Isaiah 62

Isaiah 62:1–12 Zion Is Established in the Last Days

Zion is portrayed as an important woman in the last days (see Latter-day Saint Bible chapter heading). She will be renowned among the nations and kings (62:2) and a “praise of the earth” (62:7). She will be titled “Sought After” and “A City Not Forsaken.” Zion’s inhabitants are God’s covenant people—they are righteous (62:2; Doctrine and Covenants 97:21, “the pure in heart”), and they are called “The Holy People” and “The Redeemed of the Lord.”

Isaiah 62:1

brightness/burning torch. Lady Zion’s “righteousness” and “salvation” (through the Lord) are bright like a burning torch that provides light to everyone who sees it.

Isaiah 62:1

nations/kings. Lady Zion is famous among earth’s nations for her “glory” and “righteousness.”

Isaiah 62:2

new name. The Lord will give Lady Zion a new name, which speaks of the Lord’s temple (see also 62:9). Compare these words, “I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, . . . and I will write upon him my new name” (Revelation 3:12).

Isaiah 62:3

crown of glory/royal diadem. “Crown” and “diadem” pertain to royalty, suggesting that Lady Zion is a princess or a queen. The “new name” and the crown pertain to a sacred coronation and enthronement setting.  hand of the Lord. The Lord keeps Zion safe, as if she is in His hand/palm. “Forsaken”/“Desolate.” Historically, God forsook Zion (God’s covenant Israel) because of her unfaithfulness.

Isaiah 62:4

called “Forsaken” . . . called, “Desolate”. Whereas Zion was called “Forsaken” and “Desolate,” in the last days she will be named “Delightful” (Hebrew cheftzi bah, literally, “My Delight is in Her”) and “Union” (Hebrew be‘ulah, literally, “Married” or “Married woman”).

Isaiah 62:6

I have set watchmen. The Lord’s watchmen are His prophets, who teach Zion’s inhabitants and guard them from evil.

Isaiah 62:8

sworn by His right hand/His mighty arm. The Lord uses His greatest strength and power (symbolically, His right arm) to accomplish His purposes. To swear by the right hand is to covenant unequivocally to fulfill one’s promises (40:10; 41:10; 52:10).

Isaiah 62:9

My sanctuary. The Lord’s house is both primary and essential to Zion.

Isaiah 62:10

Build up, build up the highway. This is the same as the highway and “The Way of Holiness” (see 35:8). ensign. The standard, which is a flag or an ensign, is variously given in the scriptures as the “root of Jesse” (11:10), the Book of Mormon (2 Nephi 29:2–3), the great Zion of the last days (Doctrine and Covenants 64:41–43), and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Doctrine and Covenants 115:4–5).

Isaiah 62:11

your Salvation comes! The Salvation is none other than Jesus Christ. See also Zechariah 9:9. His reward is with Him/His recompense is before Him. Jesus Christ will reward the righteous and compensate them for losses, sufferings, and injustices.

Isaiah 62:12

“The Holy People.” The sanctified ones, specifically those who have received the ordinances and blessings of the temple and remain faithful. “The Redeemed of the Lord.” Those for whom the Lord has paid the debt of justice for their sins (35:10; 51:11). “Sought After.” People will seek Zion because of her greatness, light, and glory: “And it shall come to pass that the righteous shall be gathered out from among all nations, and shall come to Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants 45:71; see also verses 66–70).