Jesus and New Jerusalem - Isaiah 60

Isaiah 60:1 "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee."

I cannot begin to get all this chapter has to offer. It talks of the coming Christ, the New Jerusalem and the coming together of the nations at the feet of the Messiah. Of course, for this time of writing, it is shrouded in mystery not to be revealed until a child is born in a little town in Israel.

v2 "For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee."

I think all people hunger for true words of wisdom that will show the way to peace and happiness. Perhaps, and most likely, that was why all the people were so hungry for those words when first John the Baptist and then Jesus came on the scene in Israel. They pointed the people back to their God.

v3 "And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."

That is a glimpse of what happened in Bethlehem when the wise men came to present their gifts.

v6 "The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the LORD. See also Genesis 25:4, Psalm 72:10

The redemption of Jerusalem.

v10 "And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee; for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee."

We all need that mercy at times. It is not punishment we want for what we know we have done wrong but we fall under grace and mercy and trust in God's forgiveness.

v15 "Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I wil make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations."

Then we glimpse what John saw in Revelation.

v19 "The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory." See also Revelation 21:23

The great prophecy yet to be fulfilled but it is to be a reality coming soon.

v21 "Thy people also shall be all righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified."

This chapter is worthy of more study. It will take you to the life of Jesus and to the book of Revelation and probably Daniel. It will make you want to, once again, study the history of this great nation Israel.