Isaiah 62:10
“Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A call to clear the pathway for the redeemed's return, removing all obstacles and raising a banner to gather God's scattered people.
Context
The imperative 'go through the gates' summons the exiles to begin their journey of return. The preparation of the way echoes Isaiah 40:3 and anticipates the restoration of the road from Babylon to Jerusalem.
What Does Isaiah 62:10 Mean?
The gates stand open, and the summons rings out: 'Go through, go through.' It is not whispered or tentative but repeated with urgency, as if to awaken the exiles from their long slumber of captivity. The way must be prepared for travel: cast up the highway, gathering out the stones that would slow or wound the feet of returnees. And then, lift up a standard, a banner that will rally the scattered people, a visible sign that says, 'Here is the way. Here is home.' The work is not done by the exiles alone but is a corporate task, the whole community preparing the road together.
For us, this is the work of witness and invitation. We are called to clear away obstacles that hinder others from coming to Christ, to prepare the way for the lost to find their way home. We lift up Jesus as the standard, the visible sign of redemption, and we call to those far off and those near, 'The way is open. Come home.' Our work is to make the path clear and inviting, removing the stones of doubt, objection, and misunderstanding.
In the Original Language
masalach (מַסְלוּל), 'highway' -- a raised, cleared road, prepared and distinct
Application
What obstacles are you removing from the path for others to find their way to Christ? How might you lift up the standard more clearly?