‏ Isaiah 60:1-2

CHAPTER 60

Is 60:1-22. Israel's Glory after Her Affliction.

An ode of congratulation to Zion on her restoration at the Lord's second advent to her true position as the mother church from which the Gospel is to be diffused to the whole Gentile world; the first promulgation of the Gospel among the Gentiles, beginning at Jerusalem [Lu 24:47], is an earnest of this. The language is too glorious to apply to anything that as yet has happened.

1. Arise--from the dust in which thou hast been sitting as a mourning female captive (Is 3:26; 52:1, 2).

shine--or, "be enlightened; for thy light cometh"; impart to others the spiritual light now given thee (Is 60:3). The Margin and Gesenius translate, "Be enlightened"; be resplendent with posterity; imperative for the future indicative, "Thou shalt be enlightened" (Is 58:8, 10; Ep 5:8, 14).

glory of the Lord--not merely the Shekinah, or cloud of glory, such as rested above the ark in the old dispensation, but the glory of the Lord in person (Jr 3:16, 17).

is risen--as the sun (Mal 4:2; Lu 1:78, Margin).

2. darkness ... earth--the rest of the earth: in contrast with "light ... upon thee" (Is 60:1). The earth will be afterwards enlightened through Israel (Is 9:2).

be seen--conspicuously: so the Hebrew.