Isaiah 62:4, commentary and pictures

The promise declares that Zion and her land will no longer be called abandoned and desolate, but will receive new names that mark the change to favor and close belonging, Hephzi-bah meaning the Lord delights in His people and Beulah meaning married and joined to Him in cherishing and restoration. That marriage speaks of a tender and sacred union between Christ and His people, over whom God rejoices as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, pointing forward to bringing His bride home to the Father's house to sit together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. He will not rest until her righteousness shines as brightness and her salvation as a burning lamp before the Gentiles and kings, when she is a crown of glory in His hand, fulfilled at the second coming when the Messiah's peaceful kingdom is established, evil's rule is broken, and her waste and desert places are renewed like Eden and the garden of the Lord. The promise belongs in a time of general departure from truth to those who build the old wastes and raise the foundations as repairers of the breach and restorers of paths, who hold fast their confidence, keep God's law in the heart, turn from their own pleasure to call the Sabbath a delight, and put away complaining and wrongdoing in reformation and repentance. Through their righteousness and salvation His name is exalted among the nations, giving abundant reason to speak with faith, hope, and courage and to bring praise and thanksgiving so His work goes forward with power.

Promise's Words and Meaning

Zion and her land will no longer be termed as forsaken and desolate, but will receive new names that declare the end of abandonment and the beginning of the Lord's favor and close relationship. The change is from being counted as cast off to being cherished by God and joined to Him in a marriage-like bond, with restoration and hope promised to Zion and Jerusalem. These words give abundant reason to praise God and to speak with faith, hope, courage and assurance.

The name Hephzi-bah means My Delight, signifying that the Lord delights in His people and no longer reckons them as forsaken. It marks the comfort of Zion and the ending of her forsaken state, when she is called My Delight because the Lord delights in her. That delight belongs to the joyful restoration of God's people in their future glory.

The name Beulah means married, signifying that the land is joined to its people and to God as in marriage. So joined, the land and people are cherished, restored, and owned as belonging to Him rather than known as abandoned and desolate. The restored standing is expressed in new names, Hephzibah and Beulah, declaring His delight in His people and the marriage union of the land to them.

That marriage language describes a tender and sacred union between Christ and His people. God rejoices over them as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, cherishing and rejoicing over the restored people and land as a bride by her bridegroom. In that union she is honored as a crown of glory in God's hand, because the Lord delights in her and is joined to her as bridegroom to bride.

Vindication and Future Glory

The promise is vindication, for God will not rest until Zion's righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a burning lamp. Then the Gentiles shall see her righteousness and all kings her glory. She shall be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name, and she shall be a crown of glory and a royal diadem in the hand of God. No more shall she be termed Forsaken and no more shall her land be termed Desolate, but she shall be called Hephzibah and her land Beulah, for the Lord delights in her and her land shall be married to Him.

That married union is the honor of restoration, when the Lord is joined to His people as a bridegroom to his bride. It will be fulfilled at the second coming, when the peaceful and long-desired kingdom of the Messiah is established under the whole heaven. Then the long rule of evil is broken in the restitution of all things, and Zion is comforted. Her waste places and her wilderness and desert are renewed like Eden and like the garden of the Lord with rich glory and beauty. To her is given the glory of Lebanon and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, and God rejoices over her with the joy of a bridegroom over a bride.

Its gladness points forward to the day when Christ brings home His bride to the Father's house, when the redeemed and the Redeemer sit down together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. The same promise foretold Israel's restoration from degradation and desolation when the King comes in His beauty to reign in righteousness. Then Israel stands as a holy nation delivered from her foes, no longer termed Forsaken and no longer Desolate, but called My Delight with her land Beulah because the Lord delights in her. John the Baptist studied this promise day and night in the wilderness, and it filled his lonely exile with glorious vision of that establishment. Seeing the majesty of holiness made him forget self and feel unworthy, and bowed low before the King of kings he stood ready to go forth fearless as Heaven's messenger.

Receiving People and Response

The promise shows God's purpose to exalt His name among the nations through the righteousness and salvation of His people, as the work Christ will do through those who follow His example and hold fast the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end.

It belongs in a time of general departure from truth and righteousness, when God will vindicate Zion and will not rest until her righteousness goes forth as brightness and her salvation as a burning lamp, until the Gentiles see her righteousness and kings her glory, and she is called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord names and is a crown of glory and a royal diadem in His hand. Then she shall no more be termed Forsaken and her land no more be termed Desolate, but she shall be called Hephzibah and her land Beulah, for the Lord delights in her and her land shall be married to Him. This is the portion of those who build the old waste places and raise up the foundations of many generations as repairers of the breach and restorers of paths to dwell in, holding the banner of truth firmly and proclaiming the law of God connected with the faith of Jesus in the aggressive work of the first, second, and third angels to the very close of earth's history.

Those who receive it turn from their own pleasure on the Sabbath and call the Sabbath a delight, having righteousness and God's law in their heart as His people, with their restored standing joined to Zion's righteousness and salvation becoming visible and her glory being recognized. The chapter speaks decisively to God's people when they heed its words, stop complaining and abandon evil, and accept reformation and repentance and put away wrongdoing rather than continue in it. Then the Lord manifests His power in the conviction and conversion of souls and works mightily for them by His Spirit.

This deliverance and renewal give abundant reason to praise God and to speak with faith, hope, courage, and assurance. They call for praise and thanksgiving and offerings of gratitude, brought to the Lord as in the joining of bridegroom and bride, so His work may go forward with power.