there"; his presence being among his church andpeople at this time in a remarkable manner, Eze_48:35 or Jehovah our righteousness; this beingmost clearly revealed, as before observed, Jer_33:16 or Christ, to whom she is so closely united,and so nearly allied, as to have his name on her, 1Co_12:12 or the church, and church of God,and of Christ, names only to be met with in the New Testament, and under the Gospeldispensation; or the name of Christians from Christ, Act_11:26, or, as is more commonlyreceived, the name of the sons of God, which the church of converted Jews shall have in thelatter day, when the name of "Loammi" is taken off from them, Hos_1:10, and to this passagethere may be an allusion in Rev_2:17. This name is a new name; a renewed one, at the time ofregeneration and faith, which was anciently provided in predestination, and bestowed in thecovenant of grace; a renowned one, better than that of sons and daughters of the greatestpotentates, and attended with various privileges; a wonderful name, an instance of marvellousgrace in God, who stood in no need of adopted ones, and to them so unworthy of it; and which isever new, and will always continue; this blessing of grace is of God, and not of men, and is to beascribed to the grace of God, Father, Son and Spirit. Kimchi makes this new name to be"Hephzibah", Isa_62:4, not amiss.

3B. PULPIT COMMENTARY, “The Gentiles shall see, etc. A continuation of the account of Israel'sfinal glory, as given in Isa_61:6-9. What the Gentiles are especially to see and admire is Israel'srighteousness. This may point to those acknowledgments of the purity and excellence of the early Churchwhich were made by the heathen (Plin; 'Epist.,' 10.97), and which culminated in the saying, "See howthese Christians love one another!" The sceptic Gibbon acknowledges, among the causes of the successof Christianity, "the virtues of the early Christians." All kings(comp. Isa_49:7, Isa_49:23; Isa_60:3; Psa_50:22 :11). Thou shalt be called by a newname (comp. Isa_61:4 and 12; and see also Isa_65:15). It is not altogether clear what the "new name" is,since in the remainder of the present chapter more than one name is suggested. Rosenmuller supposes"Hephzibah" to be meant. Dr. Kay suggests "the holy people," and notes that the title of "holy ones," or"saints," is given by St. Paul to all Christians (Act_26:10; Rom_1:7; Rom_16:15;1Co_1:2, etc.). Mr.Cheyne thinks that it is some unknown title of honour, akin to that mentioned by Jeremiah "Jehovah ourRighteousness" (Jer_33:16). "New names" will be given to individual saints in the heavenly kingdom(Rev_2:17; Rev_3:12).

4. HENRY, “What God will do for the church. The prophet can but pray and preach, but God

will confirm the word and answer the prayers. 1. The church shall be greatly admired. When that

righteousness which is her salvation, her praise, and her glory, shall be brought forth, the

Gentiles shall see it. The tidings of it shall be carried to the Gentiles, and a tender of it made to

them; they may so see this righteousness as to share in it if it be not their own fault. “Even kings

shall see and be in love with the glory of thy righteousness” (Isa_62:2), shall overlook the glory

of their own courts and kingdoms, and look at, and look after, the spiritual glory of the church as

that which excels. 2. She shall be truly admirable. Great names make men considerable in the

world, and great respect is paid them thereupon; now it is agreed that honor est in honorante -

honour derives its value from the dignity of him who confers it. God is the fountain of honour

and from him the church's honour comes: “Thou shalt be called by a new name, a pleasant

name, such as thou wast never called by before, no, not in the day of thy greatest prosperity, and

the reverse of that which thou wast called by in the day of thy affliction; thou shalt have a new

character, be advanced to a new dignity, and those about thee shall have new thoughts of thee.”

This seems to be alluded to in that promise (Rev_2:17) of the white stone and in the stone a new

name, and that (Rev_3:12) of the name of the city of my God and my new name. It is a name

which the mouth of the Lord shall name, who, we are sure, miscalls nothing, and who will oblige

others to call her by the name he has given her; for his judgment is according to truth and all

shall concur with it sooner or later. Two names God shall give her: -

5. JAMISON, “(Isa_11:10; Isa_42:1-6; Isa_49:7, Isa_49:22, Isa_49:23; Isa_60:3, Isa_60:5,Isa_60:16).

new name — expression of thy new and improved condition (Isa_62:4), the more valuableand lasting as being conferred by Jehovah Himself (Isa_62:12; Isa_65:15; Rev_2:17; Rev_3:12).

6.SBC, “The speaker of these words is the personal Messiah. Notice the remarkable parallelismin the expressions selected as the text: "I will not hold My peace;" the watchmen "shall neverhold their peace." And His command to them is literally, "Ye that remind Jehovah—no rest (orsilence) to you! and give not rest to Him." So that we have here Christ, the Church, and God allrepresented as unceasingly occupied in the one great work of establishing Zion as the centre oflight, salvation, and righteousness for the whole world.

I. The glorified Christ is constantly working for His Church. Scripture sets forth the presentglorious life of our ascended Lord under two contrasted and harmonious aspects—as being rest,and as being continuous activity in the midst of rest. Through all the ages His power is inexercise. We have not only to look back to the cross, but up to the throne. From the cross wehear a voice, "It is finished." From the throne a voice, "For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace,and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest."

II. Christ’s servants on earth derive from Him a like perpetual activity for the same object. TheLord associates Himself with watchmen, whom He appoints and endows for functions in some

measure resembling His own, and exercised with constancy derived from Him. They arewatchmen, and they are also God’s remembrancers. In the one capacity, as in the other, theirvoices are to be always heard. The watchman’s office falls to be done by all who see the comingperil and have a tongue to echo it forth. The remembrancer’s priestly office belongs to everymember of Christ’s priestly kingdom, the lowest and least of whom has the privilege ofunrestrained entry into God’s presence-chamber, and the power of blessing the world by faithfulprayer. (1) Our voices should ever be heard on earth. (2) Our voices should ever be heard inheaven. (3) The power for both is derived from Christ.

III. The constant activity of the servants of Christ will secure the constant operation of God’spower. Those who remind God are not to suffer Him to be still. The prophet believes that theycan regulate the flow of Divine energy, can stir up the strength of the Lord. An awfulresponsibility lies on us. We can resist and oppose, or we can open our hearts and draw intoourselves His strength. We can bring into operation these energies which act through faithfulmen faithfully proclaiming the faithful saying; or we can limit the Holy One of Israel. On allsides motives for strenuous toil press in upon us. Look at the energy around, beneath, above us.When are we in all this magnificent concurrence of energy, for purposes which ought to be dearto our hearts, as they are to the heart of God?

Maclaren, Sermons Preached in Manchester, 3rd series, p. 19.

6B. MACLAREN, “MAN’S CROWN AND GOD’S

Isa_28:5. - Isa_62:3.

Connection of first prophecy-destruction of Samaria. Its situation, crowning the hill with its walls andtowers, its fertile ‘fat valley,’ the flagrant immorality and drunkenness of its inhabitants, and its final ruin,are all presented in the highly imaginative picture of its fall as being like the trampling under foot of agarland on a reveller’s head, the roses of which fade and droop amid the fumes of the banqueting hall,and are then flung out on the highway. The contrast presented is very striking and beautiful. When all thatgross and tumultuous beauty has faded and died, then God Himself will be a crown of beauty to Hispeople.

The second text comes into remarkable line with this. The verbal resemblance is not quite so strong in theoriginal. The words for diadem and crown are not the same; the word rendered glory in the second text isrendered beauty in the first, but the two texts are entirely one in meaning. The same metaphor, then, isused with reference to what God is to the Church and what the Church is to God. He is its crown, it is His.

I. The Possession of God is the Coronation of Man.

{a} Crowns were worn by guests at feasts. They who possess God sit at a table perpetually spread withall which the soul can wish or want. Contrast the perishable delights of sense and godless life with thecalm and immortal joys of communion with God; ‘a crown that fadeth not away’ beside withered garlands.

{b} Crowns were worn by kings. They who serve God are thereby invested with rule over selves, overcircumstances, over all externals. He alone gives completeness to self-control.

{c} Crowns were worn by priests. The highest honour and dignity of man’s nature is thereby reached. Tohave God is like a beam of sunshine on a garden, which brings out the colours of all the flowers; contrastwith the same garden in the grey monotony of a cloudy twilight.

II. The Coronation of Man in God is the Coronation of God in Man.

That includes the following thoughts.

The true glory of God is in the communication of Himself. What a wonderful light that throws on divinecharacter! It is equivalent to ‘God is Love.’

He who is glorified by God glorifies God, as showing the most wonderful working of His power in makingsuch a man out of such material, by an alchemy that can convert base metal into fine gold; as showingthe most wonderful condescension of His love in taking to His heart man, into whose flesh the rottingleprosy of sin has eaten.

Such a man will glorify God by becoming a conscious herald of His praise. He who has God in his heartwill magnify Him by lip and life. Redeemed men are ‘secretaries of His praise’ to men, and ‘toprincipalities and powers in heavenly places is made known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God.’

He who thus glorifies God is held in God’s hand.

‘None shall pluck them out of My Father’s hand.’

All this will be perfected in heaven. Redeemed men lead the universal chorus that thunders forth ‘glory toHim that sitteth on the throne.’

‘He shall come to be glorified in His saints.’

‘Glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son also may glorify Thee.’

7. CALVIN, “2.And the Gentiles shall see. He now states more plainly the reason why he formerly said

that he would not be silent, namely, that believers may be fully convinced that salvation is not promised to

them in vain.

And all the kings of the earth thy glory. Here he employs the word “” as meaning “” We see here the

argument by which prophets must fortify themselves for perseverance, namely, that the Lord is faithful,

and will at length fulfill what he has once promised, though he delay for a time. The word kings serves for

amplification; as if he had said that not only mean persons and those of the lowest rank shall behold and

admire the glory of God, but even “” themselves, who commonly look down with contempt on all that was

worthy in other respects of being esteemed and honored; for they are blinded by their splendor, and

maddened by their high rank, so that they do not willingly behold any rank but their own.

And thou shalt be called by a new name. By a “ name” he means “ crowded assemblage;” for the people

were so completely scattered, that there was no visible body, and they appeared to be altogether ruined.

Although a vast multitude of persons were led into captivity, yet, having been scattered among the

Babylonians, they were driven about like the members of a body broken in pieces, and scarcely retained

the name of a people; which had also been foretold to them. After having been brought back from

captivity, they began again to be united in one body, and thus regained the “” of which they had been

deprived. Yet “” denotes what is uncommon; as if the Prophet had said that the glory of the people shall

be extraordinary and such as was never before heard of. We know that this took place in the progress of

time; for that small band of people, while they dwelt by sufferance in their native country, could not by any

extraordinary distinction arrive at so great renown; but at length, when the doctrine of the Gospel had

been preached, the Jewish name became known and renowned.

Which the mouth of Jehovah shall name. He confirms what would otherwise have been hard to be

believed, by promising that God will be the author of this glory; for it was not in the power of men thus to

raise a Church which had sunk low and was covered with dishonor, but to God, who “ up the poor from

the dunghill,” (Psa_113:7,) it was not difficult to adorn his Church by new celebrity. As there was no face

of a Church for forty years, and, although the Lord had some seed, yet it was in a state so disordered and

so ruinous that there was no visible people of God, he now restores to the Church its name, when he has

assembled it by the word of the Gospel. This majestic work of God, therefore, ought to confirm us on this

point, that we may know that he will never forsake his Church; and although wicked men tear us by their

slanders, and beat and spit upon us, and in every way endeavor to make us universally loathed, let us

remember that God is not deprived of his right to vindicate us in the world, whose names he has deigned

to write in heaven.

Others expound the passage in a more ingenious manner, namely, that instead of Israelites they shall be

called Christians. But I think that the former meaning is more agreeable to the context and to the Prophet’

ordinary language; and we ought carefully to observe those forms of expression which are peculiar to the

prophets, that we may become familiar with their style. In a word, the people shall be restored, though it

appears to be exterminated, and shall obtain, not from men but from God, a new name.

8. COFFMAN, “Terms like salvation, and righteousness, identify the period envisioned as that of the NewCovenant in Christ. Some very significant additional information about that `name' which God promisedhis people appears in this passage: (1) it shall be a new name; (2) it will be given at a time when theGentiles have been accepted into the family of God, and when kings have become aware of God'ssalvation, and (3) there is a repetition here of the fact that God Himself will give the name. Thesestatements, added to those in Isaiah 56:5, make seven earmarks by which that New Name may bepositively and unerringly identified. We shall discuss them in order, beginning with the five from Isaiah56:5.

THE NEW NAME IS THE NAME "CHRISTIAN"

1. It was given by God Himself. This means that God assigned it, commanded it, and ordered his childrento wear it. Where? In the Holy Scriptures, where all the rest of his commandments are recorded. "Letnone of you suffer as a thief, or a murderer, or an evildoer, or as a meddler in other men's matters"; but ifa man suffer as a CHRISTIAN, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name (1 Peter4:15,16). To be perfectly candid about it, this command of God through the apostle Peter is as plain,definite, and binding upon the followers of Christ as are the other commandments in the same verses,namely, "Thou shalt not kill"; and "Thou shalt not steal."

Since the name was given and commanded by God Himself, this means that the name "Christian" wasnot invented and applied by the enemies of Christianity, as some vainly and erroneously assert. There isno way that men could intelligently assert that Satan would have assigned any name to the followers ofChrist that contained a memorial to the Son of God as does the name Christian.

As to the question of how men can glorify God in the name Christian, the answer is "by wearing it,"applying it to themselves, and using it to the exclusion of unauthorized, sectarian, and divisive names.

2. The name "Christian" was given by God "within his walls, within his house," This means that it wasassigned and worn first within the church of our Lord, that being the only "house" God ever had. Andwhere was that? It occurred at Antioch where, "The disciples were called Christians first in Antioch" (Acts11:26).

The appearance of the name Christian in Antioch was no casual, accidental, or insignificant occurrence. Itcame as the result of a number of very impressive developments. God selected a very important personto bring that name and bestow it upon the disciples, namely, Paul the mighty evangelist of the NewTestament, the reason for that choice evidently being the truth that the Twelve Apostles seemed unlikely,at that time ever to meet the conditions under which the New Name would require to be given (see underNo. 7, below). (a) Thus Paul was converted in Acts 9; and in that very chapter God revealed that theapostle Paul was that "chosen vessel unto me (God), to bear my (God's) name before the Gentiles andkings, and the children of Israel" (Acts 9:15). The use in this passage of the very phraseology of thischapter in Isaiah declares the evident truth that the apostle Paul was to be the "Name Bearer," who wouldbe the person through whom the New Name would be given to the church. (b) But as we shall see under7, below, the Gentiles were first to be accepted into God's fellowship before the New Name would begiven. Very well, the basis of that general acceptance of Gentiles took place in Peter's baptism of thehouse of Cornelius, as recorded in Acts 10. (c) Then in Acts 11, the New Name appears. Note theremarkable progression: Acts 9, the name bearer was converted and designated; Acts 10, a great Gentilecongregation appeared in Antioch; and Acts 11, the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch! It issimply impossible to believe that all of these events fell into such a pattern accidentally. Some will wonderat our reference to Paul as the person "through whom" God delivered the New Name; but the last portionof Acts 11 shows this to be the case. When the Church in Jerusalem heard of the Gentiles beingaccepted into the faith in Antioch, they sent Barnabas, who was inspired by the Holy Spirit. Barnabasimmediately went to Tarsus and brought Paul to Antioch, where a great Gentile church was gathered inabout a year. Significantly, it was after Paul's arrival, that the New Name was given.

3. The name "Christian" is a memorial name, appropriately memorializing the holy Head and Redeemer ofthe body of his Church. The mention of the marriage tie several times in this chapter is appropriate inconnection with the sublime truth that all of the members of the Bride of Christ should indeed wear thename of their bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. Nothing could possibly be more appropriate in thiscontext than the New Name, CHRISTIAN!

4. The New Name was promised to be a name better than that of sons and of daughters; and whatever isincluded in such a declaration, it has to mean that the New Name will be different from that of sons and ofdaughters.

5. The New Name was to be "an everlasting name that would never be cut off." The name "Christian"qualifies under this characteristic also, because followers of Christ are today wearing the name"Christian," just as Paul attempted to persuade Herod Agrippa to do (Acts 26:28) during the first centuryof our era.

6. It was promised to be a New Name, and this is a most important qualification. This means that it couldnot be "Hephzibah," which Adam Clarke and others suggested as a possibility,[3] or Beulah, as some Bibleconcordances affirm; because neither of these was a new name. Hephzibah was the name of the motherof Manasseh, and our text also declares that "Beulah" would be the name of "the land," not of the peopleof God. This same qualification eliminates all thought of "disciples" being the New Name, because that isa very old name. In the days before Christ, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees, and the Herodians, andJohn the Baptist all had their "disciples."

7. The appearance here, in conjunction with the promise of the New Name, of the declaration that thekings and the Gentiles should see the righteousness of God, as well as the mention of the very samethings by Ananias upon the occasion of Paul's baptism when the "Name-bearer" was designated, is apowerful indication that the New Name would never be given until Gentiles were generally accepted intoGod's Church; and, as we have seen, the name was never given until a great Gentile congregation hadbeen gathered in Antioch. This accounts for the use of the term "disciples" as the name of Christ'sfollowers throughout the gospels and throughout most of Acts of Apostles. Significantly, after the Book ofActs, no sacred writer ever used the word "disciples" again as a designation of the Lord's people. Theapostle John, for example, used "disciples" dozens of times in the Gospel, but never used it all in the fourother books that he wrote later!

We do not believe that "disciples" is a proper term at all when used in place of the word Christian. What iswrong with the name God gave, commanded, and that he requested we should use to glorify God "in thisname"?

McGuiggan is an able writer; and his suggestion that this New Name might have something to do with thename "Of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit," into which Christians are baptized,"[4] isinteresting. However, my own conviction is that the name "Christian" is indeed "the name of the Fatherand of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," in the sense of being the name that originated with the Godhead,was commanded by the Father, memorializes the name of Christ, and is received by the power of theHoly Spirit.

3 You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand,a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

1.BARNES, “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory - On the application of the word‘crown’ to a place, see the notes at Isa_28:1, where it is applied to Samaria. Some difficulty hasbeen felt by expositors in explaining this, from the fact that a crown or diadem was worn on thehead and not held in the hand, and some have supposed that the word ‘crown’ here is equivalentto any ornament which might be either horne in the hand or worn on the head; others havesupposed that the reference is to the custom of carrying a chaplet or garland in the hand onfestival occasions. But probably the sense is this, ‘Thou shalt I be so beautiful and prosperous as

to be appropriately regarded as a splendid crown or diadem. God shall keep thee as a beautifuldiadem - the crown of beauty among the cities of the earth, and as that which is most comelyand valuable in his sight.’ This is the sense expressed by Gataker and Rosenmuller.

And a royal diadem - Hebrew, ‘A diadem of a kingdom.’ The diadem is the wreath orchaplet, usually set with diamonds, which is “encircled” (צניף tsanıyph from צנף tsanaph) toroll or wind around, to encircle) around the head. It here means such as was usually worn bymonarchs; and the sense is, that Jerusalem would become exceedingly beautiful in the sight ofGod.

2.COFFMAN , “There is no indication whatever that the prophecy professes in these verses to revealthe New Name, which, as we have seen, would not be revealed until the times of Messiah when Gentilesbecame followers of Christ. Rather, the subject is the glory and honor and happiness that shall mark therighteousness and redemption to be received in the future. As Cheyne said, "For the present, Jehovahreserves the mystic name of the New Jerusalem to himself."[5]

"A crown of beauty in the hand of Jehovah ..." (Isaiah 62:3). Crowns are not worn on the hand, andsome have questioned the appropriateness of this statement; "But with no propriety whatever could it besaid that the church is a crown of beauty `on the head' of Jehovah."[6] The form of the metaphor honorsthat truth.

"So shall thy sons marry thee ..." (Isaiah 62:5). This impossible comparison of sons marrying their ownmother is resolved when it is understood that the "sons of Israel, their mother" will not at all marry the OldIsrael, but the New Israel which is Christ. There is a prediction here of that sacred relationship betweenChrist and his holy Bride, the Church.

3. GILL, “Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord,.... The churchand her members are glorious in themselves, through the righteousness of Christ put uponthem; through the grace of Christ wrought in them; and through the honour they are raisedunto, being made kings and priests unto God, all which will be more manifest in the latter day:and they are a glory to the Lord; there is a glory arises to him from their election, redemption,sanctification, and glorification, and from the ascriptions of glory made unto him; and they areregarded by him as a crown is by a prince; as a crown of massy gold, stuck with jewels, is richand valuable, so are they in the eyes of Christ; they are dear and precious to him; high in hisesteem; which he will not suffer to be trampled upon, or to be taken away from him, no morethan a prince will suffer his crown to be so used or lost: and these are "in" his "hand" as such,which he holds in his hand, and looks at with pleasure and delight, and which he preserves andkeeps safe and secure: or, "by the hand of the Lord" (f); and then the sense is, that the churchand its members should become so glorious, through his hand communicating grace and gloryto them, through the operations of his hand, and the wonderful effects of his power on them:

and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God; the same thing expressed in different words,for the further confirmation and illustration of it.

4. HENRY, “He shall call her his crown (Isa_62:3): Thou shalt be a crown of glory in the hand

of the Lord, not on his head (as adding any real honour or power to him, as crowns do to those

that are crowned with them), but in his hand. He is pleased to account them, and show them

forth, as a glory and beauty to him. When he took them to be his people it was that they might be

unto him for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory (Jer_13:11): “Thou shalt be a crown of

glory and a royal diadem, through the hand, the good hand, of thy God upon thee; he shall

make thee so, for he shall be to thee a crown of glory, Isa_28:5. Thou shalt be so in his hand,

that is, under his protection; he that shall put glory upon thee shall create a defence upon all

that glory, so that the flowers of thy crown shall never wither nor shall its jewels be lost.”

5. JAMISON, “(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 Deu_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

(Rev_6:2; Rev_19:12); reciprocally, He is “a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty” to them

(Isa_28:5; compare Mal_3:17).

6. WHEDON, “2, 3. Gentiles shall see thy righteousness — The same thought in respect to the

Gentiles as in Isaiah 60:3. They shall come to see the amazing moral superiority of Jehovah’s cause; and

all kings, or men of power among them, shall be attracted thereto, and give it favour and advancement.

Thus the Zion of God shall be called by a new nameamong them — a name of honour pre-eminently,

because seen over all other religions to be of superior holiness and character throughout. The Lord

Jehovah, in the march of his redemptive providences, will bring this around. In his hands, thus dispensing

light, spirit, and power, Zion is to be seen as what she really is: A crown of glory… a royal diadem;

terms implying an object of superbly glorious moral beauty.

7. CALVIN, “3.And thou shalt be a crown of glory. Isaiah proceeds with the same subject, and we

need not wonder at this; for no man, by judging from the flesh, could have formed such vast conceptions

and expectations. Besides, he intended to fix the hearts of believers on the kingdom of Christ, which it

was the more necessary to adorn and magnify by these illustrious titles, because hitherto it was not only

obscure but at a great distance. It was needful to provide against a twofold danger, that the Jews, when

they saw that they were still at a very great distance from their former honor, might not, on the one hand,

despise the grace of God, or, on the other hand, rest satisfied with the mere beginnings, and thus, by

disregarding Christ, devote their whole attention to earthly advantages. The Prophet therefore reminds

them, that the return to their native country was but the forerunner of that exalted rank which was to be

expected at the manifestation of Christ.

So far as relates to the former clause, exiles and slaves could perceive nothing but ground for despair,

when they beheld the outward condition of things, since, after having returned and been restored to their

country, they made very little progress in building the temple. Accordingly, he bids them look to God, that

they may expect from him the glory which is concealed from the eyes of flesh, and, knowing that they are

dear and precious in his sight, may be fully satisfied with this, till he adorn them more bountifully by the

hand of Christ.

And the diadem of the kingdom. He calls the Church God’ crown, because God wishes that his glory

should shine in us; and in this it is proper that we should behold and admire the inconceivable goodness

of God, since, notwithstanding that we are by nature filthy and corrupted, and more abominable than the

mire of the streets, yet he adorns us in such a manner that he wishes us to be “ diadem of his kingdom.”

Let us therefore be aroused by this goodness of God to the desire of leading a holy life, that his image

may more and more be formed anew in us.

8. BI, “Zion a crown of glory God’s hand

It is only through figurative representations that prophecy here sees what Zion will be in thefuture; she becomes a crown of adornment, a tiara (the head-dress of the high priest, Exo_33:4;Zec_3:5; and of the King, Eze_21:26) of royal dignity in the hand of Jehovah her God.It is a leading feature in the picture that Jehovah holds the crown in His hand. Zion is not theancient crown which the Eternal bears on His head, but she is the crown which He holds in Hishand, because in Zion He is recognized by all creation; the whole history of redemption is thehistory of Jehovah’s taking the kingdom and bringing it to perfection, in other words, the historyof the working out of this crown. (F. Delitzsch, D. D.)

Isaiah 62:4

Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken

A joyful change of condition

“No more shall it be called to thee (shalt thou be called) Azubah (Forsaken), and thy land shallno more be called Shemamah (Desolate); but thou shalt be called Hephzibah (My delight is inher), and thy land Beulah (Married), for Jehovah delights in thee, and thy land shall be married.The joyful change of condition is expressed in the prophet’s favourite manner, by significantnames. The common version not only mars the beauty of the passage, but renders it in somedegree unintelligible to the English reader, by translating the first two names and retaining theothers in their Hebrew dress. It is obvious that all four should be treated alike, i.e that all theHebrew forms should be retained, or none. Henderson prefers the latter method, on the ground,that “the names are merely symbolical, and will, never be employed as proper names. It isprobable, however, that they were all familiar to the Jews as female names in real life. This weknow to have been the ease with two of them (1Ki_22:42; 2Ki_21:1). It is better, therefore, toretain the Hebrew forms, in order to give them an air of reality as proper names, and at the sametime to render them intelligible by translation. In the last clause there is reference to theprimary meaning of the verb, viz that of owning or possessing; and as the inhabitants of towns

are sometimes called in Hebrew their “possessors,” its use here would suggest, as at least onemeaning of the promise, thy land shall be inhabited, and so it is translated in the Targum. (J. A.Alexander.)

Spiritual espousal

I invite your attention to some reflections on the Scriptural use of marriage, as a type of themystical union betwixt Christ and His Church. This tender, beautiful image implies—

I. CHOICE. In all nations there has been the instinctive rule that the initiative choice is not withthe bride, but with the bridegroom. Its spiritual parallel is in the declaration of Jesus to Hisdisciples, “Ye has not chosen Me, but I have chosen you.” “I am jealous over you,” said Paul,“with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chastevirgin to Christ.” At the same time all are bound, because all are invited, to “seek the Lord whileHe may be found,” to “choose this day whom ye serve;” then the farther element in the marriagesymbol will be verified.

II. DEVOTION. You will love Him because He first loved you. It is often observed in ordinarymarried life, how the mutual love of husband and wife enables them to bear, not only withoutbitterness or mutual recriminations, but with a greater clinging to, and confidence in each other,the trials, sorrows, and burdens of life. Love lightens the load, when each one, for the other’ssake, cheerfully takes his or her share. The love of Christ endears Him to the believer, and thebeliever to Him.

III. INSEPARABLE UNION. Earthly ties of man and wife are liable to many incidents ofseverance. Necessities of particular callings in life sometimes separate them, lands and seasasunder. Guilt, aversion, insanity, disease and death, often dissolve the union, which once bidfair to be firmly riveted “till death them should part.” The believer’s union with Christ is liable tono such disastrous issues. Not that this consolatory doctrine dispenses with the necessity of afaithful, obedient, and devout course of effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond ofpeace and in righteousness of life. The Divine idea of marriage is a united family, basing its bondof union on the unity of its parentage. “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother,”etc. True spiritual union with Christ involves an ascendency of affection. “If any man love fatheror mother more than Me,” etc. In a deep sense it may be said of Christ and His disciple, “Theytwain are one Spirit.” (J. B. Owen, M. A.)

Thy land shall be married

“Thy land shall be married,”

“Thy land shall be married,” i.e it shall become fruitful again and be replenished.

1. Her sons shall heartily espouse the land of their nativity, and the interests of it, which theyhad for a long time neglected, as despairing ever to have any comfortable enjoyment of it.Thy sons shall marry thee, i.e they shall live with thee, and take delight in thee. When theywere in Babylon, they seemed to have espoused that land, for they were appointed to settle,and to seek the peace of it (Jer_29:5-7); but now they shall again marry their own land, “as ayoung man marrieth a virgin” that he takes great delight in, is extremely fond of, and is likelyto have many children by. It bodes well to a land when its own natives and inhabitants arepleased with it, prefer it before other lands; when its princes marry their country, andresolve to take their lot with it.

2. Which is much better, her God shall betroth her to Himself in righteousness (Hos_2:19-20). (M. Henry.)

Monopoly and communism

I propose to name some of the suitors who are claiming the hand of this Republic.

1. There is a greedy, all-grasping monster who comes in as suitor seeking the hand of thisRepublic, and that monster is known by the name of Monopoly. His sceptre is made out ofthe iron of the rail-track and the wire of telegraphy. He does everything for his ownadvantage and for the robbery of the people. Such monopolies imply an infinite acreage ofwretchedness. Great monopolies in any land imply great privation.

2. Another suitor claiming the hand of this Republic is Nihilism. He owns nothing but aknife for universal blood-letting and a nitro-glycerine bomb for universal explosion. Hebelieves in no God, no government, no heaven, and no hell, except what he can make onearth. He slew the Czar of Russia, killed Abraham Lincoln, and would put to death every kingand president on earth, if he had the power. (T. De W. Talmage, D. D.)

4 No longer will they call you Deserted,or name your land Desolate.

But you will be called Hephzibah,[a]

and your land Beulah[b];for the LORD will take delight in you,

and your land will be married.

1.BARNES, “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken - That is, thou shalt be no moreso forsaken as to make such an I appellation proper. This refers to the new name which theprophet says Isa_62:2 will be conferred on her.

Neither shall thy land - Thy country shall no more be so wasted that the term desolationשממה) shemamah, Greek ἔρημος eremos) shall be properly applied to it.

But thou shalt be called Hepzi-bah - Margin, as Hebrew, ‘My delight is in her.’ The ideais, that Yahweh would show her such favor, and he would have so much pleasure in his people,

that this name of endearment would be appropriately given to her. The Septuagint renders this,Θέλημα ἐμὸν Thelema emon - ‘My will,’ or my delight. The sense is, that Jerusalem would beeminently the object of his delight.

And thy land Beulah - Margin, as Hebrew, ‘Married;’ or rather, ‘thou art married.’ TheSeptuagint renders it, Οἰκουμένη Oikoumene - ‘Inhabited.’ Lowth renders it, ‘The weddedmatron.’ The figure is taken from a female who had been divorced, and whose appropriate namewas Forsaken.’ God says here that the appropriate name henceforward would not be theForsaken, but the married one - the one favored and blessed of God (see the notes at Isa. 1. 1).Language like this is common in the East. ‘A sovereign is spoken of as married to his dominions;they mutually depend on each other. When a king takes possessions from another, he is said tobe married to them’ - (Roberts).

Thy land shall be married - See the notes at Isa_54:4-6, where this figure is extended togreater length. By a similar figure the church is represented as the beautiful bride of the Lamb ofGod Rev_21:9; Rev_19:7.

2. CLARKE, “Thy land Beulah - בעולה beulah, married. In the prophets, a desolate land isrepresented under the notion of a widow; an inhabited land, under that of a married woman,who has both a husband and children.

2B. PULPIT COMMENTARY, “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken. Judah had believed herself"forsaken" of God (Isa_49:14), and had actually been, in a certain sense, forsaken "for a small moment"(Isa_54:7). Her enemies, it would seem, had gone so far as to give her the name in derision. Neithershall thy land … be termed Desolate. Judaea had not only been desolated by the Babylonian invadersunder Nebucbarlnezzar, but had remained "desolate" during the whole period of the Captivity(Isa_32:13, Isa_32:14; Isa_49:19, etc.). It had come to be spoken of as Sh'marnah, "a desolation"(see Jer_34:22; Jer_44:2, Jer_44:6; Eze_33:29;Eze_36:34). Now all should be altered. As Ezekielprophesied, "The land that was desolate is become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolateand ruined cities are become fenced and are inhabited" (Eze_36:35). Thou shalt be called Hephzi-bah; i.e. "my delight is in her." Hephzi-bah was the name of Hezekiah's queen, Manasseh's mother(2Ki_21:1). And thy land Beulah. Beulah, or ratherBe'ulah, means "married" (comp. Isa_54:1). Judaeawould be "married" to her sons, or her people, when they quitted Babylon and once more took possessionof her. The Hebrew verb toe "to marry" means literally "to be lord over."

3. GILL, “Thou shall no more be termed Forsaken,.... That is, of the Lord her God, as shehad seemed to be to others, and thought to be so by herself, Isa_49:14, not having so much ofhis gracious presence as is desirable; sensible communion with him being withheld; the wordand ordinances not owned and blessed, or very little; and few souls converted; and the interestof Christ, labouring under many difficulties and discouragements, under the reproaches andpersecutions of men, and so looked as if forsaken of God; but in the latter day all thesecomplaints shall be removed; and the presence of God will be very manifest in his churches, andamong his people; and they will appear to be his care and charge; see Isa_60:15,

neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; as the Gentile world was before thepreaching of the Gospel in it; and as the land of Israel now is, and the Jewish people are, havingrejected the Messiah, and continuing in impenitence and unbelief; and as the church of Christ is,when the word and ordinances are neglected, or little success attends them; but now more shall

be the children of the desolate than of the married wife; many souls shall be born again in Zion,and many sons and daughters brought there, and brought up there, and therefore shall not becalled desolate, Isa_49:19,

but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah; the former of these was thename of Hezekiah's mother, 2Ki_21:1 and a fit name for the church of Christ, who is pleasant tohim for delights, Son_7:6 and the latter well agrees with her being married to Christ. Themeaning of these names is explained in the next clause; or the reason of their being given:

for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land is married; the former explains"Hephzibah", which signifies "my delight is in her"; Christ delighted in his church fromeverlasting, as they were the objects of his own and his Father's love; as chosen in him, andgiven to him as his spouse and bride, Pro_8:31 and he delights in them in time, as clothed withhis righteousness, washed in his blood, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit; he delights intheir company, to hear their voice, and see their countenance; they are the excellent in the earth,in whom is all his delight, Psa_16:2, and he will delight in them hereafter, in the spiritual reign,when he will glorify and beautify them, and make them an eternal excellency, Isa_60:7, and inthe personal reign, when they shall be as a bride adorned for her husband, and his tabernacleshall be among them, and he will reign with them, and they with him; during which time he willbe presenting them to himself, and delighting in them, as a glorious church, without spot orwrinkle, or any such thing, Rev_21:2 and in heaven to all eternity. The latter clause explains"Beulah", which signifies "married", as the church secretly was to Christ from all eternity; in thelatter day the espousals of her to him will be more open and manifest; then the marriage of theLamb will be come, and it will more clearly appear that she is in such a state, by the numerousconverts in her, or sons and daughters that will be born in her to Christ, both of Jews andGentiles, Rev_19:7.

4. HENRY, “He shall call her his spouse, Isa_62:4, Isa_62:5. This is a yet greater honour,especially considering what a forlorn condition she had been in. [1.] Her case had been verymelancholy. She was called forsaken and her land desolate during the captivity, like a womanreproachfully divorced or left a disconsolate widow. Such as the state of religion in the worldbefore the preaching of the gospel - it was in a manner forsaken and desolate, a thing that noman looked after nor had any real concern for. [2.] It should now be very pleasant, for Godwould return in mercy to her. Instead of those two names of reproach, she shall be called by twohonourable names. First, She shall be called Hephzi-bah, which signifies, My delight is in her; itwas the name of Hezekiah's queen, Manasseh's mother (2Ki_21:1), a proper name for a wife,who ought to be her husband's delight, Pro_5:19. And here it is the church's Maker that is herhusband: The Lord delights in thee. God by his grace has wrought that in his church whichmakes her his delight, she being refined, and reformed, and brought home to him; and then byhis providence he does that for her which makes it appear that she is his delight and that hedelights to do her good. Secondly, She shall be called Beulah, which signifies married, whereasshe had been desolate, a condition opposed to that of the married wife, Isa_54:1. “Thy landshall be married, that is, it shall become fruitful again, and be replenished.” Though she haslong been barren, she shall again be peopled, shall again be made to keep house and to be ajoyful mother of children, Psa_113:9. She shall be married, for, 1. Her sons shall heartilyespouse the land of their nativity and its interests, which they had for a long time neglected, asdespairing ever to have any comfortable enjoyment of it: Thy sons shall marry thee, that is, theyshall live with thee and take delight in thee. When they were in Babylon, they seemed to haveespoused that land, for they were appointed to settle, and to seek the peace of it, Jer_29:5-7. Butnow they shall again marry their own land, as a young man marries a virgin that he takes great

delight in, is extremely fond of, and is likely to have many children by. It bodes well to a landwhen its own natives and inhabitants are pleased with it, prefer it before other lands, when itsprinces marry their country and resolve to take their lot with it. 2. Her God (which is muchbetter) shall betroth her to himself in righteousness, Hos_2:19, Hos_2:20. He will take pleasurein his church: As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, is pleased with his relation to her andher affection to him, so shall thy God rejoice over thee: he shall rest in his love to thee(Zep_3:17); he shall take pleasure in thee (Psa_147:11), and shall delight to do thee good withhis whole heart and his whole soul, Jer_32:41. This is very applicable to the love Christ has forhis church and the complacency he takes in it, which appears so brightly in Solomon's Song, andwhich will be complete in heaven.

5. JAMISON, “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; Rev_21:2, Rev_21:4).land ... married — to Jehovah as its Lord and Husband: implying not only ownership, but

protection on the part of the Owner [Horsley].

6. K&D 4-5, “Zion will be once more the beloved of God, and her home the bride of herchildren. “Men will no more call thee 'Forsaken one;' and thy land they will no more call'Desert:' but men will name thee 'My delight in her,' and thy home 'Married one:' for Jehovahhath delight in thee, and thy land is married. For the young man marrieth the maiden, thychildren will marry thee; and as the bridegroom rejoiceth in the bride, thy God will rejoice inthee.” The prophecy mentions new names, which will now take the place of the old ones; butthese names indicate what Zion appears to be, not her true nature which is brought to the light.In the explanatory clause ך ל stands at the head, because the name of Zion is given first in

distinction from the name of her land. Zion has hitherto been called ‛azubhah, forsaken by

Jehovah, who formerly loved her; but she now receives instead the name of chephtsı-bhah (reallythe name of a woman, viz., the wife of Hezekiah, and mother of Manasseh, 2Ki_21:1), for she isnow the object of true affection on the part of Jehovah. With the rejoicing of a bridegroom in hisbride (the accusative is used here in the same sense as in גדלה שמחה Ges. §138, 1) will her ;שמחGod rejoice in her, turning to her again with a love as strong and deep as the first love of a bridalpair. And the land of Zion's abode, the fatherland of her children, was hitherto called shemamah;it was turned into a desert by the heathen, and the connection that existed between it and thechildren of the land was severed; but now it shall be called be‛ulah, for it will be newly married. Ayoung man marries a virgin, thy children will marry thee: the figure and the fact are placed sideby side in the form of an emblematical proverb, the particle of comparison being omitted (seeHerzog's Cyclopaedia, xiv 696, and Ges. §155, 2, h). The church in its relation to Jehovah is aweak but beloved woman, which has Him for its Lord and Husband (Isa_54:5); but in relationto her home she is the totality of those who are lords or possessors (ba‛ale, 2Sa_6:2) of the land,and who call the land their own as it were by right of marriage. Out of the loving relation in

which the church stands to its God, there flows its relation of authority over every earthly thingof which it stands in need. In some MSS there is a break here.

7. CALVIN, “4.Thou shalt no more be called forsaken. He meets a difficulty which might occur to the

minds of believers, seeing that they were forsaken and abandoned, while at the same time they were

called a “” and a “” Seeing that they were hated and abhorred by all nations, and sometimes even lay

prostrate at the feet of their enemies, and no assistance of any kind was seen, it might appear ridiculous

that they should receive these names, and thus be elevated to heaven and placed in the hand of God. He

therefore means that the people, though for a time they resemble a divorced and forsaken woman, shall

yet be restored so as to change their condition and name; as if he had said, “ divorce shall not be

perpetual; God will at length receive thee to himself.” Thus, although the Church seems to be “” and has

the appearance of a divorced woman, yet the Lord will put an end to her afflictions and miseries.

For they shall call thee, My good-pleasure in her. He teaches that this proceeds from the “ of God;” that

is, from his undeserved favor, that nothing may be ascribed to the merits or excellence of men; as he

says in Hosea,

“ will espouse thee to me in mercy and compassions.”

(Hos_2:19.)

And thus he shews that they shall be prosperous for no other reason than because God, out of his infinite

goodness, will graciously condescend to receive into favor those whom he had abandoned. Although this

relates strictly to the Church, yet let us learn in general that it is by the favor and bounty of God that cities

and kingdoms are restored to their former condition, which, while he was angry and offended, appeared

to be ruined. The Prophet, therefore, holds out to the consideration of the Jews the source of all the

calamities which they had suffered, when he testifies that when God is reconciled to them, they will be

happy; for we may gather from it that formerly God was angry with them, when their condition was

wretched and miserable.

And thy land shall be married. This metaphor, by which he denotes the restoration of the people, is highly

beautiful, and conveys twofold instruction. He shews that the state of variance between God and the

Church shall be terminated; first, because she shall be received as a wife by her appeased husband; and

secondly, because the multitude of people will take away the reproach of widowhood. The earth is, in

some sense, married to its inhabitants, as trees to vines; and, on the other hand, when it is stripped of its

inhabitants, it is said to be a widow.

For the good-pleasure of Jehovah is in thee. He again repeats and confirms what has been already said,

that it is owing to the undeserved kindness of God that the Church is restored, that she remains in her

condition, that the earth receives its inhabitants; for when God turns away his face and is angry with us,

nothing can be looked for but destruction, and nothing can be expected from the aid or strength of men.

8. HOMILIES BY W.M. STATHAM Isa_62:4 Fellowship with God.

"Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken." Mistaken we may be—our judgment is so weak, our hearts so

worldly—but not forsaken. It is a beautiful word, and it is enough. God will not condescend to explain all

his ways to men; but he is a Father, and the Father will never forsake his child. Isaiah is called the

evangelical prophet, and he is so; he heralds the kingdom of Christ, describes the nature of the kingdom,

under a King who shall reign in righteousness, and gives us the pathetic picture of his sorrows. In one

word, as a prophet of the Redeemer, he describes the theophany, the appearance or manifestation of

God himself; the great coming age of Immanuel, "God with us." Wars are prophesied of, even after the

advent of Christ—tribulations and shaking of nations. Much has to be overturned; but amid all there is the

pathway of the true King. Jesus comes, and comes to reign. Much is transient here. It is declared so to

be. Man is said to be a pilgrim, and yet utters a cry of wonder that he cannot make earth a home. Riches

are said to have wings, and then man is surprised that they flee away. Life is said to be like the grass,

and then man is staggered that it is cut down. Friends turn false or fickle, and then man is surprised that

evil hearts act in evil ways. Nature has her seasons, and then man marvels at the analogue of life which

has its night as well as its day. On the one hand man scoffs at and scorns the Bible, and on the other

refuses to see how full of realism and truth all its moral revelations are. It is equally true on its restful side.

It tells us that amidst all we have a Father in heaven, whose will is wise and just, whose heart is kind and

true and good. It assures us in that coming of Christ, to which all the ages looked forward, that God

"remembers us in our low estate, for his mercy eudureth for ever," and that, though often mistaken, we

shall never be termed Forsaken.

I. THIS IS A DIVINE REPLY. A reply to what? Why, to Zion's utterance in Isa_49:14, "The Lord hath

forsaken me." Not, mark you, that there have been no Divine footprints in the past, no Divine provision

and protection in Zion's yesterday; but now he hath forsaken us. Study life, especially what is called

religious life, and you will find that this is always the foolish cry of the Church. It will live in the past. It will

not believe that there are prophets and righteous men to-day. It will decorate the sepulchres of the

fathers. It did so in Isaiah's time; it does so now. It glorifies the days of Wickliffe and Luther, of Whitefield

and Wesley, forgetful that God is the living God, and his voice is heard, his hand outstretched, his

purpose working now. I know nothing in which the human mind is so fatally biased as in this backward

looking and longing, whilst he is still nigh us in our breath and in our heart. Forsaken? No, there are

prophets of truth still; heralds of mercy still; national seers still, who search the very heart of nations.

Wherever the Spirit of Christ is, there he is. There are wars, vices, wrongs, still; but their time is not so

easy as it was—not so easy, indeed, as in some past ages which we glorify. The Spirit of Christ is

becoming more and more the test of good and evil, of wisdom and unwisdom, of the real and the false, of

the righteous and unrighteous. There is a light shining to-day that no breakers can put out, no wild storms

of passion extinguish. "The Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world" is here. Christ's arm

is not shortened; more worn and weary spirits lean on it than ever. Christ's mercy is not exhausted; his

forgiveness is still the good cheer of millions of hearts. His revelations of immortality have not faded

through the lapse of years. He alone has given to the world its all-covering sky. We feel that whilst we still

believe in him and cleave to him, the prophetic words are real and true, "Thou shalt no more be termed

Forsaken."

II. A DIVINE HARMONY. The words do not stand alone. They are not merely a beautiful text, or an

isolated flower, or a separate jewel. We have to take the moral strain of a book to see into the mind and

meaning of the plan. We do not interpret Mendelssohn or Mozart by separate passages, neither should

we so treat Isaiah. He is evidently the prophet of a golden age, no matter whether there are ten hands

visible in the work or one. We test truth by its voice, not by its mere speaker. All prophets were not to be

listened to and obeyed simply because they were prophets. "I have seen also in the prophets of

Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evil-

doers … Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto

you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord"

(Jer_23:14, Jer_23:16); and again, "Let not your prophets deceive you" (Jer_29:8); and again, "Mine hand

shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies" (Eze_13:9); "Thus saith the Lord God:

Woe unto the foolish prophets O Israel, thy prophets are like foxes" (Eze_13:3, Eze_13:4). Yes; there was

a moral test then; an instinct which revealed the true prophet, as it reveals the true Saviour. Our Lord

rested all on this: "If ye were of the truth, ye would hear my voice:" "My sheep hear my voice." A

remarkable instance of this moral test is given us in Eze_13:22. The people were to set their faces

against the prophets. Why? "Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have

not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way,

by promising him life." That which was against righteousness and assisted evil was not to be believed.

Why will men be so afraid of this test? Why do they seek to rest authority on the authors and writers of

books, and not rest it, as God does, and ever did, and only could, on the truth itself? It was Isaiah's way, it

was our Lord's way, it was St. Paul's way. "Commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight

of God." I thus come to my word "harmony." It is harmonious with all within us. Isaiah is a prophet of

righteousness, of Divine forbearance, of Divine forgiveness, of Divine pity, of Divine ministry, of Divine

sacrifice. If asked—Is this a God to be trusted, worshipped, loved? the whole inward being exclaims,

"Amen, and amen."

III. A DIVINE CONSOLATION. It is really part of the "comfort ye" strain, as that reaches to the depths of

our being. Not forsaken. The same Isaiah is here. We feel sin. Israel felt it. We cannot by any philosophy

of heredity escape from the consciousness of personal guilt. Alone the flame burns. At night the thorn

pierces through the pillow. Are we left to bear the great sorrow unpitied and unaided? Out of Zion the

Deliverer shall come. "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God." We feel social evils; we are

hurt by unrighteousness, galled and wounded by selfishness. Amid all, fierce wars seem again and again

to stir the mad passions of humanity. What thought can light our gloom, can give strength to our hopes?

Only this—"A King shall reign in righteousness." If there be no hope for the supremacy of the Christ, all is

lost, for beside him there is no Saviour. But are there not signs that a better spirit is abroad? I think so.

Men are sighing for a Prince of peace, and with the sigh there is a sob too, "O Lord, how long?" We feel

our own solitude. We seem to be forsaken. Change comes. Fortune is turned to misfortune, health to

sickness. But there are restful hours in all Christian hearts. Say what men' will of the mysteries, let them

ponder the facts; there is a touch of Christ, there is a tender sense of an encircling arm, there is a

consciousness of the good Shepherd's care and love. We want to bring home the music of this promise to

weary hearts. If we want to exercise more influence than philosophers and moralists, we must have a

better message. When Ulysses passed by the island of the syrens, the classic story tells us that, to save

himself from their snares, he bound himself with mighty thongs to the masts, and secured his sailors'

safety by filling their ears with wax, that they might not be bewitched. But when the sweet singer, when

Orpheus, voyaged by the same syren island, he bound himself to no mast. He started a sweeter, nobler

music than the syrens could ever reach, and so sailed by in triumph. If we are to win men and keep

men—men who have been charmed with the syren voices of the world all the week—our melody must be

one that comes down from heaven; the music of forgiveness and mercy, of grace and help, of God's love,

and God's care, and God's everlasting throne. We are in him that is true, in him of whom all prophecy is

full, who was the Spirit of it all. In life with all its mysteries, and in death with all its leave-takings. We shall

never be termed "Forsaken."—W.M.S.

5 As a young man marries a young woman,so will your Builder marry you;

as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride,so will your God rejoice over you.

1.BARNES, “For as a young man marrieth a virgin - Roberts remarks on this, ‘Ingeneral no youth marries a widow. Such a thing I scarcely ever heard of (in India), nor will itever be except under some very extraordinary circumstances, as in the case of a queen, princess,or great heiress. Even widowers also, if possible, always marry virgins.’ The idea here is, thatYahweh would have delight in his people, which would be properly represented by the affectionwhich a young man has for his bride.

So shall thy sons marry thee - Lowth renders this, ‘So shall thy restorer wed thee.’ Hesupposes that the word rendered in our common version, ‘thy sons’ (בניך banayık), should be

pointed בניך bonayık, as a participle from בנה banah, ‘to build,’ rather than from בן ben, ‘a son.’The parallelism requires some such construction as this; and the unusual form of expression,‘thy sons shall be wedded to thee,’ seems also to demand it. The Septuagint renders it, ‘As ayoung man cohabits (συνοικῶν sunoikon) with a virgin (bride, παρθένῳ partheno), so shall thy,

sons dwell with thee (κατοικήσουσιν οἱ υἱοί σου katoikesousin hoi huioi sou). So the Chaldee. theconjecture of Lowth has been adopted by Koppe and Doderlin. Rosenmuller supposes that thereis here a mingling or confusion of figures, and that the idea is, that her sons should possess her -an idea which is frequently conveyed by the word בעל Ba‛al, which is used here. To me it seemsthat there is much force in the conjecture of Lowth, and that the reference is to God as the‘builder,’ or the restorer of Jerusalem, and that the sense is that he would be ‘married,’ ortenderly and indissolubly united to her. If it be objected that the word is in the ‘plural (בניךbonayık) it may be observed thai the word commonly applied to God (אלהים 'elohıym) is alsoplural, and that an expression remarkably similar to the one before us occurs in Isa_54:5, ‘Forthy Maker is thy husband’ (Hebrew, בעליך bo‛alayk, ‘Thy husbands.’) It is not uncommon to use aplural noun when speaking of God. It should be remembered that the points in the Hebrew areof no authority, and that all the change demanded here is in them.

And as the bridegroom - Margin, as in Hebrew,’ With the joy of the bridegroom.’Over the bride - In the possession of the bride - probably the most tender joy which results

from the exercise of the social affections.

2. CLARKE, “For as a young man - so - The particles of comparison are not at present inthe Hebrew Text: but the Septuagint, Syriac, and Chaldee seem to have read in their copies כ

caph prefixed to the verb, כיבעלכי ki keyibal which seems to have been omitted by mistake of atranscriber, occasioned by the repetition of the same two letters. And before the verb in thesecond line a MS. adds כן ken, so; which the Septuagint, Syriac, and Chaldee seem also to have

had in their copies. In the third line of this verse the same MS. has in like manner וכמשושvechimsos, and two MSS. and the Babylonish Talmud כמשוש kimsos, adding the כ caph; and in the

fourth line, the Babylonish Talmud likewise adds כן ken, so, before the verb.

Sir John Chardin, in his note on this place, tells us, “that it is the custom in the east for youths,that were never married, always to marry virgins; and widowers, however young, to marrywidows.” - Harmer, Observ. 2 p. 482.

So shall thy sons marry thee - For בניך banayich, thy sons, Bishop Lowth reads, restorer or

builder, as he does not consider the word as the plural of בן ben, a son, but the participle benoniof the verb בנה banah, he built. I do not see that we gain much by this translation. Thy sons shalldwell in thee, Vulgate; and so the Septuagint and Chaldee.

3. GILL, “For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee,.... As ayoung man, having married a virgin, possesses and enjoys her, and lives and dwells with her ingreat harmony and love, having a delight and complacency in her, there being a suitableness inher person and age; so those that are born in Zion, and brought up there, have communion withthe church, and enjoy the ordinances of it; dwell and continue with her, and delight in herfellowship, ways, and worship; and have their hearts knit in love to her, professing the samefaith, joining in the same worship, and walking with her in all the commandments andordinances of the Lord. So the Septuagint and Vulgate Latin versions render it (g), "as a youngman dwells with a virgin, so thy sons shall dwell in thee"; as does the Targum in like manner;and so Jarchi interprets it; for it seems exceeding disagreeable for sons to marry their mother;nor can there be an allusion to such an incestuous practice; rather it should be rendered, "as ayoung man hath a virgin, thy sons shall have thee" (h); have union to and communion with thechurch, and share in all the pleasures, privileges, and immunities of it:

and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee;Christ is the Lord God of his church and people; Immanuel, God with us; and he stands in therelation of a bridegroom to them, and they in the relation of a bride to him; and as such herejoices over them with exceeding great joy, and that to do them good; so he rejoiced over themfrom all eternity, when first betrothed to him; and so he does in time, in redemption: this wasthe joy set before him, which animated him to bear the cross, and despise the shame of it;namely, that those would be redeemed, and saved by him, and brought to glory; he rejoices atthe conversion of them, and will present them to himself with joy in the spiritual and personalreign, and to his Father at the last day; and particularly, what is meant here, there will be such aprofusion of blessings on the church in the latter day, as will abundantly show the joy of Christin his people.

(g) και ως βυνοικων νεανισκος παρθενω, ουτω κατοικησουσιν οι υιοι βου, Sept.; "habitabit enimjuvenis cum virgine, et habitabunt in te filii tui", V. L. (h) "Nam ut habet juvenis virginem,habebunt te filii tui", Cocceius.

4.WHEDON , “4, 5. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken — Messiah and his Zion areconcreted. “Thou” refers to both in one. No more shall the terms,Forsaken and Desolate be thyreproachful name. But thy new name shall be,

Hephzi-bah — “My-delight-in-her,” (Hebrew.) For Jehovah does have delight in thee.

And thy land — Thy home.

Beulah — And this means, Happily-married one, with a home springing with joy to its possessor. Thisidea of possession in the words marrying a land, helps one to understand the sentence so shall thysons marry thee; that is, shall possess thee. Wife, children, and servants, in Hebrew law, and in rulingideas in the early ages, (Mozley,) were held in absolute possession by the chief, or head, of the family. Soin the tender social sense, a young man always possesses, when he marries, his bride. As is the joy ofsuch possession, so shall God have joy in Zion, is the thought here.

5. JAMISON, “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 isimplied as being “married” to her; whereas her “sons” could hardly be said to marry theirmother; and in Isa_49:18, they are said to be her bridal ornaments, not her husband. Theplural 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. COKE, “Isaiah 62:5. For as a young man marrieth a virgin— Bishop Lowth justly observes, that inthe passage before us, instead of sons we should read builder or creator; for the word is not in the pluralof בן ben, ason, but of the participle benomi, from the verb בנה banah; and is parallel and synonymousto ,elohaiik, thy Godאלהיך in the alternate member of this sentence. Compare chap. Isaiah 54:5. Thisreading will clear the prophet from the idea of representing Jerusalem as guilty of incest, in marrying hersons, and at the same time will add not only grace, but likewise force to the whole verse. Seechap. Isaiah 49:17. The verse so rendered will run thus:

For, as a young man marrieth a virgin, So shall thy Creator marry thee: And as the bridegroom rejoicethover the bride, So shall thy God rejoice over thee.

7. CALVIN, “5.For as a young man marrieth a virgin. This verse contains nothing more than an

explanation and confirmation of the preceding verse. Now there appears to be a sort of contradiction in

this respect, that in the latter clause he makes God the only Husband of the Church, while in the former

clause he assigns to her many husbands. But the solution is easy; for, when this marriage of the Church

is spoken of, there is but one Husband, that is, God, who always claims for himself that title; and that is

fulfilled in Christ, to whom, as Paul says, the pastors “ the Church as a chaste virgin.” (2Co_11:2.) Yet this

does not prevent the metaphor of marriage from being employed to describe that unity of faith which all

the children of God have with their mother, the Church. Nay more, it is consistent with God being the

Husband of his Church, that he marries to his Church all the nations that are assembled to her; for, when

she is without children, she may be said to be widowed and solitary. This is said, therefore, even with

respect to God, who, by ratifying with his guidance the sacred amity between the members of his Church,

extends the effect of marriage to the whole body.

And hence it ought to be inferred, that the Church of God shall be truly populous, that is, shall have many

children, when she is united to God her Husband; for we must begin with God, that he may preside over

his Church, and that under his guidance we may be gathered into her bosom; for then shall the marriage

be truly sacred. But for this a vast multitude of people will not constitute a church, but rather an

abominable brothel; as we see that in Popery there is boasting of the name of God, and yet the majesty

of God is dishonored in it by frightful sacrilege.

8. CHARLES SIMEON, “AMONGST those who have paid attention to the sacred Oracles, no doubt exists

but that very glorious days are near at hand, even those days when “the knowledge of the Lord shall

cover the earth as the waters cover the seas.” In this conversion of the world to God, the Jewish people

will take the lead: “their righteousness will go forth as brightness, and their salvation as a lamp that

burneth: and the Gentiles shall see their righteousness, and all kings their glory: and they shall be called

by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name [Note: ver. 1, 2. with chap. 60:1–5.]!” In them

shall God be pre-eminently glorified: for “they shall be as a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a

royal diadem in the hand of their God [Note: ver. 3.].” At present they are in a state proverbially

“desolate,” as indeed they have been for nearly eighteen hundred years: but the time is coming when

“their nation shall no more be termed Forsaken, nor their land be any more termed Desolate; but she

shall be called Hephzi-bah; and her land Beulah; for the Lord delighteth in her, and her land shall be

married [Note: ver. 4.]:” and God’s delight in her shall be such as we have just now heard in the words of

our text.

With all the caution due to so delicate a subject, let us consider,

I. God’s relation to his people—

The words primarily relate to the Jewish Church—

[God had called them from the most destitute condition, even that of a new-born infant, that had no one to

administer to its necessities; and had separated them for himself, to be brought, in due season, into the

most intimate and endeared relation to himself [Note: Eze_16:4-8.]. “To himself he betrothed her, in

loving-kindness and tender mercies, and in unchanging faithfulness [Note: Hos_2:19-20.]:” and he

assumed to himself the title and character of her Husband: “Thy Maker is thine Husband: the Lord of

Hosts is his name [Note: Isa_54:5.].” Yea, notwithstanding her unfaithfulness to him, he still

acknowledges her as standing to him in the relation of a Wife: “Turn, O backsliding children! saith the

Lord; for I am married unto you [Note: Jer_3:14.].” True, at present she is “forsaken and desolate:” but

soon shall she berestored, agreeably to the prophetic declaration in my text: “As a young man marrieth a

virgin, so shall thy sons (or, as Bishop Lowth translates it, thy Restorer) marry thee.” If we retain our

present translation, we must remember, that persons, considered as born in the Church, are her “sons;”

but, as uniting themselves to the Church, are her husband; and consequently the appellation, which in

one point of view would be incongruous, may be admitted in the other view, especially in the high flights

of Eastern poetry [Note: Such a confusion, or rather such a bold combination of metaphors is not

uncommon in the inspired writings. See Eph_2:19-20. “fellow-citizens,” “built.”]. If we take Bishop Lowth’s

translation, not only will the metaphor be more just, but the unity of the whole passage will be preserved;

God being the Bridegroom, who both takes the Church into union with himself, and rejoices over her as

his Bride.

This event we look for at no distant period, when “those whom God has for a small moment repudiated,

as a wife of youth, shall be gathered with great mercies, and be restored as in the days of old

[Note:Isa_54:6-10.], and live in most endeared communion with him for evermore

[Note: Eze_36:24; Eze_36:28.].]

But the text may be fitly applied, also, to the Church of Christ—

[Christ is called the “Bridegroom,” of his Church [Note: Joh_3:29.]. To him has “every member of the

Church been espoused as to a husband, and been presented as a chaste virgin [Note: 2Co_11:2.]. And

so manifest is this relation between him and his people, that St. Paul, speaking expressly on the duties of

husbands and wives, turns, and, with a most unlooked-for application of the subject, says, “This is a great

mystery; for I speak concerning Christ and his Church [Note: Eph_5:31-32.].” The same Apostle, in

another of his Epistles, enters very particularly into the subject; representing us as formerly “married to

the law; but now, our former husband being dead, as united to another husband, even Christ; in order

that, by grace derived from him, we may bring forth fruit unto God [Note: Rom_7:4.].” Even to all eternity

will this relation to him be acknowledged: for to St. John an angel from heaven said, “Come hither, and I

will shew thee the Bride, the Lamb’s Wife [Note: Rev_21:9.].”

Behold then, Brethren, what an honour is here held out to us, that we may aspire after it, and attain it!

What would a woman, in the lowest ranks of life, think of such a proposal coming to her from a king or

prince? Would it excite no feelings in her mind? Would she pass it by, as a common thing, in which she

had no interest? Would it not rather be made a subject of deep and serious reflection? Let us then, my

Brethren, realize the idea that the offer is now made to us; and that nothing but an obstinate refusal on

our part can prevent the completion of this great object, a marriage-union with our God.]

In perfect accordance with this sublime mystery is that which is here added, respecting,

II. His delight in them—

There is no earthly joy superior to that which a bridegroom feels on his wedding day, in the presence of

his bride—

[Now all his wishes are accomplished. Whatever fears or anxieties may have filled his breast during the

period of his attendance on her, he now finds them all entirety dispelled; and rejoices over his bride as his

own peculiar property, in the possession of whom all his happiness is centered, and in whose beloved

society he hopes to spend the remainder of his clays on earth.]

Now, such is God’s delight in the objects of his choice—

[Over the Jewish Church he greatly rejoiced, according to what he spake by the prophet, “Behold! I create

Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy [Note: Isa_65:18-19.].” Nothing can exceed the language of

the Prophet Zephaniah to this effect: “The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save; he will

rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love; he will joy over thee with singing [Note:Zep_3:17.].” Nor

is this a mere feeling in his bosom, but an active and efficient principle; as says the Prophet Jeremiah: “I

will rejoice over them to do them good; and I will plant them in this land assuredly, with my whole heart,

and with my whole soul [Note: Jer_32:41.].” And such also is his joy over all his chosen people: “He

delights in them [Note: Pro_11:20.],” and “manifests himself unto them [Note:Joh_14:21.],” and maintains

the most intimate communion with them [Note: 1Jn_1:3.]. He has prevailed over them, and in the day of

his power has made them willing to surrender up themselves to him: and when he sees how entire their

hearts are with him, “they having for him forgotten their own people and their father’s house, he greatly

desires their beauty [Note: Psa_45:10-11.],” and gives himself to them, as their God and portion for ever.

Yes, “Because they have set their love upon him, therefore will he deliver them; he will set them on high,

because they have known his name. They shall call upon him, and he will answer them: he will be with

them in trouble; he will deliver them, and honour them. With long life will he satisfy them, and will shew

them his salvation [Note: Psa_91:14-16.].”]

1. Let all, then, desire this high honour—

[To get advancement in this world, is universally considered as a most desirable attainment. But what

connexion can be compared with that proposed to us in the text; or what elevation is worthy of a thought

in comparison of it? — — — Will any say, ‘Alas! it is unattainable by me. I am so far off from God, that

there can be no hope of my ever being brought into such a relation to him’? I answer, Who are farther off

from him than the Jews? or who, according to human appearance, are so unlikely ever to have the text

fulfilled to them as they? Yet of them are these things spoken, and to them shall they be fulfilled: and

therefore every other person in the universe may assure himself, that, “if only he come to God in the

Saviour’s name, he shall on no account be cast out [Note: Joh_6:37.].” The person who seems to have

most reason to despond, is he, who, after having once given himself to God, has departed from him: but

to such does God expressly say, “If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another

man’s, shall he return unto her again? Shall not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the

harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord [Note: Jer_3:1.].” To all then I say, without

exception, “Return unto the Lord; and,” however base your departures from him have been, “he will heal

your backslidings, and love you freely [Note: Jer_3:22.].”]

2. Let those who profess to stand in this near relation to their God, walk worthy of it—

[What advice would any of you give to a beloved daughter, on the day of her nuptials, especially if she

had been taken from a state of the lowest degradation, and united to one most exalted both in rank and

piety? Such is the advice which I would give to you. Stand at the remotest distance from all your former

habits and associates. Get your mind, your habits, your very taste, assimilated to the mind of your divine

Husband. “Be altogether for him, and for him alone [Note: Hos_3:3.].” Be as much his, in every faculty of

your souls, as you desire that he should be yours in all his glorious perfections. Would you that his love

should pre-eminently distinguish you; his power be exerted for you; and his faithfulness towards you be

unchangeable? Be ye such towards him, according to the utmost extent of your powers; loving him above

all; knowing no will but his; seeking nothing but his honour; and living only for his glory. Thus live with him

on earth; and fear not but that your bliss shall be consummated in heaven for evermore. Some

interruptions to your joy may occur on earth: but in heaven it shall be without alloy or intermission or end.

When once you come to the Zion that is above, “everlasting joy shall be upon your heads, and sorrow

and sighing shall flee away [Note: Isa_35:10.].”]

6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem;they will never be silent day or night.

You who call on the LORD,give yourselves no rest,

1.BARNES, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls - (See the notes at Isa_21:6-11). Thespeaker here is undoubtedly Yahweh; and by watchmen he means those whom he had appointedto be the instructors of his people - the ministers of religion. The name ‘watchmen’ is often givento them (Eze_3:17; Eze_33:7; see the notes at Isa_52:8; Isa_56:10).

Which shall never hold their peace - The watches in the East are to this day performedby a loud cry as they go their rounds. This is done frequently in order to mark the time, and alsoto show that they are awake to their duty. “The watchmen in the camp of the caravans go theirrounds, crying one after another, ‘God is one; He is merciful’; and often add, ‘Take heed toyourselves’“ - (Tavernier). The truth here taught is, that they who are appointed to be theministers of religion should be ever watchful and unceasing in the discharge of their duty.

Ye that make mention of the Lord - Margin, ‘That are the Lord’s remembrancers.’ Theseare evidently the words of the prophet addressing those who are watchmen, and urging them todo their duty, as he had said Isa_62:1 he was resolved to do his, Lowth renders this, ‘O ye thatproclaim the name of Yahweh.’ Noyes, ‘O ye that praise Yahweh.’ But this does not express thesense of the original as well as the common version. The Hebrew word המזכירים hamazekiyriym,

from זכר zakar, “to remember”) means properly those bringing to remembrance, or causing toremember. It is a word frequently applied to the praise of God, or to the celebration of hisworship Psa_20:7; Psa_38:1; Psa_45:17; Psa_70:1; Psa_102:12. In such instances the word doesnot mean that they who are engaged in his service cause Yahweh to remember, or bring things tohis recollection which otherwise he would forget; but it means that they would keep up hisremembrance among the people, or that they proclaimed his name in order that he might not beforgotten. This is the idea here. It is not merely that they were engaged in the worship of God;but it is, that they did this in order to keep up the remembrance of Yahweh among people. Inthis sense the ministers of religion are ‘the remembrancers’ of the Lord.

Keep not silence - Hebrew, ‘Let there be no silence to you.’ That is, be constantly employedin public prayer and praise.

2. CLARKE, “Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence - The faithful, andin particular the priests and Levites, are exhorted by the prophet to beseech God withunremitted importunity (compare Luk_18:1, etc.) to hasten the redemption of Sion. The imagein this place is taken from the temple service; in which there was appointed a constant watch,

day and night, by the Levites: and among them this seems to have belonged particularly to thesingers, see 1Ch_9:33. Now the watches in the east, even to this day, are performed by a loud cryfrom time to time of the watchmen, to mark the time, and that very frequently, and in order toshow that they themselves are constantly attentive to their duty. Hence the watchmen are saidby the prophet, Isa_52:8, to lift up their voice; and here they are commanded, not to keepsilence; and the greatest reproach to them is, that they are dumb dogs; they cannot bark;dreamers; sluggards, loving to slumber, Isa_56:10. “The watchmen in the camp of the caravansgo their rounds crying one after another, ‘God is one, he is merciful:’ and often add, ‘Take heedto yourselves.’” Tavernier, Voyage de Perse, 54:1 chap. 10. The hundred and thirty-fourth Psalmgives us an example of the temple watch. The whole Psalm is nothing more than the alternatecry of two different divisions of the watch. The first watch addresses the second, reminding themof their duty; the second answers by a solemn blessing. The address and the answer seem bothto be a set form, which each division proclaimed, or sung aloud, at stated intervals, to notify thetime of the night: -

First Chorus

“Come on now, bless ye Jehovah, all ye servants of Jehovah;Ye that stand in the house of Jehovah in the nights;Lift up your hands towards the sanctuary,And bless ye Jehovah.”

Second Chorus

“Jehovah bless thee out of Sion;He that made heaven and earth.”

“Ye who stand in the place of the watch, in the house of the sanctuary of the Lord; and yepraise through the nights;” - says the Chaldee paraphrase on the second line. And this explainswhat is here particularly meant by proclaiming, or making remembrance of, the name ofJehovah: the form, which the watch made use of on these occasions, was always a shortsentence, expressing some pious sentiment, of which Jehovah was the subject; and it isremarkable, that the custom in the east in this respect also still continues the very same; asappears by the example above given from Tavernier.

And this observation leads to the explanation of an obscure passage in the Prophet Malachi,Mal_2:12.

“Jehovah will cut off the man that doeth this;The watchman and the answerer, from the tabernacles of Jacob;And him that presenteth an offering to Jehovah God of hosts.”

וענהער er veoneh, the master and the scholar, says our translation, after the Vulgate: the sonand the grandson, says the Syriac and Chaldee, as little to the purpose: Arias Montanus hasgiven it vigilantem et respondentem, “the watchman and the answerer;” that is, the Levite and“him that presenteth an offering to Jehovah,” that is, the priest. - L. Ye that make mention of theLord, keep not silence. Is not this clause an address to the ministers of Christ, to continue insupplication for the conversion of the Jewish people? Kimchi seems to think that the watchmenare the interceding angels!

3. GILL, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem,.... Not angels, as Jarchi;nor kings, as Kimchi; nor princes and civil magistrates, as others; nor the mourners in Zion, asAben Ezra; but ministers of the Gospel; as the prophets of the Old Testament are called watchmen, Isa_21:11, so ministers of the New, Isa_52:8 who are to watch in all things overthemselves, and for the souls of men; for their good, and to guard them against that which isevil, pernicious, and dangerous, both in principle and practice, 2Ti_4:5. The allusion is towatchmen on the walls of cities, whose business is to keep their place and stand, and not movefrom it; to look out diligently, and descry an enemy, or any approaching danger, and give noticeof it; and to defend the outworks of the city, and repel the enemy; all which requires courage,constancy, vigilance, and sobriety. The church is a city, and a walled one; God himself is a wallabout her; salvation by Christ is as walls and bulwarks to her; and ministers of the Gospel are setfor the defence of her: this is an ordinance and appointment of God; these watchmen are not ofmen's setting, nor do they take this office to themselves; but are placed in it by the Lord, whomakes them able ministers, qualifies them for watchmen, and enables them to perform theirwork; and which is an instance of the love of God to his church, and of his care of it:

which shall never hold their peace day nor night; as the living creatures in Rev_4:8,which are an emblem of Gospel ministers; who are always to be employed, and to be continuallypraying or preaching; the two principal branches of their ministry, Act_6:4, they are not to besilent, but either praying in private or in public for direction and assistance in their meditations;for supply of the gifts and graces of the Spirit in their ministration, and for success in their work;and that all blessings of grace might descend on those to whom they minister: or else preachingthe Gospel; being constant in season, and out of season; frequently inculcating the doctrines ofChrist; constantly affirming these things; ever informing, instructing, and exhorting the people.It was Austin's wish that death might find him either praying or preaching:

ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence; some take this to be an address tothe same persons; and they may be described as such that make mention of the Lord in theirministrations; of the grace and love of God the Father; of the person, office, and grace of Christ;and of the operations of the Spirit: or, "as the remembrancers of the Lord" (i), as it may berendered; that put men in mind of the Lord; of what he has done for them, and is unto them; ofthe doctrines of the Gospel respecting him, and of their duty to him, and to one another, and toall men; and who put the Lord in mind of his promises to his people, and prophecies concerningthem, to fulfil them: but I rather think another set of men are meant, even members of churches,as distinct from ministers; who make mention of the Lord to one another, in private conferencewith each other; of his gracious dealings with them, and favours bestowed upon them; and whomake mention of him in their prayers to him, and praises of him; and who should not keepsilence, but pray without ceasing, even always, and not faint, Luk_18:1.

3B. PULPIT COMMENTARY, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls. "The Servant" has appointedwatchers upon the walls of Zion—either "prophets" (Delitzsch), or "priests and prophets" (Kay), or, moreprobably, "angelic beings" (Cheyne), who keep perpetual watch and ward (Comp. Isa_52:8). Neither daynor night do they hold their peace, or keep silence, but ever intercede with God for his people, like the"angel of Jehovah" inZec_1:12, reminding him of his covenant with them, and his promises to them, andexhorting him to "awake, awake" for his own honour's sake (Isa_51:9-11). It is generally allowed that the"watchers" inDan_4:13, Dan_4:17, Dan_4:23 are angels; and the same interpretation best suits the"watchmen" of the present passage. Ye that make mention of the Lord; rather, as in the margin, ye thatare the Lord's remembrancers; i.e. "ye whose business it is to call to God's remembrance the needs andclaims of his people, and the obligations of his covenant promises."

4. HENRY, “Two things are here promised to Jerusalem: -

I. Plenty of the means of grace - abundance of good preaching and good praying (Isa_62:6,Isa_62:7), and this shows the method God takes when he designs mercy for a people; he firstbrings them to their duty and pours out a spirit of prayer upon them, and then brings salvationto them. Provision is made,

1. That ministers may do their duty as watchmen. It is here spoken of as a token for good, as astep towards further mercy and an earnest of it, that, in order to what he designed for them, hewould set watchmen on their walls who should never hold their peace. Note, (1.) Ministers arewatchmen on the church's walls, for it is as a city besieged, whose concern it is to have sentinelson the walls, to take notice and give notice of the motions of the enemy. It is necessary that, aswatchmen, they be wakeful, and faithful, and willing to endure hardness. (2.) They areconcerned to stand upon their guard day and night; they must never be off their watch as long asthose for whose souls they watch are not out of danger. (3.) They must never hold their peace;they must take all opportunities to give warning to sinners, in season, out of season, and mustnever betray the cause of Christ by a treacherous or cowardly silence. They must never hold theirpeace at the throne of grace; they must pray, and not faint, as Moses lifted up his hands andkept them steady, till Israel had obtained the victory over Amalek, Exo_17:10, Exo_17:12.

2. That people may do their duty. As those that make mention of the Lord, let not them keep

silence neither, let not them think it enough that their watchmen pray for them, but let them

pray for themselves; all will be little enough to meet the approaching mercy with due solemnity.

Note, (1.) It is the character of God's professing people that they make mention of the Lord, and

continue to do so even in bad times, when the land is termed forsaken and desolate. They are

the Lord's remembrancers (so the margin reads it); they remember the Lord themselves and put

one another in mind of him. (2.) God's professing people must be a praying people, must be

public-spirited in prayer, must wrestle with God in prayer, and continue to do so: “Keep not

silence; never grow remiss in the duty nor weary of it.” Give him no rest - alluding to an

importunate beggar, to the widow that with her continual coming wearied the judge into a

compliance. God said to Moses, Let me alone (Exo_32:10), and Jacob to Christ, I will not let

thee go except thou bless me, Gen_32:26. (3.) God is so far from being displeased with our

pressing importunity, as men commonly are, that he invites and encourages it; he bids us to cry

after him; he is not like those disciples who discouraged a petitioner, Mat_15:23. He bids us

make pressing applications at the throne of grace, and give him no rest, Luk_11:5, Luk_11:8. He

suffers himself not only to be reasoned with, but to be wrestled with. (4.) The public welfare or

prosperity of God's Jerusalem is that which we should be most importunate for at the throne of

grace; we should pray for the good of the church. [1.] That it may be safe, that he would establish

it, that the interests of the church may be firm, may be settled for the present and secured to

posterity. [2.] That it may be great, may be a praise in the earth, that it may be praised, and God

may be praised for it. When gospel truths are cleared and vindicated, when gospel ordinances

are duly administered in their purity and power, when the church becomes eminent for holiness

and love, then Jerusalem is a praise in the earth, then it is in reputation. (5.) We must persevere

in our prayers for mercy to the church till the mercy come; we must do as the prophet's servant

did, go yet seven times, till the promising cloud appear, 1Ki_18:44. (6.) It is a good sign that God

is coming towards a people in ways of mercy when he pours out a spirit of prayer upon them and

stirs them up to be fervent and constant in their intercessions.

5. JAMISON, “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, Isa_52:8); the good tidings of thereturn of the Jewish exiles from Babylon, prefiguring the return from the present dispersion(compare Isa_21:6-11; Isa_56:10; Eze_3:17; Eze_33:7). The watches in the East are announcedby a loud cry to mark the vigilance of the watchmen.

ye that ... mention ... Lord — Hebrew, “ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers”; God’sservants who by their prayers “put God in remembrance” of His promises (Isa_43:26); we arerequired to remind God, as if God could, which He cannot, forget His promises (Psa_119:49;Jer_14:21).

6. K&D, “Watchmen stationed upon the walls of Zion (says the third strophe) do not forsakeJehovah till He has fulfilled all His promise. “Upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, have I stationedwatchmen; all the day and all the night continually they are not silent. O ye who rememberJehovah, leave yourselves no rest! And give Him no rest, till He raise up, and till He setJerusalem for a praise in the earth.” As the phrase hiphqıd ‛al signifies to make a person anoverseer (president) over anything, it seems as though we ought to render the sentence beforeus, “I have set watchmen over thy walls.” But hiphqıd by itself may also mean “to appoint”

(2Ki_25:23), and therefore ך עלח־ומתי may indicate the place of appointment (lxx ἐπὶ τῶν τειχέων σου, upon thy walls: Ιερουσαλήμ κατέστησα φύλακας). Those who are stationed upon the walls areno doubt keepers of the walls; not, however, as persons whose exclusive duty it is to keep thewalls, but as those who have committed to them the guarding of the city both within and without(Son_5:7). The appointment of such watchmen presupposes the existence of the city, which isthus to be watched from the walls. It is therefore inadmissible to think of the walls of Jerusalemas still lying in ruins, as the majority of commentators have done, and to understand by thewatchmen pious Israelites, who pray for their restoration, or (according to b. Menachoth 87a;cf., Zec_1:12) angelic intercessors. The walls intended are those of the city, which, though oncedestroyed, is actually imperishable (Isa_49:16) and has now been raised up again. And who elsecould the watchmen stationed upon the walls really be, but prophets who are called tsophım(e.g., Isa_52:8), and whose calling, according to Ezek 33, is that of watchmen? And if prophetsare meant, who else can the person appointing them be but Jehovah Himself? The idea that theauthor of these prophecies is speaking of himself, as having appointed the shomerım, musttherefore be rejected. Jehovah gives to the restored Jerusalem faithful prophets, whom Hestations upon the walls of the city, that they may see far and wide, and be heard afar off. Andfrom those walls does their warning cry on behalf of the holy city committed to their care ascentday and night to Jehovah, and their testimony go round about to the world. For after Jerusalemhas been restored and re-peopled, the further end to be attained is this, that Jehovah shouldbuild up the newly founded city within (conen the consequence of banah, Num_21:27, and ‛asah,Isa_45:18; Deu_32:6; cf., Isa_54:14 and Psa_87:5), and help it to attain the central post of

honour in relation to those without, which He has destined for it. Such prophets of the timessucceeding the captivity (nebhı 'ım 'acharonım; cf., Zec_1:4) were Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.Haggai stands upon the walls of Jerusalem, and proclaims the glory of the second temple assurpassing that of the first. Zechariah points from Joshua and Zerubbabel onwards to the sproutof Jehovah, who is priest and prince in one person, and builds the true temple of God. Malachipredicts the coming of the Lord to His temple, and the rising of the Sun of righteousness. Underthe eyes of these prophets the city of God rose up again, and they stand upon its pinnacles, andlook thence into the glorious future that awaits it, and hasten its approach through the word oftheir testimony. Such prophets, who carry the good of their people day and night upon theiranxious praying hearts, does Jehovah give to the Jerusalem after the captivity, which is one inthe prophet's view with the Jerusalem of the last days; and in so lively a manner does theprophet here call them up before his own mind, that he exclaims to them, “Ye who remindJehovah, to finish gloriously the gracious work which He has begun,” give yourselves to rest (domi from damah = damam, to grow dumb, i.e., to cease speaking or working, in distinction from

chashah, to be silent, i.e., not to speak or work), and allow Him no rest till He puts Jerusalem inthe right state, and so glorifies it, that it shall be recognised and extolled as glorious over all theearth. Prophecy here sees the final glory of the church as one that gradually unfolds itself, andthat not without human instrumentality. The prophets of the last times, with their zeal in prayer,and in the exercise of their calling as witnesses, form a striking contrast to the blind, dumb,indolent, sleepy hirelings of the prophet's own time (Isa_56:10).

7. CALVIN. “6.On thy walls. As the Prophet intended to describe the perfect happiness of the kingdom

of Christ, so he makes an assemblage of all that belongs to the prosperous condition of any country or

city. To other advantages he adds guards and a garrison; because the greatest abundance of all good

things would be of little avail, if we were not safe from enemies; and therefore he declares that the Lord

will not only supply the Church with all that is necessary, but will also appoint faithful guards to ward off

enemies and robbers, that he may thus be recognised, both within and without, as the author of a happy

life.

Who shall not be, silent. By “ silent,” he means “ at rest;” as if he had said, “ will be continually on the

watch, so as to foresee at a great distance the dangers that threaten them.”

Ye who are mindful of Jehovah. He next explains who these guards are, namely, those who “ be mindful

of the Lord,” that is, shall celebrate the memory of his name. Although among the guards we might,

without impropriety, reckon the angels, (Psa_91:11; Heb_1:14,) to whom we know that this office is

assigned, yet because they willingly and cheerfully watch over the safety of the Church, and do not need

to be spurred on by exhortations, the Prophet addresses his discourse to other watchmen.

The word which he employs is of doubtful meaning. (169) Sometimes it signifies “ remember,” and

sometimes “ bring to remembrance;” and neither of those significations will be inappropriate. But I think

that he simply means that these guards will be God’ ministers to celebrate his name. Some render it “

known the Lord;” but that is unnatural, and suddenly breaks off the Prophet’ meaning; and such

commentators do not attend to the comparison of the guards of a city, which the Prophet employs.

Although the Prophet intends simply to teach that the Church will be safe from all dangers, because she

has God to watch over her safety, yet we ought always to consider what is the nature of Christ’ kingdom;

for it is not defended by the weapons of war or by arms, but, being spiritual, is protected by spiritual arms

and guards. The Lord will therefore have his ministers, whose agency he will employ for defending the

Church by the sword of the word, that she may be kept safe; not by earthly guards, but by God’ secret

and spiritual power; and the Prophet explains himself by saying, “ who are mindful of the Lord.” Although

this statement relates to all the godly, who are commanded to celebrate the name of God in all places, as

far as lies in their power, yet it is chiefly addressed to the priests, who, discharging a public office, should

hold out an example to others, and devote themselves with all their heart to the praises of God.

During the whole day and the whole night. Here pastors are reminded of their duty; for it is not enough to

feed the Lord’ flock, if they do not likewise defend it from the attacks of robbers and wolves. “ and day,”

therefore, they must guard and keep watch, if they wish to perform their duty in a proper manner.

Keep not silence. The Lord forbids them to be silent; for he wishes them to be diligent and attentive; and

in this he shews how great is the care which he takes about the safety of the Church. This passage

testifies that it is a remarkable kindness of God, when we have faithful pastors who take care of us; for we

are exposed to dangers of every kind, and lie open to the snares of Satan, if the Lord do not protect us by

his guards; and therefore we ought always to pray that he would surround us with those guards which he

sees that we need.

(169) “ המזכירים (hammazkirim) admits of three interpretations, all consistent with Isaiah’ usage.

In Isa_36:3, it seems to mean an official recorder or historiographer. In Isa_66:3, it means one burning

incense as a memorial oblation. Hence ,אזכרה (uzkarah,) the name used in the Law of Moses to denote

such an offering. (See Lev_2:2; Num_5:26.) In Isa_43:26, the verb means to remind God of something

which he seems to have forgotten; and as this is an appropriate description of importunate intercession, it

is here entitled to the preference.” —Alexander.

8. RON TEED, “These verses are telling us that God’s persevering grace guarantees that this matchless

event will be conferred on Israel at Christ’s Second Coming. Faithful prophets who call to mind God’swords will persist in preaching and prayer until Messiah’s earthly kingdom is established. From that timeon, no invasions will ever again be successful against the nation of Israel. A prediction which will befulfilled during the earthly Millennium.

In the Old Testament times, God gave His people leaders to guide them, but most were

not faithful (56:10). Now He gives them faithful watchmen, who constantly remind God

of His promises. “Give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the

praise of the earth” (62:7, NIV). What an encouragement to us to “pray for the peace of

Jerusalem” according to Psalm 122:6.God promises that the Jews will never again lose their harvests tothe enemy but will enjoy the fruit of their labors in the very courts of His sanctuary, which is a reference to

the Millennial temple. What a privilege! According to Ezekiel 40–48, there will be a millennial temple, andthe Jews will worship the Lord there. Having received their Messiah, they will now clearly understand thespiritual meaning of their worship. Today, their minds are veiled as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3:14–18;but then, their eyes will be opened.

9. Coffman. “The marvelous protection promised here was directed to the nation of Israel upon theirreturn from Babylon, and they have an ultimate application to God's people of all ages in the Church ofthe Redeemer. The great tragedy, as far as the Old Israel is concerned is that they appear to haveaccepted these glorious promises as inevitably applying to themselves without any regard whatever to thekind of lives they lived. The passage of the Old Testament that Israel seemed never to have believed, oreven to have heard of it, is in Jeremiah 18:7-10, where it is revealed that "all of God's promises" arecontingent, absolutely, upon faithful human obedience to the will of God. The "faith only" Protestants ofour own generation need to heed the warning that Israel ignored.

"Watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem ..." (Isaiah 62:6). Dummelow believed these to be, "Angelicbeings who report to Jehovah what happens on earth, and who intercede for mercy to Zion."[7] Theproblem we find with this view is that it contradicts the New Testament picture of the one intercessor formen, Christ, certainly not a corps of angels! It is much more likely that Jehovah is here speaking of thespiritual Jerusalem, not the old Jerusalem at all. The walls of this New Jerusalem are called "Salvation"and "Praise," as in Isaiah 26:1; 49:16; 60:18. In which case, "The watchmen are not Old Testamentpriests, prophets, or angels, as thought by some; but they are the apostles and prophets of the NewTestament, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, whose work is the perfecting of the saints (Ephesians4:11-12)."[8]

It is significant that the watchmen are commanded to pray to God day and night and to keep on prayinguntil God indeed accomplishes all of the wonderful promises he has given to his people. Why does Godneed to be solicited to do that which he has already promised to do? Even in the New Testament we findthe example of the importunate widow commended to us by Christ himself, because of her constantpetitioning of the unjust judge. We do not pretend to know the answer to this problem. We do know,however, that it is the will of God that his servants pray without ceasing (that is, regularly and faithfully);and therefore, we are certain that such commandments have been given by God for the benefit of hishuman children.

10. CHARLES SIMEON, “IT is melancholy to reflect, that notwithstanding God has given a revelation ofhimself to man above three thousand years, there is not a sixth part of mankind that has ever so much asheard of salvation through a crucified Redeemer. And, of those who are called Christians, a very smallportion indeed has any vital union with Christ, or experimental knowledge of his love. In this view, even

the Church itself may be termed Forsaken and Desolate. But it will not be always thus. There is a periodfixed in the Divine counsels, when the Jewish Church, being enlarged by vast accessions from everyquarter of the globe, shall be called Hephzi-bah, and Beulah; seeing that the Lord will delight in her, andregard her as his Bride [Note: ver. 4, 5.].

To the hastening forward of that blessed time we all may contribute, and all ought to contribute to theutmost of our power. How we may be instrumental to the glorious work, we are told in the words beforeus: in considering which we shall shew,

I. What should be the great object of our solicitude—

As having immortal souls, we are all concerned in the first place to seek salvation for ourselves. But ouranxiety should extend to the Jewish Church, and to the whole world: we should desire not only to prosperin our own souls, but to see “Jerusalem,” even the Church of the living God, prospering also, so as to be“a praise in the earth.” In a word, our desire should be,

1. That the light of the Gospel should be universally diffused—

[In the Gospel is contained the brightest discovery of all the Divine perfections as united and harmonizingin the work of Redemption: it is an exhibition of “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the faceof Jesus Christ” — — —

Now, in comparison of this, the works of creation have no glory, by reason of the glory that excelleth: thesun itself is darkness when compared with “the Sun of Righteousness that hath arisen on the world withhealing in his wings” — — —

And where, but in the Church, is this glory seen? Not one ray of it shines in the whole world besides — ——

The Church then is “a praise in the earth,” in proportion as this light shines forth in the earth: But alas! atpresent the greatest part of the world is under an eclipse. We hope, however, that in due time everyintervening object will be removed; and that the light now rapidly spreading over the horizon, will extendits beams to regions that are yet lying in darkness and the shadow of death; and that it will shine, in itsmeridan splendour, not successively, but at once, on every portion of the habitable globe.

How greatly is this to be desired! If the light of civilization be esteemed a blessing, how much more mustthe light of Salvation be so; especially when, with that, the glory of God and of all his infinite perfections isdisplayed! — — —]

2. That the efficacy of the Gospel should be universally experienced—

[In two views especially is the efficacy of the Gospel seen, namely, in comforting, and sanctifying all whoembrace it. To what unspeakable comfort it raises an afflicted soul, is declared at large by the ProphetIsaiah [Note: Isa_61:1-3.]; — — — as its sanctifying power is by the Prophet Jeremiah [Note: Jer_33:6-8.]: — — — and in both views it is “for a name of joy, a praise, and an honour, before all the nations ofthe earth [Note: Jer_33:9.].” Its effect is uniformly to change a wilderness into a fertile garden[Note: Isa_35:1-2; Isa_51:3.]; and to fill with the choicest shrubs the ground that was covered only withbriers and thorns [Note: Isa_55:13.]. Conceive this change effected in any place, What honour mustaccrue to that which causes the change, and what blessedness to the place where such a change isseen! Would not such a spot be as Goshen in the midst of Egypt? Such then is the Church, wherever theGospel comes in its power; and such will the Church be in the whole earth, when once it shall haveattained its destined extent and eminence. And is not this an object to be desired by all? Truly, if we haveone spark of love to our fellow-creatures, or of zeal for God, we should look forward to that event as theconsummation and completion of all our wishes.]

That object, then, being so desirable, let us consider,

II. In what way we should all endeavour to promote it—

All may be instrumental in helping it forward:

1. Ministers—

[They are “watchmen set on the walls of Jerusalem,” and are commanded “not to hold their peace day nornight.” In this expression there may possibly be a reference to those under the law, who ministered in thesanctuary by night as well as by day [Note: Psa_134:1.]. Whether their “not holding their peace,” refers toany public addresses, which, under the Gospel, are to be made from day to day by those who sustain theoffice of the ministry, we do not certainly know: but we are sure that it comprehends at least, if it do notexclusively relate to, the great work of intercession; in which ministers ought exceedingly to abound.Whatever personal efforts they may make, they can do no good, if God himself do not interpose to maketheir work effectual: “Paul may plant, and Apollos water; but God alone can give the increase.” Ministersmust pray, yea, must continue instant in prayer “night and day,” if they would be successful in theirministrations [Note: Compare Act_20:31. with 1Th_3:10 and 2Ti_1:3.].]

2. People of every description—

[All who “make mention of the Lord” are bidden to intercede for the Church of God. But in the marginaltranslation those words are rendered “All the Lord’s Remembrancers.” This is the character which we areall to bear: God says, “Put me in remembrance [Note: Isa_43:26.].” We are to remind him of all hisgracious promises, just as Jacob did [Note: Gen_32:12.], and, like Jacob, to wrestle with him till weprevail: yea, in the confidence of success we should say, like him, “I will not let thee go, except thou blessme [Note: Gen_32:24-26.].” This is frequently inculcated in the New Testament: the example of theCanaanitish woman, and the parable of the importunate widow, are intended to shew us, that we should“pray and not faint,” and that God will hear “those who pray day and night unto him, though he bear longwith them [Note: Mat_15:22-28 and Luk_18:1-8.].”

Now, though we are not to imagine that there is any reluctance in God to bless his Church, yet we are topersevere in prayer exactly as if we hoped to prevail by dint of importunity; yea, we are to “give Godhimself no rest,” till he arise and execute the desired work. In this way the lowest Christian in the worldmay render more service to the Church of God, than either ministers or princes can in any other way: ahuman arm, however active or powerful, can put forth only a small measure of strength; but prayer cancall Omnipotence to its aid, and effect whatever is necessary for the Church’s welfare. Whilst the successof Elijah remains written for our instruction [Note: Jam_5:16-18.], no man has any right to ask, What cansuch a weak creature as I effect for the Church of God?]

This subject affords ample matter,

1. For reproof—

[How little have any of us considered the duty, and the efficacy of intercession! Instead of praying day andnight for the conversion of the Jews, and the enlargement of the Christian Church, many of us find itdifficult even to pray for ourselves: and are well content that God should “rest,” and that the world, both ofJews and Gentiles, should perish in their sins, provided that we oursulves may be excused the trouble ofexertion, and finally escape the wrath of God. Who amongst us does not blush at a review of his conductin relation to this matter? Who, instead of fulfilling his duty as God’s Remembrancer, does not himselfneed a remembrancer to remind him of his duty? Let this matter be duly considered amongst us; and letus no longer, like Jonah, be indulging in sleep, when a whole world of sinners is calling for our utmostexertions [Note: Jon_1:5-6.].]

2. For encouragement—

[The first verse of this chapter deserves particular attention: it is spoken by the same person that speaks

in our text: it is Christ himself, or, at least, the prophet in his name, who says, “For Zion’s sake will I nothold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth asbrightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” Now here is the very point which we oughtsupremely to desire, the conversion of the Jews, and the consequent conversion of the wholeworld; this is the true import of that expression, “Jerusalem being upraise in the earth” — — —Does God then fix his eye upon this glorious object? and shall not we? Is he constantly intent upon it?and shall not we? Is he determined in his own mind to take no rest till he has accomplished it? and shallnot we be encouraged to pray to him respecting it? If he were averse to it, we might despair of everprevailing upon him to change his mind: but when we know how entirely his own mind is bent upon it, andthat he is ordering every thing both in providence and grace with a view to it, we may well besiege thethrone of grace, to remind him of his promises. Let us take courage then, and plead, if peradventure wemay hasten forward the glorious day, and see, if not in the world at large, yet at least in our ownimmediate circle, Jerusalem to be indeed “a praise in the earth.”]

11. BI, “The watchman’s call

The prosperity of the kingdom of Jesus Christ, which teaches the Gentile world through Hebrewchannels, depends on two conditions—watchfulness and prayer.To the latter of these subjects this discourse will be devoted. Let us dwell on importunity inprayer. “And give Him no rest.”

I. THIS IS A CALL TO THE INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIAN, and to a particular duty. Personaldevotion will largely relate to matters affecting the individual and the family, but it must notstop there. The Christian must not forget that he is a member of the great Catholic Church, andmust bear its burdens on his spirit to God in prayer.

II. THE CHURCH ALSO MUST MEET ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS TO PRAY FOR A LARGEROUTPOURING OF THE HOLY GHOST.

III. BY A FEW CONSIDERATIONS WE WILL ENDEAVOUR TO ENFORCE THE DUTY.

1. One is the fact that God has promised to meet us on the ground of earnest and constantprayer.

2. The history of importunate prayer is full of marvels.

3. If we survey the situation of the Church, and call to mind the responsibility which restsupon it, our own souls would be moved to greater earnestness. Precious souls are perishingaround us; the Cross of Calvary, the love of God, the traditions of the Church, conscience,humanity, the judgment, heaven, hell, beseech us to rescue the perishing. There is but onepower that will make the Church of Christ equal to every task which the Master has setbefore it—earnest prayer.

4. Importunate prayer ends in praise. Jerusalem will be established, and will become thepraise—the glory—of the earth.

5. Although prayer in all its aspects is the inheritance of every Christian, yet every Christianis not a watchman. Therefore a word to Church leaders will be in place. Let them look roundand survey the state of the Church. (T. Davies, M. A.)

The saints’ importunity for Zion’s prosperity

It is a truth which holds good, both in Scripture and experience, that the care of Zion lies at thebottom of all God’s powerful actings among the sons of men. All that He is and does, in the

methods of His common and extraordinary providence, is for the sake of His Church, which isthe principal cause and interest; He has in the world.

I. WHAT ARE THOSE SHAKINGS TO WHICH THE CAUSE AND CHURCH OF CHRIST AREEXPOSED IN THE EARTH?

1. There are shakings to which the cause of Christ is exposed, which arise from outwardviolence (Psa_2:2).

2. There are shakings which arise from inward decays A building will shake and totter andgrow ruinous, without any outward violence, if the foundation is undermined ‘; or if the pinsand fastenings, whereby it is held together, decay. This is the ease(l) When Gospel-truth isperverted or denied.

(2) When Gospel-holiness is neglected.

(3) When love is not cultivated.

II. WHEN MAY GOD BE SAID SO TO ESTABLISH HIS CHURCH AS TO MAKE IT A PRAISEIN THE EARTH? To make up this praise and renown there are four or five things. As—

1. Abundance of light and knowledge.

2. High degrees of holiness.

3. Abundance of peace (Psa_72:7).

4. A. multitude of converts.

5. A rich supply of all temporal good things.

Men’s natures shall be changed; their corrupt lusts and passions shall be subdued; and all theirriches, honour, and power shall be employed for the support of Christ’s cause and kingdom.

III. THE DUTY OF SUCH AS MAKE ANY PROFESSION OF CHRIST WITH REFERENCE TOTHIS GREAT AND GLORIOUS DAY. “Ye that make,” etc.

1. This day of Zion’s establishment and praise should be uppermost in our thoughts. Thatwhich has no place in our thoughts and affections will have very little in our prayers. TheChurch of old deprecated this as an abominable sin; (Psa_137:5-6).

2. It should be continually in our prayers.

3. Prayer for Zion’s establishment must be with a holy importunity and constancy. It is notthe work of one day, but of every day; the blessing prayed for has every other blessing andmercy in the bowels of 2:4. Zion’s friends are called to pray and work. The former branch ofthe verse commands action: “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem. It ishypocrisy to ask in private what you would not be glad to do in public. Your time, gifts,substance and lives are God’s.” (J. Hill.)

Spiritual patriotism

We propose to put this illustration of Jewish patriotism into another frame. For in the NewTestament Jerusalem stands metaphorically for the Church of Jesus Christ (Heb_12:22;Gal_9:26). The rebuilding of the Jewish capital will thus signify in Gospel speech theestablishment of the Christian Church.

I. A CALL TO SPIRITUAL PATRIOTISM. All through the second part of Isaiah Jerusalem isidealized, for Jerusalem, as the city actually was, presented small occasions for felicitation. But

the Jerusalem “the Servant of the Lord” saw was the world’s centre—the capital of all thenations! It was “the city of the Great King,” and while the power and glory of other nations lay intheir armies, their wealth, their population, their culture, the glory of Jerusalem was herreligion. Now, what Jerusalem was to “the Servant of the Lord” the Christian Church is to theChristian; he is a fellow-citizen with the saints, bound, therefore, to be a spiritual, patriot. Onlythe Christian Church is not limited to one nation. Above all, the Church is a spiritual metropolisamong the world powers, a heavenly fatherland on earthly soil, an eternal State establishedamidst temporal surroundings. Thus the love of a Jew for Jerusalem comes to represent thesolicitude of a Christian for the Church. The Jew never forgot his fatherland.

II. THE OUTCOME OF SPIRITUAL PATRIOTISM IN WATCHFULNESS AND PRAYER.Patriotism is hers set forth under two similes.

1. Spiritual patriots are to be sentinels. “I have set watchmen upon thy walls,

2. Jerusalem. The godly life is ever a campaign, and spiritual men are “men with an eye,” asCarlyle phrases it. When others cry, “Peace, peace,” it is often their painful duty to benonconformists to a general delusion and to sound an alarm. And how great a result may beproduced by the faithfulness of even one man! On a dark night in December 1602, when theinhabitants of Geneva, lulled by peaceful professions, slept, but never dreamed of danger, adaring attempt known in history as the “Escalade” was made by their foes. The Savoyardsscaled the walls, and would have admitted their comrades but for the discharge of themusket of one of the sentries. He fell a martyr, but the crack of his piece brought the citizensfrom their beds, and the city was saved, while Beza, then eighty years of age, returned to Godpublic thanksgiving, announcing the 124 th Psalm for singing. There is work for oursentinels to-day.

3. But spiritual patriots are also “the Lord’s remembrancers. The old State appointment isour illustration. In the Book of Esther the work of the remembrancer comes out in thechronicles which were read before the king on the occasion of his attack of insomnia; and theoffice, in a modified form, is known to us to-day in connection with our city councils. Butthere are elect souls who are the Lord’s remembrancers. It may be that not every Christianhas leisure of heart for this full consecration, for these remembrancers are such as make theprogress of God’s kingdom their prime solicitude. Eli could bear to hear of the ruin of his,house in the death of his sons, but died on learning of the capture of God’s ark. This is thehighest style of patriotism. General Wolfe, in shattered health, led the handful of Englishthat took Quebec from the French. Stricken down just as victory was assured, yet stimulatedby the cry, “They run,” he could just inquire who ran, and when told it was the French,forgetful of his own interests, he gasped, “I die happy,” and closed his eyes. Shall spiritualpatriots show less devotion? It is theirs to exercise unbounded faith in the Divine the text liesin its emphasis of urgent and perpetual prayer. Take ye no rest, and give Him no rest. This isthe Old Testament anticipation of the parable of the importunate widow. When a ladyappealed to the great Protector for the release of her husband, Cromwell preserved a stoliddemeanour so long as the wife confined herself to the proprieties of measured speech, butdirectly she burst into tears her plea was granted. Prayer is the wireless telegraphy whichunites heaven and earth; if only each heart be a “receiver ‘ it shall never lack a message fromon high, and there is always a great “receiver” there in the heart of our God.

III. FOR THE TRIUMPH OF THIS SPIRITUAL PATRIOTISM “THE SERVANT OF THELORD.” RENDERS HIMSELF RESPONSIBLE. The prayers of the Church and the purpose ofJesus Christ run in parallel lines when the prayer-spirit is deep and real; or better, our prayerand His purpose are two streams that run into one channel with united force. True prayer is notthe attempt to wring benediction from an unwilling hand. God is not in danger of forgetting Hispledges only His pledges can scarcely take effect in spiritual benediction till the Church is ready

to claim her own. There are millions of money in Chancery with no one to claim it; there isboundless grace in God waiting to be appropriated by man. While our prayers co-operate withGod’s purpose never may we forget that all real prayer has its origin in God: it is the Divinepurpose struggling for expression in the human heart. This brings us to our point of rest. “TheServant of the Lord” has rendered Himself responsible for His Church. The proof lies in HisCross, in His intercession, in the wonderful providence by which His Church has been preservedfrom extinction all along the ages, notwithstanding that she has lived all the while in the midstof foes. While we leave the responsibility of final issues with our Lord, we may share the gloryand the joy of being “workers together” with Him. How clearly this comes out “ this connection!For Zion’s sake, says He, will I not hold my peace.” “I have set watchmen upon thy walls or, theyshall never hold their peace.” “I will not rest.” “Take ye no rest.” The Christ-spirit is thus theChristian spirit; the work of Christ is continued by His Church. Now look at the magnificentresult anticipated! The Church is to become God’s city of light (verse 1). The ideal is developed inthe Revelation (Rev_21:23-24). Whatever light stands for, whether revelation, or brightness, orbeauty, or safety, or purity, all these are to find their home and sphere in Christ’s Church. TheChurch of Christ is to be first a guiding light to men—but afterwards she is to be as a sunrise tothe nations (Isa_9:2). For the Church is to be at once the expositor of God’s righteousness andthe channel of God’s salvation. (J. T. Briscoe.)

No rest for God or His people

In its present position, Jerusalem is at once a witness for God and a type of man—a witness toGod’s truth and justice, and a type of man’s sin and sorrow. Prayer to God is enjoined as ameans to secure the renovation and blessing of the temporal Jerusalem; and prayer is still one ofthe mightiest forces which can be brought to bear on the waste places and ruined magnificenceof man’s spiritual nature.

I. A CHARACTER WE MUST ENDEAVOUR TO DESERVE. The prophet describes God’sservants as those who “make mention of the Lord,” or, in other words, are “the Lord’srembrancers.” Not that they had need to remind Him of their needs or His fulness, but that theirbusiness was to bring Him to the remembrance of those about them.

II. If we are thus to be the Lord’s remembrancers THERE IS A DANGER WE MUST SEEK TOAVOID. This is, the danger of keeping silence, of withholding our testimony, or giving it half-heartedly and in a perfunctory manner. There are not a few roads which end at this habitation of“silence.

1. Doubt.

2. Despair, whether it be despair of ourselves or of others. Hopefulness is as necessary asfaithfulness.

3. We shall “keep silence” if we grow weary in well-doing; if patience gives place tofretfulness, and love of ease cries out against the practice of self- denial; if the crown islonged for while the cross is shunned, and the reaping is desired while the sowing isneglected.

III. In connection with all this, THERE IS A DUTY WE MUST FAITHFULLY PERFORM. “GiveHim no rest.” No rest for the servant, and no rest for the Master. Surely this means: “Be earnestin supplication.”

IV. A RESULT IN WHICH WE MUST STEADFASTLY BELIEVE. We are to be“remembrancers” and “pleaders” till He establish, and “till He make Jerusalem a praise in theearth.” That He will do these great things we are devoutly to believe; that He may do them we

are earnestly to pray. The early verses of our chapter draw a picture already seen by theprophetic eye. Righteousness, bright as the light going forth with salvation, clear as the burninglamp. The new name given to betoken the new nature. The joy of wedding festivity celebratingthe union of the once forsaken city- with her new-found Lord and King. Glowing picture this; yetto be fully realized in the capital of the Holy Land, and yet to be spiritually realized in the fulnessof blessing which shall crown all faithful labour, and be the answer to every earnest prayer. (W.J. Mayers.)

The Lord’s rembrancers

(R.V.):—It is hardly possible not to linger a little over this curious appellation, “the Lord’sremembrancers,” given in the margin of the Authorised Version, and in the text of the Revised.Several interpretations of it have been suggested. The original word itself has both the ordinarymeaning of one who reminds another, and a technical meaning 2Sa_20:24) akin to, though notidentical with, that of the English word. By some it is applied to the angels, who are alsosupposed to be the “watchmen upon the walls, referred to in the preceding clause. But such anexplanation lifts the passage entirely out of the sphere of human privilege and duty, andintroduces into it allusions to matters about which very little is known. There may be in it aspecial reference to prophets, whose functions would naturally include that of leading the peoplein their supplications to God, as well as that of warning them of danger and inciting them toeffort. But there is no need to confine the term to officials of any kind. The entire NewTestament is a sufficient authority for applying it to all true Christians. If, indeed, there be truthin the tradition, in Judaism itself it was recognized in part of the sacrificial ritual that every mancould be and ought to be the Lord’s remembrancer. Psa_44:1-26. describes some of themarvellous things done by Jehovah for Israel in the past, and the forsaken and oppressedcondition of Israel in the present; and one of its closing verses is said to have been regularlysung for long in the temple worship—the one in which Jehovah’s rembrancers, after havingreminded Him of their need and of His promised help, call upon Him: “Awake, why sleepestThou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not off for ever.” John Hyrcanus is reputed to have abolished thiscustom, in spleen at the refusal of the Pharisees to let him reign in peace, or possibly, accordingto a more charitable conjecture, under the feeling that the idea of awakening and remindingJehovah involves a defect of faith. The psalm, however, is entirely true to human nature. Forwhen men are tempted to imagine themselves forsaken of God and begirt inextricably by perils,it is an immense stimulus and encouragement of faith to remind God of their needs and of Hispromises, of their present reliance upon Him, and even (for Scripture warrants it elsewhere) ofthe way in which His faithfulness and honour are concerned in their protection and deliverance.Jacob prayed in that way, when he trembled at the thought of his brother’s probable rage,pleading God’s actual words of promise: “O God of my fathers, the Lord which saidst unto me,Return unto thy country, and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee:. . . Deliver me, I praythee, from the hand of my brother:. . . for (again) Thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, andmake thy seed as the sand of the sea. Two rembrancings, and between them a little prayer; andof course the result was that, when Esau came, instead of pouring his rough followers upon thestruggling and indefensible caravan, he fell on his brother’s “neck and kissed him.” David wassurprised and almost staggered in unbelief at the prospect of greatness and renown which theprophet Nathan opened up to him, but he recovered and fed his faith by reminding Himself andhis God of the promise, and prayed, “Now, O Lord God, the word that Thou hast spokenconcerning Thy,, servant and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as Thou hastsaid. In this very prophecy Israel first of all reminds Jehovah of what He has been wont to do,anti what needs to be done now: “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake as inthe ancient days, in the generations of old. The result is seen in vision at once: “Therefore the

redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion;” and so all the watchmenlift up their voices: “Break forth unto joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem, for theLord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemed Jerusalem: the Lord hath made bare Hisholy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of ourGod. We shall never suffer much prolonged doubt as to our own establishment or the Church’s,if we will only duly remember and exercise our high vocation, to remind God of our perils andneeds and of His promised grace and help. (R. W. Moss.)

Watchers

Not watchmen (lit. “lookers out”) as in Isa_52:8; Isa_56:10, but as in Isa_21:11; Son_5:7, lit.“keepers,’ those who guard the city, especially dining the night. (Prof. S. R. Driver, D. D.)

Three kinds of ministers

The ministers of the temple of truth, it has been said, are of three kinds: first, those stationed atthe gate of the temple to constrain the passers-by to come in; secondly, those whose function isto accompany inside all who have been persuaded to enter, and display and explain to them thetreasures and secrets of the place; and, thirdly, those whose duty is to patrol round the temple,keeping watch and ward and defending the shrine from the attacks of enemies. We are onlyspeaking very roughly if we say that the first of these three functions is that of the

Preacher, the second that of the Teacher, and the third that of the

Controversialist. (J. Stalker, D. D.)

7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalemand makes her the praise of the earth.

1.BARNES, “And give him no rest - Margin, ‘Silence.’ In Hebrew the same word (דמי domiy) as in Isa_62:6. The idea is, ‘Keep not silence yourselves, nor let him rest in silence. Praywithout ceasing; and do not intermit your efforts until the desires of your hearts shall begranted, and Zion shall be established, and the world saved.’

Till he establish - Until he shall establish Jerusalem, and restore it to its former rank andprivileges.

Till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth - That it may be the subject of universalcommendation and rejoicing, instead of being an object of reproach and scorn. The truth taughthere is, that it is the privilege and duty of the ministers of God to pray unceasingly for theextension of his kingdom. Day and night the voice of prayer is to be urged, and urged as if they

would give Yahweh no rest until the desires of their hearts should be granted (compareLuk_18:1 ff).

2. WESLEY, “A praise - By sending the Messiah, and those labourers into his vineyard, whereby the

church may be established, and settled on sure foundations, and so become a matter of praise to God.

All the nations shall praise him for her

3. GILL, “And give him no rest,.... Not let him alone, as he desired that Moses would, but

wrestle with him as Jacob did, and not let him go without the blessing; be importunate with

him, as the widow with the unjust judge; and be incessant in prayer:

until he establish; his church; which, though founded by him, and built upon the surefoundation of his laying, upon a rock, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail; yet, as to itsoutward state, is sometimes fluctuating and unstable; it is not always in the same place, nor inthe same circumstances; but in the latter day it will be established on the top of the mountains,and will be a tabernacle that shall not be taken down; which is the Lord's work to do, and whichhe has promised; and therefore may be prayed for in faith, nor should saints cease praying till itis done, Isa_2:2,

and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth; matter of praise; till the church and itsmembers become famous in the world, and shall be praised by men, and God shall be praised fortheir sakes; for the purity of Gospel doctrines and ordinances; for unity in worship; for cordiallove and affection to each other; for holiness of life and conversation; for number, and for figure,converts numerous, and many of these great personages; when what is now to its discredit anddispraise will be removed; all false doctrine, or mixtures of it the many sects and parties whichgo by the Christian name; the sad divisions and animosities among them; the impure lives ofmany professors; the small number of real Christians; their meanness and poverty.

4. THOMAS COKE , “. I have set watchmen, &c.— As much as to say, "since God, by the peculiar

blessing of his providence, hath placed watchmen upon the walls of Jerusalem, who shall constantly

watch for its safety; therefore do you, who are intrusted with this office, perform your parts diligently, and

intercede continually with him, that he would graciously fulfil the magnificent promises which he hath

made to his church." The word שמרים shomrim, rendered watchmen, signifies properly those priests and

Levites who kept watch day and night about the temple, and is from them applied to the spiritual watch-

men and ministers of the Christian church.

5. JAMISON, “no rest — Hebrew, “silence”; keep not silence yourselves, nor let Him rest insilence. Compare as to Messiah Himself, “I will not hold ... peace ... not rest” (Isa_62:1);Messiah’s watchmen (Isa_62:6, Isa_62:7) imitate Him (Isa_62:1) in intercessory “prayerwithout ceasing” for Jerusalem (Psa_122:6; Psa_51:18); also for the spiritual Jerusalem, theChurch (Luk_18:1, Luk_18:7; Rom_1:9).

a praise — (See on Isa_61:11; Zep_3:20).

6. WHEDON, “6, 7. Watchmen — This alludes to the practice of stationing on city walls men whoserved as criers when news good or bad was to be announced. As applied to the spiritual Jerusalem orZion, they mean instructors of the people — priests and prophets, ministers of the true religion. Ezekiel3:17; Ezekiel 33:7.

Never hold their peace — Constant warning and instruction was their duty.

Make mention of the Lord — The Lord’s reminders as watchmen of Israel’s highest interests wereenjoined to fail not in diligence and fidelity.

Give him no rest — Literally, no silence. “Ye that are set as Jehovah’s reminders give to yourselves norest, no silence, in your assigned work; and give him (Jehovah) no rest, no silence, till he establish thenewly restored Jerusalem, his holy Zion.

A praise in the earth — Or, a permanent spiritual power for the salvation of the world.

7. CALVIN, “7.And do not give him silence. Hitherto the Prophet has spoken of the office and duty of

teaching; but as this would not be enough if prayer were not likewise added, he exhorts the ministers of

the word to prayer; for I think that ,him,” refers to God. We ought, therefore, to plead with God “ (,lo) ,לו

and to entreat by earnest prayer, that he will give some success to our labors, which would otherwise be

unprofitable. And since we devote ourselves entirely to preaching doctrine, and vigorously oppose all the

machinations of Satan, let us learn, at the same time, to turn our minds to God, that he may not permit

our labors to be unsuccessful. In the same manner as he applied the word “” to doctrine in the beginning

of the chapter, when he said, “ will not be silent,” so in this passage he applies it to prayer, by which we

obtain from God some fruit of doctrine. Even the angels move us by their example to this earnestness of

prayer, as we read in Zechariah that the angel prays ardently for the restoration of the Church.

(Zec_1:12.)

Till he restore. Hence infer that there are two distinct benefits: first, to have faithful pastors who shall

watch over the safety of the Church; secondly, that the Church be upheld and preserved in her condition

by their agency. But God, who speaks here, claims these benefits as his own; which he also does in

many other passages. “ shall they preach,” says Paul, “ they be sent?” (Rom_10:15.) It belongs to God

alone, therefore, to appoint pastors; for no man could otherwise have been “” (2Co_2:16) for an office so

important and so difficult; and it is he alone who promotes by their agency the restoration of the Church;

for their efforts would be altogether vain and fruitless, if the Lord did not grant them prosperous success.

And here we see that the external agency of men is joined with the efficacy of the Holy Spirit; for,

although the Lord alone is the author and finisher of the work, yet he brings forward instruments which he

employs for rearing the building of the Church. This reminds us that we ought not to lose courage, even

when we see nothing but ruin and wretchedness and desolation; but it is our duty to pray that the Lord will

restore her, which he also promises that he will do.

And till he place Jerusalem a praise. This means to render the Church glorious, that ground of joy may

shine forth from it; for when we feel nothing but God’ severity, we become dumb, and are overwhelmed

with shame; but when he frees us from our afflictions, and causes us to recover, he at the same time

opens our mouth; for he supplies us with ground of praise and thanksgiving.

8. GREAT TEXTS OF THE BIBLE, “The second half of Isaiah’s prophecies forms one great whole, whichmight be called “The Book of the Servant of the Lord.” One majestic figure stands forth on its pages withever-growing clearness of outline and form. The language in which He is described fluctuates at firstbetween the collective Israel and the one Person who is to be all that the nation had failed to attain. Buteven near the beginning of the prophecy we read of “My servant whom I uphold,” whose voice is to below and soft, and whose meek persistence is not to fail till He have set judgment in the earth. And as weadvance the reference to the nation becomes less and less possible, and the recognition of the personmore and more imperative. At first the music of the prophetic song seems to move uncertainly amid sweetsounds, from which the true theme by degrees emerges, and thenceforward recurs over and over againwith deeper, louder harmonies clustering about it, till it swells into the grandeur of the choral close.

In the chapter before our text we read, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hathanointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.” Throughout the remainder of the prophecy, with theexception of one section which contains the prayer of the desolate Israel, this same person continues tospeak; and who he is was taught in the synagogue of Nazareth. Whilst the preceding chapter, then,brings in Christ as proclaiming the great work of deliverance for which He is anointed of God, thefollowing chapter presents Him as treading the winepress alone, which is a symbol of the future judgmentby the glorified Saviour. Between these two prophecies of the earthly life and of the still future judicialenergy, this chapter of our text, lies, referring, as I take it, to the period between these two—that is, to allthe ages of the Church’s development on earth. For these Christ here promises His continual activity, andHis continual bestowment of grace to His servants who watch the walls of His Jerusalem.1 [Note: A. Maclaren,

Sermons Preached in Manchester, 2nd series, p. 19.]

I

The Lord’s Remembrancers

“Ye that are the Lord’s remembrancers.”

It is hardly possible not to linger a little over this curious appellation, “The Lord’s remembrancers,” given inthe margin of the Authorized Version and in the text of the Revised. Several interpretations of it havebeen suggested. The original word itself has both the ordinary meaning of one who reminds another, anda technical meaning (2Sa_20:24) akin to, though not identical with, that of the English word. By some it is

applied to the angels, who are also supposed to be the “watchmen” upon the walls, referred to in thepreceding clause. But such an explanation lifts the passage entirely out of the sphere of human privilegeand duty, and introduces into it allusions to matters about which very little is known. There may be in it aspecial reference to prophets, whose functions would naturally include that of leading the people in theirsupplications to God, as well as that of warning them of danger and inciting them to effort. But there is noneed to confine the term to officials of any kind. The entire New Testament is a sufficient authority forapplying it to all true Christians.

If indeed there be truth in the tradition, in Judaism itself it was recognised in part of the sacrificial ritualthat every man could be and ought to be the Lord’s remembrancer. The forty-fourth Psalm describessome of the marvellous things done by Jehovah for Israel in the past, and the forsaken and oppressedcondition of Israel in the present; and one of its closing verses is said to have been regularly sung for longin the Temple worship—the one in which Jehovah’s remembrancers, after having reminded Him of theirneed and of His promised help, call upon Him: “Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? Arise, cast us not offfor ever.” John Hyrcanus is reported to have abolished that custom, in spleen at the refusal of thePharisees to let him reign in peace; or, possibly, according to a more charitable conjecture, under thefeeling that the idea of awakening and reminding Jehovah involves a defect of faith. The psalm, however,is entirely true to human nature. For when men are tempted to imagine themselves forsaken of God andbegirt inextricably by perils, it is an immense stimulus and encouragement of faith to remind God of theirneeds and of His promises, of their present reliance upon Him, and even (for Scripture warrants itelsewhere) of the way in which His faithfulness and honour are concerned in their protection anddeliverance.1 [Note: R. W. Moss, The Discipline of the Soul, p. 160.]

The remembrancer’s priestly office belongs to every member of Christ’s priestly kingdom, the lowest andleast of whom has the privilege of unrestrained entry into God’s presence-chamber and the power ofblessing the world by faithful prayer. What should we think of a citizen in a beleagured city, who saw theenemy mounting the very ramparts, and gave no alarm because that was the sentry’s business? In suchextremity every man is a soldier, and women and children can at least keep watch and raise shrill shoutsof warning. The gifts then here promised, and the duties that flow from them, are not the prerogatives orthe tasks of any class or order, but the heritage and the burden of the Lord to every member of theChurch.

1. How distinctly these words of our text define the region within which our prayers should ever move, andthe limits which bound their efficacy! They remind God. Then the truest prayer is that which bases itselfon God’s uttered will, and the desires which are born of our own fancies or heated enthusiasms have nopower with Him. The prayer that prevails is a reflected promise. Our office in prayer is but to receive onour hearts the bright rays of His word, and to flash them back from the polished surface to the heavenfrom whence they came.

It is said that Philip of Macedon, lest he should be unduly exalted by his earthly greatness, or puffed up bythe adulation of his subjects, instructed certain of his officers every morning as he woke to whisper in hisear, “Remember, sire, you are but a man.” They were his remembrancers, keeping in his mind what heknew well but chose to be reminded of continually.

2. This quaint word, “remembrancer,” leads you to expect to see some old guild in curious and ancientform. Let us look at them at work. And it is a testimony to the antiquity of this wonderful guild, with itsstrange power coming down from the distant past, that we must begin with Abraham. A guilty city is lyingbeneath the ban of God; but one of the Lord’s remembrancers comes forward, and he says, “If fiftyrighteous be found here; if forty righteous—if thirty righteous—if twenty—if ten?” “I will not destroy it forten’s sake.” Or, again, a battle is raging in the plain; but above the battle on the hill another of the Lord’sremembrancers holds up his hands—“and when Moses held up his hand Israel prevailed, and when helet down his hand Amalek prevailed.” Or there is a plague among the people; they are dying bythousands. Another of the Lord’s remembrancers puts on incense, and runs in between—exactly what theword intercede means—runs in between the living and the dead; and the plague is stayed. I ask you, asthinking men and women, would it be possible to explain these passages in any other way than this, thatthe Lord’s remembrancers have power put into their hands to move the hands which move the

universe?1 [Note: A. F. W. Ingram, Banners of the Christian Faith, p. 82.]

Jacob prayed in that way, when he trembled at the thought of his brother’s possible rage, pleading God’sactual words of promise: “O God of my fathers, the Lord which saidst unto me, Return unto thy country,and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with thee … Deliver me, I pray thee, from the hand of my brother …for (again) thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea.” Tworemembrancings, and between them a little prayer; and of course the result was that, when Esau came,instead of pouring his rough followers upon the struggling and indefensible caravan, he “fell on hisbrother’s neck and kissed him.” David was surprised and almost staggered in unbelief at the prospect ofgreatness and renown which the prophet Nathan opened up to him, but he recovered and fed his faith byreminding himself and his God of the promise, and prayed, “Now, O Lord God, the word that thou hastspoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said.”In this very prophecy Israel first of all reminds Jehovah of what He has been wont to do, and what needsto be done now: “Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in thegenerations of old.” The result is seen in vision at once: “Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return,and come with singing unto Zion”; and so all the watchmen lift up their voices: “Break forth into joy, singtogether, ye waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord hath comforted His people, He hath redeemedJerusalem: the Lord hath made bare His holy arm in the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of theearth shall see the salvation of our God.”1 [Note: R. W. Moss, The Discipline of the Soul, p. 161.]

3. Is this some privilege which men used to have, but which they have now lost? Read the NewTestament and see. “We are become kings and priests to God,” or, as it should be, “a kingdom of priests.”“If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and God shall give him life forthem that sin not unto death.” Do we look out upon the harvest of the world and see very few labourersgoing into the harvest? What are we to do? “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forthlabourers into his harvest.” Is it not certain that if those words have any meaning, quite apart from thehelp we give others by speaking to them, by giving them help in their hour of need, there is a Divinepower put into our hands to bring to them help by our intercession? Did the early Christians believe this?Were they the Lord’s remembrancers? Peter is in prison, and the Christian cause has thus received aterrible blow. What do they do? The Lord’s remembrancers get together, and prayer is made continuallyin the Church unto God for him. Peter is free. Paul is in prison. To what does he look? He says, “Ibeseech you that ye strive continuously in your prayers for me.” And from that day to this mothers pleadfor their sons, priests plead for their people, and people plead for their priests. The Lord’s remembrancershave given Him no rest, and taken no rest until He establish, until He make Jerusalem a praise in theearth.2 [Note: A. F. W. Ingram, Banners of the Christian Faith, p. 83.]

Does not the efficacy of intercessory prayer rest on the same principle of moral government as theefficacy of vicarious suffering? Does it not assume that, in dealing with one moral being, God mayproperly take into account the action of other moral beings, associated with that one, and interested in hiswelfare?1 [Note: A. Hovey, Manual of Christian Theology, p. 262.]

There were two working men some years ago who were disputing in their workshop. One, who was a littleman and without much brain power, was standing up for the Christian cause; the other was a clever, ableworkman, who kept challenging him to come into any room or any hall, and he would prove the falsity ofthe Christian faith. The little one, who was not clever, simply said this, “I cannot argue with you, brother,but I shall never cease to pray for you, that some day you may see things as I do.” Years passed by, andthat man who scoffed at the Christian faith is a communicant of the Church of England. He was with melast night, and is this afternoon in this cathedral, and if I were to call him up here he would tell you that henow searches the streets where he used to work to find that man to whose never-ceasing prayers heattributes his conversion, in order to give him the happiness of knowing that his year-long prayer hasbeen heard.2 [Note: A. F. W. Ingram, Banners of the Christian Faith, p. 84.]

II

Taking No Rest

“Take ye no rest” (marg. “Keep not silence”).

Simply to call God to remembrance does not exhaust the human conditions of our own perfecting and ofthe Church’s progress and strength. Two other conditions are singled out to emphasise their necessity:“Take ye no rest, and give him no rest”—unresting activity on our part, and ceaselessness of prayer:those together are the means of moving the mighty will of Jehovah, the double-edged sword whosewielding is fatal to all the powers of evil.

The words “Take ye no rest” or “Keep not silence” are an encouragement against weariness in well-doing,against the creeping paralysis of doubt, and against the bitter ineffectiveness of despondency. They arean encouragement to earnestness both in worship and in work.

1. Weariness.—We shall “keep silence” if we grow weary in well-doing; if patience gives place tofretfulness, and love of ease cries out against the practice of self-denial; if the crown is longed for whilethe cross is shunned, and the reaping is desired while the sowing is neglected. But I trust we shall notthus belie our character. Shame, indeed, if the Lord’s remembrancers are themselves reminded in vain.Shame, indeed, if in keeping silence we make it easier for other voices to be heard. Shame, indeed, if weprove ourselves sluggards and not sons, hirelings and not true servants. But “I am persuaded betterthings of you, and things which accompany salvation.”

There is a legend of a monk, called “Brother Francis,” whose duty it was to carry the water to be used inthe monastery from St. Mary’s well. The way was long, the work was toilsome, and Francis wasdiscontented; though only God knew how unwilling his daily service was. One evening, when he hadbeen brooding sullenly over his hard lot and wishing he might never be forced to do the work again, theAbbot began unexpectedly to praise him. He was told that his zeal and patience in bringing fresh waterseveral times a day would be rewarded by God; but that he looked very weary, so the work would now begiven into the hands of Brother Paul. Brother Francis, confused and ashamed, accepted the Abbot’sblessing; but with envious glance he watched his successor as he carried the water from the distantspring, day after day.

And rest from toil seemed unto him a sore and bitter thing,

A penance, lacking penance’ grace—no sweetness, but all sting.

And pondering sadly, half in wrath, and half repentingly,

He had a vision, and he saw an Angel from on high

Who, hour by hour, with Brother Paul, walked all the weary day,

And every footstep reckoned up along the sunny way,

And seemed to joy when labour grew; yea, seemed full glad indeed,

As more and more of water fresh the thirsty Brethren need.1 [Note: Dora Farncomb, The Vision of His Face, p. 99.]

2. Doubt.—Nothing so effectually seals the lips of testimony, stops the note of praise, and hushes thevoice of prayer. A cheerful trust in God is necessary in those who seek to bring Him to the remembranceof others. If faith is the hand which lays hold of Christ, so is it the voice which speaks of Him. “Weave truth

with trust” is an old motto we may lay to heart. Possessed of the “accent of conviction,” there will be nokeeping silence, but afflicted with the lock-jaw of doubt there will be great failure of Christian duty andgreat forfeiture of Christian privilege. Only the faithful heart can speak of and for the faithful God. A grainof sand in the metal will mar the music of the bell, and the presence of doubt in the worker will effectuallymar the certain sound of the message expected to be clearly and constantly delivered.

Who but has seen

Once in his life, when youth and health ran high,

The fair, clear face of truth

Grow dark to his eye?

Who but has known

Cold mists of doubt and icy questionings

Creep round him like a nightmare, blotting out

The sight of better things?

A hopeless hour,

When all the voices of the soul are dumb,

When o’er the tossing seas

No light may come,

When God and right

Are gone, and seated on the empty throne

Are dull philosophies and words of wind,

Making His praise their own.

Better than this,

The burning sins of youth, the old man’s greed,

Than thus to live inane;

To sit and read,

And with blind brain

Daily to treasure up a deadly doubt,

And live a life from which the light has fled,

And faith’s pure fire gone out.1 [Note: Sir Lewis Morris.]

3. Despair.—Despair also ministers to silence, whether it be despair of ourselves or of others.Hopefulness is as necessary as faithfulness. Our Saviour is our great example here. He often seemed tofail in His efforts to teach the disciples and gather the multitudes, but He never despaired. The hardnessof men’s hearts would have silenced a testimony less Divine. To repel Him was but to give Him strengthfor a renewal of love’s attack. It will be hard to keep silence when we indulge in hopes concerning thechildren; and of whom may we hope more fondly and freely?

It is often disheartening work. We seem like the poor widow who was not heard; we seem like the man towhom the selfish friend would not open the door. The stream of intercession trickles on, and no oneseems to heed and no one seems to care. But if these things are true of which we have spoken,something does happen. Just as you dam up a stream in order to accumulate the water power, and for along time the stream trickles on and the valley underneath remains dry and desolate; but when you lookout later you find the brown things have become green again, and the dead things alive, and you wonderwhat it means; and you find that it means this: that the great tide of water has burst its bonds at last and isoff down that valley on a work of blessing—so it is with the stream of intercession. It trickles on all thetime; the power rises—slowly rises—and some day men will look out upon the world, and they will see drysouls freshened with grace, and they will see heathen lands converted, and they will wonder what itmeans: but we shall know that the great tide of prayer has burst its bonds at last and is off down thevalley on its work of blessing.

Man may be

And do the thing he wishes, if he keeps

That one thought dominant through night and day,

And knows his strength is limitless, because

Its fountain-head is God.1 [Note: E. W. Wilcox, New Thought Common Sense, p. 238.]

4. Earnest endeavour.—The phrase “Take ye no rest” may be taken in its widest sense as an appeal forhopeful and confident perseverance in every kind of Christian work. There are tendencies in most men’shearts, which make such an appeal very necessary even in an age of evangelism. Disappointment withthe visible results of work or with the apparent effects of self-discipline, the length of the interval whichseparates the harvest from the seed-time, the perfecting of the spirit from the remote moment of itsconversion,—these things are sometimes apt to produce within us a degree of hesitation, often almost ofsuspicion, concerning religious prospects and forces, that is fatal to anything like persistent enthusiasm.And yet persistent enthusiasm, the having our spirits continually swayed or filled with the Spirit of God, isprecisely that which is essential to the increase of our own strength against sin, and to the Church’striumph. That, accordingly, is the prophet’s first advice, “Take ye no rest,” which is equivalent to saying,Never yield to despondency whatever the temptation, but remember the grace of God, and go steadily onday by day, smiting at every kind of evil within or without, entertaining no fears, giving no quarter to sin,never resting until the battle is over and the victory finally won.

We see the immense influence placed within our reach in daily life in making the life of others happy ormiserable. Take that sick boy lying there down in East London. Who is it that has placed flowers by hisside? Who is it to whose visit he is looking forward every minute? Who is it who has been to read to himso punctually day after day, to teach him to draw, and to help him to get through the long hours of hissickness? It is some woman who, for the love of Christ and His little ones, has given up her beautifulhome in the country, and, unnoticed and unknown, spends day after day in ministering to another forwhom Christ died. He has caught from her her faith; he believes now that Christ can save him because ina true sense she has saved him. If he stood on his individual base he would have died and despaired, butthrough his sister he lives and hopes. Oh! the band of the Lord’s ministering helpers. With shining

garments, to the eyes of God, they move about the world. What should we do without them?1[Note: Bishop

Ingram.]

The den they enter grows a shrine;

The gloomy sash an oriel burns;

Their cup of water warms like wine;

Their speech is filled from heavenly urns.

About their brow to me appears

An aureole, traced in tend’rest light—

The rainbow hue of smiles through tears,

In dying eyes, by them made bright.

Of souls that shivered on the brink

Of that chill ford, repass’d no more,

And in their mercy found the pledge,

And sweetness of the farther shore.2 [Note: Lowell.]

III

Giving No Rest

“And give him no rest” (marg. “silence”).

“Give Him no rest”: Let there be no cessation to Him. These are bold words, which many people wouldnot have been slow to rebuke, if they had been anywhere else than in the Bible. Those who remind Godare not to suffer Him to be still. The prophet believes that they can regulate the flow of Divine energy, canstir up the strength of the Lord.

It is significant how few men there are, whatever the variety or thinness of their creed, who have notsomething good to say concerning what they call prayer. To its beneficial effects the witness is almostuniform. When a philosophy “falsely so called” denounces it as unreasonable, it will often confess it to beinstinctive. That prayer elevates in some way and enriches the moral nature of the worshipper, is one ofthe conclusions that seem to be taken for granted almost everywhere, though an attempt is sometimesmade to neutralise the admission by pleas of superstition or of illusion. Every Christian knows that it doesinfinitely more for him than that. All through the Bible God is represented as yielding to its importunity, andevery sincere disciple is familiar with experiences, in which in response to his pleading God has comedown to his aid. Jehovah in His righteous anger said to Moses, “Let me alone, that I may consume thispeople”; but when Moses prayed, reminding God of His promise to the patriarchs, the record is—“The

Lord repented of the evil which He thought to do unto His people.” “Let me go, for the day breaketh,” saidthe mysterious man with whom Jacob wrestled at the ford Jabbok; and because Jacob would not let himgo, he soon prevailed. It is the same still. To pray with that kind of resolved importunity that will not bediverted—to give God no rest until He opens His hand and pours down the influence of strength of gracewe need: neither in heaven nor upon earth has that resource ever yet been found to fail.

How have I knelt with arms of my aspiring

Lifted all night in irresponsive air,

Dazed and amazed with overmuch desiring,

Blank with the utter agony of prayer!1 [Note: F. W. H. Myers, Saint Paul, p. 13.]

1. This prayer is intercessory prayer. Deeper than the need of men and women, deeper than the need ofmoney, is the Church’s need to-day of the forgotten secret of prevailing intercessory prayer. Nothing shortof this will suffice for the missionary enterprises of the day. Take ye no rest, and give Him no rest. Far beit from us by that to imply that we love the imperilled world more than our Father does. We sometimestremble lest in our supplications and in our representations to God, when we kneel at His Throne togetheror by ourselves, we should seem to imply that there are difficulties in this business which we havefathomed but which He has not foreseen. In our grievous disappointments, when our trusted standard-bearers fall, when the work of a lifetime seems, as it were, wasted, we are apt to speak to God as if reallyHis ways were too inscrutable for us and intended to daunt us. God forgive us if we have murmured atthis, which is sometimes chastisement of our half-hearted service, or murmur at the long waiting of faithfulmen and women for tangible results, or at the vastness of the work which we seem to have attempted invain.

God help us all the more to lift the whole round world, with all its freight of infinite destiny, in the arms ofour faith and cast it at His feet. But we must not be afraid to tell Him that we have at length learned thelesson of the colossal magnitude of the stupendous difficulties and the deep mysteries of our task. OurLord would have us thus learn the lesson which He taught at Gethsemane, and amid inhuman insults andcruelties of His dying hour. It is by prayer for missions, when it is deep and sincere, it is by prayer formissions more than anything else, I believe—one can speak only of what one knows oneself—it is byprayer for missions that we become partakers of the sufferings of Christ, and can understand a little of thetravail of His soul.

A man may say, “I can quite understand the good of praying for oneself; I can quite see that, according toGod’s will, these gifts of grace are to be worked by prayer like the gifts of God in nature; but where is theevidence that there is the slightest good in praying for others?” He might even take this line—he mightsay, “It is presumtuous for me to imagine that I can affect the destiny of another soul! It is against what Iread of the struggle for existence by each individual in nature. It is unfair, for what is to happen to thosefor whom no one prays? And where is the evidence that intercession for others does any good at all?”

In answer to the first question, with regard to the struggle of the individual for existence, if you have readProfessor Drummond’s Ascent of Man you will have apprehended something which is a great relief to thenightmare which settles down upon the mind if one looks upon nature as a mere scene of bloodshed. Iknow there are men—I see men here—who have come up lately from Oxford, and I believe that atOxford, as much as in the great centres of our population, one of the things which drive men to scepticismis believing that nature is entirely cruel. “Where,” they say, “is the evidence of a good, benevolent God, inthe midst of such a scene of unrelieved bloodshed?” Read Professor Drummond’s book, and you will findthat side by side with the struggle for existence there is going on perpetually in nature the struggle for thelife of others—that the lioness who might crush her cub will die for it, that the parent bird wears itself outin getting food for its young, and that the creative—the marvellously creative—power of a mother’s love isnot confined to the human species. And when, secondly, we turn to the objection that intercession isunfair, and look frankly at the facts of nature, we find that the unfairness is the other way. No one can visita children’s hospital without seeing in the most touching form that the sins of the fathers are visited upon

the children. Some people seem to imagine that that saying in the Bible is an arbitrary commandimposing an arbitrary punishment on the human race; but one hour spent in that children’s hospital willshow that it simply states a fact of human nature.1 [Note: Bishop Ingram.]

What can be more beautiful than the picture which his biographer gives of George Herbert and his dailyprayers? You will remember how he describes Herbert reading the prayers in the tiny church ofBemerton, close to Salisbury, and “how the poorer people of the parish did so love and reverence Mr.Herbert that they would let the plough rest when Mr. Herbert’s Saints’ Bell rang to prayers, that they mightalso offer their devotions to God with him, and then would return back to their plough.”

“Go,” says the saintly Bishop Ken, “go to the house of prayer, though you go alone; and there, as you areGod’s remembrancers, ‘keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he makeJerusalem a praise in the earth.’ ”

2. We are thus encouraged both to work and to pray, both to “take no rest,” and to “give Him norest.” Activity and prayer, each unceasing—that is the irresistible combination which the prophetrecommends and urges: to pray (some one says) as if God had to do everything, and to work as ifeverything depended upon ourselves. The certain result will be our own perfecting in the praisefulconfession of others whilst the Church also becomes strong and “a praise in the earth.” We know,consequently, what to do in experiences that frequently recur. When we discover anew our own spiritualfeebleness, there is no need to waste in depression and complaint any energy that may remain; thefeebleness should be attributed at once to its right cause—that we take too much rest, or that we giveGod too much. On our knees, as God’s remembrancers, we should remind Him of His word, “He that isfeeble among you shall be as David”; and it will not be long before greater strength than David’s takespossession of us. Or when the Church seems to be shorn of its power, making no headway and winningno praise, the reason is again because we Christians do not pray enough or do not work enough. It is amagnificent prospect—ourselves established so that all men confess our consistency and acknowledgeour influence for good; the Church “a praise in the earth,” everywhere triumphing over sin, with greatcrowds of men continuously streaming up to pay their homage to its Lord. Until that crowningconsummation is reached, we must ourselves “take no rest and give Him no rest.”

These two forms of action ought to be inseparable. Each, if genuine, will drive us to the other, for whocould fling himself into the watchman’s work, with all its solemn consequences, knowing how weak hisvoice was, and how deaf the ears that should hear, unless he could bring God’s might to his help? Andwho could honestly remind God of His promises and forget his own responsibilities? Prayerless work willsoon slacken, and never bear fruit; idle prayer is worse than idle. You cannot part them if you would. Howmuch of the busy occupation which is called “Christian work” is detected to be spurious by this simpletest! How much so-called prayer is reduced by it to mere noise, no better than the blaring trumpet or thehollow drum!

In the tabernacle of Israel stood two great emblems of the functions of God’s people, which embodiedthese two sides of the Christian life. Day by day there ascended from the altar of incense the sweetodour, which symbolised the fragrance of prayer as it wreathes itself upwards to the heavens. Night bynight, as darkness fell on the desert and the camp, there shone through the gloom the hospitable light ofthe great golden candlestick with its seven lamps, whose steady rays outburned the stars that paled withthe morning. Side by side they proclaimed to Israel its destiny to be the light of the world, to be a kingdomof priests.

The offices and the honour have passed over to us, and we shall fall beneath our obligations unless welet the light shine constantly before men, and let our voice “rise like a fountain night and day” beforeGod—even as He did who, when every man went to his own house, went alone to the Mount of Olives,and in the morning, when every man returned to his daily task, went into the Temple and taught. By Hisexample, by His gifts, by the motive of His love, our resting, working Lord says to each of us, “Ye thatremind God, keep not silence.” Let us answer, “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and forJerusalem’s sake I will not rest.”

3. And what is the encouragement? It is found in the first verse of this chapter: “I will not rest.” Through allthe ages His power is in exercise. He inspires in good men all their wisdom, and every grace of life andcharacter. He uses them as His weapons in the contest of His love with the world’s hatred; but the handthat forged, and tempered, and sharpened the blade is that which smites with it; and the axe must notboast itself against him that heweth. He, the Lord of lords, orders providences, and shapes the course ofthe world for that Church which is His witness: “Yea, he reproved kings for their sake, saying, Touch notmine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” The ancient legend which told how, on many a well-foughtfield, the ranks of Rome discerned through the battle-dust the gleaming weapons and white steeds of theGreat Twin Brethren far in front of the solid legions, is true in loftier sense in our Holy War. We may stillsee the vision which the leader of Israel saw of old, the man with the drawn sword in his hand, and hearthe majestic word, “As captain of the Lord’s host am I now come.” The Word of God, with vesture dippedin blood, with eyes alit with His flaming love, with the many crowns of unlimited sovereignty upon Hishead, rides at the head of the armies of heaven; “and in righteousness doth he judge and make war.” Forthe single soul struggling with daily tasks and petty cares, His help is ever near and real, as for the widestwork of the collective whole. He sends none of us tasks in which He has no share. The word of thisMaster is never “Go,” but “Come.” He unites Himself with all our sorrows, with all our efforts. “The Lordalso working with them,” is a description of all the labours of Christian men, be they great or small.

Nor is this all. There still remains the wonderful truth of His continuous intercession for us. In its widestmeaning that word expresses the whole of the manifold ways by which Christ undertakes and maintainsour cause. But the narrower signification of prayer on our behalf is applicable, and is in Scripture applied,to our Lord. As on earth the climax of all His intercourse with His disciples was that deep and yet simpleprayer which forms the Holy of Holies of John’s Gospel, so in heaven His loftiest office for us is set forthunder the figure of His intercession. Before the Throne stands the slain Lamb, and therefore do the eldersin the outer circle bring acceptable praises. Within the veil stands the Priest, with the names of the tribesblazing on the breastplate, and on the shoulders of His robes, near the seat of love, near the arm ofpower. And whatever difficulty may surround that idea of Christ’s priestly intercession, this at all events isimplied in it, that the mighty work which He accomplished on earth is ever present to the Divine mind asthe ground of our acceptance and the channel of our blessings; and this further, that the utterance ofChrist’s will is ever in harmony with the Divine purpose. Therefore His prayer has in it a strange tone ofmajesty, and, if we may say so, of command, as of one who knows that He is ever heard: “I will that theywhom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.”

The instinct of the Church has, from of old, laid hold of an event in His early life to shadow forth this greattruth, and has bid us see a pledge and a symbol of it in that scene on the Lake of Galilee: the disciplestoiling in the sudden storm, the poor little barque tossing on the waters tinged by the wan moon, the spraydashing over the wearied rowers. They seem alone, but up yonder, in some hidden cleft of the hills, theirMaster looks down on all the weltering storm, and lifts His voice in prayer. Then when the need is sorest,and the hope least, He comes across the waves, making their surges His pavement, and using allopposition as the means of His approach, and His presence brings calmness, and immediately they areat land.

So we have not only to look back to the Cross, but up to the Throne. From the Cross we hear a voice, “Itis finished.” From the Throne a voice, “For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sakeI will not rest.”1 [Note: A. Maclaren, Paul’s Prayers, p. 27.]

IV

The Establishing Of The Church

“Till He establish Jerusalem.”

Jerusalem, the city of God, of necessity represents the people of God, first of all as an organised whole,and then in the separate individuals that constitute the whole. The chapter accordingly sets before us, asone of the objects towards which God is working, an established Church, the object of universal praise.The word “established” is the prophet’s, and must not be taken in the sense in which it is used in astanding ecclesiastical dispute. Concerning that dispute, indeed, neither the prophet nor Scriptureanywhere has much directly to say, and certainly here the meaning does not go beyond the ordinary ideaof making the Church steadfast, firm, strong. To a large extent it answers that description already,notwithstanding the doubt and hesitancy or the cynical rejoicing of those who cannot see through thecontroversial smoke that envelops it. It has been compared to a great lighthouse, directing men to safety,played about by storm and foam, whose misty quiverings seem at times to make it quiver, yet standingimmovable upon its foundation of rock, and surviving unharmed the malice of all the elements.

If ever the victorious power of His Church seems to be almost paling to defeat, and His servants to beworking no deliverance upon the earth, the cause is not to be found in Him, who is “without variableness,”nor in His gifts, which are “without repentance,” but solely in us, who let go our hold of the eternal might.No ebb withdraws the waters of that great ocean; and if sometimes there be sand and ooze where oncethe flashing flood brought life and motion, it is because careless warders have shut the sea gates.

The hindrances in the way of the establishing of the Church are chiefly uncertainty of revelation, and theworldly and selfish forces which disregard the claims of God.

1. We are told that in some Christian creeds there are points where the creed conflicts with reason, andwhere the supremacy of reason must be maintained; that no support can be found for the prescribedmoral usages either in the fundamental principles of human nature or in an adequate authority outside ofit; that some of the ceremonials of religion are destitute of dignity, inwardness, art, and have ceased to bein any way the expression or the product of life. The verdict of impossibility is at times pronounced overthe contents of the Bible in the name of physical science, or its arrangement and inspiration are assailedin the name of historical criticism. All this certainly does not at first sight and upon the surface look likeestablishment. On the contrary, by some men it is held to be a proof of failure, whilst others regard it withsuspicion as an evidence at least of weakness, and are tempted to turn from passages of this kind withthe exulting or the sad conclusion, that both the Scriptures and the religion to which they minister aremoribund and decaying, that little further advantage from them in regard to morals or to human well-beingcan reasonably be expected.

But that conclusion is too hasty, unwarranted by the experience of the past, inconsistent with principlesthat never consent to be ignored, and with manifest tendencies in the drift of human thought and opinion.For if the extreme supernaturalism of our fathers is gradually becoming a little discredited, and thenumber is decreasing of those who are prepared to exalt the merely unintelligible into the miraculous, thetestimony of consciousness on the other hand is in all probability accepted to-day more widely, andinvested with a higher authority, than at any previous period. It is a shifting and redisposition of theevidences of faith and morals—disturbing to the most reverent minds, and dangerous to some; but it is ashifting which promises to make the foundation in human thought of religion and of the moral sentimentsmore solid and unassailable than ever. Similarly with the appearance of weakness which the Bible issupposed to be taking on amidst the processes of historical criticism through which it is passing. Not onlyis it a distinct advantage to the thoughtful disciple to have sometimes “to breast the bracing air ofopposition, and to join in the fight of faith where all are striving for what they honestly believe to be true,”but there is really no need to regard these modern investigations, at least as they are pursued in mostcases in this country, with suspicion either of unfriendliness or of danger. The man who of all scholars ofthe land is perhaps the most completely in sympathy with them, and most deeply committed to theirmethods and results, writes that “there is a message from God to man in every part of the Bible,” and thatthe condition of discovering the message is that the reason be “stimulated to its highest activity byspiritual influences.”

2. Again, many are loudly telling us that Christianity is a myth, and others that it is only one among manyreligions which are leading humanity on to a distant goal; that science and Western civilisation are to dothe work that the Churches once did. And we are told that the value of the human soul is a vanishing

quantity, and that God is a human emotion, and immortal life a dream. And without accepting thesemeanings from the sunless gulfs of doubt as the real truth of things, many people are flagging in theirenthusiasm for the conversion of the world because of them; they become paralysed and heart-sick, andthey relax effort. It is in prayer, in living union with Christ, that all this pessimism vanishes like anightmare, and we start to the post of duty again. You cannot fight the atmosphere; no, but you can riseabove it.

Then thro’ the mid complaint of my confession,

Then thro’ the pang and passion of my prayer,

Leaps with a start the shock of his possession,

Thrills me and touches, and the Lord is there.

Scarcely I catch the words of his revealing,

Hardly I hear him, dimly understand,

Only the Power that is within me pealing

Lives on my lips and beckons to my hand.

Whoso hath felt the Spirit of the Highest

Cannot confound nor doubt him nor deny:

Yea with one voice, O world, tho’ thou deniest,

Stand thou on that side, for on this am I.1 [Note: F. W. H. Myers, Saint Paul, p. 49.]

V

Making The Church A Praise

And till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.

The promise that Jerusalem will be made a praise in the earth, prophet after prophet repeats, sometimes

calling to his aid every kind of beautiful imagery, and sometimes pointing to the cause of the praise in the

presence of the Holy One of Israel. Zephaniah, for instance, a prophet of royal descent, the traditions of

whose house were full alike of suffering and of privilege, closes his short prophecy with a vivid bit of

dramatisation. First of all, he addresses his fellow-citizens: “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear

thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee, a mighty one

who will save: he will rejoice over thee with joy.” And then his own voice ceases, in order that the One

whose every tone is authority may be heard: “At that time will I bring you in, and at that time will I gather

you: for I will make you a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth.” It is much the same with

Isaiah himself. “As the earth bringeth forth her bud” (he says), “and as the garden causes the things that

are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before

all the nations.” The earth in all the glories of her luxuriant herbage, every plant and every tree breaking

forth into the promise of fruitfulness, all nature putting on her garments of beauty and power—that, he

says, is a symbol of what God will make the Church in the world to be.

1. Christ.—That promise holds good still; and its growing fulfilment may be traced in the ever-growing

disposition to exhaust all praise upon Him who is the Church’s Head and Lord, the source of its strength

and the centre of its worship. In every age since He died, He has been praised in proportion as He has

been known; and in the records of no race that has heard of Him, with one certain and another doubtful

exception, is any other name more highly honoured. Even that exceptional race is moderating at present

the expression of its hatred, and beginning to confess with hesitation the human ascendancy of the

Nazarene. By all the world beside He has been singled out for unexampled praise. To the best men of old

He was the mirror of every grace and virtue. One of the most lauded philosophies has “abstracted His

qualities from His personality,” and now bids the world worship their impersonal generalisation. And

whatever other direction is being taken by human thought within the Church or in its immediate borders, it

is, at least, taxing all its resources in order to pour increased praise upon the Saviour.

2. The Church.—It is true that the Church itself is not equally praised, but that is as a rule because its

practice does not follow the example or come up to the standard of its Lord. As the days pass, the Spirit

of Christ will ever more completely sway it, and determine its relations with the world; and thus its vitality

and religious force will vindicate themselves; its critics will join the swelling ranks of worshippers, and it

will become “a praise in the earth.”

3. The Christian.—If all this is to be done for the Church, it must be that it will be done for each of the

Christians who compose it. Accordingly, every follower of Christ has a right to regard this passage as a

promise of God to establish him, to make him strong in discipleship, faith, power against sin—to make

him “a praise in the earth.” At the present time there is probably no Christian worthy the name, who is not

constantly discovering, and often groaning in secret almost hopelessly over the discovery, how weak and

unestablished he is. Temptation, however small, has but to assail us subtly or suddenly, and we become

an easy prey. When we begin to search our own spirits, and try to find out what we really are, a

conclusion that is not satisfactory or pleasant is forced upon us. Self, not crucified and slain, but even

exacting in its demands for indulgence; ill-tempered, irritable, resentful, vindictive; able sometimes to turn

out poor work without compunction; conscious of sinfulness, which we treat with alternating indifference

and remorse, but to be rid of which we make few serious and prolonged efforts; sometimes not caring

much even to keep the surface of our lives correct, still less to sweep out of our hearts the rout of foul

passions, or to silence the strife of low motives—that, or something like that, is the account we are

disposed to give of ourselves in some of our moods; and anything like the final mastery of sin, or

unwavering firmness in our allegiance to Christ, is apt to seem for ever impossible. Yet that it is

impossible, the whole Bible and all godly experience testify.

That man will find sin obstinate, inveterate, indwelling, slow to confess itself beaten, is precisely in

accordance with the implication of Scripture, which proceeds to repeat and urge the assurance that the

grace of God will secure for man victory in the end. Establishment so firm that we need neither yield to

temptation nor waver in faith, but may find ourselves strong enough to stand erect amidst the play upon

us of all evil influences, and to hold our own against every foe; the rock felt to be steady beneath our feet,

the favour of God compassing us as a shield, and the shelter of His wings above; life spent day after day

in ever closer, quieter, more dutiful fellowship with Him, and from that fellowship power streaming into

every faculty, until the entire manner of living becomes an irresistible testimony to the grace of God, a

restraint upon evil, a theme of praise to “all the earth,”—that is the hope concerning ourselves which the

Bible warrants our cherishing.1 [Note: R. W. Moss, The Discipline of the Soul, p. 158.]

Our lives ought to be like the mirror of a reflecting telescope. The astronomer does not look directly up

into the sky when he wants to watch the heavenly bodies, but down into the mirror, on which their

reflection is cast. And so our little low lives down here upon the earth should so give back the starry

bodies and infinitudes above us, that some dim eyes, which peradventure could not gaze into the violet

abysses with their lustrous points, may behold them reflected in the beauty of our life.

I remember hearing an old friend, long ago, speaking (in no uncharitable strain) of a neighbour, say, “I am

sure he is a Christian, but he is a rather disagreeable one.” He meant, I gathered, that this person took no

pains at all to “adorn the doctrine.” He worshipped God in Christ; he recognised his own sinfulness and

need; he trusted his Saviour for pardon, and strove in His name to lead a pure and honest life. But it

never occurred to him—at least it did not seem to do so—that part of his duty to his Lord was to learn at

His feet the kindliness, the gentleness, the sympathy, the considerateness, which win and are attractive

for Him. Let us see to it that we are not classed, by fair criticism, among the “disagreeable

Christians.”1 [Note: H. C. G. Moule, Thoughts for the Sundays of the Year, p. 29.]

8 The LORD has sworn by his right handand by his mighty arm:

“Never again will I give your grainas food for your enemies,

and never again will foreigners drink the new winefor which you have toiled;

1.BARNES, “The Lord hath sworn by his right hand - An oath was taken in variousforms among the ancients. It was usually done by lifting up the hand toward beaten andappealing to God. As God could swear by no greater Heb_6:13, he is represented as swearing byhimself (see the notes at Isa_45:23). Here he is represented as swearing by his right hand andby his arm - the strong instrument by which he would accomplish his purposes to defend andsave his people. The sense is, that he solemnly pledged the strength of his arm to deliver them,and restore them to their own land.

Surely I will no more give - Margin, as in Hebrew, ‘If I give.’ That is, I will not give.Thy corn to be meat - The word ‘corn’ in the Scriptures means all kinds of grain - especially

wheat, barley, etc. The word ‘meat’ was formerly used to denote all kinds of food, and was notrestricted as it is now usually to animal food. The meaning is, that they should not be subjectedto the evils of foreign invasion and conquest.

And the sons of the stranger - Foreigners, Isa_60:10.Shall not drink thy wine - The productions of your toil shall be safe, and you shall enjoy

them yourselves. All this denotes a state of safety and prosperity, such as there would be if theywere allowed to cultivate the soil without interruption, and were permitted to enjoy the fruit oftheir labors.

2. WHEDON, “8, 9. Sworn by… hand… arm — Possibly in answer to the foregoing provided-forintercessions, Jehovah swears by “hand” and “arm” — symbols of strength — pledging infinite power tofulfil his promise.

Possibly this wrought an effect which may be paraphrased as follows: “As I am the eternal Jehovah, Inever more will suffer Zion’s enemies, near or far, home or foreign, within or without, to plunder or cut offher supplies of corn and wine, both of which herself alone shall forever enjoy in the spirit of praise… inthe courts of my holiness.” Enemies, abroad or near at hand, may here represent Zion’s moral foes orhinderances, within or without; and “corn” and “wine” are symbols of abounding spiritual sustenance andjoy.

3. GILL, “The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength,....By Christ, say some, who is the arm of the Lord, the power of God, by whom he made the world,and upholds all things; but though he sometimes is said to swear unto him, and concerning him,

yet is never said to swear by him; rather the attribute of omnipotence is here designed; as God issometimes said to swear by his holiness, so here by his almighty power; the consideration ofwhich itself is a great encouragement to faith, to believe the fulfilment of promises, because Godis able; but his swearing by it is a further confirmation of it; it is as if he had said, let me not bethought to be the omnipotent God I am, if I do not do so and so; or as sure as I have such a righthand, and arm of strength, what follows shall certainly be accomplished:

surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons ofthe strangers shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured: this wasthreatened to the people of Israel, in case of sinning against God, and revolting from him; andwas accomplished in the times of their captivity in Babylon, Deu_28:33 but here it is promised,and the strongest assurance given, it should be so no more; which cannot respect the deliveranceof the Jews from the Babylonish captivity; for it is certain that after that their enemies did eattheir corn, and drink their wine; the Romans came and took away their city and nation, as theyfeared, and all their good things; wherefore this must refer to future times, to times yet to come,when this people, being converted, shall be restored to their own land, and enjoy great plenty ofgood things, and never more be disturbed by their enemies: though all this may be understoodin a spiritual sense of the "corn" and "wine" of the Gospel, and the ministration of it; which wasfirst provided for them, and they were invited to partake of it; and in preparing which theapostles and first ministers of the word, being Jews, "laboured"; but they rejecting it, it wascarried to the Gentiles, who had been their "enemies", and were "aliens" from thecommonwealth of Israel, which they gladly received and fed upon; but now it is promised, thatthe Gospel, being again brought unto them, should no more be taken from them, but evercontinue with them; even all the means of grace, and ordinances of the Gospel, for the comfortand refreshment of their souls.

4. HENRY, “Plenty of all other good things, Isa_62:8. This follows upon the former; whenthe people praise God, when all the people praise him, then shall the earth yield her increase(Psa_67:5, Psa_67:6), and outward prosperity, crowning its piety, shall help to make Jerusalema praise in the earth. Observe,

1. The great distress they had been in, and the losses they had sustained. Their corn had beenmeat for their enemies, which they hoped would be meat for themselves and their families. Herewas a double grievance, that they themselves wanted that which was necessary to the support oflife and were in danger of perishing for want of it, and that their enemies were strengthened byit, had their camp victualled with it, and so were the better able to do them a mischief. God issaid to give their corn to their enemies, because he not only permitted it, but ordered it, to be thejust punishment both of their abuse of plenty and of their symbolizing with strangers, Isa_1:7.The wine which they had laboured for, and which in their affliction they needed for the relief ofthose among them that were of a heavy heart, strangers drank it, to gratify their lusts with; thissore judgment was threatened for their sins, Lev_26:16; Deu_28:33. See how uncertain ourcreature-comforts are, and how much it is our wisdom to labour for that meat which we cannever be robbed of.

5. JAMISON, “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, Isa_65:22).

6. K&D, “The following strophe expresses one side of the divine promise, on which the hopeof that lofty and universally acknowledged glory of Jerusalem, for whose completion thewatchers upon its walls so ceaselessly exert themselves, is founded. “Jehovah hath sworn by Hisright hand, and by His powerful arm, Surely I no more give thy corn for food to thine enemies;and foreigners will to drink thy must, for which thou hast laboured hard. No, they that gatherit in shall eat it, and praise Jehovah; and they that store it, shall drink it in the courts of mysanctuary.” The church will no more succumb to the tyranny of a worldly power. Peaceundisturbed, and unrestricted freedom, reign there. With praise to Jehovah are the fruits of theland enjoyed by those who raised and reaped them. יגעת (with an auxiliary pathach, as inIsa_47:12, Isa_47:15) is applied to the cultivation of the soil, and includes the service of theheathen who are incorporated in Israel (Isa_61:5); whilst אסף (whence מאספיו with ס raphatum)

or אסף (poel, whence the reading ,.cf ,מאספיו Psa_101:5, meloshnı; Psa_109:10, ve-dorshu, for

which in some codd. and editions we find an intermediate form between ,מאספיו piel and poel;

see at Psa_62:4) and ץקב stand in the same relation to one another as condere (horreo) and

colligere (cf., Isa_11:12). The expression bechatsroth qodshı, in the courts of my sanctuary, cannotimply that the produce of the harvest will never be consumed anywhere else than there (which isinconceivable), but only that their enjoyment of the harvest-produce will be consecrated byfestal meals of worship, with an allusion to the legal regulation that two-tenths (ma‛aser shenı)should be eaten in a holy place (liphne Jehovah) by the original possessor and his family, with theaddition of the Levites and the poor (Deu_14:22-27 : see Saalschütz, Mosaisches Recht, cap. 42).Such thoughts, as that all Israel will then be a priestly nation, or that all Jerusalem will be holy,are not implied in this promise. All that it affirms is, that the enjoyment of the harvest-blessingwill continue henceforth undisturbed, and be accompanied with the grateful worship of thegiver, and therefore, because sanctified by thanksgiving, will become an act of worship in itself.This is what Jehovah has sworn “by His right hand,” which He only lifts up with truth, and “byHis powerful arm,” which carries out what it promises without the possibility of resistance. TheTalmud (b. Nazir 3b) understand by עזו זרוע the left arm, after Dan_12:7; but the ו of ובזרוע isepexegetical.

7. CALVIN, “8.Jehovah hath sworn. He proceeds with the metaphors which he formerly used; for

since, owing to the corruption of our nature, the kingdom of Christ cannot be described so as to be level

to our capacity; it was necessary to represent it under figures. In the same manner as he promised, first,

an abundance of all things, and next, faithful guardianship, that the condition of believers may be safe; so

here he promises tranquillity and repose, that they may peacefully enjoy their blessings, and may not in

future be defrauded of them. As if he had said, “ thou hadst formerly in thy hands was exposed to plunder

and robbery; but now thou shalt have everything well secured, and shall freely partake of thy corn and thy

wine; and, in a word, thou shalt enjoy thy prosperity in peace.”

But since the depravity of our nature is such that we do not place trust in God, though he promise largely

and bountifully, for this reason the Prophet represents him as swearing; for the Lord condescends to us

so far as to make use of an oath, in order to correct still more our unbelief and obstinacy. Now, the Lord “

by himself, because” (as an Apostle says) “ hath none greater than himself.” (Heb_6:13.)

By his right hand and by the arm of his strength. He mentions his “ arm,” that is, the power of God;

because that was appropriate to the present discourse. As if he had said, “ I have any power, I will display

it in your salvation; and lest, in an arduous affair, your minds should slumber, I swear by my hand, which

is invincible and victorious over all, that, whatever difficulties may arise, you shall be safe under my

protection.” Whenever therefore he promises salvation, let us think of his strength and power.

If I shall give. This is an elliptical form of expression; and we are taught by it the sacredness and

solemnity of an oath. The import of this declaration is, as if he had said, that he wishes that henceforth he

may not be believed, if these promises be not justified by the event. When he promises the peaceful

enjoyment of wheat and wine, he means that it proceeded from his righteous judgment, and did not

happen by chance, that the Church was deprived of corn and wine; for whenever enemies ravage and

plunder, this is unquestionably done by God’ permission; as he threatens in the Law. (Deu_28:33.) On the

other hand, it is his special blessing, that every one eats in safety

“ his vine, and under his fig-tree.” (1Kg_4:25.)

9 but those who harvest it will eat itand praise the LORD,

and those who gather the grapes will drink itin the courts of my sanctuary.”

1.BARNES, “But they that have gathered it shall eat it - There shall be a state ofsecurity, so that every man may enjoy the avails of his own labor. Nothing is a more certain

indication of liberty and prosperity than this - that every man may securely enjoy the avails ofhis own labor. Nothing more certainly marks the advance of civilization, and nothing so muchtends to encourage industry and to promote prosperity. When a man has no security that whathe sows shall be reaped by himself; when there is danger that it will be destroyed or consumedby foreign invaders; or, when it is liable to be taken by arbitrary power to minister to the needsand luxuries of the great, there will be no industry, no incitement to labor. Such is the conditionalways in war. Such is the condition now in the Turkish dominions; and such is the state insavage life, and in all uncivilized communities. And as the tendency of true religion is to represswars, to establish order, and to diffuse just views of the rights of man, it everywhere promotesprosperity by furnishing security that a man shall enjoy the avails of his own productiveindustry. Wherever the Christian religion prevails in its purity, there is seen the fulfillment ofthis prophecy; and the extension of that religion everywhere would promote universal industry,order, and law.

And praise the Lord - They shall not consume it on their lusts, nor shall they partake of itwithout gratitude. God shall be acknowledged as the bountiful giver, and they shall render himappropriate thanksgiving.

And they that have brought it together - They who have gathered in the vintage.Shall drink it in the courts of my holiness - It would be drank with gratitude to God in

the feasts which were celebrated at the temple (see Lev_6:16; Deu_12:17-18; Deu_14:23). Theidea is, that the effect of true religion would be to produce security and liberty, and to makepeople feel that all their blessings came from God; to partake of them with gratitude, and tomake them the occasion of praise and thanksgiving.

2. CLARKE, “But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord - Thisand the following line have reference to the law of Moses: “Thou mayest not eat within thy gatesthe tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil; but thou must eat them before the Lord thyGod, in the place which the Lord thy God shall choose,” Deu_12:17, Deu_12:18. “And when yeshall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall countthe fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years it shall be as uncircumcised unto you; it shall notbe eaten of. But in the fourth year all the fruit thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal.And in the fifth year ye shall eat the fruit thereof,” Lev_19:23-25. This clearly explains the forceof the expressions, “shall praise Jehovah,” and “shall drink it in my sacred courts.”

Five MSS., one ancient, have יאכלוהו yocheluhu, they shall eat it, fully expressed: and so

likewise ישתוהו yishtuhu, they shall drink it, is found in nineteen MSS., three of them ancient. - L.

3. GILL, “But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord,.... That is,the corn; they who have manured the land, sowed seed in it, reaped it when ripe, gathered it inits season; these shall eat the fruit of their labours, and praise the Lord for it, acknowledge hisbounty and goodness to them; for notwithstanding all the diligence, industry, and labour ofmen, it is through the blessing of the Lord, and owing to his favour, that they have bread, and asufficiency of it, to eat; which when they have, they should be thankful for it, Deu_8:10.

and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness:that is, the wine they shall drink; having planted vineyards, and gathered the grapes when ripe,

and brought them to the winepress, and there made wine of them; they shall drink it at a propertime and place: the allusion is to the priests and Levites eating and drinking holy things, withinthe compass and bounds of the temple; and may signify the converted Jews, partaking of theGospel and Gospel ordinances in the house of God, as well as the Gentiles, being all now madepriests unto God. The Arabic version interprets it of persons "gathered", that should eat anddrink. The Targum is express, they that gather the corn in, and they that press the wine.

4. HENRY, “The great fulness and satisfaction they should now be restored to (Isa_62:9):Those that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord. See here, (1.) God's mercy in givingplenty, and peace to enjoy it, - that the earth yields her increase, that there are hands to beemployed in gathering it in, and that they are not taken off by plague and sickness, or otherwiseemployed in war, - that strangers and enemies do not come and gather it for themselves, or takeit from us when we have gathered it, - that we eat the labour of our hands and the bread is noteaten out of our mouths, - and especially that we have opportunity and a heart to honour Godwith it, and that his courts are open to us and we are not restrained from attending on him inthem. (2.) Our duty in the enjoyment of this mercy. We must gather what God gives, with careand industry; we must eat it freely and cheerfully, not bury the gifts of God's bounty, but makeuse of them. We must, when we have eaten and are full, bless the Lord, and give him thanks forhis bounty to us; and we must serve him with our abundance, use it in works of piety andcharity, eat it and drink it in the courts of his holiness, where the altar, the priest, and the poormust all have their share. The greatest comfort that a good man has in his meat and drink is thatit furnishes him with a meat-offering and a drink-offering for the Lord his God (Joe_2:14); thegreatest comfort that he has in an estate is that it gives him an opportunity of honouring Godand doing good. This wine is to be drunk in the courts of God's holiness, and thereforemoderately and with sobriety, as before the Lord.

3. The solemn ratification of this promise: The Lord has sworn by his right hand, and by thearm of his strength, that he will do this for his people. God confirms it by an oath, that hispeople, who trust in him and his word, may have strong consolation, Heb_6:17, Heb_6:18. And,since he can swear by no greater, he swears by himself, sometimes by his being (As I live,Eze_33:11), sometimes by his holiness (Psa_89:35), here by his power, his right hand (whichwas lifted up in swearing, Deu_32:40), and his arm of power; for it is a great satisfaction tothose who build their hopes on God's promise to be sure that what he has promised he is able toperform, Rom_4:21. To assure us of this he has sworn by his strength, pawning the reputationof his omnipotence upon it; if he do not do it, let it be said, It was because he could not, whichthe Egyptians shall never say (Num_14:16) nor any other. It is the comfort of God's people thathis power is engaged for them, his right hand, where the Mediator sits.

5. JAMISON, “eat ... and praise — not consume it on their own lusts, and withoutthanksgiving.

drink it in ... courts — They who have gathered the vintage shall drink it at the feasts heldin the courts surrounding the temple (Deu_12:17, Deu_12:18; Deu_14:23, etc.).

6. WESLEY, “But - Thou shalt not sow, and another reap, as formerly. Courts - In my courts: holiness

being put for God himself.

7. CALVIN, “9.For they who have gathered it shall eat it. This is an explanation and confirmation of the

preceding statement; for, after having testified that he will no longer permit that which the Church

possesses to be laid open as a prey, he adds that she shall enjoy her possessions. Yet he shews that “

and wine” are justly called our own, when we have obtained them by honest industry; for they who

violently seize the bread of others, or obtain it by unlawful means, have it not from the Lord, and cannot

attribute it to his blessing, as if they possessed it lawfully; and to this corresponds what is said in the

Psalm,

“ shalt eat the labor of thy hands, thou shalt be happy, and it shall be well with thee.” (Psa_128:2.)

And shall praise Jehovah. But when he promises that they who cultivate the soil shall have food, why

does he say that they will give thanks to God? And why do men praise God, if by their own labor they

gather the corn and procure the wine? It appears to be but a pretended thanksgiving, if those things are

ascribed to the toil and industry of men; and God deserves no praise, if men procure food by their own

labor. But it ought to be observed, that the Prophet, after having shewn what is the lawful method of

seeking food, at the same time adds that our labor will be fruitless, if the Lord do not supply us with food;

for all that we have belongs to God, and to him alone all that we obtain ought to be ascribed.

Shall drink wine in my holy courts. He alludes to the solemn act of offering sacrifices; for they might drink

in other places, and every one might eat in his own dwelling. But the allusion is to that ceremony which

was observed in consecration, when the law required that the first-fruits should be an oblation,

(Lev_2:12,) in order that the produce of the year might be dedicated to God; and in the writings of Moses

we frequently meet with these words,

“ shalt feast, and rejoice in presence of thy God.” (Deu_12:18.)

10 Pass through, pass through the gates!Prepare the way for the people.

Build up, build up the highway!

Remove the stones.Raise a banner for the nations.

1.BARNES, “Go through, go through the gates - The connection of this with what goesbefore is not very apparent, and there has been a great diversity of opinion in regard to it amonginterpreters. Grotius supposes that it refers to the priests and Levites who are referred to also inthe previous verses, and that it is a command for them to enter into the temple. Calvin supposesthat it refers to the Christian church, and that the idea is, that the gates of it should becontinually open for the return of penitent sinners. Rosenmuller supposes that it is an addressto the cities lying between Babylon and Jerusalem, and that the idea is, that their gates would bethrown open for the return of the exiles, and that all obstacles would be taken out of the way.Others suppose that it refers to the Jews, and that the command is to them to go through thegates of Babylon, and an immediate order is added to the people to prepare the way for them.This last seems to me to be the sense of the passage. It is a direction to the exiles in Babylon togo forth and return to their own land. The gates so long closed against their return would bethrown open, and they would now have liberty to depart for their own country. Thus explained,the connection is apparent. The watchmen were commanded to pray until this was doneIsa_62:7; the prophet had said that he would not rest until it was done Isa_62:1; Yahweh hadpromised this in a most solemn manner Isa_62:8-9; and now those prayers are heard, and thatpromise is about to be fulfilled, and they are commanded to leave the city and enter upon theirjourney to their own land (compare the notes at Isa_52:10-12).

Prepare ye the way of the people - (Compare the notes at Isa_40:3).Cast up, cast up the highway - (See the notes at Isa_57:14).Gather out the stones - Clear it from the stones - in other words, make a smooth path on

which they can travel with ease. The word which is used here (סקל saqal) commonly denotes tostone, or to pelt with stones, a species of capital punishment among the Hebrews 2Sa_16:6-13.Hence, it means to pile up stones in a heap; and it has also the signification of removing stonesfrom a field Isa_5:2, and here of removing them from the way when they are an obstruction tothe traveler. Harmer supposes that the word here means to pile up stones at proper distances, asa kind of landmark in the deserts, in order to mark the way for travelers - a practice which, hesays, is quite common in Arabia. But the more correct interpretation is, that they were to removethe stones from the way, in order that the journey might be made with ease.

Lift up a standard - As when an army is about to march. They were about to be collectedfrom their dispersions and restored to their own land, and the command is given, that thebanner might be reared that they might rally around it (see the notes at Isa_10:18; Isa_59:19;Isa_49:22).

2. CLARKE, “Of the people “For the people” - Before the word העם haam, the people, two

MSS. insert יהוה Yehovah; one MS. adds the same word after; and eight MSS., three ancient,

instead of העם haam, have יהוה Yehovah, and so likewise one edition. But though it makes a good

sense either way, I believe it to be an interpolation, as the ancient Versions do not favor it. TheSeptuagint indeed read עמי ammi, my people. -

3. GILL, “Go through, go through the gates,.... Open them, and keep them open forpersons to enter in; meaning not the gates of Jerusalem, which those in it should open for thereception of the Jews returning from Babylon, though there may be an allusion to it; but thegates of the church in the latter day, which shall stand open night and day, that converts, whoshall flock unto it, may enter in thereat, whether Jews or Gentiles; see Isa_26:1,

prepare you the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; for the people of theJews, or the Gentiles, by the destruction of the eastern and western antichrist, and by thepreaching of the Gospel; by which means way will be made for the kings of the east, and for theeastern kingdoms being converted, and becoming the kingdoms of our Lord, and his Christ; seeRev_16:12,

gather out the stones; all things that offend, that are a stumblingblock to Jews, Pagans, andMahometans, and hinder them embracing the Christian religion; as errors, heresies, schisms,false doctrines, false worship, idolatry, and superstition. Jarchi thinks there is a respect to thecorruption of nature; and so the Targum interprets it, the thought of the evil imagination, whichis as a stone: or, "pitch" or "strow it with stones" (k); that is, the highway; pave it with them,because of the clay, that so it may be a good way for passengers:

lift up a standard for the people; that they may know where to come or go; this is to beunderstood of the preaching of the Gospel, and of lifting up Christ as a standard or ensign in it,to whom the people might be directed, invited, and encouraged to come; see Isa_11:10. TheTargum is,

"the prophet said, pass by, and return through the gates; turn the heart of the people to the rightway; publish good things and comforts to the righteous, who remove the thought of the evilimagination, which was as a stone of stumbling; lift up a sign to the people.''

(k) מאבןסקלו "sternite eam lapidibus", Vatablus, Forerius, Gataker. So many Jewish writers, R.Jonah, R. Joseph Kimchi, and Ben Melech; but is disliked by Gussetius, Ebr. Comment. p. 569.

4. HENRY, “This, as many like passages before, refers to the deliverance of the Jews out of

Babylon, and, under the type and figure of that, to the great redemption wrought out by Jesus

Christ, and the proclaiming of gospel grace and liberty through him. 1. Way shall be made for

this salvation; all difficulties shall be removed, and whatever might obstruct it shall be taken out

of the way, Isa_62:10. The gates of Babylon shall be thrown open, that they may with freedom

go through them; the way from Babylon to the land of Israel shall be prepared; causeways shall

be made and cast up through wet and miry places, and the stones gathered out from places

rough and rocky; in the convenient places appointed for their rendezvous standards shall be set

up for their direction and encouragement, that they may embody for their greater safety. Thus

John Baptist was sent to prepare the way of the Lord, Mat_3:3. And, before Christ by his graces

and comforts comes to any for salvation, preparation is made for him by repentance, which is

called the preparation of the gospel of peace, Eph_6:15. Here the way is levelled by it, there the

feet are shod with it, which comes all to one, for both are in order to a journey.

5. JAMISON, “What Isaiah in the person of Messiah had engaged in (Isa_62:1) unrestinglyto seek, and what the watchmen were unrestingly to pray for (Isa_62:7), and what Jehovahsolemnly promised (Isa_62:8, Isa_62:9), is now to be fulfilled; the Gentile nations arecommanded 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 onIsa_7:14; Isa_40:3; Isa_52:10-12).

standard — for the dispersed Jews to rally round, with a view to their return (Isa_49:22;Isa_11:12).

6. K&D, “The concluding strophe goes back to the standpoint of the captivity. “Go forth, goforth through the gates, clear the way of the people. Cast up, cast up the road, clear it ofstones; lift up a banner above the nations! Behold, Jehovah hath caused tidings to sound to theend of the earth. Say to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His rewardis with Him, and His recompense before Him. And men will call them the holy people, theredeemed of Jehovah; and men will call thee, Striven after, A city that will not be forsaken.”We cannot adopt the rendering proposed by Gesenius, “Go ye into the gates,” whether ofJerusalem or of the temple, since the reading would then be שערים באו (Gen_23:10) or בשערים(Jer_7:2). For although ב עבר may under certain circumstances be applied to entrance into a city(Jdg_9:26), yet it generally denotes either passing through a land (Isa_8:21; Isa_34:10;Gen_41:46; Lev_26:6, etc.), or through a nation (2Sa_20:14), or through a certain place(Isa_10:28); so that the phrase בשער which does not occur anywhere else (for in ,עבר Mic_2:13,which refers, however, to the exodus of the people out of the gates of the cities of the captivity,שער ויעברו do not belong together), must refer to passing through the gate; and the cry בשערים עברוmeans just the same as מבבל צאו (“Go ye forth from Babylon”) in Isa_48:20; Isa_52:11.

The call to go out of Babylon forms the conclusion of the prophecy here, just as it does inIsa_48:20-21; Isa_52:11-12. It is addressed to the exiles; but who are they to whom thecommand is given, “Throw up a way,” - a summons repeatedly found in all the three books ofthese prophecies (Isa_40:3; Isa_57:14)? They cannot be the heathen, for this is contradicted bythe conclusion of the charge, “Lift ye up a banner above the nations;” nor can we adopt whatseems to us a useless fancy on the part of Stier, viz., that Isa_62:10 is addressed to thewatchmen on the walls of Zion. We have no hesitation, therefore, in concluding that they are thevery same persons who are to march through the gates of Babylon. The vanguard (or pioneers)of those who are coming out are here summoned to open the way by which the people are tomarch, to throw up the road (viz., by casting up an embankment, hamsillah, as in Isa_11:16;

Isa_49:11; maslul, Isa_35:8), to clear it of stones (siqqel, as in Isa_5:2; cf., Hos_9:12, shikkel me'adam), and lift up a banner above the nations (one rising so high as to be visible far and wide),that the diaspora of all places may join those who are returning home with the friendly help ofthe nations (Isa_11:12; Isa_49:22). For Jehovah hath caused tidings to be heard to the end ofthe earth, i.e., as we may see from what follows, the tidings of their liberation; in other words,

looking at the historical fulfilment, the proclamation of Cyrus, which he caused to be issuedthroughout his empire at the instigation of Jehovah (Ezr_1:1). Hitzig regards השמיע as expressingwhat had actually occurred at the time when the prophet uttered his predictions; and in realitythe standpoint of the prophets was so far a variable one, that the fulfilment of what waspredicted did draw nearer and nearer to it ἐν πνεύματι. But as hinneh throughout the book ofIsaiah, even when followed by a perfect, invariably points to something future, all that can besaid is, that the divine announcement of the time of redemption, as having now arrived, standsout before the soul of the prophet with all the certainty of a historical fact. The conclusion whichKnobel draws from the expression “to the end of the earth,” as to the Babylonian standpoint ofthe prophet, is a false one. In his opinion, “the end of the earth” in such passages as Psa_72:8;Zec_9:10 ('aphse-'arets), and Isa_24:16 (kenaph ha'arets), signifies the western extremity of theorbis orientalis, that is to say, the region of the Mediterranean, more especially Palestine;whereas it was rather a term applied to the remotest lands which bounded the geographicalhorizon (compare Isa_42:10; Isa_48:20, with Psa_2:8; Psa_22:28, and other passages). Thewords that follow (“Say ye,” etc.) might be taken as a command issued on the ground of thedivine hishimia‛ (“the Lord hath proclaimed”); but hishimia‛ itself is a word that needs to besupplemented, so that what follows is the divine proclamation: Men everywhere, i.e., as far asthe earth or the dispersion of Israel extends, are to say to the daughter of Zion - that is to say, tothe church which has its home in Zion, but is now in foreign lands - that “its salvation cometh,”i.e., that Jehovah, its Saviour, is coming to bestow a rich reward upon His church, which haspassed through sever punishment, but has been so salutarily refined. Those to whom the words“Say ye,” etc., are addressed, are not only the prophets of Israel, but all the mourners of Zion,who become mebhasserım, just because they respond to this appeal (compare the meaning of this“Say ye to the daughter of Zion” with Zec_9:9 in Mat_21:5). The whole of the next clause,“Behold, His reward,” etc., is a repetition of the prophet's own words in Isa_40:10. It is aquestion whether the words “and they shall call thee,” etc., contain the gospel which is to beproclaimed according to the will of Jehovah to the end of the earth (see Isa_48:20), or whetherthey are a continuation of the prophecy which commences with “Behold, Jehovah hathproclaimed.” The latter is the more probable, as the address here passes again into an objectivepromise. The realization of the gospel, which Jehovah causes to be preached, leads men to callthose who are now still in exile “the holy people,” “the redeemed” (lit. ransomed, Isa_51:10; likepeduye in Isa_35:10). “And thee” - thus does the prophecy close by returning to a direct address

to Zion-Jerusalem - “thee will men call derushah,” sought assiduously, i.e., one whose welfaremen, and still more Jehovah, are zealously concerned to promote (compare the opposite inJer_30:17) - “a city that will not be forsaken,” i.e., in which men gladly settle, and which willnever be without inhabitants again (the antithesis to ‛azubhah in Isa_60:15), possibly also in the

sense that the gracious presence of God will never be withdrawn from it again (the antithesis to ‛azubhah in Isa_62:4). נעזבה is the third pers. pr., like nuchamah in Isa_54:11 : the perfect asexpressing the abstract present (Ges. §126, 3).

The following prophecy anticipates the question, how Israel can possibly rejoice in therecovered possession of its inheritance, if it is still to be surrounded by such maliciousneighbours as the Edomites.

7. RON TEED, “Isaiah 62:10 is another reference to “the highway” (11:16; 40:3–5), andthere is an

urgency about these words. The Lord is about to arrive, and the people must get the road

ready. When the work is completed, they must lift a banner to signal they are ready. This

is a proclamation that goes to the ends of the earth. And when He comes, He shares more

new names: Israel is called “the Holy People” and “the Redeemed of the Lord”; andJerusalem is called “Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted” (verse 12, NIV).God will have no rest until He accomplishes His purposes for His people, and the world

will have no peace until He succeeds. He asks us to “give Him no rest” but to intercedefor Israel and Jerusalem, for the prayers of His people are an important part of the

program of God.3 That makes it especially important for us to be praying for Israel and

for Jerusalem during this current conflict with Hezbollah.

Secondly, He calls on those who are in bondage to claim their liberty, and to give a lead

to the distant nations from whom and with whom He would bring Zion’s citizens home.In verse 10 we have a summons to repentance very similar to that in 57:14. The standard,

or ensign, is the cross of Christ.

8. BI, “The conversion of the Jews

I.THE GLORIOUS EVENT TO BE PROCLAIMED (Isa_62:11). When the Divine Spirit wouldattract special attention to any subject, He prefixes “Behold” to the truth revealed. We have here“Behold thrice repeated.

1. The nature of the event. “Thy salvation cometh. Thy salvation is rendered by the ancientversions (Syriac, Arabic, LXX, Chaldee, Vulgate) and the best modern interpreters, “ThySaviour;” and from the words, “His reward is with Him,” it is clear that this is the intendedmeaning of the prophet. The glowing promises of our text, and the prophecies connectedwith it, were most manifestly never fulfilled at His first coming. The second coming of Christas the Deliverer of His people Israel is then the event here foretold; an event yet before theChurch (Rom_11:26-27). It is not enough to proclaim Christ crucified to the Jews; we mustalso proclaim the once crucified Immanuel speedily to appear in glory, to punish Hisrebellious subjects, and to save His people.

2. The things connected with this event. “His reward is with Him, and His work beforeHim.” It is not quite clear whether “His reward” refers to the reward which Christ receives orwhich He bestows. Our Lord is to “see of the travail of His soul, and be satisfied,” and He isto be “glorified in His saints, and admired in all them that believe.” But I apprehend that thereward which He bestows is here intended (Rev_22:12). He has also a work to perform.What that work is, we may learn from the following chapters. It comprehends, doubtless, alengthened series of events. Notice these three—the overthrow of His enemies; the merciesin store for Israel; the establishment of His kingdom.

3. Its required proclamation. By “the daughter of Zion ‘ is meant the Jewish nation. It is asolemnly announced command to all to tell the Jews of the Coming Saviour. But why shouldthe Lord tell the ends of the world to care for Zion? He foresaw and foreordained that theJews should be scattered everywhere, that there might not be a spot upon the earthuninterested in or unmoved by their return. It was always the duty of Christians to preachthe Gospel “to the Jew first,” and then to the Gentile.

II. THE BLESSED RESULT OF THIS EVENT TO THE JEWS (Isa_62:12). The wordsapparently lead us to two classes of persons to be blessed at our Saviour’s coming.

1. “They shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord;”

2. “Thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken?’ There may be a reference in thefirst class to the converted Gentiles (Justin Martyr), and in the second to the converted Jews.Through the chapter these are combined, while the Jews arc addressed by the personalpronoun (Isa_62:2). In this view, our text would contain a delightful reciprocation ofcongratulation between Jews and Gentiles. Yet, as the leading subject of the chapter is therestoration of the Jews, and as, in the preceding verse, the ends of the world are to beaddressed on the subject, it is rather probable that the word “they” may here refer to theadmiring nations of the earth. They shall call them, i.e the Jews, the holy or consecratedpeople, the redeemed of the Lord;” and then the prophet himself, as if beholding Jerusalemthus glorious, changes the person and number of his language, and in the rapture ofexultation exclaims, “Thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.”

III. THE. DUTIES TO “WHICH WE ARE CALLED (Isa_62:10). Here the inhabitants of cities,where ever the Jews may be, are called to prepare roads for their return to their own land, thatthey and the nations at large may be ready to receive and welcome the great Lord and King ofthe whole earth. The general direction is to prepare the Jews, and thus also the Gentiles, for thecoming Saviour.

1. Indifference is to be cast off. “Go through, go through the gates.” The double directionshows the ardour of the Divine mind, the importance of the duty, how dull Christians ingeneral would be to it, and how needful to rouse them by repeated exhortations.

2. A way is to be prepared. “Prepare ye the way of the people,” etc.

3. A standard is also to be lifted up for the nations. “Lift up a standard for the people.” Thisis added not only as a duty to be discharged, but as a great encouragement to fulfil duties tothe Jews, by the blessed effect it will undoubtedly have upon all nations. The meaning of thisstandard will be more clear by referring to Isa_11:10-12. A standard is a token ofwar: it is toassemble, direct and encourage the army, and to animate them in proceeding against theirenemies. To lift up this standard is to preach the Gospel. But for whom is this standard to belifted up? “For the people. The original is in the plural number, “for the peoples,” and it is bythe best translators rendered, “the nations.” The restoration of the Jews, then, is a part of theDivine plan for attracting the attention of and for blessing the whole world. (E. Bickersteth.)

Gather out the stones

Clearing the road to heaven

I. ENDEAVOUR TO REMOVE SOME OF THE STUMBLING-BLOCKS OUT OF THE POORBEGINNER’S WAY.

1. Let us begin with a very old and common difficulty, the doctrine of election. Many will say,“Perhaps I am not one of God’s chosen.” I know not any better way of practically treating the

matter than of saying, “I will go to Jesus because He bids me.’ When you are ill you do notknow whether you are ordained to get well, but you send for the doctor; you cannot tollwhether you are predestined to be rich, but you endeavour to make money; you do not knowwhether you will live through the day, but you work to provide yourself with bread; thuscommon-sense cuts the knot which mere theory can never untie. Leave the subtleties ofargument alone, and act as sensible men. Go to Jesus and try whether He will reject you.

2. A deep sense of sin. If there had not been great sin, there would not have been need of agreat Saviour.

3. A fear that the day of grace has passed. The Lord’s grace can come to a man at any time,and at any hour.

4. A tendency to blasphemous thoughts. They should lead you to go and tell Jesus Christabout it, but they should not drive you to despair.

5. The absence of anything like a horrible thought, or a terror, or an alarm. If you arcallowed to come to Jesus without being so molested by the Evil One, do not fret about that,but rather rejoice. There is no need to go round by bell’s gate to get to heaven.

6. A want of sensibility with regard to their sins. A man is saved by having his heart broken,and being led to cast himself upon Jesus; and if you have not yet received this part ofsalvation, your business is to come to Jesus for it, not to stay away till you get it of yourself,and then come to Christ with your feelings as a recommendation.

7. “I cannot believe.” The smallest grain of saving faith will save a man. It is the object offaith we should look to.

8. “I do not think I can be saved, because I am not like so-and-so.” Do be content to havenothing good in yourself, and to be nothing good, and to take all your good from JesusChrist.

9. “I never have any joy and peace.” You shall receive the joy when you exercise the faith.

II. POINT YOU TO HIM WHO IS “THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE” who has alreadycleared the stumbling-blocks out of the way. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Isaiah 62:11-12

Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world

Who is this?

(with Isa_63:1):—As in God’s immediate dealingswith men we usually see the Son of God mostmanifest, this passage may fitly represent the glorious appearance of our Lord Jesus Christwhenever He has come forth to vindicate the cause of His people and to overthrow theirenemies. This vision will be astoundingly fulfilled in the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.The fourteenth and nineteenth chapters of the Book of Revelation give us parallel passages tothis. The scene before us describes an interposition of the Messiah; the return of the Divinely-appointed Champion from the defeat of His enemies. As it is evidently picture of salvation ratherthan of damnation; as the main feature in it is that He is mighty to save; as the great and chiefelement of the whole thing is that the year of His redeemed is come, and that the Warrior’s ownarm has brought salvation to His people; I cannot question that this text is applicable to the first

coming of Christ. Then He did battle with the hosts of sin and death and hell, and so vanquishedthem that in His resurrection He returned with the keys of death and hell at HIS girdle. Thenwas He seen as “mighty to save.”

I. THERE IS A PROCLAMATION (verses 11, 12). The commentators as a whole can see noconnection between the sixty-third chapter and the preceding part of the Book of Isaiah; butsurely that connection is plain enough to the common reader. In these verses the coming of theSaviour is proclaimed, and in the next chapter that coming is seen in vision, and the evangelicalprophet beholds the Saviour so vividly that he is startled, and inquires, “Who is this?’

1. This great announcement tells you that there is a salvation from without. Within yourheart there is nothing that can save you. The proclamation is, “Behold, thy salvationcometh.” It comes from a source beyond yourself.

2. It is a salvation which comes through a person. “Thy salvation cometh; behold, Hisreward is with Him, and His work before Him.” The great salvation which we have toproclaim is salvation by Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

3. This salvation leads to holiness; for the text says of those who receive the Saviour, “Theyshall call them, The holy people.”

4. It is salvation by, redemption; for it is written that they shall be called “The redeemed ofthe Lord. In the sacred Scriptures there is no salvation for men except by redemption.

5. This salvation is complete. “Thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.” See thebeginning of it: “Sought out,” See the end of it: “Not forsaken.” You will not begin with God,but God will begin with you. You shall be sought out, and then you will seek Him. He seeksyou even now. But suppose the Lord found you, and then left you; you would perish, after all.But it shall not be so; for the same Lord who calls you “Sought out also calls you Notforsaken.” You shall never be forsaken of the grace of God, nor of the God of grace.

II. CONSIDER THE QUESTION, “Who is this that cometh from Edom?” The prophet beholdsin vision the Captain of salvation, returning from battle, arrayed like the warriors of whom weread, “the valiant men are in scarlet.” He beholds the majestic march of this mighty Conqueror,and he cries, “Who is this?” When a soul first hears the proclamation of God’s salvation, andthen sees Jesus coming to him, he says, “Who is this?”

1. The question in part arises from anxiety, as if he said, “Who is this that espouses mycause? Is He able to save?”

2. The question also indicates ignorance. We do not any of us know our Lord Jesus to thefull yet. “Who is this?” is a question we may still put to the sacred oracle. Paul, after he hadknown Christ fifteen years, yet desired that he might know Him; for His love passethknowledge.

3. As the sinner looks, and looks again, he cries, “Who is this?” in delighted amazement. Is itindeed the Son of God? Does He intervene to save me? The God whom I offended, does Hestoop to fight and rout my sins? It is even He.

4. I think the question is asked, also, by way of adoration. As the soul begins to see Jesus, itsanxiety is removed by knowledge, and is replaced by an astonishment which ripens intoworship.

5. It appears from the question that the person asking it knows whence the Conqueror came;for it is written, “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?”Yes, our Redeemer has returned from death, as said the Psalmist, “Thou wilt not leave Mysoul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption”? Next notice that theprophet in vision observes the colour of the Conqueror’s garments. “Who is this that cometh

from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah?” Red is not Christ’s colour; hence thequestion arises, “Wherefore art Thou red in Thine apparel. Our beloved’s garments arewhiter than any fuller can make them. The glory of His purity is such that we say toourselves, “Red, why, that is the colour of Edom, the adversary! Red, that is the colour of theearth of our manhood. Red is the colour of our scarlet sins. Why is He red? Although the texttreats of the blood of His adversaries, yet I would have you devoutly think of our Lordliterally as shedding His own blood, for His victory was thus accomplished. The text setsforth the result of that blood-shedding in the overthrow of His enemies and ours; but wecannot separate the effect from the cause. I remember how Rutherford seems to glow andburn when in his prose poetry he talks of “the bonnie red man.”

7. But yet the question comes from one who perceives that the Conqueror is royally arrayed.“This that is glorious in His apparel. The Jesus we have to preach to you is no mean Saviour;He is clothed with glory and honour because of the suffering of death.

8. The question ends with “travelling in the greatness of His strength.” He did not comeback from slaughtering our enemies feeble and wounded, but He returned in majesticmarch, like a victor who would have all men know that his force is irresistible. The earthshook beneath our Lord’s feet on the resurrection morning, for “there was a greatearthquake.” The Roman guards became as dead men at His appearing. The Lord JesusChrist is no petty, puny Saviour. As He travels through the nations it is as a strong managainst whom none can stand, mighty to rescue every soul that puts its trust in Him.

III. CONSIDER THE ANSWER. NO one can answer for Jesus: He must speak for Himself. Likethe sun, He can only be seen by His own light. He is His own interpreter. Not even the angelscould explain the Saviour: they get no further than desiring to look into the things which are inHim. He himself answers the question “Who is this?” The answer which our Lord gives istwofold. He describes Himself—

IV. As a Speaker “I that speak in righteousness.” Is He not the Word? Every word that Christspeaks is true. The Gospel which He proclaims is a just and righteous one, meeting both theclaims of God and the demands of conscience.

2. Our Lord also describes Himself as a Saviour. “I that speak in righteousness, mighty tosave. Observe that the word “mighty is joined with His saving, and not with his destroying.”Conclusion: Hearken to the proclamation, “Behold thy salvation cometh.” Jesus can saveyou, for He is mighty to save! He has saved others like you. He can overthrow, all yourenemies. He can do this alone. He is able to save you now. It is a sad wonder that men do notbelieve in Jesus. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

Isaiah 62:12

Thou shalt be called, Sought out

“Sought out”

1.The first meaning of our text is very clear. Here is a prophecy, that as Jerusalem, havingbeen despoiled her beauty by her enemies, was for a long time forsaken and worthy to becalled, “A city which no man seeketh after,” so, in a brighter day, her glory shall return, sheshall be an attraction to all lands, and the joy of the whole earth; multitudes of willingpilgrims shall seek her out that they may behold her beauty. She shall be a city greatly set by

and greatly sought out by those who love the hallowed spots where the mighty deeds of theLord were wrought, and the arm of Jehovah made bare.

2. The text, doubtless, has a similar reference to the Church of God. During many centuriesthe Church of Christ was hidden—a thing obscure, despised, unknown, abhorred; sheconcealed herself in the catacombs; her followers were the poorest and most illiterate ofmen, proscribed by cruel laws, and hunted by ferocious foes Although the royal bride ofChrist, and destined to be the ruler of nations, she “made no figure in the world’s eye; shewas but a little stone cut out of the mountain without hands. But the day is already come inwhich multitudes seek the Church of Christ. (C. H.Spurgeon.)

Am I sought out?

In a fuller and more spiritual sense the Church of God may well be called “Sought out”; and thelike title may truthfully be applied to every single member of that dearly-loved and dearly-purchased family.

I. THE NATURAL CONDITION IMPLIED IN THE TITLE, “SOUGHT OUT.”

1. If the Church of God has been “sought out,” then it is clear enough that originally it waslost.

2. We were so lost that we did not seek the Lord.

3. As we had no thought of coming to God, so we never should have willed to return.

4. So far from seeking God, we did not desire Him to seek us.

5. Our being sought out, considering our condition, was one of the greatest wonders everknown or heard of. I have heard this expressed in words occasionally; when a man has cometo join the Church, he has said to me,

“If any one had told me six months ago that I should make a profession of being a follower ofChrist, I would have knocked him down.’ And yet the thing did occur.

II. WE HAVE SURPASSING GRACE REVEALED. This grace lies in several particulars.

1. That they were sought out at all. It is very wonderful grace on the part of God that Heshould plan a way of salvation; but there is something more gracious than this generoussummons. One would have supposed that after the invitation had been freely given and thepreparation for the feast had been generously made, the Lord would leave men to come ornot as they willed.

2. But this grace appears even more conspicuous if you consider the persons sought out.That any should be sought out is matchless grace, but that we should be sought is gracebeyond degree.

3. Nor must I fail to bring to your recollection, that the surpassing grace of God is seen veryclearly in that we were sought “out.” The word “out” conveys a mass of meaning. Men go andseek for a thing which is lost upon the floor of the house, but in such a case there is onlyseeking, not seeking out. The loss is more perplexing, and the search more persevering,when a thing is sought out. We were mingled with the mire; we were as when some preciouspiece of gold falls into the sewer, and men have to gather out and carefully inspect a heap ofabominable filth, to turn it over, and over, and over, and continue to stir and rake, andsearch among the heap until the thing is found. Or, to use another figure, we were lost in alabyrinth; we wandered hither and thither, and when ministering mercy came after us, it didnot find us at the first coming; it had to go to the right hand and to the left, and search hither

and thither, and everywhere, to seek us out, for we were so desperately lost, and had got intosuch a strange position, that it did not seem possible that ever grace could come to us. Andyet we were sought out! No gloom could hide us, no filthiness could conceal us, we werefound. The lives of some of God’s people, if they could be written, would make you marvel.The romance of Divine grace is infinitely more interesting than the romance of imagination.

4. The grace of God is illustrious in the Divine Agent by whom we are sought out. It was notthe minister; he might have sought thee year after year, and never have found thee. Thytearful mother, with her many prayers, would have missed thee. Thine anxious father, withhis yearning bowels of compassion, would never have discovered thee. Those providences,which like great nets were seeking to entangle thee, would all have been broken by thy strongdashings after evil. Who was it sought thee out? None other than Himself. The GreatShepherd could not trust His under-shepherds; He must Himself come, and oh! if it had notbeen for those eyes of omniscience, He never would have seen thee; He never would haveread thy history and known thy ease: if it had not been for those arms of omnipotence, Henever could have grasped thee; He never could have thrown thee on His shoulders andbrought thee home rejoicing.

5. Remember that the glory of it is that we were sought out effectually. We are a people notsought out and then missed at the last.

III. THE DISTINGUISHING TITLE JUSTIFIED. How were we sought out?. Let us justify thename.

1. We are sought out in the eternal purposes and the work of Christ.

2. This seeking out, as far as we know it, began by gracious words of mercy. A godly mothertold us the truth with weeping, a holy father set us a good example; we were sought out bythat little Bible we were taught to read, and that hymn-book which was put into our hands.We were sought out when we were taken to the house of God. We were sought out while thepreacher called the Sabbath-breaker, the hard-hearted, the hypocrite, the formalist, theabandoned, the profane. According to our case we felt that he was calling us, and the eyes ofJesus were looking on us, and His voice was bidding us repent and live.

3. Afflictions sought us out. The fever hunted us to the Cross. When the cholera came, itcarried a great whip in its hand to flog us to the Saviour. We had serious losses, a decayingbusiness, all which should have weaned us from the world. Our friends sickened; from theirgraves we heard the voice of invitation, “Come unto Christ and live. ‘ We were disappointedin some of our fondest hopes, and our heart, riven for the time, yearned after a higher lifeand a deeper satisfaction.

4. Then came mysterious visitations. It was in the night season when all was still, we sat upin our bed, and solemn thoughts passed through us; the preacher’s words which we hadheard years ago came back fresh as when we heard them for the first time; old texts ofScripture, the recollection of a mother’s tears, all these came upon us. Or it was in the midstof business, and we did not know how it was, but suddenly a deep calm came over us.

5. But after all, these visitations, these providences, these preachings, and so on, would allhave been nothing, if it had not been for the appointed time when the Holy Spirit came andsought us out.

IV. A SPECIAL DUTY INCUMBENT UPON THOSE WHO WEAR THE TITLE, “SOUGHTOUT.” If it be really so that you are such debtors to Divine seeking, ought you not to spend yourwhole lifetime in seeking others out? We are not to preach merely to those who come to listen.Let us hunt for souls by visitation. Where all other means fail, seek men by our prayers. As longas a man has one other man to pray for him, there is a hope of his salvation. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

A city not forsaken

“A city not forsaken”

1. A forsaken city! What a picture it presents. Streets once crowded with life, left desolate.Halls once ablaze with light—darkened. Every voice of music hushed, every dancer gone. Noman of wisdom to advise. No soldier to defend. No peopled homes. No schools with children.No trade. No port. No active work for God or man. A city forsaken! Bereft, indeed!

2. But “A city not forsaken”! How different I with its crowded streets; its marts of trade; itspalace of legislature; its courts of administration and justice; its glory of magnificentarchitecture; its busy river; its turrets ablaze with the glory of their gold; its towers ofstrength; its bulwarks of defence; its processions of royalty; its merchants; its scholars; itscitizens, good, bad and indifferent; its sanctuaries; its slums; its manifold life and stir. Ay,verily, “a city not forsaken” is a place of interest and power; a place to live in; where thepulse beats; where men feel the blessings of community, and find the possibilities of success;where trade has its markets; where intellect is sharpened, and where extremes meet—theplace of the temple, the arena, the theatre, the gymnasium, and the forum. (C. H. Kelly.)

The Church, a city not forsaken

The text is uttered respecting the Church of the Lord, and is true of every part of that Church. Itis descriptive. It is historic. It is prophetic. (C. H. Kelly.)

The presence of God in His Church

If it was the delight of the ancient Jews to know that the Lord was in His temple in Jerusalem, itis also ours to know that He is with us.

1. His Church abounds in splendour; in numbers; in wealth; in structures. She is rich inschools and universities. Her sons are among the greatest scholars; the bravest soldiers; themost eloquent speakers. She is like the King’s daughter, arrayed in costly attire, and allbeautiful within, having external adornment and internal excellence; but what of all that, ifthat were all? What if she were forsaken of God? If there were no shout of the King in thecamp?

2. But there is the presence of God—the Father in His family; the Captain with His hosts; theKing in His city.

3. Having this truth, how rich is the Church of God! It involves the heritage of power,wisdom, love.

4. We will rejoice because, having God in the city, the commonwealth is safe; truth will bevictorious; vice will be curbed; crime will cease; ignorance will be instructed; men andwomen will be saved; children will be nurtured and trained aright; true spiritual religion, ascontrasted with mere conventional Churchism, will prevail; the love of worldliness will giveplace to spirituality of life; there will be honesty instead of theft; truthfulness instead of lies;purity instead of wickedness holiness instead of mere professional Church membership. (C.H. Kelly.)

The Church, “a city not forsaken” by its own people

1. Its numbers are larger to-day than ever. They help to constitute its wealth, to make it fullof power; they make its defence stronger than walls of brick and stone; mightier thanramparts. The fellowship of believers; the communion of saints; the brotherhood ofChristians is very real. It is found in this city—this Church of God. It is illustrated in the livesof myriads who dedicate their intellect, their love, to it. Verily, this city is not forsaken. Itsdwellings are peopled. Its population increases.

2. And more are coming. One day Henry Clay stood on a peak on the Aleghany Mountains,with arms folded, and as though looking into the distance far beyond. Some one said to therapt thinker, “Mr. Clay, what are you thinking about?” He replied, “I am listening to theontramping of the feet of future generations of Americans. He knew they would come. So we.We rejoice in the millions of our city. But yet there is room. They come. They will continue tocome. This is no forsaken spot. It never will be. Desolation does not belong to this Zion.

3. There are good reasons for its sons not forsaking it. In it they have found salvation. In itthey have been made joyful. When they were pursued and troubled, it opened its gates tothem, and gave them refuge and safety The walls which surround It can never be brokenthrough by any foe; for God is the strength of those walls, and every citizen is absolutely safe.(C. H. Kelly.)

Backslider’s

But have not any forsaken this city? The answer is, to their own sad sorrow, Yes! At this hourthere are sheep that have strayed; prodigals that have wandered; backsliders that have fallen.They have forsaken purity; they have turned their backs on God. What has the City herald toproclaim to such? What is the message of the King? The proclamation is mercy; amnesty; fullforgiveness. The message of the King is, Return. Will you come? The gates of the city are open:Will you enter? You have forsaken the Church; but God has not forsaken you. But, so far as youare concerned, the gates of the city will soon be closed. Take care that you are on the right side.One of our ministers said that one evening, after a day’s excursion, he and his party were aboutto enter an Eastern city. They saw a horseman approach at a gallop. Our friend asked, “Whydoes he ride so fast?” “Because,” said the guide, “he knows that in a few moments it will besunset, and the city gate will be closed; and, if he is not in before that, he will be too late, andmust remain outside in the dark.” It is nearly sunset with some of you who have forsaken thecity; soon the gate will be closed; be quick and enter in! (C. H. Kelly.)

8. COFFMAN. “"Here the inhabitants of Jerusalem are urged to go out through the gates of the cityand to prepare a highway for the return of the exiles."[9] The trouble with all such literal understanding ofsuch prophecies is that it would be more than a hundred years after the return of the exiles before theliteral Jerusalem would ever have an effective system of walls and gates. It seems more likely that thething meant would refer to the diligence of the Church in her preparation and efforts to evangelizemankind.

"Behold thy salvation cometh ..." (Isaiah 62:11). This was the message of God's great proclamationthroughout the whole earth, that the long awaited salvation of Israel was soon to take place. Historically,this was literally the truth. Many long centuries had elapsed after the weeping parents of our fallen racewere expelled from Eden; but when Isaiah wrote, the far greater time of waiting for "The Seed of Woman"who would bruise the head of Satan had already expired; and the meaning here is that the Messiahindeed would hasten his arrival upon the earth.

"They shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of Jehovah ..." (Isaiah 62:12). This, alas is whatGod planned for His people after the exile; but it never took place, due to their wickedness. As Paulstated, the name of God was blasphemed all over the Gentile world, because of the wickedness of theJews (Revelation 2:24). The Jews simply forgot to read Jeremiah 18:7-10, or at least forgot to heed it.

Rawlinson pointed out that the universal love and appreciation of the racial Israel has never taken place,and suggested that, "Perhaps the prophecy may be considered still to await its completefulfillment."[10]Many scholars suppose that some future fulfillment of this may yet occur "in the Millennium,"or "when national Israel is converted," or "when the fulness of the Gentiles has come in" or at some suchother time; but we have never been able to find any sufficient grounds for such hopes in the SacredScriptures. God has only one plan for salvation; and that is in Christ. Therefore, when and if Israel (that isracial, or national Israel) is ever redeemed it will be in the same manner as that by which God saves allmen. "There is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles in the New Dispensation."

The full understanding of the fact that racial origin has no bearing whatever upon salvation is so importantthat we submit here four testimonials from the sacred authors of the New Testament, a single word fromany one of them being worth more than a thousand libraries of human speculations.

The Apostle Paul stated that:

For the scripture (the Old Testament) saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be put to shame. Forthere is NO DISTINCTION between Jew and Greek: for the same Lord is lord of all, and is rich unto allthat call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:11-13).

But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God hath been manifested, being witnessed by the lawand the prophets; even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ unto all them that believe;for there is NO DISTINCTION; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:21-23).

The Apostle Peter declared that:

"Brethren, ye know that a good while ago God made choice among you that by my mouth the Gentilesshould hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God who knoweth the heart bare them witness,giving them the Holy Spirit, even as he did unto us; and made NO DISTINCTION between us (Jews) andthem (Gentiles), cleansing their hearts by faith (Acts 15:7-9)."

Again when Peter was at first unwilling to go to the house of Cornelius because he was a Gentile, Godcorrected Peter on this; and when Peter arrived, he explained:

The Spirit bade me go, making NO DISTINCTION (between Jews and Gentiles) (Acts 11:12).

These four references are among the most important in the New Testament:

NO DISTINCTION...Romans 3:12

NO DISTINCTION...Romans 10:12

NO DISTINCTION...Acts 11:12

NO DISTINCTION...Acts 15:9

9. CALVIN, “10.Pass through, pass through the gates. From the preceding statement he draws the

conclusion, that there shall be a free passage through the gates of the city, which formerly were shut or in

a ruinous state; shut when it was besieged by enemies; in a ruinous state, when the city was thrown

down and levelled with the ground. He means that there shall be such a restoration of the city, that its

inhabitants shall be numerous, and there shall be frequent passing to and from it.

Some think that these words are addressed to the pastors, that they may enter in at the gates, and go

before others as their conductors. But it is a general and figurative statement, by which he compares the

Church to a populous city, though for a time it was ruinous and desolate, as Jerusalem had been. Others

pursue more ingenious speculations, and say that the gates of a Church are opened, when pardon of sins

is proclaimed in it, and by that message God invites all to come to him. But if we wish to get at the

Prophet’ meaning, we must believe that all these things are spoken figuratively, as we have already

mentioned.

Clear the way for the people. This is, strictly speaking, the duty of teachers; but the Prophet speaks in

general terms, and addresses all whose agency the Lord employed for preparing the way for the people.

At that time, indeed, he spoke to Medes and Persians, by means of whom he opened up the way for the

Jews, that they might return to their native country; but next he includes all others by whom the Lord

restored his Church.

Level, level the road. He authoritatively commands all men to “ and level the roads;” that the Jews might

know that every obstacle shall easily be removed, and that all men, however inveterate their hostility,

shall immediately obey the command of God. In this way he enjoins believers to gird themselves manfully

for the work, as if many workmen were ready to give assistance, and the emphatic repetition of the word

(“ level” deserves notice as intended to express certainty.

Pave it with stones. סקל (sikkel) sometimes means to remove stones, and sometimes to pave with stones;

and I think that it ought rather to be understood here in this latter signification, though commentators are

generally of a different opinion. (170)

Lift up a standard to the peoples. This is of the same import with the former clause; for the Prophet

means that the peoples shall obey the command of God, in the same manner as subjects are wont to

obey princes; for they shall assemble and run together when “ standard is lifted up,” and shall lend their

aid to bring back the people; and thus he extols in lofty terms the power of God, that the Jews might be

fully persuaded that they would one day be restored. (171)

(170) “ words סקלו מאבן (sakkelu meeben) are used elliptically for סקלו דרךה מאבן (sakkelu hadderek

meeben,) ‘ the stones from the road;’ for ,סקל (sikkel,) which.in general means ‘ stone, or to throw stones,’

as ויסקל באבנים את ,דוד (vayesakkel baabanim eth David,) (2Sa_16:6,) here means to take away many

stones, as in Isa_5:2; and מאבן (meeben,) as Jarchi remarks, is equivalent to מהיות שם ,אבן (mihyoth sham

eben,) ‘ there may be no stones there,’ at which travellers might stumble. Thus, ‘ will make

them ,מאדם (meadam) from a man;’ that is, that not a man shall be left. (Hos_9:12.)” —Rosenmuller.

(171) “ the style of the Prophet is very Pindarical. First, he speaks to the captives, as if he saw them near

the gates of Babylon, and bids them go through them, that is, pass out of the place of their captivity; then,

as if he saw workmen in the road, he bids them level the ground, and make it plain, that they may not be

tired by ascending and descending steep precipices, nor hurt their feet with sharp stones; then, as if they

had not yet received notice of their deliverance, or were not informed of the place where they were to

rendezvous, in order to return altogether, he commands a standard to be erected for the people, that is,

over their heads, so high that it might he seen by those at the greatest distance.” —White.

10. CHARLES SIMEON 10-12, ” TRULY wonderful is the power of faith: it looks through hundreds and

thousands of years; and not only anticipates events as future, but sets them before the mind as present.

In the prophetic writings this assured faith is frequently exhibited. The Prophet Isaiah in particular seems

to have been endued with it in a pre-eminent degree. He rarely mentions the conversion either of Jews or

Gentiles to the faith of Christ, but he represents it as already passing before his eyes: “Lift up thine eyes

round about,” says he, “and see” these prophecies already accomplishing throughout the world. “Who are

these that I behold flying as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows

[Note: Isa_49:18; Isa_60:4; Isa_60:8.]?” In the chapter before us God had declared, that “he would not

rest till he had caused the righteousness of his Church to go forth as brightness, and its salvation as a

lamp that burneth [Note: ver. 1.].” And this promise he had confirmed with an oath [Note: ver. 8, 9.]. To

this word and this oath the prophet gave such perfect and assured credit, that he addressed the Jews

above a hundred years before they were carried captive to Babylon, as if they were already at the close

of their captivity, and ready to be restored to their own land: “Go through, go through the gates,” for the

purpose of returning to your own country. At the same time he looks forward also to the Jews in their

present state of dispersion, and bids them receive their Messiah as already come for their deliverance;

assuring them at the same time, that in returning to God through Him, they shall be restored to all the

privileges which, by their rejection of him, they have forfeited.

His address to them sets forth in a very animated point of view the circumstances that shall take place at

the time of their restoration;

I. The preparation to be made for them—

The former part of the address is directed immediately to them. As at the time of Cyrus’s decree vast

multitudes needed to be stirred up to avail themselves of the permission granted them to return to their

own country, so now, when the gates are opened to them, they need repeated exhortations, “Go through,

go through the gates.” God says to them, “Go ye forth of Babylon; flee ye from the Chaldeans; with a

voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed

his servant Jacob [Note: Isa_48:20.].” “Depart ye; for the Lord will go before you; and the God of Israel

will be your rereward [Note: Isa_52:11-12.].”

The remainder of the address is directed to all who have it in their power to facilitate their return. Here

therefore we may see our duty towards them. We should without delay exert ourselves in their behalf:

1. We should prepare their way before them—

[As, previous to the advent of our Lord himself, a Messenger was sent before him “to prepare his way,

and to make his paths straight [Note: Isa_40:3-5. with Luk_3:4-6.],” so God commands that we should

“prepare the way of the people,” whom he has scattered over the face of the whole earth. In order to

facilitate their access to their own land, and to the heavenly Jerusalem, we should “gather out the stones,”

“the stumbling-blocks” which lie in their way [Note: Isa_57:14.]; and “cast up an highway” over those

morasses, which present an almost insuperable obstacle to their return. If it be asked, What are these

stumbling-blocks, and these morasses? I answer, One stumbling-block is, the ungodly lives of Christians;

which give the Jews but too much reason to conclude that our religion is not a whit better than their own.

Another stumbling-block is, The contempt with which we have treated them, and which cannot but have

incensed them against, not the followers only, but even the very name, of Christ. The divisions of the

Christian Church present also a very serious obstacle in their way: and we should do all in our power to

heal these divisions, so that, if there still remain a diversity of sentiment on points of doubtful disputation,

there may at least be an union of heart amongst all “who hold fast the Head,” and who, we have reason to

hope, are living members of Christ’s mystical body. Till they see some change in our conduct in these

respects, we can scarcely hope to prevail upon them to embrace our principles, however strongly we may

recommend and enforce them.]

2. We should “lift up the standard” of the cross to them—

[That is the standard which must be erected for the Gentile world [Note: Isa_11:10.], and to that the

Jewish people also must resort [Note: Isa_11:11-12.]. Under that must all mankind be marshalled

[Note:Zec_14:9.], and come up to Zion [Note: Mic_4:1.]. But how shamefully negligent have the Christian

world been now for so many centuries, in not unfurling these banners to them, and endeavouring to enlist

them into the service of our Lord! Never till lately have our Scriptures been translated into their language

for their use; nor has ever any great and general effort been made to promote their conversion to the faith

of Christ. It is only in a way of pains and penalties that they have been dealt with hitherto, and not in a

way of kind instruction and affectionate admonition. But till this be done, what prospect is there of their

conversion to the faith of Christ? Suitable means must be used: and I beg it to be particularly noticed,

that God enjoins these means to be used, in order to the effecting of his gracious purposes towards them.

Let not any one imagine that the Jews are to be converted in any other way than the Gentiles were. There

were miracles in the Apostolic age: but they were to aid, and not to supersede, the labours of men. So

there may possibly be miracles in the Millennial age: but it is by instruction alone that the Jews can be

brought to a knowledge of the Gospel, and to faith in Christ as the true Messiah.]

To these general directions the prophet more distinctly adds,

II. The proclamation to be reported to them—

It has been thought by some, that we are under no obligation to seek the conversion of the Jews. But, not

to mention the general order given to ministers to go forth and preach the Gospel to every creature,

(which must include Jews as well as Gentiles,) here is in our text an express command, a proclamation

from Almighty God himself, to the whole Gentile world, to say unto the Daughter of Zion, “Behold, thy

salvation cometh!” Let not this be forgotten: it is binding upon every one of us: and, if we disregard the

injunction, we disregard it at our peril. We are here directed to make known to them, by every possible

means,

1. The Saviour’s advent—

[The true character of the Messiah is here declared: He is a Saviour: He is “salvation” itself; even the

salvation of all who trust in him. “His reward is with him;” and it shall be conferred on all who receive him

in faith and love. Who can depict the blessings which he will bring to the believing soul? They are such as

“no eye ever saw, no ear ever heard, no heart ever adequately conceived.” “The peace” with which he will

invest the soul, “passeth all understanding;” “the joy” with which he will inspire it, is “unspeakable;” and

the “riches” with which he will endow it, are “unsearchable.” Let the believer, though but of the lowest

class, be appealed to, and he will confirm this truth from his own experience. Moreover, “his work is

before him;” and he will never leave it till it be fully accomplished. In the days of his flesh, he rested not till

he could say, “It is finished:” nor will he rest now till he has fulfilled all that he has undertaken, and

brought every one of his elect to glory. “Of those that were given him of the Father, he never lost one, nor

will ever suffer one to be plucked out of his hands.”

All this is to be made known to the Jewish people. They should be informed what a Saviour there is: we

should bring to their ears these glad tidings, “lifting up our voice with strength, and saying to all the cities

of Judith, Behold your God [Note: Isa_40:9.]!”]

2. The benefits he will confer upon them—

[Desolate indeed is their condition at present: but it shall not be always so: the time is coming when they

shall “no more be termed, Forsaken [Note: ver. 4.];” but shall be restored to all the honours and blessings

which they once possessed. Once they were “an holy people to the Lord their God, even a special people

above all upon the face of the earth [Note: Deu_7:6.];” and “high above them all, in praise, and in name,

and in honour [Note: Deu_26:19.].” And such shall they again become, when they unite in “seeking the

Lord their God, and David their king [Note: Hos_3:5.].” As partakers of his mercies in common with the

Gentile world, they will be called, “The redeemed of the Lord;” but with an emphasis peculiar to

themselves will they be termed, “Sought out, and not forsaken.” They appear to be forsaken at present:

but it shall then appear, that God’s eye was upon them for good even in the midst of their deepest

humiliation; and efforts shall be made for their recovery, which shall distinguish them pre-eminently as

objects of his love, whom he has “sought out” with care, and brought home with joy.

Such are the encouraging statements to be made to them; and such statements in God’s good time shall

be effectual for the bringing of them home in triumph to their God.]

That I may not overlook the personal interests of those to whom I speak, let me in conclusion say,

1. Take care that you experience these things in your own souls—

[In your natural and unconverted state, you are as far off from God as the Jews themselves. You are “in a

world that lieth under the power of the wicked one [Note: 1Jn_5:19. ’Å í ô ῶ ; ð ï í ç ñ ῶ ;.]:” and you need

to come out from it, as much as they did from Babylon [Note: 2Co_6:17. compared with Isa_51:17.] — —

— You need also to have “straight paths made for your feet,” that you may advance the more easily

towards the heavenly Jerusalem [Note: Heb_12:13.]. The same encouragements too you need, in order

to induce you to embrace the proffered salvation. The excellency of the Redeemer, the riches of his

grace, the fulness and certainty of his salvation, need to be set before you, and the honours and glories of

the eternal world held forth to your view; that so you may brave the dangers of a dreary wilderness, and

seek your happiness in Zion. There is not, in fact, any thing to be done by a Jew, that is not to be done by

you — — — Go forth then yourselves, and shew the way to your Jewish brethren: and let them see in you

the excellence of that religion which you exhort them to embrace.]

2. Endeavour to promote the experience of them in your Jewish brethren—

[I beg leave to repeat what I have before asserted, that it is by the use of suitable means that God will

accomplish their conversion. See what means the Apostles used, in the first ages of the Church. Such are

we also to use in the present day. If this be doubted, let any man tell us, Where has God dispensed with

them? My text, even if there were no other passage to the same effect, sufficiently shews, that he has not

dispensed with means, but requires them to be used by us in an humble dependence upon him. Let the

directions of the text then be followed by us. Let us endeavour to shew them, that God has now made a

way for their return to him. Let us labour by all possible means to remove from them the stumbling-blocks

that lie in their way, and by courtesy and love to smooth their way before them. Let us encourage them to

the utmost of our power, by pointing out to them the Messiah, of whom their law and their prophets have

so fully testified; and by setting before thorn the great and precious promises which God has given them

of acceptance through him. I say, let us strive in earnest to convey to them the blessings, which, through

the labours of their forefathers, we ourselves have received. “Freely we have received; let us freely give;”

and, if but a single soul be given us as the fruit of our labours, let us remember, that that one soul is of

more value than the whole world.]

11 The LORD has made proclamationto the ends of the earth:

“Say to Daughter Zion,‘See, your Savior comes!

See, his reward is with him,and his recompense accompanies him.’”

1.BARNES, “Behold the Lord hath proclaimed - Proclamation is made to all nationsthat Yahweh is about to come and rescue his people.

Say ye to the daughter of Zion - To Jerusalem (see the notes at Isa_1:8).Thy salvation cometh - Lowth renders this, ‘Lo!, thy Saviour cometh.’ So the Vulgate, the

Septuagint, the Chaldee, and the Syriac. The Hebrew word properly means salvation, but thereference is to God as the Deliverer or Saviour. The immediate allusion is probably to the returnfrom Babylon, but the remote and more important reference is to the coming of the Redeemer(see the notes at Isa_40:1-10).

Behold, his reward is with him - See these words explained in the notes at Isa_40:10.

2. CLARKE, “Unto the end of the world - הארץקצהאל el ketseh haarets - Instead of אל el,to, עד ad, Unto, is the reading of two of Kennicott’s MSS.; and one of mine has מקצה mikketseh,“From the end of the earth.”

Behold, thy salvation cometh “Lo, thy Savior cometh” - So all the ancient Versionsrender the word ישעך yishech.

Behold, his reward - See note on Isa_40:10, Isa_40:11. This reward he carries as it were inhis hand. His work is before him - he perfectly knows what is to be done; and is perfectly able todo it. He will do what God should do, and what man cannot do; and men should be workers withhim. Let no man fear that the promise shall not be fulfilled on account of its difficulty, itsgreatness, the hinderances in the way, or the unworthiness of the person to whom it is made. Itis God’s work; he is able to do it, and as willing as he is able.

3. GILL, “Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world,.... This is notto be interpreted of the proclamation by Cyrus, giving liberty to the people of the Jews to returnto their own land, for that did not reach to the end of the world; but of the proclamation of theGospel, which, as when first published, the sound of it went into all the earth, and the words of itto the ends of the world, Rom_10:18. So it will be in the latter day, when it shall be preached toall nations, from one end of the world to the other, Rev_14:6,

Say ye to the daughter of Zion, behold, thy salvation cometh; or "thy Saviour" (l), or"thy Redeemer", as the Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Arabic versions; andwhich is to be understood not of his first coming, or of his incarnation, though that is sometimesforetold in much such language, Zec_9:9 and the same things are said of him with respect tothat, as follows: "behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him"; See Gill onIsa_40:10, but of his spiritual coming, of which notice is given to the church, the congregation ofZion, as the Targum renders it: who will come in a spiritual manner, and do a great work in theworld; destroy antichrist; convert Jews and Gentiles; take to himself his great power and reign;and give a reward to his servants the prophets, his saints, and them that fear his name, 2Th_2:8.The Targum is,

"behold, a reward to them that do his word is with him, and all their works are manifest beforehim.''

The word behold is three times used in this verse, to raise attention to what is said, and aspointing out something wonderful, and to express the certainty of it.

4. HENRY, “Notice shall be given of this salvation, Isa_62:11, Isa_62:12. It shall beproclaimed to the captives that they are set at liberty and may go if they please; it shall beproclaimed to their neighbours, to all about them, to the end of the world, that God has pleadedZion's just, injured, and despised cause. Let is be said to Zion, for her comfort, Behold, thysalvation comes (that is, thy Saviour, who brings salvation); he will bring such a work, such areward, in this salvation, as shall be admired by all, a reward of comfort and peace with him; buta work of humiliation and reformation before him, to prepare his people for that recompence oftheir sufferings; and then, with reference to each, it follows, they shall be called, The holypeople, and the redeemed of the Lord. The work before him, which shall be wrought in themand upon them, shall denominate them a holy people, cured of their inclination to idolatry andconsecrated to God only; and the reward with him, the deliverance wrought for them, shalldenominate them the redeemed of the Lord, so redeemed as none but God could redeem them,and redeemed to be his, their bonds loosed, that they might be his servants. Jerusalem shallthen be called, Sought out, a city not forsaken. She had been forsaken for many years; therewere neither traders nor worshippers that enquired the way to Jerusalem as formerly, when itwas frequented by both. But now God will again make her considerable. She shall be sought out,visited, resorted to, and court made to her, as much as ever. When Jerusalem is called a holycity, then it is called sought out; for holiness puts an honour and beauty upon any place orperson, which draws respect, and makes them to be admired, beloved, and enquired after. Butthis being proclaimed to the end of the world must have a reference to the gospel of Christ,which was to be preached to every creature; and it intimates, (1.) The glory of Christ. It ispublished immediately to the church, but is thence echoed to every nation: Behold, thysalvation cometh. Christ is not only the Saviour, but the salvation itself; for the happiness ofbelievers is not only from him, but in him, Isa_12:2. His salvation consists both in the work andin the reward which he brings with him; for those that are his shall neither be idle nor lose theirlabour. (2.) The beauty of the church. Christians shall be called saints (1Co_1:2), the holypeople, for they are chosen and called to salvation through sanctification. They shall be calledthe redeemed of the Lord; to him they owe their liberty, and therefore to him they owe theirservice, and they shall not be ashamed to own both. None are to be called the redeemed of theLord but those that are the holy people; the people of God's purchase are a holy nation. Andthey shall be called, Sought out. God shall seek them out, and find them, wherever they aredispersed, eclipsed, or lost in a crowd; men shall seek them out, that they may join themselves to

them, and not forsake them. It is good to associate with the holy people, that we may learn theirways, and with the redeemed of the Lord, that we may share in the blessings of the redemption.

5. JAMISON, “salvation — embodied in the Saviour (see Zec_9:9).his work — rather, recompense (Isa_40:10).

6. SBC, “One of the deadliest thoughts which can infect a human spirit is this—I am of no use,no worth, to earth or to heaven. And yet it is a natural thought, the natural utterance of ourselfish, sensual lives. Who has not groaned out the confession of Asaph: "I was as a beast beforeThee"? Man is profoundly conscious at once of sinfulness and impotence. The worst sin againstheaven is despair. The idea the Lord hath need of thee is a very fundamental principle of theGospel, the good news from God to man.

I. Is there not something radically false in this connection of need or want with the Divinename? The writers of the Scripture see this difficulty plainly. They are full of sublime statementsof the awfulness of the Divine supremacy. God absolute and infinite; the creature dependent andlimited. But, on the other hand, they present and reiterate ideas as to the relation of the creatureto the Creator, as to God’s need of man in a very solemn sense, and man’s need of God in everysense, which we are unable to square with any definition of the Divine attributes in which theintellect can find no flaw.

II. It is through Christ and Christ alone that we attain to the knowledge of the name and themind of God. His love is essentially redeeming. It is a love which seeks and seeks to save. Andthis love which redeems has a great sorrow and want in the heart of it. It misses somethingwhich is infinitely dear to it, and it prepares to endure infinite toils and pains to recover that andto bring it home. The whole expression of the Incarnate One is a seeking, a longing, a loving.

III. It is impossible that God can seek us with more intense earnestness of purpose, or in moreeffectual modes, than those which are embodied in the mission of Christ to recover us toHimself. We may say reverently that the Father hath exhausted all the riches of His love in thegift of Christ to the world.

J. Baldwin Brown, The Sunday Afternoon, p. 62.

References: Isa_62:12.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. ix., No. 525; Ibid., Evening by Evening, p.71.

7. CALVIN, “11.Behold, Jehovah hath, proclaimed. He means that the Lord, by acting miraculously

and beyond the judgment or expectation of the flesh, will cause all the nations to know that this is done by

his command. It might be objected, How shall it be brought about that the peoples, who now make fierce

resistance to God, shall become obedient to him? He assigns the reason, “ the Lord will proclaim your

return, so that they shall acknowledge that at his command you are restored.”

Say ye to the daughter of Zion. Undoubtedly this refers literally to the ministers of the word and to the

prophets, whom the Lord invests with this office of promising deliverance and salvation to the Church.

And hence we conclude that these promises are not merely limited to a single age, but must be extended

to the end of the world; for, beginning at the return from Babylon into Judea, we must advance as far as

the coming of Christ, by which this prophecy was at length accomplished, and redemption was brought to

a conclusion; for the Savior came, when the grace of God was proclaimed by the Gospel. In a word, he

foretells that the voice of God shall one day resound from the rising to the setting of the sun, and shall be

heard, not by a single nation only, but by all nations.

Behold, the Savior cometh. This is a word which, we know, belongs peculiarly to the Gospel; and

therefore he bids the teachers of the Church encourage the hearts of believers, by confirmed expectation

of the coming of the Lord, though he appeared to be at a great distance from his people. But this promise

relates chiefly to the reign of Christ, by which these things were fully and perfectly accomplished; for he

actually exhibited himself as the “” of his Church, as we have seen before in the fortieth chapter.

Behold, his reward is with him, and the effect of his work is before him. That they may no longer be

distressed by any doubt, when God the Savior shall appear, he invests him with power, as in Isa_40:10;

for he repeats the same words which we found in that passage. As if he had said, “ soon as it shall please

God to display his hand, the effect will be rapid and sudden; for so long as he stops or delays, the

judgment of the flesh pronounces him to be idle;” and we see how very many fanatics imagine some deity

that has no existence, as if they were painting a dead image. Justly, therefore, does the Prophet declare

that God’ “ and reward are before him,” that he may make it evident, whenever it shall be necessary, that

he is the righteous Judge of the world.

12 They will be called the Holy People,the Redeemed of the LORD;

and you will be called Sought After,the City No Longer Deserted.

1.BARNES, “And they shall call them - It shall be the honorable and just name by whichthey shall be known, that they are a holy people, and that they are the redeemed of Yahweh. Noname is so honorable as that; no one conveys so much that is elevated and ennobling as to say ofone, ‘he is one whom Yahweh has redeemed from sin and death and hell by atoning blood.’ Hewho has a just sense of the import of this name, will desire no Other record to be made of his life- no other inscription on his tomb - than that he is one who has been redeemed by Yahweh.

And thou shalt be called - (See the notes at Isa_62:2).Sought out - The city much sought after, or much desired - to wit, by converts who shall

come from afar; by foreigners who shall come to do thee honor (see Isa_2:3; Isa_40:5-6,Isa_40:10-11; Isa_49:18-22). Or it may mean that Jerusalem would be a city sought out anddesired by Yahweh; that is, no more forsaken by him. So Gesenius understands it.

A city not forsaken - No longer given up to the invasions of a foreign enemy, andabandoned to long desolation. The idea is, that the church and people of God would be theobject of his kind protecting care henceforward, and would enjoy his continued smiles.

2. CLARKE, “They shall call them - These characteristics seem to be put in their invertedorder. -

1. God will not forsake them.2. They shall be sought out.3. They shall be redeemed. And,4. Be in consequence a holy people.

1. When God calls, it is a proof that he has not forsaken.2. When he seeks, it is a proof he is waiting to be gracious.3. When the atonement is exhibited, all things are then ready.4. And when that is received, holiness of heart and life is then to be kept continually in

view, as this is the genuine work of God’s Spirit; and without holiness none shall see theLord.

3. GILL, “And they shall call them the holy people,.... For whom the way is prepared, towhom the standard is lifted up, and the proclamation made, and who upon it are gathered in toChrist the Saviour, and to the church: these shall be called, by men that know them, have a spiritof discerning, and are capable of judging, "the holy people"; a people separated and set apart forGod, for his service and glory; chosen to be a special people, above all the people of the earth;chosen through sanctification of the Spirit, and to holiness here and hereafter, and so sanctifiedby God the Father, as in Jud_1:1, and in consequence of it are made holy by the Spirit of God, inthe effectual calling; they are not holy by nature, nor by their own power, but by the grace ofGod, who calls them with a holy calling, and to holiness, and implants principles of grace andholiness in them, so that they are truly and really so. This character respects the church and itsmembers in the latter day, when everyone that remains in Jerusalem, and every pot and vesselthere, shall be holiness to the Lord; yea, that shall be upon the bells of the horses, Isa_4:3,

the redeemed of the Lord; which character includes the blessing of redemption, fromwhence the denomination is, which is a blessing of a spiritual nature; the redemption of the soulfrom sin, Satan, the law, its curse, and condemnation, and from all enemies; a blessing early inthe heart of God; contrived by his infinite wisdom; secured in the covenant of grace; wrought outby Christ; is a plenteous one, containing various blessings of grace in it, and, in its effects andconsequences, of an eternal duration: this character is also expressive of Christ, as the author ofthe above blessing: these are not redeemed by themselves, nor by their friends, nor by men, norby angels, but by the Lord; who, as man, is the near kinsman of his people, and has the right to

redeem; as God, he is mighty and able to redeem them; and who by his precious blood hasobtained redemption for them; so that he has a property in them, which is asserted in thischaracter; they are not their own, nor any other's but his, a peculiar people, redeemed fromamong men, the special favourites of heaven; and who, in consequence of it, are called, and kept,and saved with an everlasting salvation:

and thou shalt be called, Sought out; thou, daughter of Zion; or the church of God,consisting of elect, redeemed, and called ones; such as are sought out of the ruins of the fall,among the men of the world, and dust of the earth; found in a very miserable condition, usuallyby means of the Gospel, and by Christ, who knows them well, where are, and what the time offinding them, and can by name, and does; all which is the fruit and effect of his love unto them;though this character may chiefly respect the notice that will be taken of the church in the latterday; whereas she has been Zion, whom no man seeks after, Jer_30:17, now she shall be soughtand flocked unto by all nations, and by great personages, even by the kings and princes of theearth, Isa_2:2.

A city not forsaken; the city of the living God, of which saints are fellow citizens, consisting ofmany persons, in good and flourishing circumstances, and which shall not be forsaken of men,as it has been, Isa_60:15, but shall be filled with converts, both Jews and Gentiles; nor forsakenof God, but shall enjoy his gracious presence, and sensible communion with him in hisordinances; nor shall any of its true members be forsaken, or the work of grace in them; theyshall none of them perish, but have everlasting life; so that here is a cluster of glorious doctrines,in their order and connection one with another: election in the first character; redemption in thesecond; effectual calling in the third; and final perseverance in the last.

4. WESLEY, “Zion - To Jerusalem, or the church. Thy salvation - Thy saviour. Reward - The reward

due to the work.

5. JAMISON, “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).

6. WHEDON, “Time is near when the Church, so extended and flourishing, shall be called by itsgenerally accepted name.

The holy people —

the redeemed of the Lord — Yea, more. Reverting back to the mother-symbol thereof,namely,Jerusalem, thou shalt be called, Sought out — Derushah.

A city not forsaken — Ir-lo-neezebah. So Alexander translates; and the meaning is, Thou art the all-desired place; thou art no more in peril of invasion from old enemies, as was ancient Jerusalem.Henceforth thou art the Protected-of-Jehovah; and, blessed with his smiles, thou shalt be never forsaken

7. CALVIN, “12.And they shall call you a holy people. He describes the benefit of the coming of the

Lord; that is, because, by shewing that he takes care of his elect as his heritage, he will make it evident to

the whole world that the covenant of adoption, which he made with Abraham, was not deceptive. He

therefore calls them “ holy people,” because the Lord hath separated and consecrated them to himself;

for, although he governs all nations, he has deigned to choose the seed of Abraham, that he might make

them the object of his peculiar care. (Exo_19:6.)

The redeemed of Jehovah. In the sense now stated, God declares that they shall be a holy people, when

he shall appear as their Savior and Redeemer; for, as the people are said to be “” when they lie amidst

filth, being afflicted and distressed by the reproaches of the wicked, so they are said to be “” when the

Lord actually shews that he presides over their salvation. This was accomplished by a wonderful

redemption; and at that time God also testified that he remembered his heritage, which, in the eyes of

men, he appeared to have forsaken and disregarded; for in these words, Sought out, (172) not forsaken, is

denoted a contrast between the time when God made a divorce from his people, and the time when he

again reconciled to himself those whom he had cast off.

(172) “ word ,דרושה (derushah,) the name that shall be given to Jerusalem, is rendered by some sought

after, that is, a city to which, as being very highly celebrated and visited by crowds of strangers, all shall

resort and shall desire to be enrolled among her citizens. Others render it cared for, that is, by Jehovah,

who appeared to have abandoned and given her up to forgetfulness, as her citizens complained.

(Isa_49:14.) Both agree with what is here added, ‘ city not forsaken.’ (See Jer_30:14.)” —Rosenmuller.

8. PULPIT COMMENTARY, “Names are not spoken of in the Scriptures as unimportant, but as of a very

high importance.

I. A SPECIAL VALUE IS SET ON THE NAMES OF GOD. The names of God are significant, and set forth

his nature. "El" is "the Great;" "Shaddai," "the Strong;" "Jehovah," "the Alone-existent." God selected this

last name as that by which he would be especially known to the Jews (Exo_3:14), and it became a sort of

proper name with them and their neighbours. It was this name which was not to be taken in vain

(Exo_20:7). It came to be regarded as so holy that the Jews would not venture to pronounce it, but

substituted the word "Adonai," or "Lord," whenever they read the Scriptures aloud. God himself is, in fact,

in all his names; and nearly the same reverence is due to them which is due to him. Christians are

baptized into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost (Mat_28:19). The Name of the God of

Jacob defends them (Psa_25:1). The Father keeps them through his Name (Joh_17:11). They give

thanks to his Name (Heb_13:15), fear and glorify his Name (Rev_15:4), confess and sing praise unto it

(Rom_15:9). Christ's Name, through faith in his Name, makes them strong, yea, gives them perfect

soundness in the presence of all (Act_3:16).

II. A CERTAIN VALUE IS SET ON MEN'S NAMES. God assigns men names

(Isa_7:14; Isa_8:3; Hos_1:4, Hos_1:6, Hos_1:9; Mat_1:21; Luk_1:13, etc.); alters or modifies their names

(Gen_17:5,Gen_17:15; Gen_32:28; 2Sa_12:25, etc.); explains the mystical meaning of their names

(Mat_16:18); gives them wholly new names (Rev_3:12). The sacred writers also sometimes alter men's

names in contempt, or as a punishment. Thus Esh-Baal, "man of Paul," becomes Ish-Bosheth, "man of

shame;" Merib-Baal becomes Mephi-Bosheth, and the like. The true name of Hezekiah's father seems to

have been Jehoahaz, "possession of Jehovah"; but the sacred writers, offended with him on account of

his idolatries, would only call him Ahaz, "possession." Conquering kings sometimes required names of

subject kings to be changed, apparently as a mark of submission and subserviency. Thus the name of

Eliakim was turned to Jehoiakim by Pharaoh-Necho (2Ki_23:34), and the name of Mattaniah to Zedekiah

by Nebuchadnezzar (2Ki_24:17). Altogether, human names are recognized as having an importance

which profane writers are rarely found to attach to them.

III. A CERTAIN VALUE IS SET ALSO ON THE NAMES OF PLACES. Importance is attached to the

significance of place-names, and a meaning is found for them not always in accordance with their real

etymologies. Babel (Babylon)was no doubt intended by the Babylonians to mean "the gate of God;" but

the sacred writers saw in the name a derivation from balal, "to confound" (Gen_11:9). When places

ceased to correspond to their names, the sacred writers freely altered the names, to suit the

circumstances. Thus the Bethel of the patriarchs becomes the Beth-avert of Hosea

(Hos_4:15; Hos_5:8;Hos_10:5), Jeroboam's idolatries having turned "the house of God" into "the house of

nothingness.'' In the present chapter Jerusalem is supposed to have become "Azubah" on her destruction

by the Babylonians, and to be about to be called "Hephzi-bah" on her restoration by the returned exiles.

Another name given to her by Isaiah is "Ariel" (Isa_29:1). Each name expresses some phase in her

history or feature of her character.

Footnotes:

a. Isaiah 62:4 Hephzibah means my delight is in her.b. Isaiah 62:4 Beulah means married.

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