Isaiah
60
THE GLORIES OF THE RESTORED
A
SONG OF TRIUMPH UPON GLORIFIED
(vs. 1-22)
This is rather a detached poem than an integral portion of a book. It is complete
in itself, and but slightly connected, either with what precedes or with what
follows. Delitzsch and Mr. Cheyne regard it as a “counterpart” to the
magnificent ode in ch. 47, which
describes the fall and ruin of
composed of five stanzas, of nearly equal length:
The
First Stanza
Zion’s
Brightness and Numbers
(vs. 1-4)
1 “Arise, shine; for
thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.”
Arise, shine. The subject of the address does not distinctly appear until v. 14, where it
is found to be "the city of the Lord, the
long been prostrate in the dust from the prophet's standpoint, and covered with
thick darkness. Now she is bidden to "arise" and "shine forth as the day."
For thy light is come.
light of her own, having preferred to "walk in darkness" (ch. 59:9). But she
may reflect the radiance which streams from the Person of Jehovah, whose
glory is risen upon her. "In thy light shall we see light" (Psalm 36:9).
2 “For, behold, the
darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people:
but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His
glory shall be seen upon thee.”
For, behold, the darkness shall cover
the earth. As in
covered the whole land at the word of Moses (Exodus 10:22-23), while
still "the
children of
the world lay in a deep obscurity, into which scarcely a ray
of light penetrated,
while on
and at once transfigured her, and gave her the appearance of an angel of the Most High.
In the radiance of this light she was to stand up and show herself, and then great results
would follow.
3 “And the Gentiles
shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy
rising.” The Gentiles shall come to thy light. Plunged in darkness themselves (v. 2),
the Gentiles shall be astonished and attracted by
near to it and seek to partake of it. Among them shall come even their "kings,"
drawn by the brightness of the glory (compare ch. 49:23).
4 “Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves
together,
they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far,
and thy daughters shall be nursed
at thy side.” Lift up thine eyes (see ibid. v.18). Thy sons... thy daughters. Not so
much Jews of the dispersion, as Gentiles, who will become thy adopted
"sons"
and "daughters." Shall be nursed at thy side; rather, shall be carried on
thy side. Oriental mothers often carry a small child on their hip, with the arm round
it to prevent its falling off.
The Second Stanza
(vs. 5-9)
5 “Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine
heart shall fear, and be
enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be
converted unto thee, the
forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.” Thine heart shall fear; rather, shall
throb; "beat with excitement." Because
the abundance of the sea shall be
converted unto thee; i.e. the maritime commerce, which has hitherto enriched
other nations, shall be turned thy way and be at thy
disposal. The forces of the
Gentiles; rather, the riches of the Gentiles - as in ch. 8:4; 10:14; 30:6; 61:6.
Details of the riches fellow in vs. 6-9.
6 “The multitude of
camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian
and
Ephah; all they from
and they shall shew forth the praises of the LORD.” The multitude of camels;
rather, a multitude - a continual stream of caravans. These would be composed
of merchants from Midian and Ephah, and would bring goods from
The Midianite caravans of camels are mentioned as early as the time of Jacob,
when they carried "spicery and balm and myrrh" from the
These nomads
would visit the distant
of trade, and would procure there gold and incense, which they would convey
to
and brought with her gold
in abundance, and "of spices
very great store, and precious
stones" (I Kings 10:10). The Egyptians appear to have called the kingdom of the
Shebaim (Sabaeans) "Punt," and to have traded with it from a very early time,
especially for frankincense (' Records of the Past,' vol. 10. pp. 14-19; Rawlinson,
'History of Ancient
the young camels,
or the camel
colts. All they from
they (i.e.
the camels of Midian and Ephah) shall come all together
from
7 “All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of
Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come
up with acceptance on mine
altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.” Kedar... Nebaioth. Arab tribes,
like the Midianites and Sabaeans. (With respect to Kedar, see the comment on
ch. 21:15.) "Nebaioth" stands for the tribe called by the Greeks and Romans
the "Nabataeans," and by the Assyrians the "Nabaiti," who were one of the
most powerful in the peninsula. About B.C. 645 Nathan, their king, warred
with Asshur-bani-pal (Smith's' Hist. of Asshur-bani-pal,' pp. 256-298). During
the Maccabee period we find the Nabataeans in alliance with the Jews, and
giving them some valuable assistance (I Maccabees 5:25 9:35). The locality of
the Nabataeans was northern
Arabia, or the tract lying between the
and the
in their flocks and herds; and this wealth, it is prophesied, they will place, at the
disposal of
a glorious temple, and the temple has in it an altar, to which the sheep and rams
are brought - not, however, to be offered in sacrifice, but to be presented to God
and become a part of the wealth of the Church.
8 “Who are these that fly
as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?”
Who are these, etc.?
The prophet beholds the waters of the
covered with numerous ships, whose sails remind him of white clouds moving
across the blue expanse of heaven, and again of doves wending their way
homewards to their accustomed dove-cotes. The "windows" of the dove-cotes
are the openings through which the birds pass into the towers where they breed.
9 “Surely the isles
shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first,
to bring thy
sons from far, their silver and their gold with
them, unto the name of the LORD
thy God, and to the Holy One of
Surely the isles shall wait for me. The "isles," or maritime countries of the West,
have long waited for a Redeemer (ch. 41:1; 42:4; 49:1; 51:5). They shall send
their sons, and their gifts, in ships, which will come from far, and cover the
belonging to the people of Tartessus,
in
commerce in ancient times (Herodotus, 1:163; 4:152; I Kings 10:22; Ezekiel
27:12; Jonah 1:3), or ships of a peculiar class, such as were considered
suitable for the long and dangerous voyage to the distant Western port
(see the comment on ch. 2:16). To bring thy sons from far (see the comment on
v. 4). Unto the Name of the Lord; i.e. "to the place where the Lord has set
His Name"
(compare ch. 18:7).
The Third Stanza
(vs 10-14)
10 “And the sons of
strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall
minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee,
but in my favor have I had
mercy on thee.” The sons of strangers shall build up thy walls. Cyrus aided in
the supply of timber for the construction of the second temple (Ezra 3:7). Artaxerxes
Longimanus sanctioned the rebuilding of the wall of
The passage has, however, a meaning beyond the literal one. "Strangers" of all kinds,
Greeks, and Romans, and Syrians, and Africans, and Gauls, and Spaniards, and
others, assisted in building and enlarging the walls of the Church as it spread over
the world, set up its bulwarks in the Creeds, and fenced it round about with
various decrees and canons. Their kings shall minister unto thee (see the comment
on v. 3). Among ministrant kings may be mentioned Cyrus, Darius the son of
Hystaspes, Artaxerxes Longimanus, Alexander the Great,
Charlemagne,
11 “Therefore thy gates
shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day
nor night; that men may bring unto
thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their
kings may be brought.” Thy gates shall be open continually. That
all who seek
salvation may have free access at all times. There is no fear of enemies entering,
since war has ceased (ch. 2:4; 11:9). The
forces of the Gentiles; rather, the
wealth
of the Gentiles, as in v. 5. That their kings may be brought; i.e. forced to come
by their subjects, who know that their own prosperity is involved in complete
submission to the Church established in
come and render their homage in person.
12 “For the nation and
kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those
nations shall be utterly wasted.” The nation... that will not serve thee shall
perish. God's curse shall be upon them; they shall wither and decay for lack of the
Divine favor and of the graces which God dispenses to mankind through His Church
(compare Zechariah 14:17-19).
13 “The glory of
box together, to beautify the place of my
sanctuary; and I will make the place of
my feet glorious.” The glory of
Considered as imagery, the representation is that the barren hills which stand about
forest trees, all the sylvan scenery of
so as to encompass the city of
spiritual meaning is that graces
of all kinds shall abound in and around the
holy city, and shall make it beautiful and
glorious. The fir tree, the pine tree, and the
box together (compare ch. 41:19, where the same words occur in the same order;
and, for the trees intended, see the comment on that
passage). To beautify
the
place of my sanctuary. Not with "avenues of cedars and plane trees leading
up to it" (Delitzsch), which was a style of ornamentation quite unknown to the
Hebrews; but with groves, and thickets, and sylvan glades, and wooded slopes all
around it, as round the Syrian temples in the
Jewish temple, as the special place of God's presence upon earth, was frequently
termed "God's footstool" (I Chronicles 28:2; Psalm 99:5; 132:7; Lamentations 2:1).
He that towers above the heavens had there set His foot. The metaphor is transferred
to the renovated
14 “The sons also of
them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee;
and all they that despised thee shall bow
themselves down at the soles of thy feet;
and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD,
The
The sons (i.e. descendants) also of them that afflicted thee; i.e. of the various nations
that at different times oppressed and afflicted
Philistines, Assyrians, Babylonians, Edomites,
Moabites, Ammonites, etc. Shall
come bending unto thee. Bowing
themselves down to the new
the Israel of God - as the eleven sheaves bowed themselves down to Joseph's
sheaf (Genesis 37:7). At the soles of thy feet (compare ch. 49:23).
Shall
call thee,
The city of the Lord. Hitherto her enemies had bestowed
on
disparaging names, as "Forsaken," or "Desolate" (ch. 62:4). Now they will substitute
for such names titles of honor, such as "City
of
The Fourth Stanza
(vs. 15-18)
15 “Whereas thou hast
been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through
thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a
joy of many generations.”
Thou hast been forsaken
and hated (compare ch.54:7; 62:4).
repudiated for her adulteries, "forsaken" by her husband, and the object of His just
"hate." So that no man went through thee. The mixed metaphor is awkward, but
readily intelligible.
forsaken," as a city, no man goes through her. An eternal excellency (compare
16 “Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of
kings: and thou shalt
know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy
Redeemer,
the mighty One of Jacob.” Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles (compare
Deuteronomy 33:19). As a child at the mother's breast, thou shall obtain kindly
nourishment through the means of the Gentiles, who acknowledge thee for
their superior, and place all their means at thy disposal (supra, vs. 5-11).
Among these, the most liberal, and the most prompt to render aid, will be their
kings (see the comment on v. 10). Thou shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour.
This clause is repeated from Isaiah 49:26. It is a phrase containing in it a mysterious
depth of promise.
17 “For brass I will
bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood
brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy
officers peace, and thine exactors
righteousness.” For brass I will bring gold; rather, for copper. "Brass" was an alloy
little known to the Oriental nations. The general idea is that the glorious age of
Solomon would
return (I Kings
10:21, 27), and
wealthy as in his time. The material splendor is, no doubt, throughout the whole
description, typical in the main of spiritual glories and
excellences. I will also
make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness. "Peace" and
"righteousness" are here personified; and the declaration is that they shall bear
rule in the community whereof the prophet is speaking (compare ch. 32:16-17).
18 “Violence shall no
more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction
within thy borders; but thou shalt
call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.”
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land (compare ch. 2:4; 11:6-9; 35:9).
The entire cessation of war and violence is one of the most characteristic
features of the "last times," when swords shall be beaten into ploughshares,
and spears into pruning-hooks. "The Prince of Peace" shall ultimately establish
peace. It is not surprising that men of earnest religious feeling should have thought,
at various times, that they saw the actual commencement of the reign of peace upon
earth, so distinctly promised, so earnestly longed for, so necessary for the
happiness of mankind. But to a calm and dispassionate observer the nineteenth
(now twenty-first) century seems scarcely more advanced upon the road which
leads to this desirable end than the first. Thou
shall call thy walls Salvation,
and thy gates Praise. The true wall of the city will be the "salvation" of which
God assures it, and the true gates will be the "praise," or renown, which it has
among the nations of the earth (compare ch. 26:1).
The Fifth Stanza
(vs. 19-22)
19 “The sun shall be no
more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon
give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto
thee an everlasting light, and thy
God thy glory.” The sun shall be no more thy light by day. Here Isaiah anticipates
one of the most sublime thoughts in the Revelation of St. John the Divine, viz.
that the heavenly
Divine Presence, shall need neither light of the sun by day, nor of the moon
by night, but shall be sufficiently illumined by the direct and
primary light
WHICH STREAMS DOWN UPON IT FROM GOD HIMSELF! Whether the
sun and moon will continue to exist or not is beyond the prophet's perception - he
makes no announcement on the subject; sufficient for him
that the
redeemed bask
perpetually in a Divine radiance shed upon them by the "Father of lights"
(see Revelation 21:23; 22:5). The germ of the idea appears in the earlier
prophecies (ch. 24:23). For brightness; rather, for illumination. The Lord shall be
unto thee an everlasting light. God is "the Father of lights" (James 1:17) –
"the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." (John 1:9).
All other light is but His shadow and His reflex - His creature (Genesis 1:3) –
therefore perishable, not to be reckoned on for continuance (Psalm 102:26;
Hebrews 1:11). But God abides; therefore HIS LIGHT WILL ABIDE!
He is "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever"
(Hebrews 13:8). And thy God
thy glory (compare Zechariah 2:5). God will not only be the Light of the Church,
but her "Glory" and boast. As the Shechinah was the glory of the first, so
"the eternal unchangeable
light of Jehovah, with its peaceful
gentleness and
perfect purity" will be the glory of the final temple.
ELTON JOHN’S
REMORSEFUL SONG OF “DON’T LET THE SUN
GO DOWN ON ME”
IS UNNECESSARY BECAUSE OF WHAT
GOD HAS DONE FOR
HIM, FOR YOU, AND FOR ME! (CY – 2009)
20 “Thy sun shall no
more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:
for the LORD shall be thine
everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning
shall be ended.” Thy sun... thy moon. That which is to thee instead of sun and moon –
JEHOVAH’S BRIGHTNESS! The days of thy mourning shall be ended. Till
the new Jerusalem descends from heaven (Revelation 21:2), and Christ reigns
personally over His people (ibid. ch. 22:5), the Church is always, more or less,
in a state of mourning. The Bridegroom is away (Matthew 9:15); His light
shines upon His Church only by snatches; His Church feels itself unworthy of Him –
cold, unloving, stained with sin. Fasting, weeping, and mourning befit such a state
of things. But in the final condition of the redeemed their mourning shall be ended,
"sorrow and
sighing shall have fled away" (ch. 35:10);
God shall
have "wiped
away all
tears from their eyes" (Revelation 21:4); "There shall be no more
death"
(ibid.); "no
more curse" (ibid. ch. 22:3);
"neither sorrow, nor crying;
neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away"
(ibid. ch. 21:4). The days of mourning shall be ended.
21 “Thy people
also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever,
the branch of my planting, the work of my
hands, that I may be glorified.”
Thy people also shall be all righteous. Here the prophet touches the root of
the matter. Pain and sorrow are the fruit of sin. Once let sin disappear, and
sorrow goes with it. It is
the foundation of all the glory and all the happiness of
the
redeemed in their Lord's final kingdom, that
they are cleansed from all
defilement of sin, and "are as the angels" (Mark 12:25). They shall inherit the land;
rather, the earth - the "new heavens and new earth" of ch. 65:17-18; 66:22. The branch
of my planting; rather, a sprout of my planting; i.e. a sprout which I have planted.
22 “A little one shall
become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation:
I the LORD will hasten it in his time.” A little one; i.e. the "little flock" of
our Lord's own time on earth (Luke 12:32), will become a strong nation - a
countless multitude (Revelation 7:9). “I the Lord will hasten it” In his time;
rather, in its time, WHEN THE TIME FIXED IN GOD’S COUNSELS FOR
THE FINAL
ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRIST’S KINGDOM ARRIVES!
“Of the increase of His government and PEACE there shall
be no end”
Isaiah
9:6
REST and PEACE are
main objects of human desire. The Divine
Presence will be a
perpetually present joy, contenting those who live
in it, and causing them to feel an ETERNAL PEACEFUL DELIGHT!
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