This chapter describes the glory that will one day come to God’s chosen city of Jerusalem. In much of the chapter, God is speaking directly to the city. Notice also how the earthly city is a picture and type of the heavenly Jerusalem that comes down in the book of Revelation (chapters 21 & 22).

What Does It Say?

1. One day, the Gentiles will see the ____________ of Jerusalem and all kings will see her ________.
2. Jerusalem will be a crown of ________ in the hand of the Lord and a royal ________ in the hand of her God.
3. God will ________ over Jerusalem as a bridegroom ___________ over the bride.
4. “The LORD hath sworn by his _________ hand, and by the arm of his __________.”
5. Jerusalem will be called __________ out and a city not ___________.

What Does It Mean?

1. The righteousness of Jerusalem will go forth as brightness and her salvation as “a lamp that burneth” (v.1). How is salvation like a lamp? What else do lamps picture in the Bible? For help see the following: Genesis 15:17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces.
   See All...; Exodus 27:20-21 [20] And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always. [21] In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall order it from evening to morning before the LORD: it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.
   See All...; Leviticus 24:1-4 [1] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, [2] Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually. [3] Without the vail of the testimony, in the tabernacle of the congregation, shall Aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the LORD continually: it shall be a statute for ever in your generations. [4] He shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the LORD continually.
   See All...; Judges 7:16-20 [16] And he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and he put a trumpet in every man's hand, with empty pitchers, and lamps within the pitchers. [17] And he said unto them, Look on me, and do likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outside of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. [18] When I blow with a trumpet, I and all that are with me, then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the camp, and say, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon. [19] So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, came unto the outside of the camp in the beginning of the middle watch; and they had but newly set the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers that were in their hands. [20] And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the LORD, and of Gideon.
   See All...; 1Samuel 3:3God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
   See All...; 2Samuel 22:29
   See All...; 1Kings 15:4Nevertheless for David's sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:
   See All...; Psalm 119:105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
   See All...; Proverbs 6:23For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
   See All...; Matthew 5:14-16 [14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. [15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. [16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
   See All...; Philippians 2:15Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness!
   See All....
2. In verse four, Jerusalem has been Forsaken and Desolate but will be called Hephzibah and Beulah. What is the significance of these names? See Isaiah 6:11Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,
   See All...; Isaiah 54:1. Hephzibah means my delight is in her. Beulah means married. How does Forsaken become Hephzibah? How does Desolate become Beulah?
3. Read verse 11 and compare it to Zechariah 9:9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.
   See All... and Matthew 21:4-9 [4] All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, [5] Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. [6] And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, [7] And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon. [8] And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. [9] And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
   See All.... Carefully read verse 11. How does each part apply to Jesus Christ?

What Does It Mean to Me?

1. Verses six and seven refer to watchmen who are set on the walls of Jerusalem. Read each phrase in these verses and tell the ways in which the watchmen are like prayer warriors. What lessons can we learn about prayer from these verses?
2. Verse ten describes the effort to be taken to make the way to Jerusalem clear and easy. How can this help us see ways by which we can make the way to trusting Jesus Christ as Saviour clear? List things that this verse suggests to you about leading others to Christ.

Suggested Memory Verses

Isaiah 62:4Thou 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.
See All..., 6, 7, 10, 11