ISAIAH 60: 10-18
THE RIGHTEOUS REDEEMED RECOGNIZED
[Matthew 25:31-46]
God is in control of history and He will accomplish His plan and fulfill His promises. For those who follow God He also weaves the events of life together into something that will one day truly be amazing.
God promises His favor upon Zion. If His people Israel will be faithful, the day will come when He will reverse the fortunes of the people of Zion. YAHWEH’s favor will bring the wealth and resources of the nations to buildup the city in splendor. Those nations that hated Zion will come and pay respect because the light which she shines forth (60:1) will be recognized as the source of blessing for the world.
I. PRIORITY REVERSAL, 10-13.
II. PERSPECTIVE REVERSAL, 14-16.
III. POSITION REVERSAL, 17-18.
The prophet now foretells how the resources of the nations will one day be use beginning in verse 10. "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. (11) "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.
You cannot understand verses 10 & 11 without verse 18 which defines the walls and gates for this passage. Though the passage being literally fulfilled is proper, the real fulfilment for God and the people of God comes in the symbolic fulfilment of the passage. The nations of the world have seen the light and have come to acknowledge Israel’s Messiah as the God of all the earth. They therefore build up the walls of salvation, or make known that the Covenant keeping God is the One in whom salvation is found and experienced. He is the One who protects from sin, not only from the wrath of angry nations and peoples.
The only way that leads one into the great city of Zion, of God presence, is through the gates of praise. He is worthy of praise and God inhabits the praises of His people. We are to enter His courts with praise and His gates with thanksgiving (Ps. 100:4; 95:1-3). Those who refuse to come before Him with praise and thanksgiving do not walk the way of God. In that great day even foreigners will acknowledge the one true God with their praise of Him, for who He is and what He has done. YAHWEH will leave no doubt to those who see the true light that He is the LORD God and there is no other.
The nations that so recognize the Lordship of the Messiah will fully participate in His covenant. Verse 12 addresses those nations that refuse to recognize His lordship. [Oswalt, Isaiah 40-66, 547]. "For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, and the nations will be utterly ruined.
Those who refuse to see the light of the Messiah shining from His people demonstrate a satanic rebellion and selfish pride. When they so obstinately rebel against the obvious truth of God they place themselves in jeopardy. Those who deny God’s rightful rule are like those who refuse to believe in the law of gravity. Such disbelief will have repercussions just as certainly as jumping off a cliff has consequences.
The repercussions given to those who will not voluntarily submit to the Lordship of the Messiah are given. They will die and what they thought they accomplished will be utterly in ruin. [Without a solid foundation of ultimate justice, grace is a meaningless concept. Without an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-wise God, there is no unquestionable ultimate justice.]
Verse 13 foretells that the beauty of nature will come to Zion. "The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the box tree and the cypress together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary. And I shall make the place of My feet glorious.
The majestic and stately grandeur of the towering cedar’s of Lebanon (may also indicate the splendorous environs of their mountain created sanctuary) will come to Zion. Other trees also come together for the sake of making God’s sanctuary beautiful.
God called the temple His sanctuary and the place of His feet [His footstool -1 Chr. 28:2; Ps 99:5: Isa. 66:1; Mt. 5:35]. People from the nations that formerly despised Israel will recognize that Jerusalem or Zion, is God’s chosen city, the place where He dwells. As the place of His presence, God will make it glorious as only He can.
II. PERSPECTIVE REVERSAL, 14-16.
The reversal of Israel’s horrible mistreatment is further considered in verse 14. "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.
After Israel has truly become the people of God, He will then reverse the role and perception of those who previously afflicted and despised them. The sons of Zion’s persecutors and mockers will prostrate themselves before the people of God. It is a recognition that they are those who have honored God through their life and thus they will be honored. The Holy One will honor those made holy.
Verses 15 and 16 express the contrast between the attitude the nations formerly had toward Zion and that which will be expressed in the future. "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.
In contrast with Israel’s having been forsaken and hated (6:11-12; 62:4; Jer. 30:17) God will cause others to take pride in her (4:2). From a condition or place where no one desired to go to a place of exaltation. [During this time of blessing righteousness will be evident throughout the land.] If we abandon our attempts at self-exaltation and humble ourselves and serve God, at the proper and place, He will exalt us (1 Pet. 5:4-6).
Those who have so submitted themselves to God so that He could honor them will experience joy. Not only will they experience joy they will be a joy. This joy never fades, but lasts through the generations or eternally.
Verse 16 figures the strengthening substances and royal support that Zion will receive. "You will also suck the milk of nations and suck the breast of kings; Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
The day will come when Israel will be cared for and supported by the great nations of the earth. Those of Zion will receive the very best nourishment. Much as a nursing child gets sustenance from its mother, so Israel will be sustained by the wealth of the nations.
Such blessings will cause Israel to recognize all the more that the Lord, the Mighty One of Jacob, really is the unique God of the world. God proves that He is her Savior and her Redeemer. Moreover, He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world.
III. POSITION REVERSAL, 17-18.
Verse 17 express that peace will govern life because the presence of God will finally exist in Zion. "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.
God here promises Zion a heavenly wrought and brought upgrade. Future Zion will have the best resources of this world and the governance of the next.
Peace and righteousness are the basis and operative conditions of Zion’s government. Apparently peace and righteousness themselves will govern and rule Zion.
Verse 18 describes what conditions will prevail in Zion’s domain. "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.
Violence will cease to be even hinted at in the land that Zion governs. Neither the threats and triumphs of those that do violence nor the outcries and complaints of those that suffer violence again be heard, but every man will enjoy his own in peace. There will be no devastation nor destruction, either of persons or possessions, any where within your borders. [Matthew Henry’s Commentary: electronic ed. Peabody : Hendrickson, 1996.] What a glorious day it will be when there is no more bloodshed, fighting or rioting in the streets. Instead there will be great prosperity and constant safety.
The prophet Zechariah (2:5) also foretold of a Jerusalem without walls. "‘For I,’ declares the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst."’ The salvation of God will protect and make secure His city and His people. Those whom God saves are saved. Those whom God designs to keep are kept. No foe can breach salvation’s walls nor destroy those abiding within them. The salvation of God’s people is always their best defense against spiritual foes in any age.
For those enjoying the walls of salvation, praise for the provision of His way and for His door or gate of entrance will rise. No one enters into salvation who did not enter by the way of Jesus and door of surrender to Him. Let His praises forever sound in Zion!
CONCLUSION / TIME OF RESPONSE
One day all people’s will come to Zion because there will be the presence of God and His people from whom the light and glory of God will shine. Don’t be discouraged when you look around and see few people turning to Christ. One day nations will recognize Him as the one true God and bring Him tribute.
