The occurrence of the three names, "Jacob, Israel, Jesurun," together is very remarkable, and the order in which they stand is not accidental. The prophet begins with the name that belonged to the patriarch by birth; the name of nature, which contained some indications of character. He passes on to the name which commemorated the mysterious conflict where, as a prince, he had power with God and prevailed. He ends with the name of Jesurun, of which the meaning is "the righteous one," and which was bestowed upon the people as a reminder of what they ought to be.
I. These three names in their order teach us, first, the path of transformation. Every Jacob may become a righteous one, if he will tread Jacob's road. There must be a Peniel between the two halves of the character if there is to be transformation. Jacob must become Israel before he is Jesurun; he must hold communion with God in Christ before he is clothed with righteousness.
II. Here we may find expressed the law for the Christian life. The order of these names here points the lesson that the apex of the pyramid, the goal of the whole course, is righteousness. The object for which the whole majestic structure of revelation has been builded up is simply to make good men and women.
III. Notice the merciful judgment which God makes of the character of them that love Him, Jesurun means "the righteous one." How far beneath the ideal of the name these Jewish people fell we all know, and yet the name is applied to them. Although the realisation of the ideal has been so imperfect, the ideal is not destroyed. Although they have done so many sins, yet He calls them by His name of righteous. And so we Christian people find that the New Testament calls us saints. He who sees not as men see beholds the inmost tendencies and desires of the nature, as well as the facts of the life, and discerning the inmost and true self of His children, and knowing that it will conquer, calls us "righteous ones," even while the outward life has not yet been brought into harmony with the new man, created in righteousness after God's image.
A. Maclaren, Christian Commonwealth,Feb. 5th, 1885.
References: Isaiah 44:1-5. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. x., No. 564.Isaiah 44:3. G. Brooks, Outlines of Sermons,p. 102; Spurgeon, Morning by Morning,p. 311.Isaiah 44:3; Isaiah 44:4. Homiletic Quarterly,vol. iv., p. 407. Isaiah 44:3-5. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xx., No. 1151.