Garments of Salvation

Chapter 61 and 62 talk about how the people of God were when they experienced the deliverance given them by the "arm of the Lord"

1-3 deal with the Messiah's announcement and his role and ends in chapter 62 with an evangelistic call for the people to fully accept their role as "the Holy People" (62:10-12)

We find in the middle of these two points three segments of scripture that are connected by promises to Zion and the rest of the nations.

61:4-10 Zion will eat the wealth of the nations.

62:1-5 God will show all the nations that Zion is not forsaken

62:6-9 The other nations will not devour Zion's wealth.

In all of this division of Isaiah 56-62 we find a high value and prominence given to the word and thought of "righteousness"

Isaiah 61:3 (KJV)

3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Isaiah 61:10-11 (KJV)

10 I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Isaiah 62:1-2 (KJV)

1 For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.

2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.

One thing to keep in mind is the call to do righteousness at the beginning 56:1 and how chapter 56-59 document the inability to keep that command.

I like what John Oswalt wrote in his commentary of the Book of Issaih on this passage, "righteousness shows that salvation is more than mere deliverance from physical bondage or spiritual guilt. God delivers from one thing but unto another. Throughout this division, beginning with 56:1, it has been plain that God expects the delivered to manifest his nature. Those whom he wraps in his robe of righteousnessexperience not only deliverance from unrighteousness and its effects but also divine enablement to live out his righteousness. This is the significance of the Divine Warrior segments (59:15b-21; 63:1-6) on either side of chs. 60-62, and of the Servant/Messiah passage (61:1-3) in the center. God commands righteousness, and he by his power alone provides it. That is cause for joy indeed."

New International Commentary, The - The New International Commentary on the Old Testament – The Book of Isaiah Chapters 40-66.

In our text We find a testimony of extreme joy.

A couple of thoughts

It's okay to be joyful as a Christian - in fact the Joy of the Lord is your strength Notice who is doing the dressing - He -God has clothed and covered. (Not our covering or works) This is two types of covering I think it is a great symbol of two different works of grace. It's not a flaunting of decoration but a showing of grace of God.

I want to go back to this exultant joy, Notice the reason for the joy and the excitement, it is not Israel's situation or position but rather it is God.

God has put on the garment of salvation and the covering of righteousness. The concept is of a bride and groom dressing their grandest and best for the glorious day but it is not the clothes that brings them together or makes the event so wonderful.

I like how Anne Ross Cundell Cousin wrote it in her hymn The Sands of Time Are Sinking,

4. The bride eyes not her garment,

But her dear Bridegroom’s face;

I will not gaze at glory

But on my King of grace.

Not at the crown He giveth

But on His pierced hand;

The Lamb is all the glory

Of Emmanuel’s land.

From <http://hymnbook.igracemusic.com/hymns/the-sands-of-time-are-sinking>

The joy and gladness in not just that something has been done, but is over who has done it. It is God the Giver we want, separated from him and his glorious presence, the wedding clothes lose their value.