Isaiah 61 : 10 - 63 : 09

[R' Y'hoshua Moshe]

Here is the Haftarah portion of the Torah Reading Schedule for this week:

Nitzavim/Va’yelech
“You are standing/And he went”

Haftarah: Yesheyahu (Isaiah) 61:10-63:9

May the following be our prayer...

"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy ." - Psalms 119:18

Also, please share with us what our Heavenly Father has shown you, or ask any questions that you may have.

Shalom aleichem chaverim (peace be upon you friends),

Reuel

[alon]

Isaiah 61:10-63:9, Haftarah for Par’shah Nitzavim

Ya’ll may have to help me on this one. As I’ve said here before, eschatology is not my strong suit. In our reading here Yeshua comes from Edom, which is SE of Yerushalayim. However Har Meggido is north of Yerushalayim. I am finding though that there is some dispute amongst scholars as to where geographically the actual battle of “Armageddon” takes place. And in fact, Joel 3 and 4 says the armies of the nations will be gathered for battle in the Valley of Jehoshaphat. This valley forms a semicircle around Yerushalayim to the north and east. So I am a bit confused.


Our reading starts out with the prophet Yeshayahu speaking for the people:

Isaiah 61:10-11 (JPS) 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 victory, as a bridegroom putteth on a priestly diadem, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her growth, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause victory and glory to spring forth before all the nations.

Instead of , the Jewish people- all those who trust in Yeshua and keep His - will know only everlasting joy and rejoicing.


Isaiah 62:1-2 (JPS) For Zion's sake will I not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her triumph go forth as brightness, and her salvation as a torch that burneth. And the nations shall see thy triumph, and all kings thy glory; and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall mark out.

This is Yeshua speaking. In all times He stands ready to make intercession for His own. In the end times, all nations will be witness to Israel’s vindication.

The promises of El Emunah- The Faithful God should become our prayers, as we are here promised an answer to a commanded prayer:

Psalm 122:6a (KJV) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:


Isaiah 62:3-5 (JPS) Thou shalt also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the open hand of thy God. Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken, neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate; but thou shalt be called, My delight is in her, and thy land, Espoused; for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be espoused. For as a young man espouseth a virgin, so shall thy sons espouse thee [change of vocalization yields “He who rebuilds you”]; and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.

The restoration of Yisro’el is here both metaphorically and literally presented as a wedding. Yisro’el is the Bride of Yeshua, not “the church.”

Isaiah 62:4 (KJV) Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.

H2657 חֶפְצִי בָּהּ chephtsı̂y bâhh khef-tsee' baw From H2656 with suffixes; my delight (is) in her; Cheptsibah, a fanciful name for Palestine: - Hephzi-bah.

H1166 בָּעַל bâ‛al baw-al' A primitive root; to be master; hence (as denominative from H1167) to marry: - Beulah have dominion (over), be husband, marry (-ried, X wife).

As a man delights in his bride, so Yeshua delights in His people.

Isaiah 62:6-7 (JPS) I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, they shall never hold their peace day nor night: 'Ye that are the LORD'S remembrancers, take ye no rest, And give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.'

Psalm 122:6 (TLV) Pray for the peace of Jerusalem— “May those who love you be at peace!”

When we pray this, we are praying for the return of HaMoshiach. There can be no peace before He establishes His kingdom; however when we see peace in Yerushalayim we will see peace in all the world.

Today we are seeing the exiles return to Eretz Israel in ever greater numbers. However the full redemption prophesied for Tzion has not yet happened. And so the angelic watchmen and the people who call themselves by the Name of God (HaShem- Lev 24:11) and who are obedient to Him still pray, reminding YHVH Mephalti- The Lord My Deliverer of the plight of His people and His city.


Isaiah 62:8-12 (JPS) The LORD hath sworn by His right hand, and by the arm of His strength: Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies; and strangers shall not drink thy wine, for which thou hast laboured; But they that have garnered it shall eat it, and praise the LORD, and they that have gathered it shall drink it in the courts of My sanctuary. Go through, go through the gates, clear ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway, gather out the stones; lift up an ensign over the peoples. Behold, the LORD hath proclaimed unto the end of the earth: say ye to the daughter of Zion: 'Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.' And they shall call them The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD; and thou shalt be called Sought out, a city not forsaken.

Yeshua here speaks directly to Tzion, assuring the city and us that redemption will indeed come. The road being cleared is not only for the use of Judeans who remain in exile, but for the divine Presence Himself! That Presence left Israel along with exiles, but will return with them:

Ezekiel 43:1-5 (TLV) Then he led me to the gate, the gate looking east, and behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters. The earth was radiant with His glory. The appearance of the vision that I saw was like the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city. The visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar. So I fell on my face. Then the glory of Adonai came into the House by way of the gate facing the east. The Ruach took me up and brought me into the inner court. Then behold, the glory of Adonai filled the House.

In Jewish thought, actions are far more important and telling than words. The concern of El Racham- The Compassionate God for Tzion is next shown (Isaiah 63) in His actions:

- In verse 6 He posts watchmen on walls
- His prophets exhortation to intercession for the city, verses 6 and 7
- His oath in verses 8 and 9 that in that time He will protect Jerusalem from ever again being overrun by enemies
- The call to return from Babylon in verse 10
- In His end time deliverance in verse 11
- And in His end time blessing in verse 12, expressed in fourfold name for the Lord’s own:
-- Isaiah 62:12 (TLV)Then they will call them The Holy People, The Redeemed of Adonai, and you will be called, Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.


Isaiah 63:1 (JPS) 'Who is this that cometh from Edom, with crimsoned garments from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, stately in the greatness of his strength?' - 'I that speak in victory, mighty to save.'

This passage concerns divine retribution against the enemies of El Qadosh- The Holy God. The Edomites are used here as a symbol for those enemies. The year of the Lord’s favor is ended and a terrible judgement now sweeps the earth:

Revelation 19:11-13 (TLV) Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The One riding on it is called Faithful and True, and He judges and makes war in righteousness. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and many royal crowns are on His head. He has a name written that no one knows except Himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which He is called is “the Word of God.”

Two rhetorical questions are asked asked: “Who is this that cometh from Edom” and (in the next passage) “Wherefore is Thine apparel red?”

YHVH Makkeh- The Lord That Smiteth comes from south, His robes dripping with the blood of His enemies. Edom is SE of Judah, and Botzrah is a city in Edom. The watchman notices a figure coming from the south and asks who it is. and Yeshua Hu Adon- Yeshua Who is Lord (1 Cor 12:3) responds.

Isaiah 63:2-6 (JPS) 'Wherefore is Thine apparel red, and Thy garments like his that treadeth in the winevat?' 'I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the peoples there was no man with Me; yea, I trod them in Mine anger, and trampled them in My fury; and their lifeblood is dashed against My garments, and I have stained all My raiment. For the day of vengeance that was in My heart, and My year of redemption are come. And I looked, and there was none to help, and I beheld in astonishment, and there was none to uphold; therefore Mine own arm brought salvation unto Me, and My fury, it upheld Me. And I trod down the peoples in Mine anger, and made them drunk with My fury, and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.'

Verses 1-6 prophetically tells of a time when Yeshua returns to establish His kingdom as a conquering warrior, YHVH Izuz v’Gibbor- The Lord Strong and Mighty.

Revelation 19:15 (TLV) From His mouth comes a sharp sword—so that with it He may strike down the nations—and He shall rule them with an iron rod, and He treads the winepress of the furious wrath of Elohei-Tzva’ot.

Yeshua will slay armies with His Word. The same Word that brings salvation also condemns and destroys.


Isaiah 63:7-9 (JPS) I will make mention of the mercies of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us; and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which He hath bestowed on them according to His compassions, and according to the multitude of His mercies. For He said: 'Surely, they are My people, children that will not deal falsely'; so He was their Saviour. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; in His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them, and carried them all the days of old.

“In all their affliction He was afflicted.” Elohe Chaseddi- The God of My Mercy goes with us through all life’s trials and difficulties.

Isaiah 43:2 (TLV) When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, or through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flame burn you.

Our High Priest in heaven is able to have empathy and compassion because He experienced the trials and temptations of life:

Hebrews 2:17-18 (TLV) Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so He might become a merciful and faithful Kohen Gadol in matters relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. Because He Himself suffered when put to the test, He is able to help those being tested.

1 Peter 5:7 (TLV) Cast all your worries on Him, for He cares for you.

“so He was their Saviour. In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them;” Some older versions read “So He was their deliverer. In all their troubles His own presence delivered them.” The way the JPS translates this verse expresses an important part of Isaiah’s theological viewpoint- that Elohim participates in the suffering of His people. There are however many who see the older translation as being more accurate.

Dan C

Resources: JPS Study TNK, W Wiersbe, MF Unger, my father, Rav S and others

[alon]

This weeks haftara