Immediately following the great Messianic prophecy in Isaiah 61, we find one of those beautiful and poetic passages which at once conveys hope in God’s plans while comforting those who have suffered loss and also calling us to action.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities. (61:4)
Throughout our study of Isaiah 40-66 I have used a “word study” method to explore significant themes of the book. This passage motivated me to develop a study on the theme of the related words: build, raise, repair, restore, and revive. This concordance based word study method is my favorite way to explore a biblical writer’s treatment of specific themes. The passages below indicate almost every use of these five words in chapters 40-66.
In this list, my favorite is 57:14-15 - “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people. For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, I dwell on a high and holy place, an also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” This is reminiscent of Isaiah 40:3 and the message of John the Baptist – “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness,”
Here the prophet exhorts us to make a path and remove the obstacles that hinder people from knowing God and experiencing his plans for us; he inspires hope based on God’s desire that we be revived, reminding us that God’s agenda is one of restoring, repairing, and rebuilding.
42:22 But this is a people plundered and despoiled; all of them are trapped in caves, or are hidden away in prisons; they have become a prey with none to deliver them, and a spoil, with none to say, “Give them back”! (Hebrew – “restore”)
44:26, 28 It is I who says of Jerusalem, “She shall be inhabited!” And the cities of Judah, “they shall be built.” And I will raise up her ruins again. … It is I who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.” And he declares of Jerusalem, “She will be built.”
45:13 “I have aroused him (Cyrus) in righteousness, and I will make all his ways smooth; he will build My city, and will let My exiles go free, without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.
49:6 It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.
54:11 O afflicted one, storm tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set (build) your stones in antimony, and your foundations I will lay in sapphires.
57:18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners.
58:12 And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets in which to dwell.
61:4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
62:10 Go through, go through the gates; clear the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples.
65:21-22 And they shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My chosen ones shall wear out the work of their hands.
Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities. (61:4)
Throughout our study of Isaiah 40-66 I have used a “word study” method to explore significant themes of the book. This passage motivated me to develop a study on the theme of the related words: build, raise, repair, restore, and revive. This concordance based word study method is my favorite way to explore a biblical writer’s treatment of specific themes. The passages below indicate almost every use of these five words in chapters 40-66.
In this list, my favorite is 57:14-15 - “Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle out of the way of My people. For thus says the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy, I dwell on a high and holy place, an also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” This is reminiscent of Isaiah 40:3 and the message of John the Baptist – “Clear the way for the Lord in the wilderness,”
Here the prophet exhorts us to make a path and remove the obstacles that hinder people from knowing God and experiencing his plans for us; he inspires hope based on God’s desire that we be revived, reminding us that God’s agenda is one of restoring, repairing, and rebuilding.
42:22 But this is a people plundered and despoiled; all of them are trapped in caves, or are hidden away in prisons; they have become a prey with none to deliver them, and a spoil, with none to say, “Give them back”! (Hebrew – “restore”)
44:26, 28 It is I who says of Jerusalem, “She shall be inhabited!” And the cities of Judah, “they shall be built.” And I will raise up her ruins again. … It is I who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.” And he declares of Jerusalem, “She will be built.”
45:13 “I have aroused him (Cyrus) in righteousness, and I will make all his ways smooth; he will build My city, and will let My exiles go free, without any payment or reward,” says the Lord of hosts.
49:6 It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.
54:11 O afflicted one, storm tossed and not comforted, behold, I will set (build) your stones in antimony, and your foundations I will lay in sapphires.
57:18 I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and to his mourners.
58:12 And those from among you will rebuild the ancient ruins; you will raise up the age-old foundations; and you will be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets in which to dwell.
61:4 Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins, they will raise up the former devastations, and they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations.
62:10 Go through, go through the gates; clear the way for the people; build up, build up the highway; remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples.
65:21-22 And they shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall also plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit, they shall not plant, and another eat; for as the lifetime of a tree, so shall be the days of My people, and My chosen ones shall wear out the work of their hands.