“Behold, the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy Salvation cometh . . . Behold, His reward is with Him, and His work 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 . . . !”
Isaiah 62:11-12
O Daughter of Zion ?
There is a question which many atheists, pagans, and people which follow false religions ask. “Why is Jehovah God so jealous ?” “Why is the Almighty so particular of His people ?” And there is a beautiful answer found in the Holy Scriptures.
The apostle Paul reveals this Truth is clear and powerful lines in these inspired Words, as though the LORD God Almighty (Yehuwah El’ Shaddai) Himself is speaking through His servant Paul.
“For I am jealous over you with a godly jealous: for I have espouse you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste (pure, undefiled) virgin to Christ . . . !” II Corinthians 11:2
Here we are given the picture of our Father in heaven, giving us (the bride) to His Son Jesus Christ. Can you imagine what kind of man would not care if His bride to be, was flirting, mingling with, committing fornication (hugging & kissing), and even outright adultery with other men, even just before their wedding date ?
Or as a woman engaged to be married, how would she feel, knowing that her soon to be husband was fooling around with other women even while they were planning the wedding ? Like us professed Christians, who attend church each week, cry out and praise the Almighty God, and then spend the rest of the week living as though we are not even engaged ?
Even to most of the secular world, this is unthinkable ! And so in the eyes of our Father in heaven, whenever we choose to follow and obey another god, to Him this is spiritual adultery. After rescuing us from sure death, after washing us from the filthiness of our past lives of sin, iniquity (perversity), guilt and shame; and after purchasing our freedom with His Own Son’s Life and blood, how can we turn from our vows of commitment, fidelity and loyalty to Him, and play the part of a harlot with other ‘gods’ and their pagan religions.
Even the prophet Elijah wept when he saw Israel committing her abominations in his day. “And behold, the Word of the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah) came to him, and He said unto him,
What doest thou here, Elijah?
And he (Elijah) said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have for-saken Thy Covenant (their marriage covenant with the LORD), thrown down Thine alters, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only am left; and they seek my life to take it away . . . !
And the LORD said unto him . . . Yet I have left (reserved) Me seven thousand in Israel , all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him . . . !”
Romans 11:2-4 & I Kings 19:9-18
Throughout all of Scripture, Israel is likened unto the bride of Christ, and even though she has played the harlot, Even so, the LORD in His infinite mercy forgives her; and every time she (we) repent, He brings her home.
In Scripture, Israel is us, she is a representation of all those (Jews and Gentiles), who are of faith in Christ Jesus – “Even as Abraham believed GOD, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham . . . !”
Galatians 3:6-7
“That he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision (Jews by phy-sical birth, or by their own works), but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised . . . !” Romans 4:3-12
And the Scriptures tell us that, “All these things happen unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition (instruction, warning, encouragement), upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let he or she that standeth take heed lest ye fall . . . !”
I Corinthians 10:11-12
This is the story which the LORD has given us, of our Redemption. Since that night of Passover so long ago . . . “I have liken the daughter of Zion to a comely (beautiful) and delicate woman . . . !” Jeremiah 6:2
“Behold the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt (bondage, slavery); which My Covenant they brake, although I was an Husband unto them, saith the LORD !” Jeremiah 31:31-34
Here is the picture of a Man taking His ‘bride to be’ from her house of bondage, and setting her free. Baptizing her, and washing her as she passed through the red sea, and taking her through the wilderness, to bring her to the appointed time and place of the marriage ! ref: I Corinthians 10:1-4
Then, after all that the Bridegroom has done to show His great love for her, she rebels, and seeks strangers as her lover. “They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, Shall he return unto her again? Shall not that land be greatly polluted?
But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return again to Me, saith the LORD ! . . . Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause Mine anger to fall upon you: for I Am merciful . . . Only acknowledge thine iniquity (mischief, perversity), that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed My Voice (Commandments, My Word), saith the LORD . . . !
Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I Am married unto you . . . Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings . . . !” Jeremiah 3:1-22
“But they said, There is no hope! but we will walk after our own devices, and we will everyone do the imagination of his evil heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD (Jehovah, Yehuwah); Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things? for the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing . . . !”
Jeremiah 18:12-15
Thus saith the LORD, “Mine eyes do fail with tears, My bowels are troubled, My liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of My people . . . What thing shall I take to witness for thee (ref: Deuteronomy 22:13-19) ? what thing shall I liken to thee, O daughter of Jerusalem?
What shall I equal to thee, that I may Comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Zion? For thy breach is great like the sea. Who can heal thee . . . ?” Lamentations 2:11-13
“And the LORD said unto Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD . . . . And she shall follow (seek) after her lovers, but she shall not overtake them; and she shall seek them, but shall not find them. Then shall she say, I will go and return to my First Husband (The LORD); for then was it better with me than now . . .”
Hosea 1:2 & 2:7
“And I will betroth thee unto Me for ever; Yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in Righteousness, and in judgment (justice) . . . for Mercy and Truth are met together; Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other . . . and in lovingkindness, and in mercies. I will even betroth thee unto Me in faithfulness: and thou shalt know the LORD . . . for this is Life Eternal, that they might know Thee, the Only True God, and Jesus Christ Whom Thou hast sent ! . . .” Hosea 2:19-20, Psalm 85:10 & John 17:3
“O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: Say unto Him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us (me) graciously: so will we render the calves (praises) of our lips . . . Then I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from him !” Hosea 14:1-4 & ref: Isaiah 38:15-17
“Awake, awake ! Put on thy Strength, O Zion . . . put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision (of failure) for the flesh . . . put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean . . . !
Isaiah 52:1-3 & Romans 13:14
Shake thyself from the dust; Arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the LORD,
Ye have sold yourselves for nought (nothing); but ye shall be redeemed without money . . . even the precious blood of the Lamb . . . without spot or blemish !” I Peter 1:19
“For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons (begotten children) marry Thee: and as the bride-groom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God (Elohim) rejoice over thee . . . !” Isaiah 62:5
“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: there-fore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee . . . Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wild-erness, and speak Comfortably unto her . . . and it shall be at that day, saith the LORD, that thou shalt call Me Ishi (my Husband); and shalt call me no more Baali (my Owner) ! . . .
Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel . . . Therefore if any one be in Christ, they are a new creation; old things are passed away; Behold, all things are become new ! . . . and thou shalt again be adorned with tabrets, and shall go forth in the dances of them that make merry . . . !”
Jeremiah 31:3-4 & II Corinthians 5:17
“Sing O daughter of Zion; Shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem ! For the LORD hath taken away thy judgments, He hath cast out thine enemy: The King of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst (heart) of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more !
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is Mighty! He will save (deliver thee, set you free, rescue you, heal you and make thee whole again) ! He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will Rest (carve, engrave) in His love, He will joy over thee with singing . . . !” Zephaniah 3:14-17
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem . . . Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, He is Just, and having Salvation (deliverance, freedom, rescue, liberty, healing); lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey . . . !” Zechariah 9:9-12
“For He saith, I have heard thee in an accepted time,* and in the day of Salvation have I succoured thee: Behold, now is the accepted time,* Behold, now is the day of Salvation . . . Today, if ye will hear His Voice . . . harden not your hearts . . . !”
ref: II Corinthians 6:2 & Hebrews 3:7-8 ref: Isaiah 49:8 & Luke 4:18-19
Please feel free to contact Eric or Sarah Wilson at Isaiah Ministries for more information on this and other Bible studies, or prayer.