Arise and Shine
Study note
After all the prophecies of suffering, exile, and judgment, this chapter bursts with radiant hope. God commands Zion to rise and shine because his glory has arrived. Deep darkness covers the earth and its peoples, but the Lord's light shines on Jerusalem, and nations will be drawn to it. Zion is told to look around, because her scattered children are coming home. Sons arrive from far away, and daughters are carried at their sides. The sight will be overwhelming, causing hearts to pound with joy. The wealth of the sea and the riches of nations will pour in. Caravans of camels from Midian and Sheba will bring gold and incense. Flocks from Kedar and Nebaioth, nomadic Arabian peoples, will come as acceptable offerings.
1 "Get up and shine, because your light has arrived! The Lord's brilliant glory is streaming down on you!" Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 "Darkness blankets the earth, and thick gloom covers all the peoples. But the Lord is rising over you, and his glory is visible upon you." 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.
3 "Nations will travel toward your light, and kings will be drawn to the brightness of your dawn." And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 "Look up and gaze all around you. Everyone is gathering and heading your way. Your sons are journeying from far off, and your daughters are being carried at their side." Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 "Then you will look and your face will glow with happiness, and your heart will pound with excitement. The wealth of the sea will be delivered to you, and the riches of nations will come flooding in." Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.
6 "Enormous caravans of camels will fill your land — young camels from Midian and Ephah. Everyone from Sheba will arrive, loaded down with gold and incense, singing the Lord's praises." 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 shew forth the praises of the LORD.
7 "All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered for you. The rams of Nebaioth will be at your service. They will be acceptable offerings on my altar, and I will make my glorious temple even more magnificent." All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Nations Bring Their Wealth to Zion
Study note
Isaiah sees people approaching like clouds and doves flying to their nesting places. Ships from Tarshish, which represented the most distant trading ports in the ancient Mediterranean world, will bring Israel's children home along with their silver and gold. Foreign builders will rebuild Jerusalem's walls, and foreign kings will serve her. Though God struck Jerusalem in anger, he now shows her favor. Her gates will stand open day and night so that the wealth of nations can flow in without stopping. Any nation that refuses to serve her will be completely destroyed. The finest wood from Lebanon, famous for its cedars, will come to beautify God's temple.
8 "Who are these gliding through the sky like clouds, like doves flying home to their nesting places?" Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
9 "The faraway coastlands are looking to me. Ships from Tarshish lead the way. They bring your children home from far away, along with their silver and gold. This is all for the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel. He has made you wonderful." Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
10 "Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will be at your service. Yes, I struck you in my anger, but now I am showing you grace and mercy." 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 favour have I had mercy on thee.
11 "Your gates will stay open around the clock. They will never close, day or night, so that the wealth of nations can be brought right in, with their kings marching in the parade." Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
12 "Any nation or kingdom that refuses to serve you will be wiped out. Those nations will be totally destroyed." For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
13 "The finest trees of Lebanon will be brought to you — pine, fir, and cypress together — to beautify my sanctuary. I will make the ground where my feet rest glorious." The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.
14 "The children of those who once crushed you will come and bow at your feet. Everyone who once looked down on you will kneel before you. They will call you 'The City of the Lord' and 'The Zion of Israel's Holy One.'" The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
The Lord, the Everlasting Light
Study note
Jerusalem was once hated and abandoned, but God will make her an everlasting source of pride and joy for all generations. Nations and kings will serve her. In place of bronze, God will bring gold. In place of iron, silver. In place of wood, bronze. In place of stone, iron. Peace will govern the city, and righteousness will rule. Violence will no longer be heard in the land. The most stunning promise comes in verses 19-20: the sun and moon will no longer be needed because the Lord himself will be the everlasting light. There will be no more mourning because God's light will never set. The people will all be righteous and will inherit the land forever. Even the smallest family will become a great nation. God will make this happen at the right time.
15 "You were once left alone and hated. No one passed through. But I will make you a source of pride forever. You will be a joy that lasts from age to age." Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
16 "You will be nourished by the milk of nations and nursed by the wealth of kings. Then you will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior and Redeemer — the Mighty One of Jacob." Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
17 "Where there used to be bronze, I will bring gold. Where there was iron, I will bring silver. Where there was wood, I will bring bronze. Where there were stones, I will bring iron. I will appoint peace as your governor and righteousness as your ruler." For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
18 "Violence will never be heard in your land again. Ruin and destruction will no longer darken your borders. You will name your walls 'Salvation' and your gates 'Praise.'" Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.
19 "You will no longer need the sun for light during the day or the moon for light at night. The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor." 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.
20 "Your sun will never go down, and your moon will never fade away. The Lord will be your light that never ends, and your days of mourning will be over for good." Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
21 "Every one of your people will live right. They will own the land forever. They are the branch I planted, the masterpiece of my hands, created to display my glory." Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.
22 "The smallest family will grow into a thousand people, and the tiniest group will become a powerful nation. I am the Lord, and at just the right time, I will make it happen fast." A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.