There is a time for everything: for silent standing before God and for spoken ministry. First it is necessary that...
There is a time for everything: for silent standing before God and for spoken ministry. First it is necessary that trust in God and readiness to follow Him take root in the heart, and then the hour comes when He calls one to preach. Such a time also comes for Isaiah's compatriots: after a series of trials, having become more spiritually mature, they must proclaim the Truth to all nations. The light of God must first shine in Jerusalem, but it will not shine only for its inhabitants; it is intended for all nations.
If so, then it is not enough for preachers to repeat memorized formulas; they must become conduits of the light that illumines the world, and therefore they must be capable of not clouding the light and not blocking it with their own darkness. This is much harder than repeating ready-made verbal blocks in a well-trained speech, but is it worth going out to preach if one is not open to the influence of the One about whom we preach? If we are ready to receive His transforming influence, then we will receive from Him the words needed for preaching as well.
62 A prayer of the watchmen for the church in confidence of God's gracious designs and promises to it, Isa 62:1-12.
62:1 Zion's sake - Zion and Jerusalem are both put for the church, Heb 12:22.My peace - These seem to be the words of the prophet strongly resolving, notwithstanding all difficulties, to solicit God for the church's happiness, and constantly excite to the belief of it by his preaching, though it were long before it came, for Isaiah lived near two hundred years before this was accomplished. Righteousness - With reference to the Babylonians, understand it of the righteousness of God, who hath promised his people deliverance, and he must be righteous, and so understand salvation before; or rather, the vindicating of his people's cause in the eyes of the nations by the ruin of the Babylonians; he will shew that his people have a righteous cause. Lamp - And to that purpose is set up where it may be seen continually, to signify how eminently conspicuous this prosperous estate of the church should be among the nations, and as it may particularly relate to revealing of Christ unto the world.
62:2 A new name - The church shall be more renowned than ever, both in respect of her condition, and so called Hephzi - bah, and of her relation, and so called Beulah, and this new name the Lord gives them accordingly, ver. Isa 62:4.
62:3 Crown of glory - An expression to set forth the dignity of her state. In the hand - Preserved and defended by God's hand.Royal diadem - The same thing with the former for substance. Or, the royal priesthood, whereof the apostle speaks, Pe1 2:9.
62:4 Forsaken - As a woman forsaken by her husband. Thy land - The inhabitants of the land. Hephzi - bah - My delight is in her; a new name agreeing with her new condition. Beulah - Married; agreeing to her new relation. Married - Thou shalt see the increase of thy children again in the land, as the fruit of thy married condition, which by reason of thy being forsaken of thy husband, were in a manner wasted and decayed: and this refers to the great enlargement of the church in the gospel days.
62:6 Day nor night - There shall be a vigilant and industrious ministry.Ye - That is, are his servants. And here especially are meant his servants in ordinary, his remembrancers, such as put God in mind of his promise, and such as make the Lord to be remembered, putting his people in mind of him.
62:7 A praise - By sending the Messiah, and those labourers into his vineyard, whereby the church may be established, and settled on sure foundations, and so become a matter of praise to God. All the nations shall praise him for her.
62:9 But - Thou shalt not sow, and another reap, as formerly.Courts - In my courts: holiness being put for God himself.
62:10 Go through - It is doubled by way of emphasis. Go meet the Gentiles, whom God purposes to bring into the church. Prepare - Let them not have any obstructions in their way. Stones - That there be no stumbling - stone, or offence in their way. Standard - An allusion to soldiers, that set up their standard that the army may know where to repair from all quarters.
62:11 Zion - To Jerusalem, or the church. Thy salvation - Thy saviour. Reward - The reward due to the work.