Thou shall no more be termed Forsaken
That is, of the Lord her God, as she had seemed to be to others, and thought to be so by herself, ( Isaiah 49:14 ) , not having so much of his gracious presence as is desirable; sensible communion with him being withheld; the word and ordinances not owned and blessed, or very little; and few souls converted; and the interest of Christ, labouring under many difficulties and discouragements, under the reproaches and persecutions of men, and so looked as if forsaken of God; but in the latter day all these complaints shall be removed; and the presence of God will be very manifest in his churches, and among his people; and they will appear to be his care and charge; see ( Isaiah 60:15 ) :
neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate;
as the Gentile world was before the preaching of the Gospel in it; and as the land of Israel now is, and the Jewish people are, having rejected the Messiah, and continuing in impenitence and unbelief; and as the church of Christ is, when the word and ordinances are neglected, or little success attends them; but now more shall be the children of the desolate than of the married wife; many souls shall be born again in Zion, and many sons and daughters brought there, and brought up there, and therefore shall not be called desolate, ( Isaiah 49:19-21 ) ( 54:1 ) :
but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah;
the former of these was the name of Hezekiah's mother, ( 2 Kings 21:1 ) and a fit name for the church of Christ, who is pleasant to him for delights, ( Song of Solomon 7:6 ) and the latter well agrees with her being married to Christ. The meaning of these names is explained in the next clause; or the reason of their being given: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land is married;
the former explains "Hephzibah", which signifies "my delight is in her"; Christ delighted in his church from everlasting, as they were the objects of his own and his Father's love; as chosen in him, and given to him as his spouse and bride, ( Proverbs 8:31 ) and he delights in them in time, as clothed with his righteousness, washed in his blood, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit; he delights in their company, to hear their voice, and see their countenance; they are the excellent in the earth, in whom is all his delight, ( Psalms 16:2 ) , and he will delight in them hereafter, in the spiritual reign, when he will glorify and beautify them, and make them an eternal excellency, ( Isaiah 60:7 Isaiah 60:13 Isaiah 60:15 ) , and in the personal reign, when they shall be as a bride adorned for her husband, and his tabernacle shall be among them, and he will reign with them, and they with him; during which time he will be presenting them to himself, and delighting in them, as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, ( Revelation 21:2 Revelation 21:3 ) ( Ephesians 5:27 ) and in heaven to all eternity. The latter clause explains "Beulah", which signifies "married", as the church secretly was to Christ from all eternity; in the latter day the espousals of her to him will be more open and manifest; then the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and it will more clearly appear that she is in such a state, by the numerous converts in her, or sons and daughters that will be born in her to Christ, both of Jews and Gentiles, ( Revelation 19:7 Revelation 19:8 ) ( Isaiah 66:8 ) .