No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. – Isaiah 62:4

 Today's Scripture Reading (September 11, 2020): Isaiah 62

We often believe that London took the brunt of the bombing during the Battle of Britain, but the reality is that the city of Kingston upon Hull, often shortened to just Hull, had 95% of its homes destroyed. The truth is that in the early days of aviation, sometimes London was a little hard to find. But the planes could always find Hull on the Eastern coast of the Island Empire. And as a result, Hull takes its place in history as one of the cities that suffered the most destruction in times of war.

But Kingston upon Hull was far from being the only city to suffer devastation during times of conflict. If we accept that these latter chapters of Isaiah were written as the exiles were returning to Jerusalem, decades after the Babylonians had destroyed the city, then we need to recognize that the Jerusalem they were returning to had been devastated. No one inhabited on the Holy mountain anymore. It probably received some visitors; the curious came to see where the mighty Jerusalem had once stood, and some people of various religions had likely built small worship altars on the mountain, approximately where they believed the Temple had once stood. But Jerusalem was no longer a city. It was Deserted and Desolate, a place where only the ghosts of the past made their homes and wandered the destroyed streets. And for many in the area, the belief was that Jerusalem would never live again.

Isaiah had a different message. Yes, there is no question that Jerusalem was a city with a past. No one could argue about the cities destruction. The people had deserted it, but none of that was Jerusalem's future. Isaiah says that Jerusalem would be known as Hephzibah, a word that means "My delight is in her." Even deserted and desolate, God was willing to declare that he took delight in Jerusalem. And the city would also be called Beulah, which means "married." A time was coming when Jerusalem would know the love and presence of God in the same way that husband and wife commit to sharing life together.

The Christian Church has clung to this idea of Beulah but, unfortunately, have forgotten the concept of Hephzibah. But both are extremely important. A God who takes delight in us (the Church) is a God that is willing to make us his bride and share his presence with us. And in return, we need to take delight in him, and share our lives unreservedly with him and accomplishing his purposes in the world around us.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Isaiah 63