Isaiah 60 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Isaiah 60

The Future Glory of Israel

60:1   Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.
2   For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
    and thick darkness the peoples;
  but the LORD will arise upon you,
    and his glory will be seen upon you.
3   And nations shall come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your rising.
4   Lift up your eyes all around, and see;
    they all gather together, they come to you;
  your sons shall come from afar,
    and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.
5   Then you shall see and be radiant;
    your heart shall thrill and exult,¹
  because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
    the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
6   A multitude of camels shall cover you,
    the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
    all those from Sheba shall come.
  They shall bring gold and frankincense,
    and shall bring good news, the praises of the LORD.
7   All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you;
    the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;
  they shall come up with acceptance on my altar,
    and I will beautify my beautiful house.
8   Who are these that fly like a cloud,
    and like doves to their windows?
9   For the coastlands shall hope for me,
    the ships of Tarshish first,
  to bring your children from afar,
    their silver and gold with them,
  for the name of the LORD your God,
    and for the Holy One of Israel,
    because he has made you beautiful.
10   Foreigners shall build up your walls,
    and their kings shall minister to you;
  for in my wrath I struck you,
    but in my favor I have had mercy on you.
11   Your gates shall be open continually;
    day and night they shall not be shut,
  that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations,
    with their kings led in procession.
12   For the nation and kingdom
    that will not serve you shall perish;
    those nations shall be utterly laid waste.
13   The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,
    the cypress, the plane, and the pine,
  to beautify the place of my sanctuary,
    and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
14   The sons of those who afflicted you
    shall come bending low to you,
  and all who despised you
    shall bow down at your feet;
  they shall call you the City of the LORD,
    the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15   Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,
    with no one passing through,
  I will make you majestic forever,
    a joy from age to age.
16   You shall suck the milk of nations;
    you shall nurse at the breast of kings;
  and you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Savior
    and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17   Instead of bronze I will bring gold,
    and instead of iron I will bring silver;
  instead of wood, bronze,
    instead of stones, iron.
  I will make your overseers peace
    and your taskmasters righteousness.
18   Violence shall no more be heard in your land,
    devastation or destruction within your borders;
  you shall call your walls Salvation,
    and your gates Praise.
19   The sun shall be no more
    your light by day,
  nor for brightness shall the moon
    give you light;²
  but the LORD will be your everlasting light,
    and your God will be your glory.³
20   Your sun shall no more go down,
    nor your moon withdraw itself;
  for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
    and your days of mourning shall be ended.
21   Your people shall all be righteous;
    they shall possess the land forever,
  the branch of my planting, the work of my hands,
    that I might be glorified.⁴
22   The least one shall become a clan,
    and the smallest one a mighty nation;
  I am the LORD;
    in its time I will hasten it.

Footnotes

[1] 60:5 Hebrew your heart shall tremble and grow wide
[2] 60:19 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll, Septuagint, Targum add by night
[3] 60:19 Or your beauty
[4] 60:21 Or that I might display my beauty

Commentary

This chapter addressed specifically to Israel, regarding their future restoration, and consequent blessings upon the Gentiles.

v1: God's glory, like the sun, rises upon Israel. Therefore Israel must also shine, testifying to God's glory.

v2: Darkness was universal, but God brought light upon His people. His people were made distinct, and enjoyed God's favour.

v3: Through the light upon Israel, Gentiles will come to the Lord. The kingdom will not be restricted to a single nation, but all nations will share in its glory.

v4-7: As their own sons and daughters return, Gentiles come, bringing their riches to Israel, Rev 21.22-27. Their sacrifice will now be accepted by God; compare Rom 12.1.

From Sheba, they will bring gold and incense, as at the birth of Christ, which is a foretaste of much greater gifts.

v8-9: Again, the name of God is uplifted, with many coming to Him.

v10: Judgment followed by mercy, see 54.7-8. The history of the people of Israel is the history of the hand of God upon them; His wrath, and His favour. The decisions of Gentile kings, the invasions of Gentile armies, etc.; all this is subject to the will of God.

v11: See Zech 14.14; Rev 21.24-26.

v12: See Zech 14.17-19. The day will come when Israel will be exalted. Those nations who do not submit to Israel and to the Lord shall be judged.

v13-14: Gentiles coming to Israel, even those who had afflicted Israel.

v15-16: In the past, Israel was rejected and hated, but one day God will be seen as the Mighty One of Israel.

v17: Their poverty will be replaced by riches.

v18: The walls of salvation (Heb; YASHA); compare Rev 21.18, jasper (YASHAPHEH). Gates of praise, see Rev 21.21, where the gates are made of pearls.

v19-20: The Lord will be the light for the people, Rev 21.23; here is everlasting light, as sorrow ends. The description here is far beyond the experience of the people in Jerusalem as recorded in the Bible. Isaiah looks to something far better, more glorious. Here is the kingdom of God in ‘full flower,' as His glory is manifested.

v21: The people made righteous; the plan of the Lord, and the planting of the Lord, that he be glorified.

v22: These things will happen in God's time; not what God wants to happen with our co-operation, but rather what He has ordained will happen.