In verse eight, we see four rhetorical questions, all of which expect a negative answer.  “Who has heard of such a thing?”  No one!  “Who has seen such things?  No one!  “Shall a land be born in one Day?”  Of course not!  “Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?”  Absurd! 

            The rest of the verse then reveals to us a couple of important things.  “Yet as soon as Zion was in labor, she delivered her children.”  Those words tell us that the mother Isaiah was speaking about is Zion or Jerusalem.  And the child to whom she was giving birth is the re-born nation.  Once again I remind you that we are dealing here with images.  This projected rebirth of the nation can have more than one fulfillment.  For example, the nation was re-born in a sense after the Exile.  It also was re-born in a sense with the birth of the New Israel, the Church.  And it will be re-born in another sense in the end-time. 

            Verse nine anticipates the objection that all of this is impossible.  Isaiah answers the objection by speaking for God who offers a couple of rhetorical questions that expect a positive answer.  If he opens the womb, will he not deliver the child?  If he is the one delivering the child, will he close the womb?  In other words, he is saying that if he begins something, he has the power to complete it.  Thus he will make these things happen. 

            All right, someone please read 66:10-11. Thanks.  In light of what has just been said, verses 10-11 tell us that all who love Jerusalem can rejoice with her.  Perhaps they have had reason to mourn over her in the past; but now they can rejoice, because of the good news just revealed that the city, as well as the nation, will be re-born.  But that is not the end of the good news.  The New Jerusalem also will meet all the needs of her people, as a mother’s breast provides for the needs of an infant.  In other words there will be no lack of supply.  And they will find comfort in the city as well. 

            Verses 12=13 expand on what we have just seen in verses 11-12.  God declares that it is he who extends these blessings to the people of the New Jerusalem.  And the first blessing he mentions is “peace like a river.”  Of course you recognize that this phrase was incorporated into the first line of the great hymn, “It is well with my soul”: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, whatever my lot, you have taught me to know it is well, it is well with my soul.” 

            The Hebrew word for “peace” is shalom.  The NRSV translates shalom as “prosperity.”  But in my opinion, “prosperity” is too limited a translation of shalom.  In this book the term shalom has been closely associated with the Servant/Messiah.  For example, in chapter nine, he is called the “Prince of peace”; and we are told that he brings “endless peace” (9:6-7).  Thus this shalom is not merely prosperity; it is peace with God that is available only through his Servant/Messiah. 

            The second blessing that God will extend, as translated by both the NIV and NRSV, is “the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream.”  The word translated “wealth” literally is “glory.”  The glory of nations will be like an overflowing stream.  Again, I believe that ”wealth” may be a bit limiting as a translation, though not nearly as much as “prosperity” for shalom.  I think they translated as “wealth,” because they saw it as a parallel to “prosperity.”  However, we have seen in earlier chapters that the nations will bring their wealth to Zion.  So that is a legitimate thought, even though the wealth of nations is only one aspect of their “glory.”  Oswalt says that the main point is that in the new order Zion’s children will be privileged children.  They will be carried on their mother’s (Zion’s) arm and playfully bounced on her knee. 

            Verse 13 continues the theme that God is the ultimate source of the New Jerusalem’s blessings.  As mother Jerusalem comforts, he comforts.  This is one if the few places in the Bible where God is directly compared to a mother.  But notice that God is mot compared to a nursing mother.  The New Jerusalem, Zion, is compared to a nursing mother (in verse 11); but God is not.  In paganism the gods often were pictured as nursing, or impregnating someone, or giving birth.  The Bible always avoids images of that type.  It honors the separateness of God from us.  He may be spiritually like a father or a mother, but God never is literally involved with us in those ways. 

            Verse 14 shows the results of God’s blessings for God’s servants, that is, the believers.  Their hearts will rejoice, and their bodies will flourish the way grass flourishes in the spring.  But then Isaiah immediately shifts back to the theme of judgment on God’s enemies.  Isaiah uses classic images of God’s wrath—fire, windstorm and sword—to express God’s judgment on his enemies. 

            The Hebrew word translated “payback” in the NRSV and “bring down” in the NIV carries the idea of “return,” says Oswalt.  God is returning, or paying back, to sinners his anger in response to their rebellion and sin. 

            Verse 16 speaks of God’s using the sword to slay many of the rebellious ones.  Oswalt suggests that this is a reference to what sinful human beings do to one another because of their sin.  I don’t think Isaiah intended this imagery to be taken literally.  The death spoken of is primarily spiritual. 

            I believe verse 17 refers back to the thought in 65:2-4, where participation in these same pagan cults and practices, worshipping in the pagan gardens and eating swine and other forbidden foods, was condemned.  The idea of “following the one in the center” is unclear.  Oswalt says it could mean following a person who was leading the worship, or it could refer to an idol that was placed in the center of the garden. 

            The Hebrew of the first part of verse 18 is unclear.  The NRSV and the NIV translate it differently.  But it is clear from the rest of the verse that God will gather the nations of the earth, and they will see his glory.  Then verse 19 says that God will give a “sign” to them, probably a miracle of some sort, and will send “survivors” to the nations.  The “them” here cannot be the gathered unbelieving Gentile nations, because there is no scripture that says there will be survivors among them.  Therefore the “them” must either be the Jewish remnant (Oswalt’s choice), or the New Israel, which I would prefer.  I agree with Oswalt that the matter is unclear enough that we must sit lightly on our interpretations of it.  Of the various countries mentioned, some are unknown, but Isaiah obviously was describing the ends of the earth. 

            Although the purpose of this end-time mission is to show the nations the glory of God, verse 20 tells us that one result will be that many “brothers” (NRSV “kindred”) will be brought back as an offering to the Lord.  It seems to me that these can be interpreted as Gentile converts to Christ, although Oswalt interprets them as end-time Jewish converts brought back by the Gentiles.  And notice that Isaiah describes the believing Gentiles as “clean” vessels.  And then in verse 21 the Lord says he will make some of them priests and Levites.  That would have been absolutely shocking to Jews.  Not even pure Israelites could be priests unless they were from the tribe of Levi.  And God is saying he will make Gentile believers priests.  This clearly symbolizes the breakdown of barriers between Jew and Gentile that was to come about in the Church. 

            Verse 22 reminds us of the new heavens and earth that God is going to create.  We saw that prediction earlier in 65:17.  God also declares that he will keep Israel’s name and descendants before him, as he had promised.  Then in verse 23 he reminds us that all flesh will worship him continuously.  Finally, in verse 24 the book ends with a final reminder that those who refuse God’s love will experience his wrath.

            In this essay we are studying 65:17-66:6.  The final section of the book begins at this point.  And the opening segment, 65:17-25, begins that final section with a note of hope.  As you can see in verses 17, God is going to create a new heaven and earth.  And the old heaven and earth, the old sinful and deformed world, will be forgotten.  It will not even come to mind. 

            Isaiah definitely is getting a glimpse of the end-times here.  I suggest that you immediately go to Rev. 21:1-4 to see the apostle John giving a very similar description of the end-time. 

            Now then, coming back to Isaiah 65:18-19, notice the repeated words for “be glad,” “rejoice,” “joy,” and “delight.”  Verse 18 tells us we are to rejoice, because God is creating a New Jerusalem and its people as a joy, meaning that their very nature will be gladness and joy.  But notice in verse 19 that this newly created Jerusalem and God’s people who dwell in it will produce joy in God as well.  And there will be no more weeping or cries of distress in this New Jerusalem.  Isn’t that a beautiful thought!  This was God’s intention when he first created this world.  He wanted to create creatures capable of loving him and one another freely with joy.  And although sin and death entered into the picture, because of angelic and human freedom, in the end, the ultimate will of God shall be done. 

            Verses 20-25 give us concrete examples of why there will be no more weeping or cries of distress in the New Jerusalem.  First, verse 20 tells us that there will be no more premature deaths.  Babies no longer will die in infancy; old people will live a full lifetime; and 100 years of age will still be the time of youth.  Indeed, as we learned back in 25:7, death will be destroyed. 

            The last clause of verse 20 is difficult.  It literally reads, “but the sinner, the son of 100 years, shall be accursed.”  Interestingly, notice that neither the NRSV, nor the NIV, translates the word “sinner,” but it is definitely is there.  According to Oswalt, the clause can mean one of two things.  One, it can mean that the sinner who lives 100 years would still be under a curse.  Or two, it can mean that the sinner would be cursed by only living 100 years.  I believe the English translations do not translate the word “sinner” because there aren’t supposed to be any sinners in the New Jerusalem.  Neither Oswalt nor Delitzsch are any help at this point. 

            Verses 21-22 allude to one of the curses for breaking the Old Covenant.  Deut. 28:15 and following sets forth a long list of curses for breaking the Covenant.  In that list verse 30 says, “You shall become engaged to a woman, but another will take her.  You shall build a house, but not live in it.  You shall plant a vineyard, but not enjoy its fruits.”  Here in verses 21-22, God is saying through Isaiah that the people of the New Jerusalem will not be cursed in that way.  On the contrary, they will build houses and live in them.  They will plant vineyards and eat the fruit thereof.  Indeed they will be long-lived and stable like a great tree.  For people who had known only instability, uncertainty, and lack of security, this was a wonderful promise. 

            Verse 23 extends the blessings to future generations of the happy believers.  Not only will the believers not labor in vain, their children will not be born to terror.  The NRSV translates “terror” as “calamity” and the NIV as “misfortune.”  The reason for this, of course, is that they are part of the blessed family of God.  Do not miss the fact that the verse includes multiple generations.  There are the blessed ones, their children, and the descendents of the children.  In our fallen world, children and grandchildren often suffer for the sins of the parents.  Adultery and addictions to alcohol, drugs, and gambling are but two kinds of examples of sins that often devastate children and grandchildren.  In the new heaven and earth, that will not happen. 

            Verse 24 tells us that in the New Jerusalem communication with God will be perfect.  As you well know, in this present, fallen world, all sorts of things interfere with our prayers.  Even the most spiritual people, those who are most gifted in the area of prayer, speak of “wondering thoughts” and “dark nights of the soul,” when they cannot “get through” to God.  But in the New Jerusalem, God will answer before we call, and he will hear (as Oswalt says, in the sense of taking appropriate action) at the very moment we speak. 

            In verse 25 God, speaking through Isaiah, uses the same kinds images that Isaiah used in 11:6-9 to describe the Messianic kingdom.  Therefore we have here a clear identification of the messianic kingdom with the end-time New Jerusalem.  We will do well to remember that these are images.  They may not be literal.  The point is like humanity, nature will be at peace; and we will be at peace with nature.  Even the serpent will be pacified, but interestingly, his curse (Gen. 3:14) will remain. 

            Following the hope passage of 65:17-25, we find a judgment passage in 66:1-6.  But unlike some earlier judgment passages, this one is set in a context of hope.  In verses 1-2 God declares that he is the creator of everything.  Therefore no house built by human hands of itself could honor God.  As Delitzsch puts it, “God will have no temple at all if men think by temple-building itself to do him service.”  As the second half of verse two indicates, it is the human heart that God wants as his sanctuary.  God declares that he “looks upon,” or as the NIV puts it, “esteems” the one who is humble, the one who is contrite in heart, the one who trembles at his word.  This same point was made back in 57:15, where God announced that he dwells not only “in the high and holy place,” “but also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit.” 

            Verse three is an outstanding example of Semitic hyperbole.  It is intended to shock, and many Old Testament prophets use the technique (Amos 5:21-25; Jer. 7:21-22; Micah 6:6-8).  God’s point is not that sacrifices and ritual worship are evil in themselves.  After all, God set up the Old Covenant sacrificial system.  His point is that people with unclean hearts will make unclean offerings.  They choose their own ways instead of God’s. 

            Verse four indicates that God eventually will choose for them.  That is, he will punish their sinfulness.  They will experience all of the fears that they have tired to avoid with their pagan rituals.  Moreover they will experience the alienation from God that those who do evil in his sight experience.  If you look at 65:12, God used the same language there. 

            In verse five, God announces to his own what is going to take place.  Notice that there are two groups: those who tremble at God’s word, and those who hate those who tremble.  The latter will be put to shame.  The situation is the same today.  Those who believe God’s word and try to live by it are called “fanatic,” unbalanced,” etc.  But in the end, those who persecute the believers are the ones who will experience shame. 

            In verse six, Isaiah speaks of a noise coming from the city that he soon recognizes as the voice of God.  Then he realizes that the voice is coming from the temple and that it is speaking judgment against God’s enemies.

            Notice that God responds to the lament with blunt words.  In verse one he declares that Israel’s problem was not due to his silence, or to his unwillingness to save.  He had not hidden his face, as he was accused of doing back in 64:7.  On the contrary, as the NIV (rightly in my opinion) translates it, he revealed himself to those who didn’t ask, and was found by those who didn’t seek for him.  In other words, he was anxious to be sought out; he wanted to be found.  The problem was on Israel’s side of the relationship. 

            Then in verse two God continues by saying that he was reaching out to Israel, but they were going their own rebellious way.  This reminds one of 59:1-2 where God said much the same thing.  Back there he said that was fully able to save, but Israel’s sins formed a barrier between him and them.  The point is that the problem is not that God is unresponsive; rather it is because Israel is rebellious and sinful. 

            Paul quotes verse one in Rom. 10:20.  Interestingly, Paul quotes it for his context as a reference to Gentiles.  That is, some of the Gentiles were listening to God better than the people of Israel.  And then in the very next verse, Rom. 10:21, Paul quotes Isaiah’s verse two in reference to the Israel of his day.  That is to say, Paul saw the Israel of his day as rebellious and sinful in the same way that the Israel of Isaiah’s day had been. 

            In verses 3-5a God continues to spell out Israel’s sinfulness.  Notice how God details what the “not good” ways mentioned in verse two were.  They had chosen religious practices that provoked God to his face.  That is, they were brazen in their pagan practices.  They sacrificed in gardens.  We talked before about how pagans planted groves and gardens for their worship.  They offered incense on bricks, another pagan practice. 

            Verse four gets a little creepy.  God says that they sat in tombs.  Of course contact with the dead made Jews ceremonially “unclean.”  So when Israelites participated in cults that did such things, they knew they were sinning against God.  They also spent the night in secret places.  I don’t know what that means, and Oswalt was not of help there.  But the next one is clear.  They ate swine’s flesh, which was forbidden by the Jewish law (Lev. 11:7; Deut. 14:4).  And they ate some kind of stew with forbidden foods, probably meats, in it. 

            Then in verse five we see the crowning irony.  These persons who, as we have just seen, are profoundly unclean, warn others to stay away from them, “for I am too holy for you.”  As Oswalt points out, it is characteristic of this sort of pagan mindset to believe that their unholy activities make them holy.  This is the height of self-deception.  They are totally defiled, but do not recognize that fact. 

            Now then, as you would expect, this activity is not acceptable to God.  Indeed it is an acrid smell in his nostrils.  It is as if a fire that burned all day was emitting stinky smoke.  Another way to interpret the images is this.  A Hebrew idiom for anger is “the nose grows hot.”  So it is possible that God was saying that their sinful activities make him angry like a fire that burns all day. 

            In verse six, “it is written before me” could mean either that the sins are written down before God, or that his decree of judgment on the sins is written down.  Either way, the point is that judgment is certain.  God will repay. 

            Back at the end of the lament (64:12), Israel had begged God to speak.  Now it appears that they may prefer that he not speak, because he is going to speak a judgment that will repay them for their sinfulness.  This is not a new message.  You will recall that in 63:10 Israel was informed that their Savior had became their enemy, because of their rebellion.  Oswalt says that the idea of repaying them “into their laps (literally “bosoms”) is an expression that means into the very center of their lives. 

            Finally, interestingly, verse seven suggests that the repayment, that is the judgment, will come on their rebellious ancestors as well as on them.  In other words, what they were doing was not new.  Their fathers also had participated in idolatrous pagan practices. 

            After announcing judgment on those who had not been obedient, as we have just seen, God offers assurance to those who have been obedient.  The basic point of verse eight is that God will not destroy the good (that is, the obedient) with the bad (the disobedient).  In the analogy, the cluster of grapes has both good and bad grapes on it, but only the bad grapes are destroyed, not the whole cluster.  This is the concept of the remnant that we have seen before in Isaiah and elsewhere in the Bible.  For example, In Isaiah chapter ten, after pronouncing judgment on the nation of Assyria (vv. 12-19), there is a promise of restoration for the repentant remnant of Israel (vv. 20-27).  Another example that is closer to this chapter is 57:13.  That verse comes right at the end of a segment (57:3-13) in which God is pronouncing judgment on idolatrous people in Israel; but in verse 13, he says that those who would take refuge in him (that would be the remnant) would possess the land. 

            Interestingly, the next verse in our passage, verse nine, makes the same point as 57:13.  Not only will there be a remnant that will survive, they will inherit the land. 

            In verse ten God begins to talk about the land.  Sharon is the fertile plain along the coast, running from Joppa to Mt. Carmel.  The valley of Achor is a rather barren, hilly area, running north from Jericho.  The Valley of Achor is best known as the place where Achan and his family, who had stolen sacred things, were stoned to death.  That story is found in Joshua chapter seven.  These particular two areas probably were chosen because they are on the western and eastern sides of the Promised Land and represent the whole. 

            In verses 11-12, God turns his attention once again to those who are in rebellion against him and speaks directly to them.  As you can see, these people went after other gods, specifically Fortune and Destiny.  The god of Fortune (gad) was a well-known god from the region of Syria.  The god of Destiny, on the other hand, is not otherwise known.  In verse 12 God announces what he will do to those who have abandoned him for these gods.  He destines them for the sword.  The verb “to destine” comes form the same root as the god Destiny.  Therefore God is being ironic.  Those who pursue the god of Destiny are destined for the sword.  The last two lines of the verse clearly show that the sins in question were deliberate.  These people knew what they were doing. 

            In verses 13-14 God continues to speak to the rebellious ones; and as he does so, he distinguishes them from God’s servants.  Notice that verse 13 makes the distinction with six beautifully balanced lines that contrast the two groups.  “My servants shall eat, but you shall be hungry.  My servants shall drink, but you shall be thirsty.  My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be put to shame.”  In other words God’s servants will be blessed, and the sinners will be punished.  Then verse 14 sums up the difference with a kind of restatement of the last two lines of verse 13. 

            Verses 14-15 continue the contrast between the two groups, but not in the highly patterned form of verses 13-14.  In verse 15 the Lord says that the name of the rebellious ones will become a curse for God’s servants.  And the servants will be given another name.  Then verse 16 tells us that the result will be that the servants of the new name will draw people to the God of truth, a God who is willing to hide the “former troubles” from his sight.

            Verse two continues the sentence of verse one.  Isaiah uses two analogies to illustrate the breaking in of God that he is longing for.  If he would come as when fire sets brush ablaze, or water to boil, this would make God’s name known to his adversaries.  In Isaiah’s book, and elsewhere in the Old Testament, “fire” is associated with the presence of God.  Now the overall context convinces me that Isaiah is asking God to come against his enemies in judgment, as the lone warrior, the Servant/Messiah, was pictured as doing in 63:1-6.  But Oswalt interprets it as a setting on fire of the hearts of Israel’s people.  He suggests that the fire in Israel then would reveal the character of God’s name to the nations and cause them to tremble at his presence.  I guess both interpretations are possible. 

            Verse three appears to be a reference to the time of the Exodus when God did so many wonders for Israel, including his making mount Sinai quake at his coming.  Isaiah is longing for God to do it again.  Notice that Isaiah mentions the unexpected nature of the Exodus miracles, and he is hoping that Israel will have another unexpected visitation.  This reminds me a bit of some of the expectations I saw after the famous Asbury College revival of 1970.  People wanted it to happen again, so they tried to make it happen again, especially around the anniversary date of February third.  But we cannot make God visit us. He does it unexpectedly.  It was the same with the birth of the Savior in 4 BC.  It happened unexpectedly.  And Matthew tells us it will be the same at Christ’s second coming (Mt. 24:36-44).  He will come suddenly, unexpectedly. 

            We see in verse four that Isaiah was rightly convinced that there had never been, and never would be, a rival to God.  Why?  Because from ancient times to Isaiah’s present, no one ever had heard of, or had seen, a God like him.  He is the God who works for those who wait for him.  This is a significant insight.  Whatever else one might say about God based on Israel’s history, he is the Savior, the Redeemer.  And he works for those who wait for him.  As you well know, the New Testament calls us to wait expectantly for Christ’s return.  As mentioned earlier, it will occur at an unexpected time.  But we evangelical Christians will not be taken by surprise, because we are waiting expectantly for him to come. 

            The translation of verse five is quite difficult, and the NIV is much better, in my opinion, than the NRSV.  At any rate, in this verse Isaiah points out another important truth.  God “meets, or as the NIV translates it, “comes to the help of,” those who joyfully do what is right and remember God’s ways.  So our waiting is not to be a matter of doing anything we want.  It is a matter of doing God’s will in the world.  It is a matter of living out God’s covenant life, of living according to his ways that include “integrity, honesty, faithfulness, simplicity, mercy, generosity, and self-denial.”  If we live this way, God will meet us, or come to our help.  In other words, he will be with us; he will see us through whatever comes our way. 

            But in the middle of verse five, Isaiah suddenly breaks off his discourse on how God meets those who gladly do his will and returns to the hard reality that the people of Israel were not in that positive situation.  They were sinning, and God was angry about it.  To Isaiah this seemed to be a vicious circle.  They cannot do righteousness unless God helps them, but God won’t help them unless they do what is right.  So Isaiah cries out, “How then can we be saved?”  In effect he was asking if it were still possible for them to be saved? 

            In verses 6-7 Isaiah further describe the hopeless condition of the people.  “We have all become like one who is unclean,” in other words, like a leper.  “And all of our righteous deeds are like” filthy cloths.  The NIV says, “filthy rags.”  Indeed they are live decaying leaves that blow away in the wind.  Verse seven declares that the situation is so bad that there isn’t even anyone who cares enough about what is going on to cry out to God, or to try to lay hold of God.  And then Isaiah mentions the viscous circle again, “for you have hidden your face from us and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.” 

            Verses 8-12 bring the lament to a close.  Notice the “Yet,” literally “But now” at the beginning of verse eight.  Isaiah reminds the Lord that he is Israel’s father in the sense that he created them as a people.  And he could have added that the Lord entered into a covenant with them.  In other words he is responsible for their existence. 

            Isaiah used the image of the potter and the clay twice before in the book, in 29:16 and in 45:9.  In both of those instances, the idea was that the created item has no right to criticize the one who created it.  Here Isaiah uses the image quite differently.  He suggests that a potter ought not throw away an item in which he has invested so much of himself.  Although Israel’s sin cannot be denied, neither can the relationship that God established with her by his grace. 

            In verse nine the prophet pleads for mercy for Israel.  He reminds God that they are not just any people; they are his people.  You will recall that Moses used this same argument, along with a couple of others, when he interceded for the people after the golden calf incident (Ex. 32:11, 14).  Notice that Isaiah does not ask God to ignore Israel’s sin; rather he asks him to mercifully reduce his anger and not to remember her sin forever. 

            Notice the use of the word “holy” in verses 10-11.  The cities of Judah are called “holy,” and the ruined temple is called “holy.”  Earlier in the book, in 62:12 and 63:18, the people were called “holy.”  But the reality is they are not holy.  And here the cities and burned temple are called holy, though there is little evidence that they are.  The point seems to be that they are holy because they belong to God.  Thus this becomes another argument by Isaiah for God to have mercy on Israel.  She never has deserved God’s love.  It always has been a matter of grace.  So Isaiah is asking for more grace.  Discussion 

            Isaiah closes out the lament in verse 12.  It reads, “After all this, will you restrain yourself, O Lord?  Will you keep silent, and punish us so severely?”  These two questions basically sum up Isaiah’s, and thus Israel’s, hopes and anxieties.  Isaiah is asking God if he will continue to do nothing in the face of all that Isaiah has pointed out.  Will he continue to keep silent, and will he punish them severely?  Or will the Servant/Messiah, the lone warrior of 63:1-6 come to their rescue?  Of course we know that the Lord did act, though Isaiah wasn’t around to see it.  God remained faithful, as always, to the faithful remnant in Israel.  He acted to move Cyrus of Persia to permit all of the Jews in Exile who wished to return to Palestine and reestablish their nation to do so.  And from our vantage point, many centuries after Isaiah, we know that the Servant/Messiah did come to the rescue.  He just didn’t come in the time and way that Isaiah might have envisioned.

            The person answers, “It is I, announcing vindication [literally righteousness], mighty to save.”  The NIV is better, “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”  Only God can speak like that, because only God is mighty enough to defeat all enemies and mighty enough to save his people.  Thus this person is the Servant/Messiah who has been a prominent figure throughout the book.  The fact that he says he is “mighty to save” is important.  Although the passage has a strong element of judgment, it ultimately is about salvation.  God, who speaks truth, says that his people are delivered, because he has defeated all their enemies. 

            In the story, in verse two, the figure (the Servant /Messiah) is now close enough that the watchman can see that his garments are not dyed red, but are stained red.  And that prompts another question, “Why are your robes red, and your garments like theirs who tread the wine press?”  And the Messianic figure answers in verses 3-6, saying in effect, my garments are stained because I have been treading the winepress.  However it is the winepress of God’s judgment and wrath.  The image is intended to convey the idea that he has attacked the enemies of God’s people and trampled them like grapes in a winepress.  The Servant/Messiah has totally triumphed.  This is gruesome imagery, but it is effective.  You may recall that the book of Revelation uses the same imagery in Rev. 14:17-20. 

            Some people are put off not only by the bloody wrath of verse three, but by the idea of vengeance in verse four.  But notice that the vengeance is paralleled in the second half of the verse by redemption.  That is extremely important.  The purpose of the wrath and vengeance is not to express a mean spirit, or to say that God is bloodthirsty.  Rather it is to express the fact that destruction of sin and death and all the enemies of God is necessary for the salvation of his people. 

            Notice in verse five that the Servant/Messiah stresses the fact that he did it alone.  He is appalled and grieved at the universality of human sinfulness, which meant there was no one to help him.  We saw almost the same language used in 59:15-17 when God was appalled at the lack of justice and of anyone to intercede or intervene.  So he worked salvation by his mighty arm.  Here he is appalled by the sinfulness and the lack of anyone to help him with the judgment; and once again, he does it alone by his might arm.  In reality he is the only one who can do it.  We human beings are helpless because of our sinfulness.  Thus The Servant/Messiah is the only one who can save the world. 

            Verse six summarizes the theme of judgment.  However, as we think about this, we must never forget that long before the Servant/Messiah exercises God’s wrath (which remember is in the end-time) he poured out his own blood for our sakes.  Indeed some early commentators interpreted this passage as symbolizing the destruction of sin and death on the cross, and they interpreted the blood on his garments as his own.  That was a wrong interpretation, because this passage is about end-time judgment.  But the cross certainly is there in the background.  Salvation is available to all because of the cross; and those who experience the terrible wrath set forth in this passage are those who refused to repent and believe. 

            In verse seven Isaiah begins what is called a community lament.  That is, he laments Israel’s sinfulness and the perceived unwillingness of the Lord to intervene in his people’s situation.  As you can see, the prophet begins the lament with a statement about the goodness of God.  The Hebrew word hesed begins and ends verse seven.  It means “steadfast love” as the NRSV translates it at the end of the verse.  It also could be translated “loving kindness,” or just “kindness,” as the NIV does it.  Interestingly, the NRSV translates it as “gracious deeds” at the beginning of verse seven.  I personally don’t think “kindness” alone gives the full meaning, and I think it should be translated the same way at both the beginning and end of the verse so the English reader will have some understanding that it is the same word.  At any rate, the idea is that the Lord has treated Israel with loving kindness, which includes doing good deeds for them and extending mercy to them. 

            In verse eight Isaiah moves to God’s gracious election of Israel to be his people.  And their responsibility in return was to be absolutely loyal to him and to live lives that would be true to his character.  They were not to be false with him.  A single verse from the days when God made the Old Covenant with Israel expresses that quite well.  It is Deut. 28:9, which reads in the NIV, “The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways.”  Because of that covenant, God became their savior. 

            Now the first part of verse nine has serious translation problems. I don’t like the NRSV translation at all.  So let me read it again from the NIV: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.”  The “angel of his presence” (literally of his face) is the Lord himself visibly present.  Some interpret this figure as Christ himself.  Another Old Testament example of this is seen in Ex. 33:2, 14-15. 

            Notice that Isaiah did not say that God would keep them from distress; he told them he would save them in their distress.  That’s important. 

            In verse ten, Isaiah turns to the fact that Israel had failed to be loyal to God.  On the contrary she rebelled against him.  This grieved, literally hurt, God’s Holy Spirit.  Indeed God’s love and holiness both were offended.  And this created a totally different situation.  He who had been their savior became their enemy. 

            But then in verses 11-13 Israel began to reflect on the glory days of the Exodus when God acted with great power on their behalf.  And they wanted to know where God was in their day.  The focus of their remembering was two-fold.  One was the great miracle of the parting of the sea, and the other was the manifest power of the Holy Spirit.  In verse 14 they also remembered that back in those days the people found “rest” in Canaan as cattle find “rest” in a green valley. 

            Verses 15-19 begin the lament proper.  The prophet speaking for the people calls on God to take action.  In verse 15 Isaiah expresses the feelings of the people when God seems far away.  Oswalt likens it to what an individual feels who is experiencing what John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul.”  Isaiah reminds God that he is their father and Redeemer Abraham and Jacob may deny their children, but God cannot. 

            Verse 17 expresses the main complaint.  They have been unable to break way from their sinning, because God won’t help them.  Scholars, including Calvin, agree that Isaiah did not mean by this that God forces people to sin.  The point is that Isaiah knows that there is no hope of escape from sin if God doesn’t do something.  So Isaiah calls on God to turn back to his people who are God’s heritage.  Canaan was the tribes’ heritage.  The tribes are God’s heritage. 

            The text of verse 18 is difficult, but the likely sense is this.  After Israel took possession of the holy sanctuary, they were dispersed temporarily (a reference to the exile).  During that time of exile the sanctuary was trampled.  That is, it was in a ruined state.  Then verse 19 makes the sad declaration that Israel has long been like a nation that God does not rule.  They are like a people that are not called by God’s name.

            In this essay we are taking up chapter 62.  If you look at the second part of verse one, the NRSV reads: “until her vindication shines out like the dawn.”  Literally that reads, “until her righteousness goes forth like brightness.”  I agree with Oswalt that there is something more than “vindication” going on here, and that the word “brightness” has particular import as well. 

            First, the larger context indicates that, “the righteousness of God is going to be seen in the character of saved Israel.”  It is not just a matter of vindication.  It is a matter of holy character. 

            Then second, the term “brightness” also was used in 59:9 in connection with “righteousness.”  There a lack of righteousness was symbolized by darkness, and the prophet declared that they were waiting for the light, the “brightness” to come.  Verse 59:9 reads in the NRSV, “Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us; we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.”

            Now then, come back to chapter 62, verse one, and look once again at the literal translation of the clause in question.  God says of Zion, “I will not rest until her righteousness goes forth like brightness.”  The point we don’t want to miss is that Israel is to shine brightly with the righteousness of God.  Of course this holds for the New Israel, the Church, as well. 

            Moving on to verse two, God announces two results of the work he is doing on Zion’s behalf.  First, “the nations shall see your righteousness.”  The NRSV again translates “righteousness” as “vindication.”  When God’s promise that Zion’s righteousness will shine like brightness comes to pass, the nations (that is, the Gentiles) will see it.  This has to happen for the nations voluntarily to bring Zion’s children and great wealth to Jerusalem as we saw predicted in chapter 60.  And God declares that it will happen. 

            Second, God announces that Zion shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.”  In the ancient Near East, including Israel, names carried significance, and character was closely associated with the names.  That’s why importance was attached to the naming of children.  That’s also why Abram’s name was changed to Abraham when God made a covenant with him (Gen. 17:5) and why Jacob’s name was changed to Israel after he wrested with God at Peniel (Gen. 32:28).  So Zion is getting a new name.  However, as we read on through the chapter, we will see that the new name takes several forms. 

            In verse three, before announcing the new names, God introduces another image to convey Israel’s value: “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord.”  Now scholars are uncertain about why the crown is in the Lord’s hand instead of on his head.  There has been much useless speculation about it, but it probably simply means that Zion and her people are precious to the Lord.  They are a precious possession (his crown); and that is symbolized further by his holding them in his protective hand.  Thus they can be confident that he will fulfill his promises. 

            In verse four the Lord turns to the idea of renaming.  Zion may have felt like her name was “Forsaken” (NIV “Deserted), and she may have thought of hr land as “Desolate,” but that was not the case.  “Whatever the faithful in Israel might feel in the long dark years following the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, they should remember that Forsaken is not the name by which God remembers them, nor is Desolate the way he views their land.”  On the contrary, he sees himself as her husband.  And thus the Lord turns to wedding imagery in these verses to communicate his feelings towards Zion.  You will recall that Zion herself used wedding imagery to speak of her relationship to God in the last chapter, in 61:10.  So the Lord sees Zion as his bride.  He is a husband who will provide for and protect her.  Thus he declares that she “shall be called My Delight Is in Her,” and he chooses to call her land “Married.”  We will see other names later in the passage (v. 12). 

            In verse five there is a problem, especially for people who tend to interpret too literally.  The verse literally says, “For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you.”  Persons who want to interpret literally find this language reminding them of incest and are threatened by it.  The various versions of Isaiah (versions are ancient translations into other languages) dealt with it by using a secondary meaning for the word “marry.”  There are uses of the word that mean “dwell with or in.”  So they translated it “your sons will dwell in you (or keep you).”  The NRSV translators found a way to deal with it by translating the word for “sons” as “builders.”  I have no idea where that comes from.  At any rate, the basic idea of the statement is clear.  God cares so much for his people that he wants to enter into the most intimate possible relationship with them. 

            In verses 4-5, as always, scholars debate who the speaker is.  In this case, God, Isaiah, and an angel appointed by God all have been suggested.  Oswalt favors the third alternative, but he gives no convincing reasons for doing so.  Since God was speaking at the beginning of the chapter and since there is no evidence that the speaker has changed, I believe God is still speaking in these verses. 

            I also disagree with Oswalt on the identity of the “watchmen” (NRSV translates as “sentinels”).  I believe the watchmen are the prophets, as they are in the book of Ezekiel.  Oswalt rejects this view, because the function of the watchmen in Ezekiel was to warn the people of coming danger.  And there is no danger in this context to warn people about.  The enemies of Zion all have been vanquished.  It is true that the function of the watchmen here is not to give warning.  As the last part of verse six tells us, their function is to remind the Lord of his promises.  Now this raises a red flag in some minds, because God isn’t likely to forget his promises.  Of course he won’t forget.  That isn’t the point.  The point is that the prophets are to pray constantly that God’s will shall be done.  Just as Jesus taught us to be importunate in prayer, the Lord taught Israel’s prophets to be importunate in prayer.  Warning people of danger was only one function of the prophets.  Here we see another function. 

            Now then, in verses 8-9 we do get a change of speaker.  Now the prophet begins to speak.  His word is one of security.  Isaiah first speaks of God’s “mighty arm.”  God’s “mighty arm” symbolizes the certainty of God’s promises.  Thus the promises are guaranteed. 

            Next comes a promise that in the New Jerusalem Israel’s enemies will never again take their food.  You will recall that when God set up the Sinai Covenant, Moses promised the people that if they broke the covenant, their enemies would reap the fruit of their labors (Deut. 28:30-33).  On the other hand, if they kept the covenant, they would enjoy the fruits of their labors (Deut. 28:4-5, 7, 11).  Now Isaiah declares that in the New Jerusalem, no enemies or foreigners will take their food.  Rather they will enjoy it and worship the Lord.  Notice the language used in respect to enemies taking the food.  God says that he gave it into the enemy’s hands.  God always is in control. 

            In verses 10-12 Isaiah shows the people how to respond to God’s promises that were seen in verses 1-9.  In a “nutshell” they must act on their faith.  To begin, notice the imagery of the highway.  We have seen this image several times throughout the book.  And it has served several purposes.  Since this is a kind of summary passage that ends a major section, Isaiah probably had several ideas in mind.  The highway probably symbolizes the highway on which God comes.  Notice the phrase in verse 11, “your salvation comes.”  It also could symbolize the highway on which the believing people come to Zion.  Notice the phrase in verse 10, “prepare the way for the people.”  It also could represent the highway on which the nations come to Zion.  Notice the phrase at the end of verse 10, “lift up an ensign over the peoples.”  Isaiah could have had any or all of ideas in mind. 

            Some have questioned why verse 11 says that the message of Israel’s salvation is to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.  We must remember that the nations are going to come to Jerusalem bringing with them the children of Zion and great wealth.  Therefore they need to hear this message.  Some scholars point out the strong similarity between the second half of verse 11 and 40:10.  I don’t know if that is significant or not.  As a teacher, I know that good ideas are worthy of repetition. 

            Finally, in verse 12, we see a number of additional names for the end-time people of God and Zion.  “They shall be called, ‘The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord’: and you [referring to Zion] shall be called, ‘Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.’”  The NIV translates, the names for Zion, “Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.”  Notice that all of these names are relational in nature.  And holiness of the people is emphasized.

            The speaker is the anointed One, the Servant/Messiah, who is announcing his role in God’s deliverance.  You recognize immediately that it is the passage read by Jesus in the synagogue, as recorded in Luke 4:16-21.  That is important, so please take time to read Luke 4:16-21 right now.  Notice that Jesus, after the reading, announced: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  Thus Jesus clearly claimed to be the Messiah. 

            Coming back to Isaiah 61, the Servant/Messiah first announces that the Holy Spirit is upon him.  Then he declares that he is anointed for certain ministries.  There are seven ministries listed in the three verses.  First he is “to preach good news to the poor” (NIV).  The NRSV translated the word “poor” as “oppressed.”  The “poor” here are not just those in physical poverty, as the following announced ministries show.  Indeed the following six ministries detail the first.  Thus the Messiah’s overarching ministry is expressed in this first declaration: he preaches good news to the poor. 

            Second, the Messiah binds “up the broken hearted.”  People’s hearts are broken for many reasons.  However some heartbrokenness is more serious than other heartbrokenness.  Thus the “poor” includes those who are so broken by life that they are ready to give up, or may already have given up.  But those hearts can be healed. 

            Third, the good news for the poor includes proclaiming “liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.”  Those who are bound by addictions, and those who have been misused or abused by others, are in prison just as surely as those who are behind bars.  And they need to be set free.  Of course those who actually are behind bars can be set free in spirit and can minister fro Christ there.  Also included here are those in bondage to sin, who need forgiveness and deliverance. 

            Moving to verse two, fourth, the Messiah’s good news includes proclamation of “the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God.”  These two balance one another.  The “Lord’s favor” is his grace at work.  And in the end-time, God’s grace will abound as he raises the righteous dead and transforms the righteous living.  On the other hand, the unrighteous, those who refuse his grace, will face God’s wrath, or vengeance. 

            Fifth, the Messiah will “comfort all who mourn.”  In other words, those who receive grace will be comforted, regardless of their category of need, whether it is need for healing, release, or forgiveness. 

            Sixth, the Servant/Messiah “will provide for those who mourn in Zion.”  In other words the Lord will take care of all of us who partake of his grace.  He will meet all our needs: physical and spiritual. 

            Finally, seventh, the Servant/Messiah will replace our sackcloth and ashes with “a garland” (NIV “crown of beauty”).  That means he will “dress us up” in a beautiful, festive headdress.  Our mourning will be replaced with the “oil of gladness,” and our faint spirits with a “mantle” or “garment” (NIV) of praise.  Afterwards we will be like oak trees.  Indeed we will be called “oaks of righteousness,” because we will be permanent, with godly character.  And we will display God’s glory. 

            Verses 4-9 express the results for historical Israel of what we have seen in verses 1-3.  There are seven results listed.  The first result is the rebuilding of the ruins of Jerusalem (v. 4).  Second, the foreigners, who once oppressed Israel, will now serve them (v. 5).  Remember though that the foreigners who will be serving Israel will be full participants in the blessings of Israel (56:3, 6-7).  The picture isn’t one of a situation where the oppressed have become the oppressors.  Third, the Israelites will be priests to the nations (the Gentiles) and will enjoy their wealth (v. 6).  Fourth, the Israelites will receive a “double portion” of blessings (like an eldest son), because they had experienced double shame (v. 7).  The NIV doesn’t bring out the “double shame” part.  Fifth, the Lord will reward them with an eternal covenant, which we now know is the New Covenant (v. 8).  Not to do so would be injustice and robbery, both of which God hates.  Sixth, “their descendants shall be known among the nations.”  This is more important than it looks on the surface.  Many nations have disappeared.  They have been absorbed into other nations and people groups.  But that has not been the case with the Jews of Israel.  They still are a definable people group in the world and are recognized as such (v. 9a).  Finally, seventh, the world will acknowledge that they are a people blessed by God (v. 9b).  Oswalt applies this both to modern-day Israel’s existence as a nation and to spiritual Israel, which is New Israel, the Church. 

            Scholars, as in other places, are divided over who is speaking here.  Some believe it is the Servant/Messiah, as in verses 1-3.  Others, including Oswalt, believe it is Zion, the people of God, who is speaking.  Zion is expressing her joy in the Lord and in what he has done for her.  It is important to notice that her joy is in the Lord.  In other words it is a rejoicing over the One who has blessed them, not just over his blessings.

            Zion summarizes God’s blessings with one broad-ranging image.  He has clothed her with “the garments of salvation.”  There is no more significant blessing than salvation.  Our deliverance from sin and death is paramount.  And earlier in the passage we saw other aspects of salvation: healing of broken hearts, release from prisons of addiction and abuse, etc.  Notice that the new garments include a “robe of righteousness.”  That is to say, our salvation includes righteous living.  It isn’t a matter of being saved and continuing in sin.  We receive a “robe of righteousness” so that we can live righteous lives.  And notice further that the righteousness is a gift from God.  We cannot live righteously on our own.  We need the power of the Holy Spirit.  There is one more thing to notice, and that is the wedding imagery.  The new clothing is like wedding garments.  Salvation is a relational matter.  We enter into a lifelong love commitment that God always will honor. 

            Finally verse 11 tells us that God will make the joyous scene just described happen just as surely as vegetation grows.  God’s salvation and blessings are guaranteed by the fact that he is God.  He is creator, sustainer, and redeemer; and although Satan and other evil ones can cause havoc, they cannot stop his ultimate will.

            It is verse two that tells us that the “light,” the glory of the Lord,” is God himself.  It also tells us that thick darkness covers the world.  The thick darkness symbolizes the darkness of sin.  But the glorious light of the Lord has risen above Israel.  Verse three goes on to say that nations will be attracted to the light and will come to it.  And verses 4-5 add that the nations not only will come; but they also will bring with them many sons and daughters of Israel and much wealth.  Now this prophecy may have some application to historical Israel, but I believe he primary application is to the New Israel, the Church.  And the prophecy has been fulfilled many times over since the first coming of the promised Servant-Messiah, Jesus. 

            Now then, in verses 6-9 Isaiah lets his mind range over various ways that wealth could flow to Jerusalem in his day.  He pictures camel caravans streaming from the major trade routes.  And he sees so many camels resting in the streets that the camels cover them.  There are camels from Midian, Ephah, and Sheba.  You may remember that the Midianites were identified as caravan traders as far back as the days of Joseph (Gen. 37:28).  Ephah was a son of Midian, so he had the same family connection to caravan trading.  Sheba is the ancient name for modern Yemen, which is located at the south end of the Arabian Peninsula right next to the southernmost part of the Red Sea.  Sheba was the crossroads for trade from both India and Eastern Africa. 

            Notice that Isaiah says that the caravans will bring gold and frankincense.  Gold and incense were two of the most valuable products traded in those days, so he naturally mentions them as part of the wealth that would flow into Jerusalem.  And Isaiah says that this would result in praise to the Lord.  I remind you that these items still were extremely valuable several hundred years later when the wise men brought gifts of gold and frankincense to the newborn King-Messiah. 

            In verse seven Isaiah mentions flocks and herds as another source of wealth.  Kedar and Nebaioth both were sons of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13).  It is believed that the descendents of Nebaioth were the Nabateans, who settled in the area of ancient Edom, which is in the country of Jordan today.  They are associated with the rock-hewn city of Petra.  They were known for the high quality of their wool; and their wealth stemmed from that trade.  Notice that Isaiah says their wealth would minister to Israel and that their rams would be acceptable for sacrifice on the Lord’s altar. 

            In verses 8-9 Isaiah continues in the same vein.  He describes a fleet of ship’s sails on the horizon as like a cloud or a flock of doves.  They are ships of Tarshish.  Tarshish was famous for her fleet of ships that carried goods all over the Mediterranean, and perhaps elsewhere.  And Isaiah says that they would be bringing Zion’s children and more great wealth, specifically silver and gold, to Zion.  Interestingly, no one knows the location of ancient Tarshish.  One wonders how the location of such a well-known trading center could have become lost in the mists of time, but it did.  It seems to have been somewhere in the West.  And notice that a reason is given for their coming.  It is to honor the name of the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 

            In the next segment Isaiah talks about the relationship that Israel will have with the foreigners who come to her.  As we work through the segment, you will see that the biggest interpretive problem is to decide how literally we should take it.  Verse 10 indicates that some of the wealth that is brought to the city will be used to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.  Isaiah declares that the foreigners will do that work while their kings will serve Israel in the city.

            Now previous verses in the chapter clearly suggest that the nations and their kings will be coming voluntarily, because they want to honor God.  Therefore it seems safe to assume that this work on the walls by the people and the service by their kings also is voluntary.  At the same time, in this segment the nations are depicted as subservient to Israel (vv. 11, 14, 16).  Some interpreters get themselves in trouble by interpreting too literally.  Isaiah’s point is metaphorical.  He is saying that the day is coming when Israel’s former enemies, who mocked God, will come to worship him.  Those who destroyed the city, symbolized by its walls, will rebuild it.  And those kings who once lorded it over Israel will serve her.  Don’t miss the fact, in the last half of verse 10, that God is engineering the whole thing.  He struck Israel down as punishment, and he is showing mercy to her by reversing her fortunes. 

            In verse 11 Isaiah, once again using hyperbole, says that the procession of wealth into the city will be a 24 hours per day operation.  The gates will never close as the goods and the nation’s kings stream through.  The last line of the verse has created an interpretive problem, because the word used in respect to the kings is one that usually means, “to be led captive.”  Of course that seems to be in opposition to the previous indication that they come voluntarily.  The answer to that problem becomes clear when we take verse 12 with it.  It reads, “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.”  As the larger biblical revelation shows us, there always are some who stubbornly refuse God’s love.  And Isaiah says that they will perish.  And their kings will enter the city to serve Israel involuntarily. 

            In order to properly understand Isaiah’s vision here, we must realize that the Zion he speaks of is much more than literal Jerusalem, or a literal Jewish state.  This is the “Zion of the Holy One of Israel,” as verse 14, puts it.  It is a place where justice and righteousness reign, as we saw in chapter 59, verse 17.  And it is a place where the Lord himself is the light, as verse 19, which we haven’t yet come to, tells us.  In other words it is the end time kingdom of God. 

            In verses 13-14 Isaiah continues his exaltation of Zion.  In addition to the silver, gold, frankincense, flocks, and so on, that we have seen coming into Zion thus far, the various excellent types of wood from Lebanon also will flow into Israel.  The wood will be used to beautify God’s temple and thus glorify God.  Moreover the descendents of those who had oppressed Israel in the past will come and bow down to them.  This is another example of the idea of reversal that we saw in verse 10.  And again one should not take this too literally.  The main idea is that they are coming to “the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”  In other words they are coming because of God. 

            Verse 15 further describes the change.  Whereas Zion has been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, God will make her majestic; and joy will characterize her.  Verse 16 may seem a bit strange at first; but to Isaiah’s original readers, it would have been a familiar picture.  Isaiah was playing off of an idea that, though unfamiliar to us, was well known across the ancient world.  Those who believed in certain goddesses metaphorically thought of themselves as receiving life from the goddesses by sucking it from her breasts.  Isaiah uses that same image to symbolize Israel’s receiving nourishment from the nations and their kings.  And Isaiah says that the result will be that they will know that the Lord is their Savior and Redeemer. 

            In the rest of the poem (verses 17-22) Isaiah sets forth a vision of the end-time Holy City.  This poem soars to the same heights as the similar vision in Rev. 21:9-27, though metals rather than jewels are featured.  First, the Lord promises to replace the better with the best: stones with iron, wood with bronze, iron with silver, and bronze with gold.  This symbolizes permanence and security.  In the second half of verse 17, the Lord promises that peace and righteousness will be the operating principles of the Holy City.  Notice the irony.  Peace will be their “overseer,” NIV “governor.”  And Righteousness will be their “taskmaster,” literally “slave-driver.”  In their history, their governors and rulers did not rule in peace and with righteousness.  But in the coming Holy City, this will be the case. 

            Then verse 18 declares that “violence,” “ruin” and “destruction” will be no more.  Salvation will be the walls and praise the gates.  Thus there will be harmony and safety; and all who enter will worship the Lord with praise.  Verses 19-20 proclaim that the light of God, which already had dawned (verses 1-3) will be so bright that there no longer will be a need for the sun and moon.  God’s light is everlasting, and it will end their days of mourning. 

            Finally, in verses 21-22, Isaiah turns from a description of the city to a description of the people.  First, they are righteous.  They totally reflect the holy character of God.  Second, they will “possess the land forever.”  From the time of the Abrahamic covenant, the land has symbolized permanence.  The land has become a metaphor for God’s faithfulness to his people; and we will possess it forever.  God planted us.  We are the shoot that the Lord planted.  Thus third, we will fulfill the purpose for which he created us, namely, to glorify him.  Finally, fourth, they (we) will have influence beyond anything we could have imagined.  The least will become a thousand (NRSV, a clan) and the smallest a mighty nation. 

            The last two lines sum up the chapter.  God will make it all happen because he is the Lord.  From the perspective of the New Covenant, we see the fulfillment of this passage in the two comings of Christ.  God brought forth his Son “in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4).  And he will create the New Jerusalem at his second coming.

            In verse three Isaiah moves to a description of their sin.  Their hands are bloody and they have spoken lies.  Notice the technique of moving from a lesser to a greater specificity: from the hand (literally the “palms”) to the fingers and from the lips to the tongue. 

            He continues in verse four by declaring that the legal system is corrupt.  People bring unjust lawsuits and lie to gain what they want.  And the result is “mischief” (the NIV translates it “trouble) and iniquity.  That sounds a lot like our culture today, although it appears that they were further down corruption road than we are. 

            Verses 5-6 present quite a picture of the results of such a sinful society.  It produces “adders’ eggs” and a “spider’s web.”  The term used here for “serpent” does not reveal what kind of snake it was, though it had to be a type that does not give birth to live young.  The image of serpent’s eggs is a powerful one, because whether one eats them or crushes them to let out the babies, the result is the same.  The venom of the baby snakes is as potent as that of the adults.  The image of the spider’s web also is strong.  A spider’s web is near impossible for insects, once caught, to work free from.  When caught in a web, they become the spider’s dinner.  On the other hand a spider’s web is useless to human beings.  For example, they cannot be used to make clothing.  These images correctly picture a society that promotes sin and violence.  Those in positions of power take advantage of those who are not; and they do it by force, if necessary. 

            Verse seven returns to the behaviors of the people in such a society.  Isaiah was dealing with this topic back in verses 3-4.  Here Isaiah turns to the image of their “feet” and “thoughts.”  “Their feet run to evil.”  The idea is that those who are quick on the feet can be first to take advantage of others by shedding innocent blood. 

            And the people’s “thoughts are thoughts of iniquity.”  The word for “thoughts” here is the same one as in 55:8-9, which read, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Oswalt says that the word for “thoughts” refers to the plans or schemes that these evil people were hatching in their minds.  The result of such evil thinking is desolation (NIV says “ruin”) and destruction.  Notice the use of the words “highway” and “way.”  We have seen this as a theme throughout the book. 

            Verse eight shows what they should be experiencing as God’s people.  They should be experiencing peace.  But they do not know “the way of peace.”  They also should be experiencing justice.  But there is none.  Obviously, the solution to their problem is to replace their thoughts with the thoughts of God.  But they don’t do it. 

            In verses 1-8 we have seen Isaiah accuse Israel of terrible sinfulness.  And there is no deliverance under their present circumstances.  Now in verses 9-15a, Isaiah says that another result of their sinfulness is no justice.  Notice the “therefore.”  Therefore, based on what I have just told you, namely, the extent of your great sinfulness, “justice is far from us.”  Also please notice the switch to the first person.  “Justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us.”  Isaiah doesn’t separate himself from the sinners.  He is part of Israel, and he shares the pain that their sinfulness has brought upon the nation.  That switch to the first person represents another change.  The prophet is now speaking on behalf of the people. 

            The image of blindness in verse 10 is important.  Back in 42:7 Isaiah had declared that the divine Servant would open the eyes of the blind.  Here in verses 9-10, using the same words that he used in 58:10 (light, darkness, gloom, and noon), Isaiah makes the opposite point.  There, darkness and gloom became light.  Here, light is seen as darkness; and blindness is the result.  Oswalt suggests that Isaiah is saying that things are not always what they seem. 

The same circumstances will seem different to different people, depending on their inner state.  What is incredible darkness to one is as bright as noon to another.  And what is noon to one is pitch-black to another.  If we have the sense of God’s presence and care, the most confusing circumstances will offer little cause for alarm.  But without that sense, the most pleasant prospects soon become gray and dismal. 

The growling and mourning in verse 11 indicate the high level of frustration present among the people.  Justice and salvation seem far away from them. 

            Isaiah, speaking for the people, confesses their sinfulness in verses 12-15a.  Verse 12 indicates that the sins of the people are so numerous that they are piled up before God.  And they know it. 

            Verse 13 contains six infinitive forms [infinitive absolutes] that lay out their sins: “transgressing and denying the Lord,” “turning away from following our God, talking oppression and revolt, conceiving lying words, and uttering them from the heart.”  It is not obvious from the NIV translation that these verb forms all are the same.  But they are. 

            In verses 14-15a Isaiah returns to the subject matter of verse nine, namely justice and righteousness.  Here he adds truth and honesty.  These four characteristics together should prevail in the society, but they do not.  Justice is turned away at the gate; righteousness stands at a distance; truth is shut out from the public square; and honesty (like righteousness) can’t even get there.  Not only is truth lacking, but also those who try to avoid evil are taken advantage of, or perhaps even persecuted. 

            Beginning at 15b Isaiah turns to God’s perspective again.  The “it” that the Lord saw in verse 15b was the terrible sin and injustice laid out in the previous verses.  Once again it is clear that God must intervene personally to solve the problem, and he did. 

            In verse 17 Isaiah presents God’s intervention to save his people with the image of a warrior preparing for battle.  Interestingly, no offensive weapon is mentioned.  In verse 18 Isaiah depicts the vengeance as a repayment of wrath.  He probably intended a play on words here.  The word for “repay” is from the same root as the word for “peace.”  The idea is that God will pacify his enemies with his wrath in contrast to giving peace to those who are in relationship with him (57:19). 

            Verse 19 continues the thought of verse 18.  From West to East god’s enemies will fear his name (that is his reputation and character) and his glory.  His wrath will be like a flooding stream powered by the wind. 

            Verse 20 makes it clear that God takes the warrior stand to conquer his enemies in order to redeem his people.  Zion typifies all of God’s people.  As terrible as God’s wrath is, he offers it reluctantly.  He wants to save, not destroy.  But one has to turn from sin in repentance. 

            Verse 21 ends the chapter and the section.  God, through Isaiah, covenants with his redeemed people (and that includes us) to send his Holy Spirit upon us to enable us to serve him.  He will put his words in our mouths and in the mouths of our succeeding generations, to witness to the world.

            Verse two reveals something important about whom the sinners were.  They were people who were seeking God every day, people who believed they were pleasing God.  They “practiced righteousness,” at least they thought they did.  They kept the ceremonial law; they asked God to work righteous judgments; and they delighted in drawing near to God through their worship.  Isn’t that interesting?  It’s also a little scary.  We are religious people who believe we are pleasing God with our worship.  Should this give us pause? 

            Now then, verses 3-5 give us further insight into their attitude.  Before we talk about the content of these verses, let me say a word about fasting.  As you know, fasting is to deny oneself something for a certain period of time, usually food.  The only required fast day in the Mosaic Law was the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16).  But individual Jews fasted, and leaders in Israel occasionally called for fast days down through the years (Judg. 20:26; 1 Sam. 7:6, 31:13; 2 Sam. 12:21-23; 1 Kgs. 21:27; Ezra 8:23; Neh. 1:4; Est. 4:16). 

            Interestingly, in the first part of verse three we see these religious sinners complaining about God: “Why do we fast, but you do not see?  Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?”  Do you see their problem?  They thought they should be rewarded for their piety.  In other words, they did what they did in order to get what they wanted from God.  Their piety was a means of manipulating God for their own purposes.  At heart, that is paganism.  As we know, true biblical religion calls us to surrender our manipulative self-interest and receive from God those blessings he wishes to bestow. 

            The second part of verse three and verses 4-5 give us God’s perspective on the matter.  We could even say it is his response to the complaint.  “Look you serve your own interest (literally “desire”) on your fast day, and oppress all your workers.”  Now the situation becomes even clearer to us.  These people are very religious; they engage in a lot of pious activity; but they only do it to get their own way; and the fact that they oppress their workers indicates that their religion doesn’t touch the rest of their lives. 

            Isaiah is using hyperbole in verse four.  And the listeners probably were shocked and offended by his charge that they fasted in order “to quarrel and fight.”  Of course they would deny fasting in order to promote strife.  But Isaiah made his point.  Unfortunately scholars are not entirely sure what the point was.  The most likely suggestion is that God was saying through Isaiah that their mistreatment of the poor negated their pious acts.  That’s why their fasting did not make their “voice heard on high.”  I wonder how many Christians think that their pious activities are pleasing God, while their actions in life prove them wrong. 

            Now then, having set forth the people’s idea of fasting and part of God’s response, God continues his response through Isaiah in verses 6-12.  In these verses God declares that his vision of fasting, in contrast to that of Israel, includes loosing the bonds of injustice, letting the oppressed go free, sharing food with the hungry, finding shelter for the poor (see NIV), clothing the naked, and not hiding from their “own flesh and blood” (NIV).  In other words, they should be helping other people rather than abstaining from food. 

            The last clause of verse seven literally reads “your flesh.”  Scholars debate whether it means their “kin” or relatives (NRSV), or whether it means other people generally (NIV).  It’s one of those “pay your money and take your choice” situations. 

            Notice in verses 8-9a that there are four positive consequences of doing the kind of “fasting” that God wants them to do, namely helping others, especially the poor.  First, their light would “break forth like the dawn.”  Light penetrates into and dissipates darkness.  Of course the Lord was talking about spiritual light and darkness here. 

            Second, their healing would “spring up quickly.”  Again I think the emphasis in Isaiah’s mind would have been spiritual healing, but all kinds of healing would be part of it. 

            Third, their “righteousness” would go before them.  The Hebrew word literally means “righteousness,” or “righteous one.”  So I’m not sure why the NRSV translators used “vindicator,” with a note offering “vindication as an alternative.  Translating it as “righteous one” opens up the possibility of a reference to the Lord himself, in which case the Lord would be the vanguard and the “glory of the Lord” the rear guard.  Notice the Exodus imagery.  But scholars generally agree that the reference is to the people’s righteousness in the sense of the good works that would lead to these benefits. 

            Finally fourth, we see the most significant benefit of all.  The presence of God would be with them.  The Lord would answer their calls for help and be there for them. 

            Verses 9b-10a tell us what we should do.  Some of it is repetitious of what we saw in verses 6-8.  We must remove the yoke of oppression; we must stop mocking one another (that’s the finger-pointing), and stop the malicious talk (NIV).  In other words, the poor must no longer be seen as objects of scorn and contempt.  They must be seen as persons of worth and dignity.  Offering food to the hungry is mentioned once again.  If we will do these things instead of depriving ourselves of food, then our light will rise, the Lord will guide us; he will satisfy our needs, and he will strengthen our bones, meaning our bodies.  Indeed we will become like a watered garden and a spring of water.  In other words we will produce an abundance of gifts to share with others, and we will overflow with the life-giving water of the Holy Spirit. 

            Verse 12 mentions another benefit.  “Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt.”  At one level Jerusalem is meant.  Cyrus rebuilt it in the sense of permitting it to happen and providing some support (45:13).  But the Jews did the actual work.  At a deeper level, this points to the restoration and rebuilding of their spiritual lives. And it is at that level we can apply it to our lives. 

            In verses 13-14, Isaiah turns to the subject of Sabbath Keeping.  This proves that the main issue of the chapter is not fasting per se.  The main issue is what pleases God.  Sabbath keeping was another example of religious ceremony, like fasting.  And like fasting, it had to be done for the right reasons.  They were to honor the Sabbath in order to worship God and surrender their lives to him, rather than do it to try to manipulate God for their own purposes.  Verse 14 ends the chapter by declaring that if they would do this for the right reasons, they would “delight in the Lord,” they would “ride upon the heights of the earth,” a poetic way of saying they would be with the Lord; and they would enjoy the heritage of their ancestor, Jacob, which ultimately means eternal salvation.