SUMMARY
IsaiahIsaiah, son of Amoz, who prophesied in Jerusalem, is included among the prophets of the eighth century BCE (along with Amos, Hosea, and Micah)--preachers who boldly proclaimed God's word of judgment against the economic, social, and religious disorders of their time. More 61:10 to 62:3 depicts a prophet charged with announcing Zion’s transformation, promising liberation and joy to the oppressed, leading to Zion’s restoration and a reversal of its fortunes. This vision, juxtaposing prophetic promises and historical realities, highlights the tension between awaited divine intervention and the actual conditions of the holyHoly is a term that originally meant set apart for the worship or service of God. While the term may refer to people, objects, time, or places, holiness in Judaism and Christianity primarily denotes the realm of the divine More city, underscoring the ongoing relevance of the prophet’s mission in addressing contemporary suffering and injustice.
ANALYSIS
The passage from Isaiah 61:10 to 62:3 vividly portrays a prophet’s mission to see ZionZion originally referred to a mountain near Jerusalem where David conquered a Jebusite stronghold. Later the term came to mean a number of other things like the Temple, Jerusalem, and even the Promised Land. More transformed and restored. This section, structured into five distinct parts, features the voices of the prophet and God, and emphasizes the prophet’s spirit-anointed purpose to bring good news, comfort, and liberty to the oppressed.
Central to the narrative is the transformative power of the prophet’s mission, leading to the rebuilding of ruins, the renewal of Zion, and a shift in the city’s status that reflects God’s glory and promises a reversal of fortunes. The prophet’s role is underscored as pivotal not only within the literary framework of Isaiah 60-62 but also in the broader context of Zion’s redemption and restoration.
The text explores themes of divine justice, restoration, and the extension of priestly roles to the broader community, culminating in a vision of Zion’s future glory and international fame and recognition. This vision, however, contrasts sharply with historical realities, presenting a tension between the prophetic promises and the lived experiences of Jerusalem and its denizens, echoing a longing for divine intervention and fulfillment of eschatological promises. The narrative encapsulates a profound theological and poetic reflection on hope, divine promise, and the ongoing import of the prophet’s mission.
In the harsh message of judgment given to Isaiah at his call (Isaiah 6:9-13), God announced that the land would be “desolate” (v. 11) and “forsaken” (v. 12 NIV; “emptiness” in NRSV). Now those same two Hebrew terms are echoed and overturned: the land is no longer called “desolate” but “Married”; no longer “forsaken” but “My Delight Is in Her.” These words, terms of God’s overwhelming graceGrace is the unmerited gift of God's love and acceptance. In Martin Luther's favorite expression from the Apostle Paul, we are saved by grace through faith, which means that God showers grace upon us even though we do not deserve it. More and favor, were often used by believers, especially in generations past, as names for newborn girls (“BeulahBeulah (a Hebrew term which means "married") is a symbolic name applied to Israel to describe a happy and prosperous future. Prophets often used names symbolically; in Isaiah the prophet uses the term Married (that is Beulah) to anticipate the restoration of Zion. More” and “HephzibahIn the book of 2 Kings, Manasseh, who ruled for fifty-five years in Jerusalem, was an evil king who committed many abominations. Even evil kings have mothers, however; and Manasseh's mother was Hephzibah. More” in Hebrew).
“Hephzibah” builds from a root used often in Isaiah, translated usually as purpose, will, delight, or intention. Here God makes clear that the divine “purpose” (same root) to redeem Israel (44:28), which was to be accomplished by God’s word (55:11) and through God’s servant (53:10, using the same Hebrew root), is coming to pass.
