ISAIAH 60-61 “
By
1.
INTRO
1.1.
Isaiah has now built up his theology
almost to completion concerning God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’ servant, which has
been the primary theme concerning his prophesy for the future of God’s
people. In our last study, we continued
to observe Isaiah’s “interim exhortations” pertaining to the things that God’s
people need to be doing as they are awaiting the Lord’s return and delivering
them. We looked at chapters 58 and 59
which dealt with how we Christians need to watch our heart motives for the things
we do for the Lord, such as fasting, and in chapter 59 the general call to
repentance for God’s people
1.1.1.
We saw how important it is
for us as Christians to not think that our relationship with God is OK because
we are simply doing things for the Lord, when at the same time we are allowing
rebellion in our hearts against the Lord
1.1.2.
We saw see how we have to be
careful to not just go through the motions of serving the Lord, but actually
from our heart and because of our love for God serve Him and be open to Him
speaking to us and leading us in our lives
1.1.3.
We saw how that there are
consequences, both good or bad, for every decision we make and thing that we do
in our life
1.2.
In our study today, we are
going to look in chapter 60 prophetically at Zion glorified when she is
restored to Jesus Her Messiah and He establishes His Millennial Kingdom based
in Jerusalem, and then in chapter 61 at God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’ servant
again speaking out about the work that He is going to perform (see Is. 49:1-6)
when He comes to earth and as He establishes His kingdom upon the earth
1.2.1.
1.2.2.
We will see that at the
beginning of Jesus’ ministry that He quoted the first three verses of chapter
61 before the synagogue in
1.2.2.1.We will concentrate upon the blessings that Jesus, God’s ‘ideal’ or
‘suffering’ servant, declares that He will come and bring to the lives of those
who respond to His message of ‘good news.’
1.2.2.2.We will see that God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’ servant declares that He
will bring certain blessings to those who mourn in this life, and then come to him through the ‘good news,’ or
“gospel,” and, we will see how that we need to look to Jesus daily to perform
in us those things He came to bring us:
1.2.2.2.1.A garland instead of ashes
1.2.2.2.2.The oil of gladness instead of mourning
1.2.2.2.3.The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
1.2.2.2.4.Make us oaks of righteousness
2.
VS 60:1-3 - “1 “Arise, shine; for your light
has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 2 “For behold, darkness will cover the earth,
And deep darkness the peoples; But the
Lord will rise upon you, And His glory will appear upon you. 3 “And nations will come to your light, And
kings to the brightness of your rising.” - Isaiah foresees the glorified
2.1.
In this chapter, we see
2.2.
Having prophesied that God’s ‘ideal’ and
‘suffering’ servant would come to God’s people, and that his coming would
signal the end of times, Isaiah now moves into describing to us the kingdom of
God when it is established on the earth under His ‘ideal’ and ‘suffering’
servant, the Lord Jesus Christ.
2.3.
Commentators vary on whether they believe
that the time being prophesied of here is the Millennial Reign of Christ upon
the earth or the period after the Millennium when the Lord creates new heavens
and a new earth and the heavenly
2.3.1.
Certain the glory described in this chapter
is great enough to describe even the heavenly
2.3.2.
The details of some of what is prophesied in
this chapter though clearly would have to occur during Christ’s
2.4.
In these verses, we see that all of the
peoples, even the kings, of the nations of the earth will come to
3.
VS 60:4-7 - “4 “Lift up your eyes round
about, and see; They all gather
together, they come to you. Your sons
will come from afar, And your daughters will be carried in the arms. 5 “Then you will see and be radiant, And your
heart will thrill and rejoice; Because
the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will
come to you. 6 “A multitude of camels
will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from
3.1.
Isaiah tells us to lift up our eyes round
about and see that the from all of the quarters of the earth all of the people
are gathering together in
3.2.
Notice that
3.3.
The abundance, wealth, and riches that are being
brought by the peoples of all of the earth are being brought as an offering
upon the altar of the Lord’s house. This
will be a temple yet to be built by the Jews.
The Jews will rebuild their temple before the middle of the 7 Year
Tribulation of the book of Revelation because we are told that the anti-Christ
will take his seat in the Jewish temple to be worshipped as God (2 Thess. 2:4),
which is the “abomination of desolations” foretold by Daniel (Dan. 11:31) and
spoken of by Jesus (Matt. 24:25).
3.4.
4.
VS 60:8-10 - “8 “Who are these who fly like a
cloud, And like the doves to their lattices?
9 “Surely the coastlands will wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To
bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, For the name
of the Lord your God, And for the Holy One of Israel because He has glorified
you. 10 “And foreigners will build up
your walls, And their kings will minister to you; For in My wrath I struck you, And in My favor
I have had compassion on you.” - Isaiah describes more nations coming together
to bring silver and gold but also bringing materials to rebuild the walls of
4.1.
This rebuilding process described here is
more in line with what we would expect to happen during the establishment of
Christ’s Millennial kingdom as opposed to the period of the new heavens and
earth and the heavenly
5.
VS 60:11-13 - “11 “And your gates will be open
continually; They will not be closed day
or night, So that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, With their
kings led in procession. 12 “For the
nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, And the nations
will be utterly ruined. 13 “The glory of
5.1.
5.2.
The people on the earth who do not come up to
5.2.1.
From the scriptures it appears clear that the
only people alive after the 7 Year Tribulation of the book of Revelation will
have come to faith in Christ for salvation and be born again believers. However, from the descriptions of life during
the Millennial Reign of Christ we see that the people alive on the earth after
the Tribulation period will also live and die, marry, raise children, etc. So, their children and their children’s
children must also make decisions for Christ for salvation if they are to be
considered as being one of God’s people.
We know also from the book of Revelation that at the end of the 7 Year
Tribulation that Satan will again be loosed on the earth for a short time and
that there will be a big uprising on the earth against the Lord which He will
defeat (Rev. 20:7-10). So, some of the
offspring of those alive on the earth after the 7 Year Tribulation will rebel
and turn away from the Lord. So, some on
the earth will be destroyed for not coming and worshipping with their
offerings.
5.3.
Notice that the various nations are adorning
the house of God with various of the exotic and best types of wood available on
the earth. This is another indication
that this would involve the temple that will exist during the 7 Year
Tribulation, and that the period indicated would then be the Millennial Reign
of Christ.
6.
VS 60:14-16 - “14 “And the sons of those who
afflicted you will come bowing to you, And all those who despised you will bow
themselves at the soles of your feet;
And they will 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 an everlasting
pride, A joy from generation to generation.
16 “You will also suck the milk of nations, And will suck the breast of
kings; Then you will know that I, the
Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” - Isaiah tells us that there
will be those nations who afflicted and despised God’s people who will be
coming and bowing at their feet and calling them ‘the city of the Lord, the
Zion of the Holy One of Israel’
6.1.
Because
6.1.1.
These who come would be believing remnants of
the nations who persecuted
6.2.
Isaiah tells us how that
6.3.
Isaiah tells us that in that day they will
realize that the Lord is their Savior and Redeemer. I believe that this is a Messianic reference
to their realize that Jesus is in fact Jehovah of the Old Testament, their God,
and that He has redeemed them by the price of His blood.
7.
VS 60:17-18 - “17 “Instead of bronze I will
bring gold, And instead of iron I will bring silver, And instead of wood,
bronze, And instead of stones, iron. And
I will make peace your administrators, And righteousness your overseers. 18 “Violence will not be heard again in your
land, Nor devastation or destruction within your borders; But you will call your walls salvation, and
your gates praise.” - Isaiah tells us that He will cause ‘peace’ to
rule over them and that there will be no reversals of His protection of them
7.1.
The kingdom will be a permanent kingdom and
thus it will be established only upon the best of materials:
7.1.1.
God instead of bronze.
7.1.2.
Silver instead of iron.
7.1.3.
Bronze instead of wood.
7.1.4.
Iron instead of stones.
7.2.
Israel turned away from the Lord so many
times, and their sin caused them again and again to need to be delivered from
her oppressors and captors, however in this day it will be much different
forever more, for there will be no more reversals in having God’s favor and
protection:
7.2.1.
No more violence in the land.
7.2.2.
Nor more devastation or destruction within
her borders.
7.2.3.
Her walls will be called ‘salvation.’
7.2.4.
Her gates will be called ‘praise.’
8.
VS 60:19-20 - “19 “No longer will you have the
sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the Lord for an everlasting
light, And your God for your glory. 20
“Your sun will set no more, Neither will your moon wane; For you will have the Lord for an everlasting
light, And the days of your mourning will be finished.” - Isaiah tells us that on the
day that Zion is glorified that she will no longer need the sun for light by
day, nor the moon for light by night, for the Lord will be an everlasting light
for her
8.1.
From these verses it appears that there will
be no more need for the sun and moon.
Further, the sun not set any more nor the moon go through its
cycles. So, the question then becomes
whether or not this will happen during the
8.1.1.
In Rev. 21:23 and 22:5 we read that the
heavenly
9.
VS 60:21-22 - “21 “Then all your people will be
righteous; They will possess the land
forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be
glorified. 22 “The smallest one will become
a clan, And the least one a mighty nation.
I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.”” - Isaiah tells us that in the day that
9.1.
Isaiah tells us that Israel will be the
branch of the Lord’s planting, the work of hands, and that He will be glorified
in her in that day.
9.2.
All will be blessed in
9.2.1.
From the smallest tribe or family of
9.2.2.
The least tribe of family will inherit a
mighty nation.
10.
VS 61:1-3 - “1 The Spirit of the Lord
God is upon me, Because the Lord has
anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives, And freedom to prisoners; 2 To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God; To
comfort all who mourn, 3 To grant those
who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness
instead of mourning, The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” - God’s ‘ideal’ (and
‘suffering’) servant now Himself gives a speech concerning the work that He is
going to come to perform
10.1.
This is the second time God’s ‘ideal’ servant
has spoken of himself. See also Is.
49:1-6.
10.2.
When the Lord Jesus began His ministry He was
baptized in the Jordan River, then went to the wilderness to undergo 40 days of
temptation, then He began His ministry by going to the town in which He was
brought up,
10.3.
When Jesus read these verses to the people of
the synagogue in
10.4.
Do you notice that these verses picture the
Trinity for us. There is the Father,
Son, and the Holy Spirit mentioned.
10.5.
The phrase, ‘the favorable year of the Lord,’
is believed to be a reference to the fact that the work of the Messiah, God’s
‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’ servant is pictured by the “Year of Jubilee.” Every 50th year all the slaves
were to be set free, all debts cancelled, and all land sold or taken for debt
returned.
10.5.1.This
means then that the “Year of Jubilee” was meant to be an Old Testament picture
typifying what it is like to come to salvation through Christ! When a Christian is saved he is set free from
his sins (his sin debt is cancelled), from the devil (to whom he had been
enslaved), and from his sinful nature, and now the Lord begins to restore to
him the years that he had squandered when he was away from the Lord.
10.6.
The ‘good news’ is the gospel, and this
description of the work of God’s ‘ideal’ servant parallels Jesus’ beatitudes in
the Sermon On the Mt.
10.6.1.The
work that Jesus did in procuring salvation for mankind allows men now to have
their lives restored and built up by God.
10.6.2.Those
who are afflicted by their sins can now be healed through receiving Jesus as
their Lord and Savior.
10.6.3.Those
who are brokenhearted because of their life of sin and what it has done in
their lives can now have their hearts healed and mended through the love of God
which is shed abroad in their hearts.
10.6.4.Those
who were captives to their own sin and the devil are now set free when they
receive into their hearts the One who is greater than he that is in the world.
10.6.5.Those
who were enslaved to sin, the flesh, and the devil are now set free when they
submit themselves to Jesus as their Lord and master, who saves them from their
sins.
10.7.
God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’
servant uses contrasts when he speaks of the work that he brings in people’s
lives:
10.7.1.He brings a ‘a garland instead of ashes’ to them:
10.7.1.1.Ashes.
10.7.1.1.1.In
Isaiah’s day, during a funeral or some other time of great mourning the people
would wear sackcloth and pour ashes on their heads.
10.7.1.1.2.People
in this world experience great sorrows and difficulties because of life, and
especially because of trying to live their life for themselves and apart from
the Lord and His help and comfort.
10.7.1.2.A
garland.
10.7.1.2.1.In
Isaiah’s day, during a joyous occasion such as a wedding, people would wear a
garland around their neck, which was a beautiful wreath.
10.7.1.2.2.Jesus
brings true contentment and joy into a person’s life when they receive Him as
their Lord and Savior.
10.7.1.2.3.In
Matt. 11:28-30, we see Jesus
appealing to the downtrodden masses to come to Him for comfort and rest, “28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give
you rest.29 “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and
humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.30 “For My yoke is
easy, and My load is light.””
10.7.2.He will bring the, ‘oil of gladness instead of mourning,’ to those who
come to Him through the gospel (“good news”).
10.7.2.1.Mourning.
10.7.2.1.1.Again,
living in this world which is filled with difficulties, some of which we bring
upon ourselves, and when we have the weight of our sin upon our backs, we can
often go through periods of mourning.
10.7.2.1.2.When
non-believers lose a loved one they have no hope beyond this life and thus they
have no help for their mourning.
10.7.2.2.Oil
of gladness.
10.7.2.2.1.The
scriptures teach us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh. 8:10).
10.7.2.2.2.We
believers also have the peace of God which passes comprehension as we are in
God’s will and trusting everything in our lives to the Lord (Phil. 4:6-7), and
this peace gives us the grace to endure the most difficult of situations.
10.7.3.Those who come to him through the gospel will have around them, ‘the
mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting:’
10.7.3.1.Spirit
of fainting.
10.7.3.1.1.I
personally don’t know how people who don’t know the Lord can live their lives,
since life for them can be so difficult and full of hardships. I can understand why “depression” and other
mental problems emerge in people’s lives when they try to live their life as if
there is no God.
10.7.3.2.The
mantle of praise.
10.7.3.2.1.A
mantle is a veil that is thrown around something. Believers in Christ are pictured here then as
being wrapped around with a covering of ‘praise.’
10.7.3.2.2.In
our lives as believers there is healing that comes to us when we simply
‘praise’ the Lord with our lips and in our hearts. ‘Praise’ expresses such a positive confession
of faith in the Lord, His being in control of our lives, and that we have no
worries when we yield our lives to the Lord.
10.7.3.2.2.1.We
Christians would be wise to constantly give God the praise that is due His
Name!
10.8.
God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’
servant says that those who come to him through the gospel will become, ‘oaks
of righteousness.’
10.8.1.An
oak is known as being one of the strongest trees that grows. Its root system grows deep into the earth
seeking water and nutrients, and thus this massive root system provides one of
the sturdiest trees known to man. Also,
the wood itself is a very dense and durable wood, making it very desirable for
furniture. When we Christians just
simply abide in Christ, our vine, and get all of our nourishment in life from
Him, then the result is that our lives will be immovable in resting and
trusting in the Lord, and nothing shall be able to shake us from our faith.
10.8.2.In
Psalm 1:1-3, the Psalmist wrote about
how the man who delighted in the Lord, meditated in His word, and avoided
walking in the counsel, path, or seat of sinners, would be like a tree firmly
planted by streams of water, “1 How blessed is the man
who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of
sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates
day and night. 3 And he will be like a
tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season,
And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.”
10.8.2.1.We Christians need to draw all of our resources of strength, help, and
hope daily from Jesus, and literally persevere in seeking that nourishment from
Him just like an oak tree seeks nourishment from the soil where it is
planted! We need to grow our roots deep
into Jesus and as we do that we shall never be moved nor cease to produce the
good fruit of His Spirit through us!
10.9.
God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’ servant says
that God will be glorified by the life of the man who came to Him through the
gospel.
11.
VS 61:4-6 - “4 Then they will rebuild the
ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations, And they will repair
the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations. 5 And strangers will stand and pasture your
flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. 6 But you will be called the priests of the
Lord; You will be spoken of as ministers
of our God. You will eat the wealth of
nations, And in their riches you will boast.” - Isaiah begins to speak now and tells us that
those who come to God’s ‘ideal’ or ‘suffering’ servant through the gospel will
‘rebuild the ancient ruins,’ ‘repair the ruined cities,’ and that strangers and
foreigners and strangers will pasture their flocks and be their farmers and
vinedressers
11.1.
It is short-sighted to see the promises of
these verses as limited to that time in 536BC when the captive Judeans returned
from captivity in
11.2.
Interestingly, I think we might see that the
“church age” has been a partial fulfillment of these verses. The church could be thought of as the
strangers and foreigners who in a spiritual way are tending the farms,
vineyards, and flocks of Israel, since they are that wild vine branch that has
been grafted into Israel in these last days (Rom. 11:17).
11.2.1.Peter
wrote about the church being a royal priesthood in 1 Peter 2:9, “9 But you are a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that
you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light;”
11.2.2.The
apostle John wrote in Rev. 1:6;5:9-10 of
the priesthood of all believers in Christ, “6 and He
has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father; to Him be the glory
and the dominion forever and ever. Amen… 9 And they *sang a new song,
saying, “Worthy art Thou to take the book, and to break its seals; for Thou
wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and
tongue and people and nation. 10 “And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and
priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.””
11.3.
These verses will be fulfilled in their
truest or greatest sense during Christ’s
12.
VS 61:7 - “7 Instead of your shame you will
have a double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over
their portion. Therefore they will
possess a double portion in their land, Everlasting joy will be theirs.” - Isaiah tells us that
12.1.
The Lord is sovereign and He can and will do
whatever He wants to do on the earth.
Before the Lord, the church has its own purpose, calling, and rewards
which the Lord has appointed for her.
12.2.
12.3.
Isaiah tells us that ‘everlasting joy’ will ‘be
theirs,’ speaking of
13.
VS 61:8-9 - “8 For I, the Lord, love justice,
I hate robbery in the burnt offering;
And I will faithfully give them their recompense, And I will make an
everlasting covenant with them. 9 Then
their offspring will be known among the nations, And their descendants in the
midst of the peoples. All who see them
will recognize them Because they are the offspring whom the Lord has blessed.” - The Lord tells His people
that in that day when He exalts
13.1.
When the Lord exalts
13.2.
The covenant that is mentioned here that the
Lord will establish is the new covenant which Jesus instituted at the Last
Supper, which He said was the new covenant in His blood. It is a covenant of grace not law keeping.
13.3.
The Lord tells us that the offspring of
14.
VS 61:10 - “10 I will rejoice greatly in the
Lord, My soul will exult in my God; For
He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of
righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And as a bride
adorns herself with her jewels.” -
Isaiah now speaks out and says that his soul will rejoice greatly in the
Lord and his soul will exalt in his God
14.1.
Isaiah rejoices that he has been clothed with
the ‘garments of salvation’ and wrapped with ‘a robe of righteousness.’ Isaiah saw that the Lord imputes
righteousness to His people, for they have none of their own nor by their good
works and deeds. It was the righteousness
of Christ that Isaiah saw as covering his sin and making him truly pure and
righteous even as a bridegroom or a bride is covered by beautiful garments on
the day of their wedding.
14.1.1. Believer
in Christ, have you ever considered that you are covered with the righteousness
of Christ as with a beautiful wedding dress?
15.
VS 61:11 - “11
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things
sown in it to spring up, So the Lord God
will cause righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.” - Isaiah tells us that the Lord
will cause ‘righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations’
15.1.
On the day that the Lord exalts Zion as He is
establishing His kingdom upon the earth, His kingdom will be established in
righteousness, as all wickedness has been purged from the earth after the 7 Year
Tribulation of the book of Revelation, and now all of the earth will be
committed to praising and worshipping the Lord in His holiness.