Isaiah 60 Study Notes

60:12 In the day of Israel’s glory there will no longer be nations who do not worship the Lord.

60:13 The trees (glory) of Lebanon were renowned for their beauty and quality. The pronouncement envisions their use in the temple of the Lord.

60:14 As part of the reversal from humiliation to glory, the sons of those who had previously oppressed God’s people will show their subservience and indicate their acknowledgment of the sacred character of Jerusalem.

60:15 Throughout the OT period, Jerusalem was not a major city of the ancient Near East. At best it was a provincial capital. In the future its status will exceed those of other major cities because of the presence of God.

60:16 Rather than oppressed Israel providing sustenance to the nations through forced labor, the resources of the nations (their milk) will succor Israel.

60:17 God will increase the quality of the provision that comes to his people, but the good things coming to Jerusalem will far exceed mere wealth. Peace and righteousness will abound, indicating a new quality of spirituality in the city.

60:18 The glory of God’s new creation will mean the end of violence. Perhaps those who enter the gates will all be praising the Lord.

60:19-20 The pronouncement returns to the theme with which it began: God’s people will experience light, not darkness. This is a supernatural light provided by God, not the sun. God will be perpetually present with his people.

60:21 God had promised Abraham that his descendants would inherit the land. God’s judgment had removed his people from the land for a time, but now they will return to possess it again. They are the branch that God labored to plant.

60:22 Because of God’s grace, his chosen people will multiply rapidly.