Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Isaiah 62: New Names

Names are a big deal in the Bible.  Name changes usually accompany a major event in a person's life, such as Abram becoming Abraham or Simon being called Peter.  Isaiah reveals that new names are coming for the land of Israel itself to reveal the Lord's blessing upon the nation.

The prophet knows that tough times are coming for Israel.  He has lived through the oppression of the Assyrians and foresees the coming Babylonian captivity.  But even beyond that, he knows that God's restoration and deliverance (through the person of Cyrus) is coming.  Isaiah understands that Israel will go through a time of desolation and abandonment by God, but that that won't be the end of her story.  The nation's bad names will be replaced by good ones.  He writes this encouragement to his people: "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" (vs. 4).
Imagine being called "forsaken" and "desolate."  This was to be Israel's lot under the Babylonians.  Yet it wasn't God's ultimate plan for His people.  Instead of being forsaken, God promises that they would one day be called "My Delight Is in Her."  Rather than being known as desolate, the land would be regarded as "Married."  This is the hope and good promise of the restoration that Isaiah sees waiting for Israel in her future.

Isaiah concludes this chapter with even more such re-namings.  He writes, "The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, 'See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.' They shall be called, 'The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord'; and you shall be called, 'Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken'" (vs. 11-12).

These new names give a clue as to the redemption that shall be worked on the nation's behalf.  The people shall be known as holy, redeemed, sought out, and not forsaken.  In the times of Israel's hardship that they will endure at the hands of the Babylonians, the prophet knew that these promises would help God's people make it through.

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