Chapter Sixty

The glorification of the renewed Zion (the New Testament church).

By the general consensus of all authoritative exegetes, this is a purely messianic chapter, relating to the Christian era, namely to the destinies of spiritual Zion, or the New Testament church. Of course, this does not mean that this chapter has no historical significance or relation to the destinies of the Hebrew people. On the contrary, this relation is the closest and most intimate, inasmuch as the Christian church is the embodiment of the ideal of the Old Testament church, on one hand, and inasmuch as the best sons of Israel were also the first citizens of the New Testament church (the apostles) (cf. Isa 49:14; Isa 54 chapters and others). The immediate direct connection of this chapter with the previous one rests, partly, on contrast (the complete decomposition of Israel contemporary to the prophet and the spiritual power of the renewed Zion), partly on direct connection with the discourse about the Redeemer at the conclusion of the previous chapter. Most Western commentators of this chapter also note the special character of its external structure: it is, they say, a prophetic poem written in the form of an inspired song, which can be divided into five, approximately equal parts, or stanzas (Ewald, Cheyne, The pulp. Commentary etc.).

1–4. The spiritual light of Zion and its quantitative growth. 5–9. Zion as the center of the blessings and riches of the whole world. 10–14. The solemn restoration and worldwide glorification of Zion. 15–17. The glory, wealth, and power of Zion, in contrast with its former distressed state. 18–22. The promise of eternal continuation of this glory.

Isaiah 60:1. Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. From verses 1 through 4 is the first section, or division of the poem. In it, according to custom, an address to the addressee is given and its main subject is indicated. “Arise, shine.” In the LXX and the Slavonic version here is added “Jerusalem”—a word that is absent in the original Hebrew text. In the latter, a somewhat different word is understood here, namely “Zion,” as is evident from the preceding (Isa 59:20) and subsequent (Isa 60:14) context. But the essence of the matter is not changed at all by this, since obviously both these terms—both Zion and Jerusalem—are synonymous designations of one and the same subject—the New Testament church. In this sense, one cannot but welcome the positive gloss of Saint John of Damascus, who in the 9th irmos of his famous Paschal canon added a beautiful supplement to the word “Jerusalem”: “shine, shine, new Jerusalem!”

Isaiah 60:2. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will appear over you. “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and His glory will appear over you.” This is one of the most beloved prophetic images—the comparison of all Old Testament humanity with people covered in darkness, wandering in the gloom, “sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Isa 9:2). And just as the first creative word: “Let there be Light” (Gen 1:3) once pierced the darkness of primordial Chaos, so the coming into the world of the Promised Messiah was an act of transformation of the world, as it were, a kind of its new creation (cf. 2 Cor 4:6). It is true that this “light” will be kindled initially only at a certain point, namely in Zion and Jerusalem; but from here, as from a center, its rays will gradually penetrate throughout the world and attract everyone to itself, which the prophet speaks of directly below.

Isaiah 60:3. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Isaiah 60:4. Lift up your eyes and look around; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from far away, and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ hips. Isaiah 49:13. “And nations shall come to your light, and kings... your sons from far away shall come.” The property of life-giving light is such that it attracts all living things to itself. It is not surprising that the best representatives both of paganism (“nations... and kings”), and of the people of Israel (“your sons... and daughters”), will hasten to go toward that Light which will appear in Zion. This thought, in almost the same expressions, we encountered in the prophet Isaiah earlier (see commentary on Is.49:13, 17–18, 22–23). Isa 60:5-9. From verses 5–9 is the second division of the prophetic-poetic discourse. Here Zion is set forth as a gathering point to which, together with the nations, the riches of the whole world flow. According to the fundamental Old Testament view, “righteousness” receives its reward even here, on earth, in the form of “long life” and “material well-being and prosperity.” This is why the prophetic picture of a new, righteous Zion could not do without these realistic features. But nothing, of course, prevents us, following the holy fathers, from giving to those blessings spoken of here a different, higher, spiritual-moral sense. With such understanding, all these material goods which are enumerated in verses 6–7 can generally serve as symbols of the cultural contribution brought by Christianized paganism, the treasury of human knowledge (philosophy, poetry, art). All these riches, as is said in verse 5, “shall be brought to you,” that is, when used rightly, shall be devoted to the establishment and spread of that light of truth which is to appear in Zion. On the other hand, one should especially emphasize the end of verse 7, which speaks of these riches, that they “shall go up on My altar as an acceptable sacrifice,” from which it clearly follows that all material and spiritual blessings and riches of man, in themselves, are not at all forbidden and fundamentally hostile to God: on the contrary, when used rightly, they are even pleasing to Him. In this section there is also a series of interesting ethnographic references: “Midian, Ephah, Sheba, Kedar, Nebaioth” (verses 6–7). All these are inhabitants of “Sheba,” “happy Arabia,” which had more active relations with the Hebrews since the time of Solomon and was known for its riches. In particular, “Midian and his son—Ephah,” according to the testimony of the Book of Genesis (Gen 25:2-4), are descendants of Abraham by Keturah. And “Kedar and Nebaioth,” according to the same sources (Gen 25:13), are descendants of Ishmael, the son of Abraham by Hagar. Consequently, all these were nomadic Arab tribes that had rather close, kinship relations with the Hebrews. They are named here by the prophet not without special intent: the fleshly descendants of God’s chosen father of believers Abraham are chosen here as types of those who are his spiritual children by faith in Abraham, who are “blessed with the faithful Abraham” (Gal 3:9; Vlastov, 369). Classical antiquity and recent excavations from all the named peoples particularly highlight the “Nebaioth,” or “Nabataeans,” who lived in northern Arabia. It is known that the Nabataean king—Nathan—around 645 BC dared to make war on the Assyrian king—Ashurbanipal. From this people have come down to us recently discovered interesting “Nabataean inscriptions.”

Isaiah 60:9. Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your children from far away, their silver and gold with them, for the name of the Lord your God, and for the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you. By “ships of Tarshish” is meant, in general, the lively maritime trade which the inhabitants of the ancient East carried on with the inhabitants of a distant western point—the city of Tarshish, which lay in modern Spain (1 Sam 10:22; Ezek 27:12; Jonah 1:3 and others). For the prophet Isaiah it was important chiefly to note the impressive remoteness of this point; yet this did not prevent even its inhabitants from coming under the shelter of the restored Zion. Isa 60:10-14. From verses 10–14 is the third division of the prophetic poem, containing a detailed exposition of the thought of the glory and honor of the restored Zion.

Isaiah 60:10. Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you down, but in My favor I have had mercy on you. “Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you.” These words were fulfilled literally with regard to historical Israel, when Persian kings—Cyrus and Artaxerxes Longimanus—rendered active assistance to the Jews returning from exile in the construction of the second temple and the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem (Ezra 3:7; Nehem 2:5-8). But in accordance with the general character of this chapter, it is more appropriate to see here a reference to the role of pagan nations in the creation of the New Testament church, in particular to the outstanding merits of their rulers, such as, for example, the equal-to-the-apostles Constantine and Helena. The latter, as is known, was especially renowned for her efforts to preserve and restore the sacred monuments of Palestine and Jerusalem (Discovery of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, construction of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, etc.). “For in My wrath I struck you down, but in My favor I have had mercy on you” (verse 10). The features of historical and spiritual Israel are here considered without strict distinction between them, and frequently one replaces the other, as type and fulfillment, which we encountered in the prophet Isaiah earlier as well (Isa 54:7-8).

Isaiah 60:11. Your gates shall always be open; day and night they shall not be shut, so that nations may bring you their wealth, with their kings led in procession. “Your gates shall always be open and shall not be shut day or night.” On one hand, this, as appears from the context, indicates the constant growth of the New Testament church and a wide influx into it of new members and their riches; on the other hand, it speaks of complete freedom of access into the New Testament church for everyone genuinely seeking it, access not constrained by any external barriers that existed in the Old Testament church (Isa 56:4-7).

Isaiah 60:12. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly destroyed. “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish... shall be utterly destroyed.” Here is one of the strongest expressions of God’s special patronage and favor for the new, spiritual Israel, encountered repeatedly, both in the prophet Isaiah and in other prophets (Jer 12:17; Mic 5:14; and others). The historical fleshly Israel wrongly referred this prophecy to itself and founded upon it its false dream of an earthly universal kingdom of the Messiah.

Isaiah 60:13. The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane, and the pine, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of My feet. By “the glory of Lebanon” is understood, as is apparent from the context, the finest and noblest kinds of trees covering its mountains: “cypress... and pine... and cedar.” The general meaning of such a mention is evidently that the spiritual glory of Zion should be enhanced, and all inanimate nature should take part in its best gifts. According to certain exegetes, the particular, typological significance has to do with the wood of the Cross, which, according to church tradition, was made of these very three incorruptible wood species.

Isaiah 60:14. The children of those who oppressed you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet; and they shall call you the City of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Repeats, with some elaboration, the thought of verse 10. In both these verses attention is drawn to one small but characteristic detail: wherever it is said about the coming of nations to Zion and bowing down to it, not the first generation is called, but the second—“sons,” or descendants. Evidently, the young, youthful generation, being less hardened in the old delusions than their fathers, more readily came forward to the new Christian preaching and listened to it better. This is why the Lord Himself reproached the Jews of His time, among other things, saying that “your sons... will judge you” (Matt 12:27).

Isaiah 60:15. Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you majestic forever, a joy from age to age. Isaiah 60:16. You shall suck the milk of nations, and suck the breast of kings; and you shall know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. Isaiah 60:17. 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. I will appoint Peace as your overseer and Righteousness as your taskmaster. From verses 15 through 17 is the fourth section of the prophetic poem, depicting the external well-being and internal good order of Zion. These pictures are constructed on antithesis, that is, the contrast of the former heavy and distressed condition in all respects with the new, glorious, joyful, and blessed state. If in the material respect, formerly Israel suffered from universal contempt of the nations, then now, on the contrary, it will become the object of universal honor not only among the nations but even among their kings (“you shall suck the breast of kings”—verse 16). If formerly the objects of Zion’s trade were simple and crude products of nature: iron, wood and stones, then their place will now be taken by more precious and valuable objects: bronze, silver and gold. A similar fundamental change for the better will also take place in the sphere of moral and social relations. If formerly the people of God were governed by violence and falsehood (Isa 59:8), then now there will be established among them “Peace and... Righteousness” (verse 17). If before it constantly suffered from external and internal enemies, then now there will be neither the former nor the latter (verse 18). In short, Zion, according to the prophet’s depiction, will be the capital of this ideal kingdom of God, in which “righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” will be harmoniously united, as the apostle says (Rom 14:17). Obviously, the full and final fulfillment of this prophecy refers to the post-Christian era, that is, to the kingdom of glory, which is to be revealed after the Lord’s second coming and His awesome judgment.

Isaiah 60:18. Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:19. The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Isaiah 60:20. Your sun shall no more go down, or your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. Isaiah 60:21. Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever—the shoot of My planting, the work of My hands, so that I might be glorified. Isaiah 60:22. The least of them shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will accomplish this quickly. From verses 18 through 22 is the final, concluding section of the poem, prophetically crowning Zion with eternal, unceasing glory. All the content of this section, in which there is speech of eternal, never-setting light, to replace our present celestial bodies (“sun... and... moon” verses 19–20), of the righteousness of all God’s people, of their eternal possession of the promised land (verse 21) and of the origin from them of numerous and mighty descendants (verse 22), seems to indicate that this section, similar to the end of the previous section, refers not so much to the Christian era as to the apocalyptic era, that is, to the revelation of the kingdom of glory. Strong confirmation of this is the close coincidence of these sections, not only in thoughts but even in words, with the parallel passage from the Apocalypse of John the Theologian: “And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. The nations of the saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates will never be shut by day—and there is no night there… And nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev 21:23-27; cf. also Rev 22:5). In conclusion to the commentary on this chapter, we find it useful to note that the broad perspective of the prophetic vision of this chapter and a certain lack of clear distinction in it of three historical epochs (the end of the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the apocalyptic), together with similar passages in Sacred Scripture, has served as occasion for the formation of two false views: one—Rabbinic: of the “sorrows” and “joy” of the days of the Messiah, the other—early Christian: of a thousand-year earthly kingdom, known as the heresy of “chiliasm.” But neither of these errors has, as we have seen, any real basis in the text of the chapter, and therefore should be attributed only to a misunderstanding of the external meaning of Sacred Scripture and the insufficient apprehension of its inner spirit.