Isaiah 60

Chapters 60, 61 and 62 speak of blessing and salvation in the Messiah’s kingdom.
This is the future glory of Zion.

Review of this topic in the book of Isaiah:

2:1-5 – Jerusalem is elevated to a mountain, the message is proclaimed to the world, nations come to worship.

42:6; 49:6-7 – The Servant/Messiah teaches and ministers to the nations

Eight themes are repeated through out these chapters:

1) God will save his people

2) God will give light to his people

3) God will share his glory with his people

4) The nations will be drawn to God though Israel

5) The nations will restore the children to Israel

6) The nations will bring their wealth to Israel

7) Nations that oppressed Israel will be brought low

8) Israel will not only experience the righteousness of God, Israel will be righteous

In these three chapters we see:

1) The Servant (Messiah) appear again in 61:1-5 in the middle of these three chapters

2) The Servant (Messiah) is the Warrior who sets his people free from Babylon and from sin

3) A prison that the people will be set free from in 61:1

Outline of chapter 60

1-3 The light rises on Israel, but not on the nations

4-9 the nations come to God

10-16 oppressors are punished and removed; oppressed are delivered and rewarded

17-22 exchange of old material for new

Read Psalms 87 – Gentiles are recorded in Zion’s registry.

60:1

Refers to the light of God shining on Israel.

The mention of “Glory” reminds us of a theophany of God or the appearing of God’s presence.

This is the return of the Lord. This is Ezekiel 43:1, 2

60:2

The nations, though, are in darkness.

Israel is in the light of righteousness and understanding.

60:3

The nations will be drawn to the people of Israel because of the light of God in their lives.

Isaiah is careful not to say the nations come to Israel because they are a superior people, but because of the light that they have. The nations are drawn to Israel because of the presence of the glory of God.

60:4

Israel is told to look with amazement at the nations coming to her for light.

After centuries of rejection, they are now sought out.

60:5

The nations will not come with out payment and offerings of gratitude.

Israel is seeing the unbelievable and are amazed.

Their hears “throb”. Throb is a word used for terror through out the OT, but here the awe causes a similar emotion but for a different reason.

60:6-7

The temple is adorned.

60:8-9

The doves that fly along like clouds refer to the sails of the ships.

The cargo of these ships:

a) children of Israel

b) offerings from the nations

Name of the Lord is the same thing as his nature and his character.

60:10

Usually foreigners destroyed the walls of Jerusalem. Here they will build them.

The Persians allowed Nehemiah to build the wall but they did not build it themselves.

These verses have not been fulfilled.

60:11

This is the triumphal procession of the wealth and of the kings that refused to submit.

They will be stripped of their wealth and power and destroyed.

Psalm 2

See Isaiah 66:15-16 and 24

60:15-16

These verses catch the concept of this whole chapter.

These Verses (60:17-21) Describe the City and the People of the City of Zion

60:17 the material

60:18 the social conditions

60:19-20 the presence of God, the source of Light

60:21 the people now made righteous

60:17

The things used in daily life are referred to here.

The adequate things are replaced by the valuable things.

60:18

60:19-20

Here refers to the Millennium but is developed in Revelation 21-22 concerning the eternal state.

60:21

“all your people be righteous” refers to people who at one point not righteous but have been cleansed from sin and are now righteous in their nature.

60:22

Growth and production are always a part of God’s plan

Yahweh and his ways are to wait until it is time and then do the work quickly. He will wait and be patient, but when it is time he does not hold back.