Bible Commentaries
Isaiah 61

Verses 1-8

XXV

THE BOOK OF ISAIAH PART 17

Isaiah 61:1-63:8

The threefold theme of this section (Isa. 61:1-63:6) is the mission of the Servant of Jehovah, a new picture of Zion’s glory, and the judgments of the Servant upon his enemies. The speaker in Isaiah 61:1-3 is the Messiah and the positive proof of it is the testimony of our Lord himself:

And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and he entered, as his custom was, into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Isaiah. And he opened the book, and found the place where it was written.

The spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor: He hath sent me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.

And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down: and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, Today hath this scripture been fulfilled in your ears: – Luke 4:16-21.

This short paragraph sets forth, in general, the preparation of the Messiah for his special mission. There are several items of information in this passage. We are told here that the Messiah had a special anointing for his work. This took place at his baptism when the Holy Spirit came upon him and abode with him ever afterward without measure. There follows in this passage the several offices that the Messiah filled. In the Old Testament we have the special anointing of prophets, priests, and kings for their respective offices. This anointing was performed by the use of the holy anointing oil for which we have the specific recipe in Exodus 30:22-23. All these offices of the Old Testament prophet, priest, and king were combined in the one person of the Messiah. He was prophet, priest, and king, and in Jesus Christ we have all these functions performed.

In this commission of our Lord here we have these functions distinctly indicated. His prophetic office is signified in the special commission to preach the good tidings unto the meek; his priestly work is indicated in his commission to bind up the brokenhearted; and his kingly office, in his commission to set free the captives. Then he was to proclaim the Jubilee year in which all captives were set free and all oppression of debt was removed, and there was a time of general rejoicing. All this has a distinct fulfilment in the gospel dispensation through Christ and his heralds. The picture here is one of joy and gladness, just such as comes to a people who have been freed from the bonds of slavery, of which the greatest is the slavery of sin. This is the mission of the Messiah and amply fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ.

The results of such a ministry are pictured in Isaiah 61:4-9. In the preceding paragraph the recipients of the blessings of the Messiah are called "trees of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah." In this passage the prophet takes as his starting point the captivity, then pictures in glowing terms their return and rebuilding of the waste places, and then sweeps out into the future where he sees the Jews and the Gentiles in the kingdom together and the Jews holding a prominent place in the great plan of God for the salvation of the world. At that time instead of their shame they shall have double honor and instead of their dishonor they shall have rejoicing. One of the results of his work is the establishing of justice and the meting out of rewards in truth, and he makes an everlasting covenant with them.

Then in Isaiah 61:9 we have a striking prophecy. Here we are told that the seed of the’ Jews shall be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples; that they should be acknowledged by all who see them, as "seed whom Jehovah hath blessed." This marvelous prophecy is being fulfilled in every nation of the world where the Jew has migrated. No man fails to recognize the shrewd Jew in the affairs of the governments and in the great commercial and financial interests of the marts of the world. He has figured largely at all the great courts of the earth ever since Joseph was prime minister at the court of Pharaoh and Daniel, at the court of Nebuchadnezzar. He is a success everywhere, so much so that the world points the finger at him and says, "There is the one whom Jehovah hath blessed."

The speaker in Isaiah 61:10-11 is Zion, responding to the gracious promises of the preceding parts of this section. This was a great time for rejoicing. The good tidings, their healing and their liberty brought by the Messiah now finds a hearty response in heartfelt joy and rejoicing.

The things here mentioned for which God’s people rejoice and are joyful in him are as follows: The first thing mentioned is the garment of salvation, or the robe of righteousness. This, of course, is the imputed righteousness of Christ, and Dressed in his righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before his throne, God’s people may go on rejoicing as a bridegroom or as a bride adorned for the marriage. There is here also the strong assurance of the final triumph of righteousness in all nations. The whole world is to become an Eden, reclaimed forever out of the hand of the unrighteous spoiler. In this year of Jubilee the earth will be restored to its proper heirs, the righteous seed. For all the preceding weary ages of wrong, compensation shall be made. All God’s saints, who have long been shame-stricken, shall then become "kings and priests unto God," and thus their joy shall be made full.

Some regard the speaker in Isaiah 62 as Jehovah; some, the prophet himself or the prophetic order, while others regard him as the Servant of Jehovah. The last supposition is by far the most logical and the best. The close connection with the preceding chapter is evident. In that chapter we have a soliloquy of the Servant and a response upon the part of Zion. Here the Servant takes up the soliloquy and goes on through this chapter.

The Servant in Isaiah 62:1-5 declared that he would not hold his peace any longer for the time had come for the publishing of Zion’s righteousness and salvation; that this should be evident to the nations; that she should have a new name and should be a crown of beauty and a royal diadem in the hand of God; that her new name should be expressive of her new relation, i.e., "not forsaken," but Hephzibah, "My delight is in her," and Beulah, which means "married"; that thenceforth Zion should be a delight and that God would rejoice over her. All this has its realization in the ministry of Christ and the Holy Spirit.

There has been a great controversy over the name, "Hephzibah." Our Campbellite brethren claim that the new name here given Zion is the name, Christian, which the disciples received at Antioch (Acts 11:26). They insist that the church should have that name and that to wear that name is essential to salvation. Just what that new name is, it is not easy to decide. Two names are given here "Hephzibah" and "Beulah." Why we should select the first rather than the second, is not evident. These names are expressive of a new condition and of a new relation, one meaning, "My delight is in her" and the other, "married." Then, it will be noted here that this new name shall be the "name, which the mouth of Jehovah shall name." But the name "Christian" was given the disciples by the heathen and in derision. Then the name Christian occurs but three times in the New Testament and in each case it is applied to the individual disciple and nowhere is it applied to the church. Another mystery about it all is that if the church of Jesus Christ should be called "The Christian Church," why was it so long receiving this name? Not until 1827 was the name suggested at all, and then several other names were tried before they hit upon this name. According to this passage in Isaiah, if we find this new name in the New Testament, we must expect to find it given by Christ himself or by some one of his inspired apostles. But we look in vain for such name in their ministry and writings.

It seems better to consider these names in the light of the historical background of Zion at this time and in the light of the specific meaning of the words here used. The two names, "Hephzibah" and "Beulah," have their corresponding application in the history of Israel, expressing a condition and a relation at the time the prophet wrote. "Azubah," forsaken, was the name of Jehoshaphat’s mother (2 Chronicles 20:31) and Hephzibah, "my delight is in her," was the name of Hezekiah’s wife (2 Kings 21:1). So here he says, "Thou shall no more be termed forsaken [Azubah]; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and the land Beulah; for Jehovah delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married." This explains that these names are expressive of Zion’s new condition and relation, which she was to maintain in the gospel dispensation under the new covenant. We find some New Testament expressions that correspond to these, indicating the relations under the new covenant, such as "the honorable name," by James and the "new name" of Revelation 2:17; Revelation 3:12, which will be given to individual saints in the heavenly kingdom.

Further interest in Zion is expressed by the Servant in Isaiah 62:6-9. The interest here is in the setting of the watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem, who are to watch Jerusalem with an everlasting vigilance. Some think that the watchmen here are the prophets and priests; others, that they are angels who keep perpetual watch and ward over Zion. That these watchmen here are angelic beings appears from their personal vigilance and that they are reminders to Jehovah of his oath and covenant to bless Zion. This corresponds to the watchers in Daniel 4:13; Daniel 4:17; Daniel 4:23 which are admitted, generally, to be angels. In the New Testament this idea of angel ministrations is emphatic. Our Lord refers to the angels that have charge of the "little ones" and angels ministered unto him on different occasions. Paul tells us that the angels are present and watching over the assemblies in the churches, and in Hebrews 1:14 he defines their work in particular, thus: "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to do service for the sake of them that shall inherit salvation?"

Their special mission has already been intimated in the preceding paragraph. But as this passage here sets forth, they are to be Jehovah’s remembrancers, reminding him of his covenant with them and his promises to them. They are not to let Jehovah rest until "He establish and make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." This thought of importunity is also expressed in Luke 11:5-13; Luke 18:1-8. Here is also set forth the oath of Jehovah respecting Zion, that the enemies of Zion shall no more triumph over her but that Zion shall enjoy the full blessing of her fruitage.

The proclamation of Isaiah 62:10-12 is a proclamation for all to go up to Jerusalem. A highway must be prepared, the stones must be gathered out and an ensign for the peoples be lifted up. The prophet here starts again with the Babylonian captivity, delineates the parts the several peoples perform in the return and restoration of the Holy City and its institutions. Then he announces the proclamation of Jehovah to the end of the earth that the salvation of the daughter of Zion cometh. Then stretching forward in his vision, he sees the Holy City called "Sought out, a city not forsaken." This was not fully realized after the return and so we keep our faces toward the future in anticipation of this glorious day when the Jews everywhere shall receive with joy in their hearts this proclamation to go up to their own land and to the Holy City, never again to be forsaken.

The prophet’s vision in Isaiah 63:1-6 is a vision of someone coming from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozrah. His apparel is glorious, and his step is characteristic of a conqueror. But who is this conqueror from Edom? He here announces himself to be one speaking in righteousness and mighty to save. This is fulfilled only in our Lord Jesus Christ. We see him here in the capacity of an avenger, coming in judgments.

There is no idea of expiation in this passage whatever. It is the idea of vengeance upon the enemies of Zion that stands out prominent here. He explains that he had trampled the peoples in his wrath and that alone. There was no one with him and his own arm brought salvation to him.

Edom here, as in other places in Isaiah, refers to the worst enemies of Zion. The day of vengeance is yet future. It is the day when our Lord shall vindicate his people against all their enemies, who shall feel the weight of his mighty hand.

The whole of this prophecy is future and the verbs here are claimed by some to be in the future tense, but the dramatic form of the narrative demands that the verbs be in the past. So often the prophet sees the events, yet future, as already accomplished. This emphasized the certainty of their fulfilment, just as the tense of the verbs in Romans 8:29-30 which present the work of our salvation as if it had already been accomplished.

We find the parallel of this passage in Revelation 19:1-21. There we have the man on the white horse going forth to battle and winning his victor over the nations, stained also with their blood. This great conflict is a precursor of the millennium.

QUESTIONS

1. What is the threefold theme of this section (Isaiah 61:1-63:6)?

2. Who is the speaker in Isaiah 61:1-3 and what the proof?

3. What are the things set forth in Isaiah 61:1-3 and what their fulfilment?

4. What are the results of such a ministry as pictured in Isaiah 61:4-9?

5. Who is the speaker in Isaiah 61:10-11?

6. What are the things here mentioned for which God’s people rejoice and are joyful in him?

7. Who is the speaker in Isaiah 62?

8. What interest expressed for Zion by the Servant in. Isaiah 62:1-5?

9. What is the controversy over the name, "Hephzibah," and what the new name given to Zion?

10. What further interest in Zion is expressed by the Servant in Isaiah 62:6-9?

11. What are these watchmen set by the Servant and what the corresponding New Testament teaching?

12. What is their special mission and what Jehovah’s oath here concerning Zion?

13. What is the proclamation of Isaiah 62:10-12 and what will be its fulfilment?

14. What is the prophet’s vision in Isaiah 63:1-6?

15. Who is this conqueror from Edom?

16. In what capacity do we here see him?

17. Is there any idea of expiation in this passage, and what his own explanation of his crimsoned garments?

18. What does Edom here represent and when the "day of vengeance" here spoken of?

19. What can you say of the tense of the verbs in Isaiah 63:3-6?

20. Where do we find the parallel of this passage in Revelation?