“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.”
Yesterday morning I asked Him to show me a glimpse of the cross and what He went through. I felt as if I was missing something vitally important. I wanted to see His heart in it, what was going through His head at that specific moment. How He must have felt when Jesus, His Son, was bleeding, suffocating, and dying on those two pieces of wood while all the world looked upon Him with disgust. I desired to know how this event should impact me, my relationships here on earth, and my relationship with Him.
Then…He gave me Isaiah 62:1-5
I definitely was not expecting this.
Please bear with me as I would like to break this down a little. These verses are truly breathtaking. Let’s take a look at what they mean for us today.
“For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not be quiet,
1a. “For Zion’s…Jerusalem’s sake”
This is for the sake of God’s Holy City, the redeemed people of God. There are several scripture references where we, the church, are called His “Bride” (Eph 5:25-27, Rev 21:2). He must speak up, He cannot be kept silent!
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
and her salvation as a burning torch.
1b. “until her righteousness goes forth as brightness”
Not until our righteousness, shines forth. Our salvation is proclaimed into the darkest of places. This is the righteousness that God has enrobed us with. The Good News of Salvation and the Righteousness of Christ are what make us beautiful. We are cleansed by His blood.
The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
2a. “The nations shall see”
Everyone will see the glory of God through the beauty of His Bride, the Church. Even the highest of degrees and power, the kings, will notice and be captured and mystified with awe and amazement of this sight. It will stretch to the ends of the earth. How do you think He does this? Though you and me! By the work of the Holy Spirit through us. What does this look like while we go about reaching out to others, the nations? (Hint: Gal. 5:22-23)
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give.
2b. “you…called by a new name”
What does it mean to have a new name? I think He is referring to the bride once again. When she marries her husband she takes on a new name. Just like this, we take on a new name. We are no longer part of our old family, our old ways of life. No longer married to the world. As a matter of fact, Psalm 45:10 calls us, his bride, to forget and forsake our old way of life. And all of this comes straight from the mouth of GOD! What higher authority could there be to proclaim such a decree?
You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
3. “crown of beauty…royal diadem”
We are considered precious gems, royal jewels. We are decadently arrayed like the rarest and most intrinsically stunning things this world has to offer. I don’t know about you, but for a guy this is hard to grasp. What is he saying to me? The whole bride metaphor can be a little complicated for guys to understand. But what He is saying is that we are loved and cared for and adorned just like his bride. This is a great mystery. What are these jewels that he is crowning us with? They represent a badge of royalty, regal power. Again this points back to a righteousness that is not of our own. Isaiah 61:10 points to this.
You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married;
for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married.
4a. “Forsaken…My Delight Is in Her”
Oh my! Now this is one powerful and clear picture of what we came from and where He has brought us. This to me, has got to be one of the most amazing parts of what He has done, and what He continues to do day by day. No longer do I go by the name “Forsaken”. No longer am I forgotten, pushed aside, considered the world’s trash. No longer are we the beat-up, burnt-out, bent and bruised. Wobbly and weak-kneed by carrying the burdens of being chained as a slave to this world. No…we have a new name! A new royal title–“My Delight Is in Her”!! We are cherished and delighted in.
4b. “Desolate…Married”
No longer are we considered barren, fruitless. We are not just a heap waiting to be thrown away, or burned up. But we are Married and we have hope. We have abundant fruit and are given everything. The blessings are the Lord are Great!
For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you.”
5. “bridegroom rejoices…God rejoice over you”
Our God rejoices and sings and delights over us as would a young groom rejoices over his young bride. How reassuring and calming it is to know that He delights and rejoices over us.
All of this is made possible because of the cross of Christ. Salvation is so much more than just escaping Hell!!!
THIS is GRACE!!
We have a new name…don’t forget who’s name we have 🙂
