Isa 62:4

Isa 62:4  Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.  Isaiah 62 opens with this verse: “For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth” (v.1). Who was God talking to? By Zion and Jerusalem, the church is meant. We must remember that Isaiah prophesied in a time when Jerusalem was still a functioning city, but was spiritually corrupt. The prophecies speak as though the Babylonian captivity and the destruction of the holy city have already happened. They describe the mood of the Jews as though they are already experiencing the afflictions and miseries. So, the prophet speaks comfort and assurance to these discouraged and downcast citizens. The LORD assures them that He will not rest until Jerusalem is restored in a shining righteousness. The contents of this prophecy show it has a wider message and audience, namely the church. Isaiah 62 paints a glorious future of the church. Isaiah mentions a new name that will be given to the people (v.2). It is not altogether clear what the "new name" is, since in the remainder of the present chapter more than one name is suggested. The new name may be “Christian”. Indeed, the name Christian is a better name that than to be called an Israelite or a Jew. Isaiah gives a few names: “And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken” (v.12). They are all excellent names. Yet, look at verse 4: “Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.” Note these four words – Forsaken, Desolate, Hephzibah, and Beulah. The figure is taken from a woman who had been divorced, and whose appropriate name was Forsaken. What will become of her economically? Desolate! God says here that He is going to reverse all that; she will not become Forsaken and Desolate but Hephzibah, and Beulah. “Hephzibah” means “My delight is in her”; suggesting God’s delight in His people. “Beulah” means “married”; suggesting God still loves them and will take them to be His bride. In Ephesians 5:22-33, Paul, in giving instructions to husbands and wives, say: “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” The church is the bride of Christ. The apostle John in His apocalypse saw that glorious marriage of the Lamb and the church and wrote: “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2). What a wonderful scene John saw. Isaiah saw it even earlier and said the land shall be called Beulah. My Christian brothers and sisters: we are all married to Christ! Are you happily married? In this world, there are many unhappy marriages. And, that’s because men are imperfect. Choose a wrong mate and regret for the rest of your life. The fault may not be your mate but you. Since we have a Christ as our husband, we are blessed; we should be happy. Christ is perfect. We cannot find one as loving, selfless, and forgiving as Him. And, the reason if anyone is not happy in this union, the fault must be with him and him alone. Paul commands wives to submit to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22). Remember, we are the “wives”. An unhappy wife is one who has problem in submitting to her husband. Love and submission; they are the secrets to a happy marriage – be it an earthly marriage or a spiritual marriage. Be a happy bride of Christ.