上帝所應許的祂必要成就，像祂在62：1所斷言的，將有一個明亮、公義的新耶路撒冷要出現，在新耶路撒冷被建立成以上所述的情景之前，祂不會靜默或休息（62：1），因祂的計畫不會失敗；實際上聖靈正在上帝的子民身上動工，使他們熱切的禱告，為要完成上帝的使命（太28：19），福音一直被傳到世界各地（62：6~7），到那日，信主的人要高舉十字架的旗幟，準備迎接耶穌的再來（62：10），這位聖潔的新郎要歡喜快樂（62：5；弗5：27；啟21：2）。

        上帝以耶路撒冷將有光明的未來安慰她，並說她將成為上帝手中的華冠不再荒蕪，不再屬於任何國家，也不再有邪惡人居住其中，她將與基督同住且被稱為，被主贖回的聖民（62：12）。耶穌將生命賜給祂救贖的人，使他們成為新造的人，耶路撒冷也像一個新造的人，上帝給她特別的新名字，從各地來的人都要稱呼她的新名稱，如：「她是我的喜悅」或「已婚之人」（含有豐富之意）或「尋求」（人們都想成為她的子民），耶路撒冷也要被稱為「不再被棄的城」，萬王之王將要祝福她，與她同住（62：4，12）。

        新耶路撒冷被建立之前，主耶穌要再來，祂來是為要復仇，就是六十三章起記載的，對於耶穌是慈愛的僕人，是救主，是好牧人的解釋，我們容易接受，但若說上帝因憤怒，對付敵人使血濺在衣服上，如此的描述使我們難以想像耶穌再來時的工作是復仇；但是上帝忍耐及抑制怒氣的時間將過，邪惡的人和上帝的子民都要面對審判，那些想要毀滅上帝子民的仇敵，使得上帝動工（63：1）。以東是邪惡的代表（34：5~6），他們是以色列人的鄰舍及親戚（以掃的後裔），他們驕傲、憎恨和嫉妒（結35：5，10~11），又暴力的欺壓上帝的子民（珥3：19），因此在上帝審判的時候，要以邪惡回報他們（俄15~16；摩1：11），這就是在復仇之日祂要做的工作。

        當彌賽亞耶穌要贏得戰役時，祂不像摩西有他身邊的人撐著他的手臂，使他們贏得戰役（出17：12），耶穌祂要自己單獨戰勝邪惡（63：5；59：16），像祂在加略山得勝一樣。當上帝審判邪惡人時，上帝的子民會看見，上帝是如何以愛、良善的恩慈對待他們；上帝不僅看到祂子民的憂傷的感覺，祂能提供真正的安慰和引導，就像摩西當日引導他的子民一般；對那些有心悔改、禱告上帝的人，上帝仍以慈愛對他們，他們才能再一次的成為上帝的子民。

        六十四章上帝動工審判全地邪惡的人和拯救祂的子民（詩144：5~8），也就是那些愛祂順服祂的人（64：4），在他們需要時上帝向他們顯現。使徒保羅解釋64：4說，上帝的靈被啟示且顯明給人，目的是讓人認識耶穌（林前2：9~10，16）。

        在謙卑悔改的禱告中，以賽亞及餘剩的人，認清自己的罪及不潔淨，就算他們有公義，但在公義的上帝面前，只是污穢的破布一般（64：6）；公義的耶穌給於相信祂的人的公義，在上帝眼中看來是榮美的（腓3：9）；上帝的子民雖然知道犯罪的結果要承受上帝的忿怒，但他們仍是祂手中的工作，上帝仍是慈愛，所以他們求祂已應許的恩典來平息祂的怒氣。

        主啊！我們加入以賽亞悔改禱告的行列，求您從所有的不義中，赦免潔淨我們，使我們成為您的聖民，主啊！我們知道聖潔不是來自我們，乃因您的恩典而賜下，讓我們的生活配得您這樣的恩典。奉主耶穌聖名，阿們！

English

        Whatever the Lord has promised, He will bring to fulfillment, just as He affirms in chapter 62:1. He has promised a bright, new, and righteous Jerusalem, and His plan will not fail, for He has purposed that He will not keep silent or rest until it is established (62:1). Indeed, the Holy Spirit is at work in the lives and hearts of God's people (His "watchmen") who are given to intercessory prayer and who fulfill the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19). The Gospel message is continually being proclaimed in all parts of the world (62:6-7). In these ways, and in lifting high the banner of the cross, the Lord's faithful people are preparing the way for Jesus Christ's return (62:10). At that time, the Lord will claim His pure and undefiled Bride, with whom He will rejoice (62:5; Eph. 5:27; Rev. 21:2).

        The Lord comforts Jerusalem with the brightness of her future for she will be like a jeweled crown in His hand. She will no longer be forsaken by God or desolate. She will no longer be subjected to any other nation, nor will she be inhabited by the wicked; rather, she will be inhabited by the Bride of Christ, who will be called "The Holy People" and "The Redeemed of the Lord" (62:12). Like the new creation that Jesus makes in the lives of the Redeemed, so too Jerusalem will be a new creation, and as such she will receive a special and new name given to her by God. The people from other nations will also call her by new names, such as Hephzibah ("My delight is in her"), Beulah ("married", implying "fertility", cf. 54:5-6), and "Sought Out" (since all people will desire her and long to be her citizens). She will also be called "A City Not Forsaken", for the King of kings will bless her and dwell within her gates (62:4, 12).

        Before the New Jerusalem will be established, the Lord Jesus must come again, but this time His coming will be in the day of vengeance, as Isaiah explains in chapter 63 (cf. 61:2). For many, it is hard to picture Jesus, the merciful Servant, Saviour, and Shepherd, as a God of wrath with blood-stained garments (63:2-3; cf. Rev. 19:11-15). But at that time, the period of His longsuffering grace and restraint will be past, and the wicked who rally against Him and His people must meet with judgment. One of the reasons for God's intervention is to save His people from the Enemy whose forces seek to destroy them (63:1). The wicked are represented by "Edom" (cf.34:5-6), Israel's neighbour and relative (descendants of Esau). They were proud, showed enmity and envy (Ezek. 35:5, 10-11), and were violent and oppressive to the children of Israel (Joel 3:19). The Lord recompensed them for their evil (Obed. 15-16; Amos 1:11), just as He will do in the coming day of vengeance.

        Unlike Moses, the mediator of old, who had faithful co-workers to uphold his arms and thereby help him win the battle (Ex. 17:12), there was no one capable of helping the Messiah Jesus to win this battle, for just as He was victorious on Calvary alone, so too He will win this great victory alone (63:5; 59:16). In His righteous and just judgment upon the wicked, God's people will recognize that He was showing them His tender love, great goodness, and mercy. The Lord not only saw all the afflictions of His people, He also felt them; for He, the suffering Servant, was familiar with pain and grief and could therefore empathize with them and provide real comfort and consolation (63:9; cf. Heb. 2:17-18; 4:15). The prophet longs for this day of the Lord's special care and guidance, as it was when He led them under their shepherd Moses, but now in the time of their estrangement from God, He withheld His mercy. With repentant hearts they prayed for God to return and restore them, that they might once again be His Holy people.

        Along this same train of thought, in chapter 64 Isaiah presents to the Lord the plea of the righteous remnant: that He would come and intervene with a mighty display of His power (as it was on Mount Sinai) to bring judgment on the wicked, subject all nations, and deliver His people from their oppression (cf. Ps. 144:5-8). For those who love Him, trust in Him ("wait for Him", 64:4b), and "remember" [to obey] Him, the Lord "acts" on their behalf and will "meet" them in their time of need. The Apostle Paul utilizes 64:4 to explain how God's Spirit has now enlightened and revealed to man His profound purpose, which is seen in Jesus (1 Cor. 2:9-10,16).

        In a prayer of profound penitence, the prophet Isaiah and the remnant declare their own sin which makes them "unclean" (ritually defiled, like a leper; Lev. 5:2; 13:45), and even their own righteousness before the Holy and truly righteous God is like a filthy rag (64:6). The imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ given to believers, however, is glorious and beautiful in the eyes of God (cf. Phil. 3:9). They recognize that although they deserve only His wrath because of their inex cusable guilt, they, His people, are still the work of God's hands, and since He is like a merciful and loving Father, they can plead for His gracious promises and for His wrath to subside.

        Lord Cod, we join Isaiah in a prayer of repentance. forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, so that we may be Your holy people. Lord, we recognize that this holiness is not of ourselves, but is only given to us through Your grace. May we conduct our lives worthy of this grace.