Isaiah 60:1-22 NIV
The Glory of Zion
1“Arise, Shine, for your Light Has Come,
and The Glory of The LORD Rises Upon you.
2See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but The LORD Rises Upon you
and HIS Glory Appears Over you.
3Nations will come to your Light,
and kings to the brightness of your Dawn.
4“Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming The Praise of The LORD.
7All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you,
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;
they will be accepted as offerings on MY Altar,
and I Will Adorn MY Glorious Temple.
8“Who are these that fly along like clouds,
like doves to their nests?
9Surely the islands look to ME;
in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,a
bringing your children from afar,
with their silver and gold,
to The Honor of The LORD your GOD,
The Holy ONE of Israel,
for HE Has Endowed you with splendor.
10“Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
Though in anger I Struck you,
in Favor I Will show you Compassion.
11Your gates will always stand open,
they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—
their kings led in triumphal procession.
12For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish;
it will be utterly ruined.
13“The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,
To Adorn MY Sanctuary;
and I Will Glorify the Place For MY Feet.
14The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you;
all who despise you will bow down at your feet
and will call you The City of The LORD,
Zion of The HOLY ONE of Israel.
15“Although you have been forsaken and hated,
with no one traveling through,
I Will Make you the everlasting pride
and the joy of all generations.
16You will drink the milk of nations
and be nursed at royal breasts.
Then you will know that I, The LORD, AM your SAVIOR, your REDEEMER, The MIGHTY ONE of Jacob.
and silver in place of iron.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,
and iron in place of stones.
I Will Make peace your governor
and well-being your ruler.
18No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.
19The sun will no more be your light by day,
nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
For The LORD Will Be your Everlasting Light,
and your GOD Will Be your Glory.
20Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more;
The LORD Will Be your Everlasting Light,
and your days of sorrow will end.
21Then all your people will be righteous
and they will possess the land forever.
They are the shoot I Have Planted,
The Work of MY Hands,
For The Display of MY Splendor.
22The least of you will become a thousand,
the smallest a mighty nation.
I AM The LORD;
in its time I Will Do this swiftly.”
Isaiah 60
60:1-8 As far as we have the knowledge of GOD in us, and the Favor of GOD towards us, our Light is come. And If GOD'S Glory Is Seen upon us to our honor, we ought, not only with our lips, but in our lives, to return its praise. We meet with nothing in the history of the Jews which can be deemed a fulfillment of the prophecy in this chapter; we must conclude it relates principally to future events. It predicts the purity and enlargement of the church. The conversion of souls is here described. They fly to CHRIST, to the church, to the word and ordinances, as doves to their own home; they fly for refuge, shelter, and rest. What a pleasant sight to see poor souls hastening to CHRIST!
60:9-14 GOD Will Be Very Gracious. We must begin with HIS Promise, thence all mercies take rise. Many shall be brought into the church, even from far countries. CHRIST is always ready to receive all who come to HIM; and the gate of mercy is always open, night and day. All that are about the church shall be made serviceable to it. But those who will not be subject to CHRIST'S Golden Scepter, to HIS WORD and SPIRIT, WHO Will Not Be Kept in by the laws and rules of HIS Church, shall be broken in pieces by HIS iron rod.
The peculiar advantages of every nation, and of every description of men, shall join to beautify The Church of CHRIST. We must suppose this to be accomplished in the beauties of holiness, and the graces and comforts of The HOLY SPIRIT, with which gospel ordinances are adorned and enriched. Blessed be HIS Name, the gates of Zion are ever open to returning sinners.
60:15-22 We must look for the full accomplishment in times and things, exceeding those of the Old Testament church. The nations and their kings shall lay themselves out for the good of the Church. Such a salvation, such a redemption, shall be wrought out for you, as discovers itself to be The WORD of The LORD. Everything shall be changed for the better. In your land shall no more be heard threats of those that do violence, nor complaints of those that suffer violence. Thy walls shall be means of safety, thy gates shall be written upon with praises to GOD. In the close of this chapter are images and expressions used in the description of The New Jerusalem, Revelation 21:23; 22:5.
Nothing can answer to this but some future glorious state of the church on earth, or the state of the church triumphant in heaven. Those who make GOD their only light, shall have HIM their all-sufficient light. And the happiness shall know no change. No people on earth are all righteous; but there are no mixtures in Heaven. They shall be all righteous. The spirits of just men shall there be made perfect.
The Glory of the Church shall be to the Honor of GOD. When it shall be finished, it will appear a work of wonder. It may seem too difficult to be brought about, but The GOD of Almighty Power has undertaken it. It may seem to be delayed and put off; but The LORD will hasten it in the time appointed by HIS Wisdom, though not in the time prescribed by our folly.
Let this hope cheer us under all difficulties, and stir us up to all diligence, that we may have an abundant entrance into this Everlasting KINGDOM of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS.
AMEN!