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Commentary on Isaiah 60 verses 15–22
The happy and glorious state of the church is here further foretold, referring principally and ultimately to the Christian church and the spiritual peace of that, but under the type of that little gleam of outward peace which the Jews sometimes enjoyed after their return out of captivity. This is here spoken of,
I. As compared with what it had been. This made her peace and honour the more pleasant, that her condition had been much otherwise.
1.She had been despised, but now she should be honoured, Isa 60:15, Isa 60:16. Jerusalem had been forsaken and hated, abandoned by her friends, abhorred by her enemies; no man went through that desolate city, but declined it as a rueful spectacle; it was an astonishment and a hissing. But now it shall be made an eternal excellency, being reformed from idolatry and having recovered the tokens of God's favour, and it shall be the joy of good people for many generations. Yet considering how short Jerusalem's excellency was, and how short it came of the vast compass of this promise, we must look for the full accomplishment of it in the perpetual excellencies of the gospel church, far exceeding those of the Old Testament church, and the glorious privileges and advantages of the Christian religion, which are indeed the joy of many generations. Two things are here spoken of as her excellency and joy, in opposition to her having been forsaken and hated: - (1.) She shall find herself countenanced by her neighbours. The nations, and their kings, that are brought to embrace Christianity, shall lay themselves out for the good of the church, and maintain its interests with the tenderness and affection that the nurse shows to the child at her breasts (Isa 60:16): "Thou shalt suck the milk of the Gentiles, not suck their blood (that is not the spirit of the gospel); thou shalt suck the breast of kings, who shall be to thee as nursing fathers." (2.) She shall find herself countenanced by her God: "Thou shalt know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, shalt know it by experience; for such a salvation, such a redemption, shall be wrought out for thee as plainly discovers itself to be the work of the Lord, the work of a mighty one, for it is a great salvation, of the Mighty One of Jacob, for it secures the welfare of all those that are Israelites indeed." They before knew the Lord to be their God; now they know him to be their Saviour, their Redeemer. Their Holy One now appears their Mighty One.
2.She had been impoverished, but now she shall be enriched, and every thing shall be changed for the better with her, Isa 60:17. When those who were raised out of the dust are set among princes, instead of brass money in their purses they have bold, and instead of iron vessels in their houses they have silver ones, and other improvements agreeable: so much shall the spiritual glory of the New Testament church exceed the external pomp and splendour of the Jewish economy, which had no glory in comparison with that which quite excels it, Co2 3:10. When we had baptism in the room of circumcision, the Lord's supper in the room of the passover, and a gospel ministry in the room of a Levitical priesthood, we had gold instead of brass. Sin turned gold into brass when Rehoboam made brazen shields instead of the golden ones he had pawned; but God's favour, when that returns, will turn brass again into gold.
3.She had been oppressed by her own princes, which was sadly complained of, not only as her sin, but as her misery (Isa 59:14); but now all the grievances of that kind shall be redressed (Isa 60:17): "I will make thy officers peace; men of peace shall be made officers, and shall be indeed justices, not patrons of injustice, and justices of peace, not instruments of trouble and vexation. They shall be peace, that is, they shall sincerely seek thy welfare and by their means thou shalt enjoy good." They shall be peace, for they shall be righteousness; and then the peace is as a river, when the righteousness is as the waves of the sea. Even exactors, whose business it is to demand the public tribute, though they be exact, must not be exacting, but must be just to the subject as well as to the prince, and, according to the instructions John Baptist gave to the publicans must exact no more than is appointed them, Luk 3:13.
4.She had been insulted by her neighbours, invaded, spoiled, and plundered; but now it shall be so no more (Isa 60:18): "Violence shall no more be heard in thy land; neither the threats and triumphs of those that do violence nor the outcries and complaints of those that suffer violence shall again be heard, but every man shall peaceably enjoy his own. There shall be no wasting nor destruction, either of persons of possessions, any where within thy borders; but thy walls shall be called salvation (they shall be safe, and means of safety to thee) and thy gates shall be praise, praise to thee (every one shall commend thee for the good condition they are kept in), and praise to thy God, who strengthens the bars of thy gates," Psa 147:13. When God's salvation is upon the walls it is fit that his praises should be in the gates, the places of concourse.
II. As completed in what it shall be. It should seem that in the close of this chapter we are directed to look further yet, as far forward as to the glory and happiness of heaven, under the type and figure of the flourishing state of the church on earth, which yet was never such as to come any thing near to what is here foretold; and several of the images and expressions here made use of we find in the description of the new Jerusalem, Rev 21:23; Rev 22:5. As the prophets sometimes insensibly pass from the blessings of the Jewish church to the spiritual blessings of the Christian church, which are eternal, so sometimes they rise from the church militant to the church triumphant, where, and where only, all the promised peace, and joy, and honour will be in perfection. 1. God shall be all in all in the happiness here promised; so he is always to true believers (Isa 60:19): The sun and the moon shall be no more thy light. God's people, when they enjoy his favour, and walk in the light of his countenance, make little account of sun and moon, and the other lights of this world, but could walk comfortably in the light of the Lord though they should withdraw their shining. In heaven there shall be no occasion for sun or moon, for it is the inheritance of the saints in light, such light as will swallow up the light of the sun as easily as the sun does that of a candle. "Idolaters worshipped the sun and moon (which some have thought the most ancient and plausible idolatry); but these shall be no more thy light, shall no more be idolized, but the Lord shall be to thee a constant light, both day and night, in the night of adversity as well as in the day of prosperity." Those that make God their only light shall have him their all-sufficient light, their sun and shield. Thy God shall be thy glory. Note, God is the glory of those whose God he is and will be so to eternity. It is their glory that they have him for their God, and they glory in it; it is to them instead of beauty. God's people are, upon this account, an honourable people, that they have an interest in God as their sin covenant. 2. The happiness here promised shall know no change, period, or allay (Isa 60:20): "Thy sun shall no more go down, but it shall be eternal day, eternal sunshine, with thee; that shall not be thy sun which is sometimes eclipsed, often clouded, and, though it shine ever so bright, ever so warm, will certainly set and leave thee in the dark, in the cold, in a few hours; but he shall be a sun, a fountain of light to thee, who is himself the Father of all lights, with whom there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning," Jam 1:17. We read of the sun's standing still once, and not hasting to go down for the space of a day, and it was a glorious day, never was the like; but what was that to the day that shall never have a night? Or, if it had, it should be a light night; for neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; it shall never wane, shall never change, but be always at the full. The comforts and joys that are in heaven, the glories provided for the soul, as the light of the sun, and those prepared for the glorified body too, as the light of the moon, shall never know the least cessation or interruption; how should they when the Lord shall himself be thy everlasting light - a light which never wastes nor can ever be extinguished? And the days of thy mourning shall be ended, so as never to return; for all tears shall be wiped away, and the fountains of them, sin and affliction, dried up, so that sorrow and sighing shall flee away for ever. 3. Those that are entitled to this happiness, being duly prepared and qualified for it, shall never be put out of the possession of it (Isa 60:21): Thy people, that shall inhabit this New Jerusalem, shall all be righteous, all justified by the righteousness of the Messiah, all sanctified by his Spirit; all that people, that Jerusalem, must be righteous, must have that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. They are all righteous, for we know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. There are no people on earth that are all righteous; there is a mixture of some bad in the best societies on this side heaven; but there are no mixtures there. They shall be all righteous, that is, they shall be entirely righteous; as there shall be none corrupt among them, so there shall be no corruption in them; the spirits of just men shall there be made perfect. And they shall be all the righteous together who shall replenish the New Jerusalem; it is called the congregation of the righteous, Psa 1:5. And, because they are all righteous, therefore they shall inherit the land for ever, for nothing but sin can turn them out of it. The perfection of the saints' holiness secures the perpetuity of their happiness. 4. The glory of the church shall redound to the honour of the church's God: "They shall appear to be the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, and I will own them as such." It was by the grace of God that they were designed to this happiness; they are the branch of his planting, or of his plantations; he broke them off from the wild olive and grafted them into the good olive, transplanted them out of the field, when they were as tender branches, into his nursery, that, being now planted in his garden on earth, they might shortly be removed to his paradise in heaven. It was by his grace likewise that they were prepared and fitted for this happiness; they are the work of his hands (Eph 2:10), are wrought to the self-same thing, Co2 5:5. It is a work of time, and, when it shall be finished, will appear a work of wonder; and God will be glorified, who began it, and carried it on; for the Lord Jesus will then be admired in all those that believe. God will glorify himself in glorifying his chosen. 5. They will appear the more glorious, and God will be the more glorified in them, if we compare what they are with what they were, the happiness they have arrived at with the smallness of their beginnings (Isa 60:22): "A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation." The captives that returned out of Babylon strangely multiplied, and became a strong nation. The Christian church was a little one, a very small one at first - the number of their names was once but 120; yet it became a thousand. The stone cut out of the mountain without hands swelled so as to fill the earth. The triumphant church, and every glorified saint, will be a thousand out of a little one, a strong nation out of a small one. The grace and peace of the saints were at first like a grain of mustard-seed, but they increase and multiply, and make a little one to become a thousand, the weak to be as David. When they come to heaven, and look back upon the smallness of their beginning, they will wonder how they got thither. And so wonderful is all this promise that it needed the ratification with which it is closed: I the Lord will hasten it in his time - all that is here said relating to the Jewish and Christian church, to the militant and triumphant church, and to every particular believer. (1.) It may seem too difficult to be brought about, and therefore may be despaired of; but the God of almighty power has undertaken it: "I the Lord will do it, who can do it, and who have determined to do it." It will be done by him whose power is irresistible and his purposes unalterable. (2.) It may seem to be delayed and put off so long that we are out of hopes of it; but, as the Lord will do it, so he will hasten it, will do it with all convenient speed; though much time may pass before it is done, no time shall be lost; he will hasten it in its time, in the proper time, in the season wherein it will be beautiful; he will do it in the time appointed by his wisdom, though not in the time prescribed by our folly. And this is really hastening it; for, though it seem to tarry, it does not tarry if it come in God's time, for we are sure that that is the best time, which he that believes will patiently wait for.
And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. [Isaiah 60:20-21] And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.
(Vers. 21, 22.) But your people, all the righteous, will inherit the land forever, the offspring of my planting: the work of my hands for glorification. The least will become a thousand, and the smallest will become a mighty nation. I, the Lord, will do this suddenly in its time. LXX: Your people, all the righteous, will always possess the land: preserving the plantation, the works of their hands for glory. The one who is small will become a thousand, and the least will become a great nation. I, the Lord, will gather them in due time. After the days of mourning and completion, when sadness turns into joy, the people of Zion will be completely righteous, not for a short time, but forever. And because they are righteous, they will possess the gentle land. It is not surprising if the land of the meek and the living holds the good things of the promise, which the Prophet yearns for, saying: I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 26:13), since it is the offspring of the Lord's planting and the work of His hands to glorify God. For every plant, my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. (Matt. 15). According to the Septuagint, the people who keep God's plantation and the works of the Lord will be saved in the glory of the Creator. God speaks about a good plantation through Jeremiah: I planted you a good and true vine, which is called the vine of Sorec in Isaiah. (Isa. 5). And because Paul, with the consciousness of Christ speaking in him, could say: Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Cor. 11:1), therefore he spoke to the Corinthians: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. (1 Cor. 3:6). For they who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God (Psalm 92). Then the one who was small shall become a thousand, and the least shall become a mighty nation, hearing from the Lord: You shall have authority over five or ten cities (Luke 19:17, 19); so that he shall be called a chiliarch. And he who, along with the Apostle, said: To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given (Ephesians 3:8), shall be a prince of a great nation in the heavens, when the Lord sends his angels at the appointed time, and they gather together to him all the saints, from the highest heaven to the highest of it (Matthew 24): not only from Israel, but also from the people of the Gentiles, whom he was signifying when he said: And I have other sheep that are not of this fold, and it is necessary for me to gather them, so that there shall be one flock and one shepherd (John 10:16). But this will happen suddenly, so that when all things are desperate, then they will gather into the strongest nation. Although we see this being fulfilled in part in the Church every day, it will be more fully completed in the consummation of the world and in the second coming of the Savior.
From the various translations and the Septuagint we find that the author of these words, and so to speak, the gardener, is the God of the universe. For it is he who has planted his church. It is he who watches over it now. It is he who has made it grow and he who receives the glory that proceeds from it.
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SUMMARY
Isaiah 60:21 presents a profound prophetic vision of God's redeemed community, highlighting their transformed character, eternal inheritance, and divine origin. It declares that God's people will be entirely righteous, possessing the promised land forever, not by their own might but as the direct, deliberate result of God's own "planting" and "hands." The ultimate purpose of this glorious restoration and comprehensive transformation is the magnification of God's own glory before all creation.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Isaiah 60:21 is rich with literary devices that amplify its profound prophetic message. Symbolism is evident in "the land," which represents not just a physical territory but the fullness of God's covenant blessings, a secure and eternal dwelling in His presence, and the ultimate state of peace and rest. The phrase "the branch of my planting" employs a powerful Metaphor, likening God's people to a cultivated plant or shoot, emphasizing their organic growth and divine nurturing. This also carries a subtle Allusion to other prophetic texts where "branch" (Hebrew netser or tsemach) is a messianic title, though here it refers to the people as a collective. The phrase "the work of my hands" is a profound Anthropomorphism, attributing human-like creative and artisanal action to God, vividly conveying His direct, personal involvement and meticulous craftsmanship in shaping His people. The declaration that "Thy people also shall be all righteous" uses Hyperbole to emphasize the completeness, perfection, and pervasive nature of the future transformation, signifying a radical and comprehensive change that impacts every individual within the community. The entire verse functions as a Prophetic Vision, painting an idealized picture of an eschatological future that transcends immediate historical realities, offering enduring hope and revealing God's ultimate redemptive plan.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Isaiah 60:21 profoundly articulates God's unwavering commitment to His covenant people, revealing His sovereign power to transform and establish them eternally for His own glory. The promise of "all righteous" points to a future where sin's dominion is utterly broken, and a perfect relationship with God is fully realized, a theme central to the new covenant. This divine work ensures an inheritance that is not temporary or contingent on human performance but is eternally secured by God's own hand. The ultimate purpose of all creation and redemption is consistently shown to be the glorification of God, affirming His supreme worth and majesty.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Isaiah 60:21 offers profound comfort and a clear call to purpose for believers today. It assures us that our righteousness is fundamentally a divine work, not merely a human striving. This liberating truth frees us from the burden of self-justification and invites us into a deeper, more profound reliance on God's transformative grace. As "the branch of His planting" and "the work of His hands," we are reminded of our precious identity as His cherished creation, carefully cultivated and uniquely purposed for a divine destiny. This understanding fosters deep humility, overflowing gratitude, and a profound sense of belonging to God's eternal family. Furthermore, the verse redirects our ultimate ambition: our lives, our spiritual growth, our eternal inheritance—all are ultimately for God's glory. This perspective shapes our daily priorities, encouraging us to live in a way that authentically reflects His goodness, power, and faithfulness to a watching world, knowing that our eternal dwelling and transformed character are secured by His unfailing promise.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does it mean for God's people to be "all righteous"?
Answer: For God's people to be "all righteous" (Hebrew: tsaddîyq) signifies a complete and pervasive transformation of their character and relationship with God. It's not just about outward obedience or individual acts of goodness, but an internal, corporate state of being in perfect alignment with God's holy nature and covenant demands. This righteousness is divinely initiated and sustained, a hallmark of the new covenant where God promises to write His laws on hearts and forgive sins, as detailed in Jeremiah 31:33. It points to an eschatological reality where God's people are fully conformed to His will and reflect His glory without blemish.
How is the promise of "inheriting the land for ever" understood in a Christian context?
Answer: While the original promise of "inheriting the land" primarily referred to the physical territory of Israel, in a Christian context, "inheriting the land for ever" is understood in a broader, spiritual, and eschatological sense. It points to the ultimate, eternal dwelling place of God's redeemed people, which transcends earthly boundaries. This inheritance encompasses the new heavens and new earth, where righteousness dwells, as promised in 2 Peter 3:13, and where God Himself will dwell among His people, as vividly described in Revelation 21:3. It signifies a permanent, secure, and blessed existence in God's presence, fulfilling the deepest longings for peace, security, and belonging that the earthly land once symbolized. Indeed, Jesus Himself declared that the meek would inherit the earth.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Isaiah 60:21 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The declaration that "Thy people also shall be all righteous" is realized through Christ, who became our righteousness, our sanctification, and our redemption, as proclaimed in 1 Corinthians 1:30. Through faith in Him, believers are declared righteous before God, and the Holy Spirit progressively sanctifies them, working to conform them to Christ's very image, moving from one degree of glory to another, as described in 2 Corinthians 3:18. Jesus Himself is the true "branch" (or "shoot" from Jesse's roots) prophesied in Isaiah, the one upon whom the Spirit of the Lord rests, as seen in Isaiah 11:1, and through Him, we become branches grafted into the true vine, drawing life and fruitfulness from Him, as He teaches in John 15:5. The "planting" and "work of my hands" refer to God's grand redemptive masterpiece in Christ, creating a new humanity, a new spiritual temple, who are "His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works," as Ephesians 2:10 beautifully states. The inheritance of "the land for ever" is secured by Christ's resurrection and ascension, granting believers a heavenly inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for them, as assured in 1 Peter 1:4. Ultimately, Christ's entire mission—His life, atoning death, glorious resurrection, and the redemption of His people—is "that I may be glorified," for He perfectly revealed the Father's glory, full of grace and truth, as testified in John 1:14. Thus, the vision of a righteous, eternally secure people, divinely authored and purposed for God's glory, is fully realized in and through the person and work of Jesus Christ.