Isaiah 62

CHAPTER 62THEME: The ambition of the Messiah for Israel; the anticipation of the Millennium; announcement for that future dayThe yearning of the Messiah for these anticipated joys is before us in this chapter, and there ought to be a yearning in the hearts of believers for these joys. There is a danger today of believers looking for the coming of Christ to take us out of the world so we can get away from our problems; we use it as an escape mechanism. People get into real difficulty, and then they want the Lord to come and get them out of it. When I was attending seminary, one of my fellow students was a Canadian. He was a great fellow, but he did not have much of a sense of humor, and other students, myself included, enjoyed kidding him. On certain nights after dinner he would go outside, look up into the sky, and say, “Oh, if only the Lord would come!” He would say this on the nights just before he had Hebrew class the following day.

Hebrew was a difficult class, and when he said he wished the Lord would come, what he was really saying was that he wished the Lord would come because he didn’t want to study Hebrew. However, at graduation time, he received his degree on one day and the next day he was married to a beautiful girl who had come down from Canada. The night before graduation this fellow went outside, looked up into the sky, and said, “I hope the Lord doesn’t come for a few more days.” Yes, that is the way it is with many of us. When things are bad, we want the Lord to come right away because we are on a hot seat and we want to get off it.

Isaiah 62:1

THE AMBITION OF THE MESSIAH FOR ISRAELThe reason Jerusalem can’t have peace today is because her Messiah is not there. He is seated at God’s right hand longing to rule that city in righteousness. You can call it the holy city if you want to, but it is anything but holy as it is now. However, it will be holy some day and the zeal of Jehovah of Hosts will perform it. Man won’t make the Kingdom, and the United Nations won’t do itthat is obvious now. I don’t think that anyone can bring peace into the world but this One.

Only the zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish it. The heart of the prophet Isaiah, as well as the heart of every godly soul on earth, enters into this longing. All of creation and all believers are groaning in their present state as they contemplate the future. Christian pilgrim, are you weary of the earthly journey, and do you desire the fellowship of the Father’s house? That is a question each believer should consider.

Isaiah 62:2

A new heart, a new situation, a new earth, and a new righteousness demand a new name. I don’t know what the new Vernon McGee will be like, but I’ll be glad that the old Vernon McGee is gone. We will be new, and we are to be in the New Jerusalem. What a wonderful picture is given here of the future. Redemption involves not only the church, but the nation Israel and this earth. Now we are all groaning and travailing, waiting for that grand day of deliverance.

Isaiah 62:3

Israel is also going to have a new position.

Isaiah 62:4

I have heard people sing that song about “Beulah land, sweet Beulah land,” and I knew they did not have the foggiest notion what “Beulah land” meant or where it was. Let’s see what this verse is talking about. Israel has been “Forsaken"this is the picture and name of Israel since the crucifixion of Christ. When you look at that land today, the word that comes to your mind is forsakendesolate. That is the description of the land right now, but in the coming Kingdom Israel shall be called Hephzibah, which means “delightful.” It is going to be a delightful spot. I have made the statement before that I don’t like Jerusalem as it is today, but it will be delightful in that future day. “And thy land Beulah"Beulah means “married.” In other words, the King is present to protect it, and His presence means joy.

Isaiah 62:5

God will delight over Israel as a bridegroom delights over a bride.

Isaiah 62:6

THE ANTICIPATION OF THE MILLENNIUMThis longing is contagious. The thirsty soul longs to drink. Every right-thinking person can pray for the peace of Jerusalem and long for that day when there will be peace.

Isaiah 62:7

God says that He “…will overturn, overturn, overturn …until he comes whose right it is …” to rule (Eze_21:27).

Isaiah 62:11

ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THAT FUTURE DAYNow let’s drop down to the announcement of the Lord for that future day This announcement is pertinent for the present hour, as this verse indicates. The salvation of Israel is part of God’s overall plan of salvation. We ought to present the gospel to every Israelite. The Messiah is their Savior today. And the second coming of Christ means the second coming of Christ to establish His Kingdom on earth for these people.

Isaiah 62:12

Israel cannot be called a holy people today. They are not redeemed today. Jerusalem is a forsaken city right now, but the day will come when things will be different. The experience of God’s salvation will work a transformation in the nation Israel and also in the physical earth. The people will be called an holy people, and the land will be greatly desired. The contrary is true today. What a glorious future we have!