“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We might ask, “Who is the ‘you’ in this chapter?

It would seem that the obvious answer would be the people of Israel, the descendants of Jacob. And in its immediate, historic context, that’s absolutely true.

But here are 3 verses that may be pointing to something else:

“Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession.”

“The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”

“Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭11‬, ‭19‬, ‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Compare:

“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭21‬:‭23‬-‭25‬ ‭KJV‬‬

What City is this about?

Or perhaps I should ask, which Jerusalem is this about?

Now it is true that the LORD worked great miracles to bring His people back to the land after their years of captivity. They were given amazing favor and resources.

But I think it’s pretty obvious that the sun and moon are still rising and setting and providing light to the earthly city of Jerusalem. And they have been doing so without interruption since long before David made it the capital.

So we need to read this chapter with a larger view; a heavenly view. Because the heavenly city of New Jerusalem isn’t just inhabited by a remnant of Jewish people. God lives there. And all of His people- Jew and Gentile.

If we look even closer…

“And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭60‬:‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Whose light are the nations drawn to? The light of the earthly city of Jerusalem or the light of the heavenly city? Who is the Light of the Heavenly City?

There are 2 characters in this chapter- me/my/I and you/thee/thy/thou. You and Me.

The identity of the “Me/I” is easy. It’s Yahweh. He even says so in verse 16.

What if the “you” that Yahweh addresses here isn’t the earthly city of Jerusalem? What if the Father is speaking to the Son (and the Bride who dwells within Him)? You might want to go back and re-read the chapter with that in mind and see how it hits you. It wouldn’t be the first time we have a conversation between the Father and the Son in scripture. Remember Psalm 2?

I’m not suggesting that it is the ONLY interpretation of Isaiah 60 or that the text cannot ALSO apply to historic Israel. But if there is a dual application here, then chapter 61 – the response of the Son – feels very much like a continuation of the divine dialog. After all, it’s the text that Jesus reads to launch His ministry and declares it fulfilled. Well… at least part of it.

Here’s the Isaiah text:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Notice how much Jesus read:

“”The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, And recovering of sight to the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord…’

And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭4‬:‭18‬-‭20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

He literally stopped mid-sentence. He didn’t read “and the day of vengeance of our God” because that part would not be fulfilled yet.

The prophecy in Isaiah 61 goes on to say what the LORD is going to do for those who mourn in Zion; how He will give them beauty for ashes. And then verses 4-9 talk about what these redeemed ones will accomplish and receive:

• Rebuild ruined cities
• Served by “foreigners”
• Function as priests of Yahweh
• Receive wealth/glory of the nations
• Blessing replaces shame
• Receive a double portion of blessing
• Receive everlasting joy
• Rewarded by Yahweh
• Their children known as blessed

Then at the end, the perspective shifts again. Who is this speaking?

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61‬:‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Who is covered with a robe of righteousness?

“And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭8‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭27‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭13‬:‭14‬ ‭KJV‬‬

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Who is described as being prepared “as a bride adorned for her husband?” (Rev. 21:2)

Not only is the speaker robed in righteousness, but there are also comparisons to a bridegroom, a priest, and a bride.

🤔 Hmm. A bride and a groom and a priest. Sounds like somebody’s getting married. 💍

Indeed.

I can’t help but leave you with a link to Beauty For Ashes by Crystal Lewis, [duet with Ron Kenoly from 1996]. We listened to this album on repeat in the Bible College kitchen back in the day- mostly while doing salad bar prep. 🍅🥒 There may or may not have been some singing along with whisk microphones. It’s such an encouraging song. And it also makes me feel like I should be chopping lettuce. 🔪🥬 🥬🥬