Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
The verse declares that God Himself will arise to show mercy and favor to Zion, His people, because the appointed, set time for her favor has come. At Christ's first coming, that appointed time had arrived for God to show favor to His people and to act for their deliverance. In that setting the pious Jews were in distress under corrupt religious leadership and under Roman rule, yet they trusted that God would not leave them in their distress as a reproach to the nations and looked for the Messiah to come. They expected the Messiah's coming to reveal God's will and to free their faith from human traditions and needless ceremonies.
In its later application, the set time to favor Zion is about to arrive and will soon come. That approaching favor points to a mighty revival of God's church. It means God will vindicate His people and will not leave them to shame, having already provided the men and means needed to accomplish His work, which will move forward exactly as He has ordained.
The verse declares that God Himself will arise to show mercy and favor to Zion, His people, because the appointed, set time for her favor has come. At Christ's first coming, that appointed time had arrived for God to show favor to His people and to act for their deliverance. In that setting the pious Jews were in distress under corrupt religious leadership and under Roman rule, yet they trusted that God would not leave them in their distress as a reproach to the nations and looked for the Messiah to come. They expected the Messiah's coming to reveal God's will and to free their faith from human traditions and needless ceremonies.
In its later application, the set time to favor Zion is about to arrive and will soon come. That approaching favor points to a mighty revival of God's church. It means God will vindicate His people and will not leave them to shame, having already provided the men and means needed to accomplish His work, which will move forward exactly as He has ordained.