The Disciplined Order of Christ

            In our last essay we studied Isaiah 62.  In this essay we take up chapter 63.  Verses 1-6 tell of a lone warrior who comes in judgment and exercises power on behalf of his people.  The story begins with a watchmen seeing an imposing figure striding from the direction of Edom.  Edom was a perennial enemy of Israel, so much so, that the name had come to symbolize all of her enemies.  Bozrah was the capital of Edom.  The person obviously was someone to be reckoned with, because he was splendidly robed and walked as one who had authority.  This person had to be challenged, so the watchman cried out, “Who is this that comes form Edom?” 

            The person answers, “It is I, announcing vindication [literally righteousness], mighty to save.”  The NIV is better, “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”  Only God can speak like that, because only God is mighty enough to defeat all enemies and mighty enough to save his people.  Thus this person is the Servant/Messiah who has been a prominent figure throughout the book.  The fact that he says he is “mighty to save” is important.  Although the passage has a strong element of judgment, it ultimately is about salvation.  God, who speaks truth, says that his people are delivered, because he has defeated all their enemies. 

            In the story, in verse two, the figure (the Servant /Messiah) is now close enough that the watchman can see that his garments are not dyed red, but are stained red.  And that prompts another question, “Why are your robes red, and your garments like theirs who tread the wine press?”  And the Messianic figure answers in verses 3-6, saying in effect, my garments are stained because I have been treading the winepress.  However it is the winepress of God’s judgment and wrath.  The image is intended to convey the idea that he has attacked the enemies of God’s people and trampled them like grapes in a winepress.  The Servant/Messiah has totally triumphed.  This is gruesome imagery, but it is effective.  You may recall that the book of Revelation uses the same imagery in Rev. 14:17-20. 

            Some people are put off not only by the bloody wrath of verse three, but by the idea of vengeance in verse four.  But notice that the vengeance is paralleled in the second half of the verse by redemption.  That is extremely important.  The purpose of the wrath and vengeance is not to express a mean spirit, or to say that God is bloodthirsty.  Rather it is to express the fact that destruction of sin and death and all the enemies of God is necessary for the salvation of his people. 

            Notice in verse five that the Servant/Messiah stresses the fact that he did it alone.  He is appalled and grieved at the universality of human sinfulness, which meant there was no one to help him.  We saw almost the same language used in 59:15-17 when God was appalled at the lack of justice and of anyone to intercede or intervene.  So he worked salvation by his mighty arm.  Here he is appalled by the sinfulness and the lack of anyone to help him with the judgment; and once again, he does it alone by his might arm.  In reality he is the only one who can do it.  We human beings are helpless because of our sinfulness.  Thus The Servant/Messiah is the only one who can save the world. 

            Verse six summarizes the theme of judgment.  However, as we think about this, we must never forget that long before the Servant/Messiah exercises God’s wrath (which remember is in the end-time) he poured out his own blood for our sakes.  Indeed some early commentators interpreted this passage as symbolizing the destruction of sin and death on the cross, and they interpreted the blood on his garments as his own.  That was a wrong interpretation, because this passage is about end-time judgment.  But the cross certainly is there in the background.  Salvation is available to all because of the cross; and those who experience the terrible wrath set forth in this passage are those who refused to repent and believe. 

            In verse seven Isaiah begins what is called a community lament.  That is, he laments Israel’s sinfulness and the perceived unwillingness of the Lord to intervene in his people’s situation.  As you can see, the prophet begins the lament with a statement about the goodness of God.  The Hebrew word hesed begins and ends verse seven.  It means “steadfast love” as the NRSV translates it at the end of the verse.  It also could be translated “loving kindness,” or just “kindness,” as the NIV does it.  Interestingly, the NRSV translates it as “gracious deeds” at the beginning of verse seven.  I personally don’t think “kindness” alone gives the full meaning, and I think it should be translated the same way at both the beginning and end of the verse so the English reader will have some understanding that it is the same word.  At any rate, the idea is that the Lord has treated Israel with loving kindness, which includes doing good deeds for them and extending mercy to them. 

            In verse eight Isaiah moves to God’s gracious election of Israel to be his people.  And their responsibility in return was to be absolutely loyal to him and to live lives that would be true to his character.  They were not to be false with him.  A single verse from the days when God made the Old Covenant with Israel expresses that quite well.  It is Deut. 28:9, which reads in the NIV, “The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways.”  Because of that covenant, God became their savior. 

            Now the first part of verse nine has serious translation problems. I don’t like the NRSV translation at all.  So let me read it again from the NIV: “In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.”  The “angel of his presence” (literally of his face) is the Lord himself visibly present.  Some interpret this figure as Christ himself.  Another Old Testament example of this is seen in Ex. 33:2, 14-15. 

            Notice that Isaiah did not say that God would keep them from distress; he told them he would save them in their distress.  That’s important. 

            In verse ten, Isaiah turns to the fact that Israel had failed to be loyal to God.  On the contrary she rebelled against him.  This grieved, literally hurt, God’s Holy Spirit.  Indeed God’s love and holiness both were offended.  And this created a totally different situation.  He who had been their savior became their enemy. 

            But then in verses 11-13 Israel began to reflect on the glory days of the Exodus when God acted with great power on their behalf.  And they wanted to know where God was in their day.  The focus of their remembering was two-fold.  One was the great miracle of the parting of the sea, and the other was the manifest power of the Holy Spirit.  In verse 14 they also remembered that back in those days the people found “rest” in Canaan as cattle find “rest” in a green valley. 

            Verses 15-19 begin the lament proper.  The prophet speaking for the people calls on God to take action.  In verse 15 Isaiah expresses the feelings of the people when God seems far away.  Oswalt likens it to what an individual feels who is experiencing what John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul.”  Isaiah reminds God that he is their father and Redeemer Abraham and Jacob may deny their children, but God cannot. 

            Verse 17 expresses the main complaint.  They have been unable to break way from their sinning, because God won’t help them.  Scholars, including Calvin, agree that Isaiah did not mean by this that God forces people to sin.  The point is that Isaiah knows that there is no hope of escape from sin if God doesn’t do something.  So Isaiah calls on God to turn back to his people who are God’s heritage.  Canaan was the tribes’ heritage.  The tribes are God’s heritage. 

            The text of verse 18 is difficult, but the likely sense is this.  After Israel took possession of the holy sanctuary, they were dispersed temporarily (a reference to the exile).  During that time of exile the sanctuary was trampled.  That is, it was in a ruined state.  Then verse 19 makes the sad declaration that Israel has long been like a nation that God does not rule.  They are like a people that are not called by God’s name.

            In our last essay we studied Isaiah, 61.  We began with a discussion of who the speaker is at the beginning of the chapter and concluded that it is the anointed One, the Servant/Messiah, who is announcing his role in God’s deliverance.  We recognized immediately that this passage was the one read by Jesus in the synagogue, as recorded in Luke 4:16-21; and we took note of the fact that Jesus claimed that his reading of the Scripture fulfilled it in the hearing of the synagogue congregation.  Thus Jesus claimed to be the Messiah. 

            In this essay we are taking up chapter 62.  If you look at the second part of verse one, the NRSV reads: “until her vindication shines out like the dawn.”  Literally that reads, “until her righteousness goes forth like brightness.”  I agree with Oswalt that there is something more than “vindication” going on here, and that the word “brightness” has particular import as well. 

            First, the larger context indicates that, “the righteousness of God is going to be seen in the character of saved Israel.”  It is not just a matter of vindication.  It is a matter of holy character. 

            Then second, the term “brightness” also was used in 59:9 in connection with “righteousness.”  There a lack of righteousness was symbolized by darkness, and the prophet declared that they were waiting for the light, the “brightness” to come.  Verse 59:9 reads in the NRSV, “Therefore justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us; we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness; and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.”

            Now then, come back to chapter 62, verse one, and look once again at the literal translation of the clause in question.  God says of Zion, “I will not rest until her righteousness goes forth like brightness.”  The point we don’t want to miss is that Israel is to shine brightly with the righteousness of God.  Of course this holds for the New Israel, the Church, as well. 

            Moving on to verse two, God announces two results of the work he is doing on Zion’s behalf.  First, “the nations shall see your righteousness.”  The NRSV again translates “righteousness” as “vindication.”  When God’s promise that Zion’s righteousness will shine like brightness comes to pass, the nations (that is, the Gentiles) will see it.  This has to happen for the nations voluntarily to bring Zion’s children and great wealth to Jerusalem as we saw predicted in chapter 60.  And God declares that it will happen. 

            Second, God announces that Zion shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give.”  In the ancient Near East, including Israel, names carried significance, and character was closely associated with the names.  That’s why importance was attached to the naming of children.  That’s also why Abram’s name was changed to Abraham when God made a covenant with him (Gen. 17:5) and why Jacob’s name was changed to Israel after he wrested with God at Peniel (Gen. 32:28).  So Zion is getting a new name.  However, as we read on through the chapter, we will see that the new name takes several forms. 

            In verse three, before announcing the new names, God introduces another image to convey Israel’s value: “You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord.”  Now scholars are uncertain about why the crown is in the Lord’s hand instead of on his head.  There has been much useless speculation about it, but it probably simply means that Zion and her people are precious to the Lord.  They are a precious possession (his crown); and that is symbolized further by his holding them in his protective hand.  Thus they can be confident that he will fulfill his promises. 

            In verse four the Lord turns to the idea of renaming.  Zion may have felt like her name was “Forsaken” (NIV “Deserted), and she may have thought of hr land as “Desolate,” but that was not the case.  “Whatever the faithful in Israel might feel in the long dark years following the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC, they should remember that Forsaken is not the name by which God remembers them, nor is Desolate the way he views their land.”  On the contrary, he sees himself as her husband.  And thus the Lord turns to wedding imagery in these verses to communicate his feelings towards Zion.  You will recall that Zion herself used wedding imagery to speak of her relationship to God in the last chapter, in 61:10.  So the Lord sees Zion as his bride.  He is a husband who will provide for and protect her.  Thus he declares that she “shall be called My Delight Is in Her,” and he chooses to call her land “Married.”  We will see other names later in the passage (v. 12). 

            In verse five there is a problem, especially for people who tend to interpret too literally.  The verse literally says, “For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you.”  Persons who want to interpret literally find this language reminding them of incest and are threatened by it.  The various versions of Isaiah (versions are ancient translations into other languages) dealt with it by using a secondary meaning for the word “marry.”  There are uses of the word that mean “dwell with or in.”  So they translated it “your sons will dwell in you (or keep you).”  The NRSV translators found a way to deal with it by translating the word for “sons” as “builders.”  I have no idea where that comes from.  At any rate, the basic idea of the statement is clear.  God cares so much for his people that he wants to enter into the most intimate possible relationship with them. 

            In verses 4-5, as always, scholars debate who the speaker is.  In this case, God, Isaiah, and an angel appointed by God all have been suggested.  Oswalt favors the third alternative, but he gives no convincing reasons for doing so.  Since God was speaking at the beginning of the chapter and since there is no evidence that the speaker has changed, I believe God is still speaking in these verses. 

            I also disagree with Oswalt on the identity of the “watchmen” (NRSV translates as “sentinels”).  I believe the watchmen are the prophets, as they are in the book of Ezekiel.  Oswalt rejects this view, because the function of the watchmen in Ezekiel was to warn the people of coming danger.  And there is no danger in this context to warn people about.  The enemies of Zion all have been vanquished.  It is true that the function of the watchmen here is not to give warning.  As the last part of verse six tells us, their function is to remind the Lord of his promises.  Now this raises a red flag in some minds, because God isn’t likely to forget his promises.  Of course he won’t forget.  That isn’t the point.  The point is that the prophets are to pray constantly that God’s will shall be done.  Just as Jesus taught us to be importunate in prayer, the Lord taught Israel’s prophets to be importunate in prayer.  Warning people of danger was only one function of the prophets.  Here we see another function. 

            Now then, in verses 8-9 we do get a change of speaker.  Now the prophet begins to speak.  His word is one of security.  Isaiah first speaks of God’s “mighty arm.”  God’s “mighty arm” symbolizes the certainty of God’s promises.  Thus the promises are guaranteed. 

            Next comes a promise that in the New Jerusalem Israel’s enemies will never again take their food.  You will recall that when God set up the Sinai Covenant, Moses promised the people that if they broke the covenant, their enemies would reap the fruit of their labors (Deut. 28:30-33).  On the other hand, if they kept the covenant, they would enjoy the fruits of their labors (Deut. 28:4-5, 7, 11).  Now Isaiah declares that in the New Jerusalem, no enemies or foreigners will take their food.  Rather they will enjoy it and worship the Lord.  Notice the language used in respect to enemies taking the food.  God says that he gave it into the enemy’s hands.  God always is in control. 

            In verses 10-12 Isaiah shows the people how to respond to God’s promises that were seen in verses 1-9.  In a “nutshell” they must act on their faith.  To begin, notice the imagery of the highway.  We have seen this image several times throughout the book.  And it has served several purposes.  Since this is a kind of summary passage that ends a major section, Isaiah probably had several ideas in mind.  The highway probably symbolizes the highway on which God comes.  Notice the phrase in verse 11, “your salvation comes.”  It also could symbolize the highway on which the believing people come to Zion.  Notice the phrase in verse 10, “prepare the way for the people.”  It also could represent the highway on which the nations come to Zion.  Notice the phrase at the end of verse 10, “lift up an ensign over the peoples.”  Isaiah could have had any or all of ideas in mind. 

            Some have questioned why verse 11 says that the message of Israel’s salvation is to be proclaimed to the ends of the earth.  We must remember that the nations are going to come to Jerusalem bringing with them the children of Zion and great wealth.  Therefore they need to hear this message.  Some scholars point out the strong similarity between the second half of verse 11 and 40:10.  I don’t know if that is significant or not.  As a teacher, I know that good ideas are worthy of repetition. 

            Finally, in verse 12, we see a number of additional names for the end-time people of God and Zion.  “They shall be called, ‘The Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord’: and you [referring to Zion] shall be called, ‘Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.’”  The NIV translates, the names for Zion, “Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.”  Notice that all of these names are relational in nature.  And holiness of the people is emphasized.

            In this essay we are taking up the long-awaited chapter 61.  Having revealed the blessings of God that will come to the city of God in chapter 60, the prophet turns in chapter 61 to the one who will bring about those blessings. 

            The speaker is the anointed One, the Servant/Messiah, who is announcing his role in God’s deliverance.  You recognize immediately that it is the passage read by Jesus in the synagogue, as recorded in Luke 4:16-21.  That is important, so please take time to read Luke 4:16-21 right now.  Notice that Jesus, after the reading, announced: “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”  Thus Jesus clearly claimed to be the Messiah. 

            Coming back to Isaiah 61, the Servant/Messiah first announces that the Holy Spirit is upon him.  Then he declares that he is anointed for certain ministries.  There are seven ministries listed in the three verses.  First he is “to preach good news to the poor” (NIV).  The NRSV translated the word “poor” as “oppressed.”  The “poor” here are not just those in physical poverty, as the following announced ministries show.  Indeed the following six ministries detail the first.  Thus the Messiah’s overarching ministry is expressed in this first declaration: he preaches good news to the poor. 

            Second, the Messiah binds “up the broken hearted.”  People’s hearts are broken for many reasons.  However some heartbrokenness is more serious than other heartbrokenness.  Thus the “poor” includes those who are so broken by life that they are ready to give up, or may already have given up.  But those hearts can be healed. 

            Third, the good news for the poor includes proclaiming “liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners.”  Those who are bound by addictions, and those who have been misused or abused by others, are in prison just as surely as those who are behind bars.  And they need to be set free.  Of course those who actually are behind bars can be set free in spirit and can minister fro Christ there.  Also included here are those in bondage to sin, who need forgiveness and deliverance. 

            Moving to verse two, fourth, the Messiah’s good news includes proclamation of “the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God.”  These two balance one another.  The “Lord’s favor” is his grace at work.  And in the end-time, God’s grace will abound as he raises the righteous dead and transforms the righteous living.  On the other hand, the unrighteous, those who refuse his grace, will face God’s wrath, or vengeance. 

            Fifth, the Messiah will “comfort all who mourn.”  In other words, those who receive grace will be comforted, regardless of their category of need, whether it is need for healing, release, or forgiveness. 

            Sixth, the Servant/Messiah “will provide for those who mourn in Zion.”  In other words the Lord will take care of all of us who partake of his grace.  He will meet all our needs: physical and spiritual. 

            Finally, seventh, the Servant/Messiah will replace our sackcloth and ashes with “a garland” (NIV “crown of beauty”).  That means he will “dress us up” in a beautiful, festive headdress.  Our mourning will be replaced with the “oil of gladness,” and our faint spirits with a “mantle” or “garment” (NIV) of praise.  Afterwards we will be like oak trees.  Indeed we will be called “oaks of righteousness,” because we will be permanent, with godly character.  And we will display God’s glory. 

            Verses 4-9 express the results for historical Israel of what we have seen in verses 1-3.  There are seven results listed.  The first result is the rebuilding of the ruins of Jerusalem (v. 4).  Second, the foreigners, who once oppressed Israel, will now serve them (v. 5).  Remember though that the foreigners who will be serving Israel will be full participants in the blessings of Israel (56:3, 6-7).  The picture isn’t one of a situation where the oppressed have become the oppressors.  Third, the Israelites will be priests to the nations (the Gentiles) and will enjoy their wealth (v. 6).  Fourth, the Israelites will receive a “double portion” of blessings (like an eldest son), because they had experienced double shame (v. 7).  The NIV doesn’t bring out the “double shame” part.  Fifth, the Lord will reward them with an eternal covenant, which we now know is the New Covenant (v. 8).  Not to do so would be injustice and robbery, both of which God hates.  Sixth, “their descendants shall be known among the nations.”  This is more important than it looks on the surface.  Many nations have disappeared.  They have been absorbed into other nations and people groups.  But that has not been the case with the Jews of Israel.  They still are a definable people group in the world and are recognized as such (v. 9a).  Finally, seventh, the world will acknowledge that they are a people blessed by God (v. 9b).  Oswalt applies this both to modern-day Israel’s existence as a nation and to spiritual Israel, which is New Israel, the Church. 

            Scholars, as in other places, are divided over who is speaking here.  Some believe it is the Servant/Messiah, as in verses 1-3.  Others, including Oswalt, believe it is Zion, the people of God, who is speaking.  Zion is expressing her joy in the Lord and in what he has done for her.  It is important to notice that her joy is in the Lord.  In other words it is a rejoicing over the One who has blessed them, not just over his blessings.

            Zion summarizes God’s blessings with one broad-ranging image.  He has clothed her with “the garments of salvation.”  There is no more significant blessing than salvation.  Our deliverance from sin and death is paramount.  And earlier in the passage we saw other aspects of salvation: healing of broken hearts, release from prisons of addiction and abuse, etc.  Notice that the new garments include a “robe of righteousness.”  That is to say, our salvation includes righteous living.  It isn’t a matter of being saved and continuing in sin.  We receive a “robe of righteousness” so that we can live righteous lives.  And notice further that the righteousness is a gift from God.  We cannot live righteously on our own.  We need the power of the Holy Spirit.  There is one more thing to notice, and that is the wedding imagery.  The new clothing is like wedding garments.  Salvation is a relational matter.  We enter into a lifelong love commitment that God always will honor. 

            Finally verse 11 tells us that God will make the joyous scene just described happen just as surely as vegetation grows.  God’s salvation and blessings are guaranteed by the fact that he is God.  He is creator, sustainer, and redeemer; and although Satan and other evil ones can cause havoc, they cannot stop his ultimate will.

            In our last essay we studied Isaiah 59.  In this essay we are taking up chapter 60.  In verse one Isaiah uses the “prophetic present,” that is he speaks of a future event as if it already has happened.  He declares that Israel’s light, that is God their Redeemer, has come.  Remember, Isaiah had just promised a few verses earlier, in 59:20, that the Redeemer was coming, “And he will come to Zion as Redeemer.” 

            It is verse two that tells us that the “light,” the glory of the Lord,” is God himself.  It also tells us that thick darkness covers the world.  The thick darkness symbolizes the darkness of sin.  But the glorious light of the Lord has risen above Israel.  Verse three goes on to say that nations will be attracted to the light and will come to it.  And verses 4-5 add that the nations not only will come; but they also will bring with them many sons and daughters of Israel and much wealth.  Now this prophecy may have some application to historical Israel, but I believe he primary application is to the New Israel, the Church.  And the prophecy has been fulfilled many times over since the first coming of the promised Servant-Messiah, Jesus. 

            Now then, in verses 6-9 Isaiah lets his mind range over various ways that wealth could flow to Jerusalem in his day.  He pictures camel caravans streaming from the major trade routes.  And he sees so many camels resting in the streets that the camels cover them.  There are camels from Midian, Ephah, and Sheba.  You may remember that the Midianites were identified as caravan traders as far back as the days of Joseph (Gen. 37:28).  Ephah was a son of Midian, so he had the same family connection to caravan trading.  Sheba is the ancient name for modern Yemen, which is located at the south end of the Arabian Peninsula right next to the southernmost part of the Red Sea.  Sheba was the crossroads for trade from both India and Eastern Africa. 

            Notice that Isaiah says that the caravans will bring gold and frankincense.  Gold and incense were two of the most valuable products traded in those days, so he naturally mentions them as part of the wealth that would flow into Jerusalem.  And Isaiah says that this would result in praise to the Lord.  I remind you that these items still were extremely valuable several hundred years later when the wise men brought gifts of gold and frankincense to the newborn King-Messiah. 

            In verse seven Isaiah mentions flocks and herds as another source of wealth.  Kedar and Nebaioth both were sons of Ishmael (Gen. 25:13).  It is believed that the descendents of Nebaioth were the Nabateans, who settled in the area of ancient Edom, which is in the country of Jordan today.  They are associated with the rock-hewn city of Petra.  They were known for the high quality of their wool; and their wealth stemmed from that trade.  Notice that Isaiah says their wealth would minister to Israel and that their rams would be acceptable for sacrifice on the Lord’s altar. 

            In verses 8-9 Isaiah continues in the same vein.  He describes a fleet of ship’s sails on the horizon as like a cloud or a flock of doves.  They are ships of Tarshish.  Tarshish was famous for her fleet of ships that carried goods all over the Mediterranean, and perhaps elsewhere.  And Isaiah says that they would be bringing Zion’s children and more great wealth, specifically silver and gold, to Zion.  Interestingly, no one knows the location of ancient Tarshish.  One wonders how the location of such a well-known trading center could have become lost in the mists of time, but it did.  It seems to have been somewhere in the West.  And notice that a reason is given for their coming.  It is to honor the name of the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. 

            In the next segment Isaiah talks about the relationship that Israel will have with the foreigners who come to her.  As we work through the segment, you will see that the biggest interpretive problem is to decide how literally we should take it.  Verse 10 indicates that some of the wealth that is brought to the city will be used to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls.  Isaiah declares that the foreigners will do that work while their kings will serve Israel in the city.

            Now previous verses in the chapter clearly suggest that the nations and their kings will be coming voluntarily, because they want to honor God.  Therefore it seems safe to assume that this work on the walls by the people and the service by their kings also is voluntary.  At the same time, in this segment the nations are depicted as subservient to Israel (vv. 11, 14, 16).  Some interpreters get themselves in trouble by interpreting too literally.  Isaiah’s point is metaphorical.  He is saying that the day is coming when Israel’s former enemies, who mocked God, will come to worship him.  Those who destroyed the city, symbolized by its walls, will rebuild it.  And those kings who once lorded it over Israel will serve her.  Don’t miss the fact, in the last half of verse 10, that God is engineering the whole thing.  He struck Israel down as punishment, and he is showing mercy to her by reversing her fortunes. 

            In verse 11 Isaiah, once again using hyperbole, says that the procession of wealth into the city will be a 24 hours per day operation.  The gates will never close as the goods and the nation’s kings stream through.  The last line of the verse has created an interpretive problem, because the word used in respect to the kings is one that usually means, “to be led captive.”  Of course that seems to be in opposition to the previous indication that they come voluntarily.  The answer to that problem becomes clear when we take verse 12 with it.  It reads, “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.”  As the larger biblical revelation shows us, there always are some who stubbornly refuse God’s love.  And Isaiah says that they will perish.  And their kings will enter the city to serve Israel involuntarily. 

            In order to properly understand Isaiah’s vision here, we must realize that the Zion he speaks of is much more than literal Jerusalem, or a literal Jewish state.  This is the “Zion of the Holy One of Israel,” as verse 14, puts it.  It is a place where justice and righteousness reign, as we saw in chapter 59, verse 17.  And it is a place where the Lord himself is the light, as verse 19, which we haven’t yet come to, tells us.  In other words it is the end time kingdom of God. 

            In verses 13-14 Isaiah continues his exaltation of Zion.  In addition to the silver, gold, frankincense, flocks, and so on, that we have seen coming into Zion thus far, the various excellent types of wood from Lebanon also will flow into Israel.  The wood will be used to beautify God’s temple and thus glorify God.  Moreover the descendents of those who had oppressed Israel in the past will come and bow down to them.  This is another example of the idea of reversal that we saw in verse 10.  And again one should not take this too literally.  The main idea is that they are coming to “the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.”  In other words they are coming because of God. 

            Verse 15 further describes the change.  Whereas Zion has been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, God will make her majestic; and joy will characterize her.  Verse 16 may seem a bit strange at first; but to Isaiah’s original readers, it would have been a familiar picture.  Isaiah was playing off of an idea that, though unfamiliar to us, was well known across the ancient world.  Those who believed in certain goddesses metaphorically thought of themselves as receiving life from the goddesses by sucking it from her breasts.  Isaiah uses that same image to symbolize Israel’s receiving nourishment from the nations and their kings.  And Isaiah says that the result will be that they will know that the Lord is their Savior and Redeemer. 

            In the rest of the poem (verses 17-22) Isaiah sets forth a vision of the end-time Holy City.  This poem soars to the same heights as the similar vision in Rev. 21:9-27, though metals rather than jewels are featured.  First, the Lord promises to replace the better with the best: stones with iron, wood with bronze, iron with silver, and bronze with gold.  This symbolizes permanence and security.  In the second half of verse 17, the Lord promises that peace and righteousness will be the operating principles of the Holy City.  Notice the irony.  Peace will be their “overseer,” NIV “governor.”  And Righteousness will be their “taskmaster,” literally “slave-driver.”  In their history, their governors and rulers did not rule in peace and with righteousness.  But in the coming Holy City, this will be the case. 

            Then verse 18 declares that “violence,” “ruin” and “destruction” will be no more.  Salvation will be the walls and praise the gates.  Thus there will be harmony and safety; and all who enter will worship the Lord with praise.  Verses 19-20 proclaim that the light of God, which already had dawned (verses 1-3) will be so bright that there no longer will be a need for the sun and moon.  God’s light is everlasting, and it will end their days of mourning. 

            Finally, in verses 21-22, Isaiah turns from a description of the city to a description of the people.  First, they are righteous.  They totally reflect the holy character of God.  Second, they will “possess the land forever.”  From the time of the Abrahamic covenant, the land has symbolized permanence.  The land has become a metaphor for God’s faithfulness to his people; and we will possess it forever.  God planted us.  We are the shoot that the Lord planted.  Thus third, we will fulfill the purpose for which he created us, namely, to glorify him.  Finally, fourth, they (we) will have influence beyond anything we could have imagined.  The least will become a thousand (NRSV, a clan) and the smallest a mighty nation. 

            The last two lines sum up the chapter.  God will make it all happen because he is the Lord.  From the perspective of the New Covenant, we see the fulfillment of this passage in the two comings of Christ.  God brought forth his Son “in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4).  And he will create the New Jerusalem at his second coming.