It is often said that the first 39 chapters of Isaiah are hard going. But if there is some truth in that, it is then even more wonderful to come to the latter part of the book, where Isaiah reveals some of the most incredible pictures of the coming kingdom to be found anywhere in the Old Testament.

I particularly love my reading today, chapters 60 and 61. These two chapters together take us through some of the radical and glorious transformations the Lord will bring when He returns in majesty to usher in the kingdom of God in all its fullness. I’d like to consider twelve of these briefly:

  1. Darkness to light (60:1,2) “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” Yes, we look at dark situations across the earth, persecution, greed, pestilence, “darkness over the peoples”, but God’s promise is that light is coming. Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and in this advent season we rejoice that His light came into the world (John 1:9). His light is driving out the darkness, and ultimately we know that His victory will be complete, and nations and kings will come to His light (Isaiah 60:3).
  2. Heathen to saved (60:3,6,13). Isaiah has a vision for the salvation of the nations, specifically mentioning the Arabian tribes of Midian and Ephah, Sheba and Kedar to the south, and Lebanon to the north. They will come to God’s light, bringing their riches and proclaiming His praise. Here Isaiah is looking forward to the day of Pentecost, the beginning of the church of many peoples and tongues, and even further forward to today’s church of 200 or more nations!
  3. Anger to favour (60:10). We know God is righteously angry against sin, the godlessness and wickedness, the lies and the murders (Romans 1:18). We also know that in Jesus God has provided a solution for sin. Isaiah gives us hints of the coming Saviour again and again, including 59:20 (a Redeemer will come to those who repent of their sins) and 60:16 (then you will know that I the Lord am your Saviour, your Redeemer). For a full understanding of the gospel, we would have to turn to the book of Romans, but there is enough here to show the reader their need to repent, turn their life around, and put their trust in the living God.
  4. Closed to open (60:11). When there is fear, when a city is under attack, the gates are firmly shut, barricaded even. But this is a picture of the heavenly city, and John confirms in Revelation 21:25 that the gates of heaven are never closed. Isaiah says the gates will never be shut, day or night, while John clarifies that there is no night, there can be no night because there is no sun, the heavenly city is lit continually by the light of God.
  5. Bronze to gold (60:17). Bronze is the ordinary metal, cheap and commonplace. Gold is rare and precious, and can be considered the metal of heaven. It is found in Jesus’ sash and crown, it is used to make the bowls, the censers, and the heavenly altar itself, and in fact the whole city is “of pure gold”, according to Revelation 21:18.
  6. Violence to peace (60:17,18). Isaiah has already announced that the Messiah will be the Prince of Peace in Isaiah 9:6. Here he makes it clear that there will be no more violence, ruin or destruction, when the kingdom of God comes.
  7. Small to mighty (60:22). Israel has always been a small nation, both geographically and numerically, surrounded by largely unfriendly neighbours. This has not changed since the time of Isaiah. Throughout their history, they were safe from attack and successful in battle when they put their trust in the Lord. Here God is promising that He Himself will make them mighty.
  8. Broken-hearted to bound up (61:1). The first two verses of Isaiah 61 are famously quoted by Jesus when He first stands up in the synagogue in Nazareth, announcing the heavenly anointing and calling on his life (Luke 4:18,19). It is interesting in these days of renewed emphasis on mental health that the first priorities of the Messiah are spiritual and emotional, good news to the poor and binding up of the broken-hearted.
  9. Captive to free (61:1). This became a live issue for the Pharisees when they claimed never to have been slaves to anyone (John 8:33). (Echoes of Rule Britannia, anyone?) Jesus was offering the “truth that will set you free”, but they didn’t want to be set free. Jesus says “everyone who sins is a slave to sin”, and “If the Son sets you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:34-36)
  10. Mourning to comfort and joy (61:1,3). Again, this looks forward to the fullness of the kingdom of heaven, where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain (Revelation 21:4). We struggle to imagine a world without sorrow and death, but this is what we have been promised, if we have given our lives to follow Jesus.
  11. Despair to praise (61:3). Our response when we experience all of the above will be glorious, beyond what we can currently comprehend. Isaiah expresses it as best he can: there will be an anointing of joy; a garment of praise; a double portion of inheritance; and everlasting joy will be ours! And all the praise and glory will go to our God and to the Lamb.
  12. Devastation to restoration (61:4). The ancient ruins will be rebuilt, ruined cities renewed, places that have been devastated for generations will be restored. Everything good, all the wealth of all the nations, all will be brought in, touched and healed and restored to better than they were originally.

Isaiah 61 ends with a beautiful little picture in verses 10 and 11. The coming kingdom will be a wedding feast, and it will be a garden. The very pictures we know so well from Genesis 1 to 3, and Revelation 21 and 22. No wonder our response is joy and delight:

I delight greatly in the Lord,
my soul rejoices in my God.
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness.

Isaiah 61:10

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