先知在第48章命令祂的子民離開巴比倫之後，對以色列的子民和他們的領袖都給予了鼓勵。

他甚至稱這位領袖為「百姓的盟約」：他本身將成為上主與以色列之間的紐帶。上主將親自眷顧祂的子民，如同母親眷顧她的兒子。

早期教會從這段經文中找到了合適的詞語，來表達他們對耶穌的信仰，以及他們相信上主即使在今天也仍然引領著每個人歸向耶穌。

After ordering his people, in Chapter 48, to leave Babilon, the prophet has words of encouragement both for the sons of Israel and for their leader.

He even calls him ‘covenant of the people:’ he himself will be the bond between God and Israel. God himself will take care of his people, as a mother takes care of her son.

The first Church found in this text the right words by which to express her faith in Jesus and their trust that God is leading each one to him, even in our days.