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[61:10] I will greatly rejoice in Yahweh,
my whole being shall exult belohay;
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
[61:11] For as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so adonay Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
[62:1] For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,
until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch.
[62:2] The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory;
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of Yahweh will give.
[62:3] You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of Yahweh,
and a royal diadem in the hand elohayik.
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This is the Old Testament selection to be read aloud on the first Sunday after Christmas, Year C, according to the lectionary for the Episcopal Church. It will be followed by a singing of Psalm 147, which sings in part: “He has established peace on your borders; he satisfies you with the finest wheat.” Those two will precede a reading from Paul’s letter to the Galatians, where he wrote: “Before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith.” All will accompany the Gospel reading from John, where the saint wrote: “And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father's only son, full of grace and truth.”
In this reading, two verses from two adjoining chapters are merged together as one song. The Episcopal Church has felt it necessary to mask this separation by not supplying verse (or chapter) numbers in the text. I have supplied those, in bold type, within brackets. It should be realized that each chapter reflects a separate song, just like those songs heard on the radio or other media services. To take the ending of one song and splice it to the beginning of another song misses the theme that called Isaiah to write two different songs; even if the two shared a similar theme. It is worthwhile to realize this separation was brought by Yahweh to Isaiah, as Isaiah was not simply some musical talent, who was forced by a legal contract to produce songs for profit, leading him to begin to repeat himself. All songs in the Holy Bible as the inspiration of Yahweh, sung by His prophets.
This element of Yahweh being the source is stated by Isaiah, but the NRSV (and all other translation services) reject that name (I presume because it is ‘too Jewish’), preferring to generalize (thus marginalize) Yahweh, presenting what Isaiah wrote as “the Lord.” I have restored the name “Yahweh” in each place it was written by Isaiah. Additionally, the translation services read forms of the Hebrew word “elohim” (the plural number, as lower-case “gods”) and elevate that to a big-G “God,” which is incorrect. Because Isaiah had the balls to name Yahweh (his true God), there would be no reason to belittle Yahweh by calling Him what everyone who knows Yahweh knows He is. The word “elohim” is a statement of the presence of Yahweh on the earthly plane, as His Spirit extended to souls in bodies of flesh, all who act as extensions of Yahweh. The same can be said of the use of “adonay” (a plural word meaning “lords,” in the lower-case). A Yahweh elohim is likewise a subject of Yahweh, who by extension “lords” over the soul in a body of flesh (its natural “lord”). Therefore, I have restored the Hebrew text in italics, to be explained in the verse-by-verse interpretation to follow.
Chapter sixty-two’s tenth verse begins by stating Isaiah’s personal knowledge of Yahweh within his soul. It is that presence of a specific Yahweh (not some pagan god or demon spirit lord) that caused his soul to “rejoice.” This was not just him having some tingly feelings here and there (in specific organs of the flesh), as it was his “whole being” that “exulted” this presence. His “whole being is his soul, which radiates throughout ever cell of his body of flesh. This is then Isaiah singing about the totality of Yahweh’s presence in him.
By continuing in the same verse to sing, “he has clothed me with the garments of salvation, he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,” this is not anything Isaiah did for himself. The third-person “he” gives full credit to Yahweh – the specifically named presence Isaiah wholly rejoiced and exulted. This means the overwhelming presence is the metaphor of divine clothing, which are the “garments of salvation” and “the robe of righteousness.” Those are not physical pieces of cloth fabric, but every fabric of Isaiah’s soul and body being under the cleansing presence of Yahweh. The “robe of righteousness” says Isaiah has become led by an inner high priest [Jesus resurrected, well before Jesus of Nazareth was born in the flesh], who leads Isaiah to do the Will of Yahweh, entering ministry as His Son. It is then Jesus that Isaiah wore, as a sign of divine royalty, in the attire of a most holy Prince.
When verse ten then concludes with Isaiah singing, “as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels,” the metaphor of a bridegroom and bride is a statement about divine marriage. While not a formal sacred ritual known to be recognized by human beings, it is “like” that. This means Yahweh is the “bridegroom” and the soul of Isaiah is the “bride.” This means Isaiah sang a song of praise about being divinely married to Yahweh, having been “adorned with the jewels” that are related to the promise of salvation and the cleansing of past sins. As the tenth verse in the song of chapter sixty-one, the grand conclusion has now come to a most holy marriage, between a soul and the Spirit of Yahweh.
When verse eleven then sing: “For as the earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so adonay Yahweh will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations,” this states the only purpose of marriage is to produce fruits. The “shoots brought forth” are Saints, Prophets, and those who will become the new seeds for the continuation of souls led to a divine marriage to Yahweh. This is where the use of “adonay” [again, plural for “lords”] must be seen as those true ministers and priests of Yahweh – His extensions on the earth, as elohim – will become the leaders that will “lord” others to salvation. In this way, the “adonay” should be seen as the shepherds of the flocks and the vineyard owners who hire laborers. This is not some local aberration, but the worldwide spread of Christianity.
With the grand conclusion of chapter sixty-one’s song being a divine marriage, the new song sung in chapter sixty-two is relative to a wife assuming the “name” of her Husband. The title given to this song by the BibleHub Interlinear translation is “Zion's Salvation and New Name.” The NRSV gives the song the title “The Vindication and Salvation of Zion,” while the NIV says: “Zion’s New Name.” This comes from the second word of verse one being “ṣî·yō·wn” (from “צִיּוֹן֙”), which is translated as a name, not a word of meaning. The word “zion” means, “Dry Place, Sign Post, Tradition; or, Fortress.” Each should be given some thought as to what this means, rather than think a reader today in Omaha, Nebraska is asked to understand where Zion was then.
When verse one is translated to say, “For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest,” the meaning of “zion” must be seen as Isaiah singing about his old name, where his ‘single’ soul was “a dry place.” He sacrificed that for the flood of emotions that was outpoured upon him by Yahweh’s Spirit. It says Isaiah would no longer be a “sign post” that pointed the way to sin, as he would only point the way to the salvation of other souls. It says Isaiah would no longer adhere to meaningless “traditions,” as an Israelite without understanding what that meant; as he would begin the new “tradition” that would be Christianity (before that word was commonly used). This then leads one to look up the meaning behind the word “Jerusalem.”
The word “yə·rū·šā·lim” (from “יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם”) means, “In Awe Of Peace, Teaching Peace.” This then means Isaiah (a prophet attempting to return captives from Babylon) was more inclined to be in awe of the peace of Yahweh and teach that peace to others, then he was concerned with returning Israelites to Judah, where they could become Jews. The places Zion and Jerusalem were no longer the future, just as a brides name was no longer that of her father. Having been given away in marriage, she would take on the name of her Husband. And, for Isaiah that meant not resting his soul when there were others who needed to be found and saved.
That is then sung in the words: “until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch.” The “vindication” is not revenge for having been overthrown and forced into captivity, but to vindicate that by learning to accept divine marriage as a wonderful marriage desired. That desire is then the beacon of Yahweh’s light that shines forth as truth. The “dawn” is an awareness of why a soul is chosen to be Yahweh’s. It is to save that soul through divine union, based on a love that is a “burning torch,” which will then lead the way for others to see.
When Isaiah then sang in verse two: “The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory,” this says a marriage to Yahweh cannot come by decree. It was the nations of Israel and Judah that kept the truth from the people, causing them to be led to ruin. The “kings” of “nations” become reflective of the soul seeing itself as all-important, as the ruler [remember “adonay”?] of its body of flesh. When one has retained self0importance, one cannot see the light that leads one’s soul to salvation. The “vindication” such soul find is forced captivity and slavery. When one cannot escape slavery in the physical realm (ever), one should seek to find a form of slavery one loves. That is marriage to Yahweh and taking on His name.
This is then why Isaiah then sang, “and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of Yahweh will give.” This is the same name that was told to Jacob, after he wrestled with himself all night long. When he was pronounced to be “Israel,” he had submitted his soul in marriage to Yahweh. That name means “Who Retains Yahweh as His elohim.” Of course, now that we know the name Jesus – which means “Yah[weh] Will Save” – all true Christians will take on that name in divine marriage. When Isaiah sang “the mouth of Yahweh will give,” that does not mean a booming voice will come from heaven, nor an angel will appear and say, “You are now Jesus,” it means oneself will then become “the mouth of Yahweh,” which is then the “name” one will be given – Jesus – when one enters ministry, having been born anew.
When Isaiah then sang in verse three: “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of Yahweh,” this is a way of saying one will be a “Christ” or a “Messiah,” where the “crown of beauty” becomes the halo that comes from the divine presence of Yahweh and His newborn Son. It says one’s soul will no longer project the ugliness of a sinner, as one will behold the “beauty” of a saint. None of this will be store-bought cosmetics. Instead it will all come from the presence of Yahweh – His inner presence and glow shining outward – because one will have become His “hand” on the face of the earth.
The final segment of verse three then sings, “and a royal diadem in the hand elohayik,” where once again a word meaning “hand” is used [“bə·yaḏ” first, followed by “bə·ḵap̄”]. After becoming “a hand of Yahweh,” one then incorporates oneself as “a hand” that welcomes others to the altar of marriage with Yahweh. This is where the plural presentation of “elohim” is written as saying, “of your elohim” [“elohayik”]. This expresses one’s soul having become the possession of Yahweh [“your”], where that possession leads one to be His servant in ministry [an “elohim”]. This is then relative to one’s soul being a “lord” that wears the “royal diadem” in service, as one with the necessary experience to offer a “hand” to guide others likewise.
These three verses then point to the separation that comes after divine union with Yahweh, as His brides becoming His wives, where one is then a resurrection of the Son, which makes Yahweh both Husband and Father. This is the delivery of baby Jesus, which turns a wife into a mother. Thus, the two theme sung by Isaiah are connective because one naturally leads to the other. It is the only reason for marriage: to bear a child.
As the Old Testament reading selection for the first Sunday after Christmas, Isaiah is chosen to sing praise to one’s soul having given birth to Jesus. That is an impossibility without divine marriage coming first. Thus, to experience Christmas truthfully, one must marry one’s soul to Yahweh.
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