◄ Isaiah 62:4 ►
No longer will you be called Forsaken, nor your land named Desolate; but you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be His bride.
Study Bible
No longer will you be called Forsaken
The phrase "No longer will you be called Forsaken" speaks to a profound transformation in identity and status. The Hebrew word for "Forsaken" is "Azubah," which conveys abandonment or being left desolate. Historically, Israel experienced periods of exile and divine judgment, feeling abandoned by God due to their disobedience. This promise signifies a reversal of that condition, offering hope and restoration. It reflects God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people, assuring them that their past experiences of desolation are not their ultimate destiny.

nor your land named Desolate
The term "Desolate" in Hebrew is "Shemamah," indicating a state of ruin or barrenness. This was a literal and spiritual condition for the land of Israel during times of conquest and exile. The promise that the land will no longer be called "Desolate" is a prophetic assurance of renewal and fruitfulness. It underscores God's power to restore and revitalize what was once barren, both physically and spiritually, aligning with the biblical theme of redemption and new beginnings.

but you will be called Hephzibah
"Hephzibah" means "My delight is in her" in Hebrew. This name change signifies a new relationship and identity bestowed by God. It reflects a deep, personal affection and favor from the Lord. In the historical context, Hephzibah was also the name of a queen, the wife of King Hezekiah and mother of King Manasseh, symbolizing nobility and honor. Spiritually, it represents the church or the people of God being cherished and valued by the Lord, highlighting His intimate and loving relationship with His people.

and your land Beulah
"Beulah" translates to "married" in Hebrew. This term signifies a covenant relationship, indicating that the land is no longer abandoned but is in a committed, fruitful union with God. The imagery of marriage is frequently used in Scripture to describe the relationship between God and His people, emphasizing faithfulness, love, and mutual commitment. This transformation from desolation to marriage illustrates the profound change in status and blessing that comes from being in covenant with God.

for the LORD will take delight in you
The phrase "for the LORD will take delight in you" reveals the motivation behind the transformation. The Hebrew word for "delight" is "chaphets," which conveys pleasure and desire. This indicates that God's actions are driven by His love and joy in His people. It is a reminder of the grace and favor that God bestows upon those He loves, not because of their merit, but because of His character and covenant promises. This delight is a source of encouragement and assurance for believers, affirming their worth and value in God's eyes.

and your land will be His bride
The imagery of the land being "His bride" is a powerful metaphor for the intimate and sacred relationship between God and His people. In ancient Near Eastern culture, marriage was a covenantal bond, symbolizing unity and commitment. This phrase suggests that the land, and by extension the people, are in a special, consecrated relationship with God. It speaks to the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises, where His people are fully restored and united with Him, experiencing His love and blessings in their fullness. This prophetic vision inspires hope and anticipation for the complete realization of God's redemptive plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hephzibah
This name means "My delight is in her" in Hebrew. It signifies God's renewed favor and delight in His people.

2. Beulah
This name means "Married" in Hebrew. It symbolizes the restored relationship between God and His people, akin to a marriage covenant.

3. Forsaken
This term refers to the previous state of Israel, where they felt abandoned by God due to their disobedience and the resulting consequences.

4. Desolate
This describes the condition of the land of Israel when it was barren and uninhabited, reflecting the spiritual desolation of the people.

5. The LORD
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who promises restoration and renewal to His people.
Teaching Points
God's Delight in His People
God takes pleasure in His people, and His delight is not based on their past failures but on His covenant love and grace.

Restoration and Renewal
Just as God promised to restore Israel, He offers restoration to us today. No matter how desolate our lives may seem, God can bring renewal and hope.

Identity in Christ
Our identity is transformed from "Forsaken" to "Hephzibah" and "Beulah" through our relationship with Christ. We are no longer defined by our past but by God's love and purpose for us.

The Marriage Covenant
The imagery of marriage in this passage reminds us of the intimate and committed relationship God desires with His people. It calls us to faithfulness and devotion.

Hope for the Future
This promise of transformation and delight offers hope for the future, encouraging us to trust in God's plans and purposes for our lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the transformation from "Forsaken" to "Hephzibah" reflect God's grace in your life?

2. In what ways can you relate to the imagery of the land being called "Beulah"? How does this impact your understanding of your relationship with God?

3. How do the themes of restoration and renewal in Isaiah 62:4 connect with the New Testament teachings on being a new creation in Christ?

4. What practical steps can you take to live out your identity as someone in whom God delights?

5. How does the concept of a marriage covenant with God challenge or encourage you in your personal walk with Him?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Isaiah 54:5
This verse also uses the imagery of marriage to describe God's relationship with Israel, emphasizing God as the husband and Israel as the bride.

Hosea 2:19-20
These verses speak of God's promise to betroth Israel to Himself forever, highlighting themes of love, faithfulness, and mercy.

Revelation 21:2
The imagery of the New Jerusalem as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband connects to the idea of God's people being restored and renewed.
Sermons
A Joyful Change of ConditionJ. A. Alexander.Isaiah 62:4
Fellowship with GodW.M. Statham Isaiah 62:4
Monopoly and CommunismT. De W. Talmage, D. D.Isaiah 62:4
Spiritual EspousalJ. B. Owen, M. A.Isaiah 62:4
The Bunyan Figure of the Beulah-LandR. Tuck Isaiah 62:4
Thy Land Shall be MarriedIsaiah 62:4
From Night to NoonW. Clarkson Isaiah 62:1-7
Promises of Future GloryE. Johnson Isaiah 62:1-9
Zion a Crown of Glory God's HandF. Delitzsch, D. D.Isaiah 62:3-5
People
Hephzibah, Isaiah
Places
Jerusalem, Jerusalem's, Zion
Topics
Beulah, Cried, Delight, Delighted, Delighteth, Delights, Deserted, Desolate, Espoused, Forsaken, Hephzibah, Hephzi-bah, Longer, Married, Named, Pleasure, Termed, Waste
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Isaiah 62:4

     1210   God, human descriptions
     5044   names, giving of
     5736   singleness
     5830   delight
     5844   emotions

Isaiah 62:4-5

     1070   God, joy of
     5676   divorce, in OT
     5712   marriage, God and his people

Library
The Heavenly Workers and the Earthly Watchers
'For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest ... I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest'--ISAIAH lxii. 1, 6, 7. Two remarks of an expository nature will prepare the way for the consideration of these words. The first is that the speaker is the personal Messiah. The second half of Isaiah's prophecies forms one great whole, which …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Call to Prayer and Testimony
Mark well, beloved, how he would have his people to be in tune with himself! He will have no rest till salvation work is done; and he would not have us take rest; but he would have us stirred with passionate desire, and fired with holy zeal for the accomplishment of the divine plan of grace. Till he holds his peace he will not allow us to be silent. You that have the Revised Version will be struck with the more literal and forcible rendering of our text--"Ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, take …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Ministry of Intercession
THE MINISTRY OF INTERCESSION A PLEA FOR MORE PRAYER BY THE REV. ANDREW MURRAY WELLINGTON, S. AFRICA AUTHOR OF "THE HOLIEST OF ALL" "ABIDE IN CHRIST" "WAITING ON GOD" "THE LORD'S TABLE" ETC. ETC. "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth." ISA. lxii. 6, 7. THIRD EDITION London JAMES NISBET & CO. …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

God Seeks Intercessors
"I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night. Ye that are the Lord's remembrancers, keep not silence, and give Him no rest till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth."--ISA. lxii. 6, 7. "And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor."--ISA. lix. 16. "And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered, and there was none to uphold."--ISA. lxiii. 5. "There is none that calleth upon Thy name, that …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

The Watchmen that Go About the City Found Me, to whom I Said, Saw Ye Him whom My Soul Loveth?
Since I have not found my Beloved in any mortal creature, I have sought Him among those happy spirits that go about the city to guard it; they found me because they are ever on the watch, These are the watchmen (Isa. lxii. 6) whom God has set upon the walls of Jerusalem, and who shall never hold their peace day nor night. I asked them news of my Well-beloved, of Him for whom I burn with love; but though they themselves possess Him, they could not give Him to me. Methinks I see Mary Magdalene (John …
Madame Guyon—Song of Songs of Solomon

And the Manner of his Entry into Jerusalem, which was the Capital of Judæa...
And the manner of His entry into Jerusalem, which was the capital of Judæa, where also was His royal seat and the temple of God, the prophet Isaiah declares: Say ye to the daughter of Sion, Behold a king corneth unto thee meek and sitting upon an ass, a colt the foal of an ass. [233] (Isa. lxii. 11, Zech. ix. 9) For, sitting. on an ass's colt, so He entered into Jerusalem, the multitudes strewing and putting down for Him their garments. And by the daughter of Sion he means Jerusalem. …
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

Man's Crown and God's
'In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty.'--ISAIAH xxviii. 5. 'Thou shall also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord.'--ISAIAH lxii 3. Connection of first prophecy--destruction of Samaria. Its situation, crowning the hill with its walls and towers, its fertile 'fat valley,' the flagrant immorality and drunkenness of its inhabitants, and its final ruin, are all presented in the highly imaginative picture of its fall as being like the trampling …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Sixth Day for the Spirit of Love in the Church
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit of Love in the Church "I pray that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them and Thou in Me; that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me ... that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them."--JOHN x"The fruit of the Spirit is love."--GAL. v. 22. Believers are one in Christ, as He is one with the Father. The love of God rests on them, and can dwell in them. Pray that the power of the Holy …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Twenty-Fourth Day for the Spirit on Your Own Congregation
WHAT TO PRAY.--For the Spirit on your own Congregation "Beginning at Jerusalem."--LUKE xxiv. 47. Each one of us is connected with some congregation or circle of believers, who are to us the part of Christ's body with which we come into most direct contact. They have a special claim on our intercession. Let it be a settled matter between God and you that you are to labour in prayer on its behalf. Pray for the minister and all leaders or workers in it. Pray for the believers according to their needs. …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

A Model of Intercession
"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and shall say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine is come unto me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: I cannot rise and give thee? I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet, because of his importunity, he will arise and give him as many as he needeth."--LUKE xi. 5-8. …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

"And He is the Propitiation,"
1 John ii. 2.--"And he is the propitiation," &c. Here is the strength of Christ's plea, and ground of his advocation, that "he is the propitiation." The advocate is the priest, and the priest is the sacrifice, and such efficacy this sacrifice hath, that the propitiatory sacrifice may be called the very propitiation and pacification for sin. Here is the marrow of the gospel, and these are the breasts of consolation which any poor sinner might draw by faith, and bring out soul refreshment. But truly, …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

An Obscured vision
(Preached at the opening of the Winona Lake Bible Conference.) TEXT: "Where there is no vision, the people perish."--Proverbs 29:18. It is not altogether an easy matter to secure a text for such an occasion as this; not because the texts are so few in number but rather because they are so many, for one has only to turn over the pages of the Bible in the most casual way to find them facing him at every reading. Feeling the need of advice for such a time as this, I asked a number of my friends who …
J. Wilbur Chapman—And Judas Iscariot

Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
(from Bethany to Jerusalem and Back, Sunday, April 2, a.d. 30.) ^A Matt. XXI. 1-12, 14-17; ^B Mark XI. 1-11; ^C Luke XIX. 29-44; ^D John XII. 12-19. ^c 29 And ^d 12 On the morrow [after the feast in the house of Simon the leper] ^c it came to pass, when he he drew nigh unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, ^a 1 And when they came nigh unto Jerusalem, and came unto Bethphage unto { ^b at} ^a the mount of Olives [The name, Bethphage, is said to mean house of figs, but the …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The First Day in Passion-Week - Palm-Sunday - the Royal Entry into Jerusalem
At length the time of the end had come. Jesus was about to make Entry into Jerusalem as King: King of the Jews, as Heir of David's royal line, with all of symbolic, typic, and prophetic import attaching to it. Yet not as Israel after the flesh expected its Messiah was the Son of David to make triumphal entrance, but as deeply and significantly expressive of His Mission and Work, and as of old the rapt seer had beheld afar off the outlined picture of the Messiah-King: not in the proud triumph of war-conquests, …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. '
As we follow the narrative, confirmatory evidence of what had preceded springs up at almost every step. It is quite in accordance with the abrupt departure of Jesus from Capernaum, and its motives, that when, so far from finding rest and privacy at Bethsaida (east of the Jordan), a greater multitude than ever had there gathered around Him, which would fain have proclaimed Him King, He resolved on immediate return to the western shore, with the view of seeking a quieter retreat, even though it were …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

Among the People, and with the Pharisees
It would have been difficult to proceed far either in Galilee or in Judaea without coming into contact with an altogether peculiar and striking individuality, differing from all around, and which would at once arrest attention. This was the Pharisee. Courted or feared, shunned or flattered, reverently looked up to or laughed at, he was equally a power everywhere, both ecclesiastically and politically, as belonging to the most influential, the most zealous, and the most closely-connected religions …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Isaiah
CHAPTERS I-XXXIX Isaiah is the most regal of the prophets. His words and thoughts are those of a man whose eyes had seen the King, vi. 5. The times in which he lived were big with political problems, which he met as a statesman who saw the large meaning of events, and as a prophet who read a divine purpose in history. Unlike his younger contemporary Micah, he was, in all probability, an aristocrat; and during his long ministry (740-701 B.C., possibly, but not probably later) he bore testimony, as …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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