Isaiah 61:5

5 And aliens shall stand, and feed your beasts; and the sons of pilgrims shall be your earth-tillers and vine-tillers. (And foreigners shall serve thee, and shall feed your beasts; and the sons of foreigners shall be your farmers and your vine-growers.)

Isaiah 61:5 Meaning and Commentary

Isaiah 61:5

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks
The several congregated churches of Christ, which shall be set among them, compared to flocks of sheep, as they often are; and which shall be fed with knowledge and understanding, with the words of faith and sound doctrine, by pastors of the Gentile race; who shall be raised up by Christ, and shall freely, and faithfully, and constantly perform the office they are called unto; see ( Acts 20:28 ) : and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen, and your
vinedressers:
the sons of Gentiles, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, ( Ephesians 2:12 ) , but now being converted and brought to the knowledge of Christ, and gifted by him, will be of eminent service in his church; which, as it is "God's husbandry", ( 1 Corinthians 3:9 ) shall be filled and cultivated by them; the fallow ground of men's hearts shall be ploughed up by them, with the plough of the Gospel the Lord succeeding their labours; and the seed of the word sown in them, which, by the blessing of God, shall take root, spring up, and bring forth fruit. And whereas the church of God is compared to a vineyard, and particular churches of Christ to vines; such men as are called by grace from among the Gentiles, and have received gifts from Christ, shall be the keepers and dressers of these vines, plant, and prune, and water them, and do everything requisite unto them; see ( Song of Solomon 2:15 ) ( 7:12 ) ( Song of Solomon 8:11 Song of Solomon 8:12 ) .

Isaiah 61:5 In-Context

3 that I should set comfort to the mourners of Zion, and that I should give to them a crown for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, (and) a mantle of praising for the spirit of wailing. And strong men of rightfulness shall be called therein, the planting of the Lord, for to glorify (him). (yea, that I will give comfort to all who mourn in Zion, and that I will give them a crown for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, and a cloak of praise for the spirit of wailing. And people strong in righteousness there, shall be called The planting of the Lord, to glorify him/for his glory.)

4 And they shall build (again) things that be forsaken from the world, and they shall raise (up) eld fallings, and they shall restore cities that be forsaken and destroyed, in generation and into generation.

5 And aliens shall stand, and feed your beasts; and the sons of pilgrims shall be your earth-tillers and vine-tillers. (And foreigners shall serve thee, and shall feed your beasts; and the sons of foreigners shall be your farmers and your vine-growers.)

6 But ye shall be called the priests of the Lord; it shall be said to you, Ye be ministers of our God. Ye shall eat the strength of heathen men, and ye shall be honoured in the glory of them. (But ye shall be called the priests of the Lord; it shall be said of you, Ye be the ministers, or the servants, of our God. Ye shall eat the wealth of the heathen, and ye shall glory in that.)

7 For your double shame and shame, they shall praise the part of them; for this thing they shall have peaceably double things in their land, and everlasting gladness shall be to them. (For your double shame, ye shall now have good things in double, and ye shall praise your portion; yea, because of this, ye shall have good things in double in your own land, and everlasting happiness shall be to you.)