Isaiah 62 - Your New Name

Introduction

Let’s open our Bibles together once again to the book of Isaiah, chapter 62.

We will be considering all twelve verses this morning, so let’s read them.

[READ ISAIAH 62]

Names are really important. They mean something.

According to those paragons of truth, Google and AI, there is no known human tribe or society that doesn’t use personal names.

Names are baked in to how we view the world.

They are the root of language - every noun we use in conversation is nothing more than a name for something.

It shouldn’t be surprising: God, in whose image we are made, began creation by naming His creation.

Genesis 1:3–5 “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”

Genesis 1:8 “And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.”

Genesis 1:10 “God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.”

When Adam was made, before Eve was formed, we are told:

Genesis 2:19–20 “Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him.”

And when God did make Eve and brought her to Adam, he said:

Genesis 2:23 “Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.””

At its heart, a name seeks to embody the truth about something or someone.

How many parents here took the time to look up what the names mean that you chose for your children?

We see that often in Scripture names mean important things:

Genesis 4:1 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have gotten a man with the help of the Lord.””

Genesis 4:25 “And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and called his name Seth, for she said, “God has appointed for me another offspring instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.””

After Sarah was found eavesdropping and laughing at the thought of bearing a a first child at age 90, Genesis 17:19 says “God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac [laughter]. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.”

Jacob: “the supplanter”

Joshua: “God Saves”

Samuel: 1 Samuel 1:20 “And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel [“God heard”], for she said, “I have asked for him from the Lord.””

Emmanuel: “God with Us.”

So when we read all these names in our chapter of Isaiah this morning, know that there is a great weight to each of these.

Because these are the names given to God’s people - the church - and each for His perfect reasons.

Your Name Is Bestowed (vv.1-4)

I would guess that for most of you in here, you did NOT name yourself.

Most of us were named by our parents.

Even if we have nicknames, they were probably put on us by someone else: friends or family.

We might have multiple names:

I myself this week have answered to “Patrick”, “Pastor”, “Mr. McDonald”, and “Papa”, just to name a few.

The most important names we have are the ones given to us.

It seems almost artificial for us to give ourselves a name, although sometimes people do.

I think it seems a bit off because there is only one Person, God Himself, who is self-existent and, therefore, worthy of giving Himself a name.

That is why the Third Commandment is to not to take the name of God in vain.

To not bring dishonor or pollution to His name.

Because His name represents Him.

We looked at that truth last Wednesday night in John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

God’s name is holy, set apart for only good use.

It is from His name that all other good names flow.

And so we see in the second verse of our text today that:

Isaiah 62:2 “you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.”

Christian - who you ARE, what you are NAMED, is by the word of God Himself.

[The nicknames Jesus bestowed]

You, like the Corinthian believers are: 1 Corinthians 1:2 “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:”

Don’t let the first verse of our passage today, addressed to Zion and to Jerusalem, cause you not to see this great truth.

The Church of Jesus Christ is the culmination, the pinnacle, of the redemptive plan and promise of God from the very beginning.

We are the assembly of the redeemed of God, His people called by His name.

1 Peter 2:9–10 “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

This sounds very much like the names God is bestowing on His people in v. 4:

Isaiah 62:4 “You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married.”

It doesn’t matter what anyone else may call you:

This world has a cruelty that sinks to our bones sometimes.

When people call you things, give you names that highlight your deficiencies and failures rather than the glory of God in you.

Are you careful about that?

Do the words you use and the nicknames you give out build people up or tear them down, even a little?

Are your characterizations of people kind or cruel?

What pours out of your mouth: blessings or curses?

And even if you aren’t cruel TO them, are you cruel or cutting behind their backs?

Because if you are, SOMEONE is hearing you.

SOMEONE is being hurt by your words, even if they are going along with you.

The one thing I have always thought when someone wants to gossip TO me is that they are probably saying just as cruel things ABOUT me to other people.

You may be broken today by harsh words and hateful judgments made about you.

The people around you may call you “Forsaken” - abandoned - or “Empty”.

But the word of God to you if you are His is completely different.

He calls you “My Delight”.

And Church, He calls you “Beloved Wife”.

Your Name Is a Promise (vv. 5-9)

That brings us to the next section.

The name that God has put on you isn’t just a label: it’s a promise, a covenant.

Even more, it’s a vow He has made, betrothing you to Himself through Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 62:5 “as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.”

You will probably remember that many times in Scripture, God’s relationship with His people is illustrated by marriage.

In many of those, like in the prophet Hosea, Israel is compared to an adulteress, disregarding her vows to God.

But here in Isaiah, there is nothing of that tragic history.

The picture the prophet draws for us here is not the wounded marriage but the joyous wedding.

He speaks of the bridegroom and bride, the day of the wedding - when joy and hope are at their height.

And it’s also the day when the bridegroom gives the bride his NAME.

We see the remaining promise of that great day, the eternal day, in Revelation 19:6–9 “Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.””

A day of joy that will never end.

A time of complete happiness that will endure eternally.

We can see this enduring bliss at the very end of the Revelation 22:17 “The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”

Even at the end of all the revelation and promise of God, we are still called “the Bride”.

The Eternal Newlywed.

In our text this morning, we see the great and eternal promises of God to His bride in verses 8-9:

Isaiah 62:8–9 “The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink your wine for which you have labored; but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.””

We are redeemed from the curse.

We are brought forever into His sanctuary, into His protection.

And our joy will not fade.

Peter calls it an “unfading crown of glory”. (1 Peter 5:4)

That glory and joy won’t fade because God won’t allow it to:

Most of the other places in the Bible we see “watchmen”, they are watching for enemies. And so we should.

But God says in verses 6-7 that:

Isaiah 62:6–7 “On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth.”

These watchmen that God has set all around His bride are there to give Him no rest in their prayers to Him for the blessing of his bride.

They cry out day and night, putting Him in remembrance always for the good of His bride, the church.

Now, of course, God is not forgetful, nor does He need to be reminded.

This is just the picture of the extent God has gone to in securing His bride eternally in joy with Him.

It is ALL His work, all His initiative, on behalf of His beloved.

It is the fulfillment of all those covenant promises He has made - continually and eternally.

Brothers and sisters who are married - what watchmen have you set over your marriage?

What reminders do you have to ensure your wife’s needs before your own?

What reminders do you have set, ladies, to seek after your husband’s good before your own?

God may not be forgetful, but we are.

We easily find ourselves caught up in our own plans, our own jobs, our own world,

And we need to have reminders:

First, to put our spouse ahead of everyone but God.

And Second, to not demand our spouse put us ahead, because then we are putting ourselves ahead.

[READ EPHESIANS 5:22-33]

Your Name Is a Mission (vv. 10-12)

So we see that we are not saved to bless ourselves, but others.

We are saved to:

Isaiah 62:12 “be called The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord; and you shall be called Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.”

Very quickly, let’s look at these blesses promises:

1. Holy People - a people set apart for the glory of God alone.

A people who are unmixed with the sin of this world.

A people who are made entirely acceptable and at peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Even a kingdom of priests for the Most High God, raising bold prayers to the True God who answers the prayers of His people.

2. Redeemed of the Lord - the people God Himself has purchased out of their sin and brought to Himself.

For those who were enslaved to sin and bound to death, He has redeemed us, saved us from that terrible life.

Scattered among all the nations of the world, and brought together into a single people.

3. Sought Out - not a single person here can claim that they were looking for God and discovered Him.

We only find Him BECAUSE He first sought us out.

Called us to Himself.

Romans 8:29–30 “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

4. Not Forsaken - a lot of people in church think that God is just waiting for them to mess up so He can punish them.

Lying in wait, just waiting to catch them and condemn them.

Nothing could be farther from the truth:

Psalm 18:16–19 “He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me.”

It is He who rescues you from calamity, trial, and temptation.

You won’t know this side of eternity how many times He has guarded you, held you, sent comfort to you at just the right time.

It would be hell, literally, to have God against you.

To live in that condemnation.

But the good news is that John 3:17 “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Colossians 3:3 “your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Christian - you wear His name, you hold to His promise, and you carry His gospel.

You are called by the name of Jesus Christ, who is Ephesians 1:21 “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.”

Philippians 2:9–11 “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”