Commentary - Isaiah 60:15-22

Bird's-eye view

This portion of Isaiah 60 is a magnificent prophetic description of the glory of the New Covenant church. Having been established by the coming of her light, Jesus Christ (v. 1), the church is now described in terms of a glorious reversal. Formerly forsaken and desolate, she will become an object of everlasting pride and joy. This is not a description of an ethnic, political state in the Middle East, but rather of the New Jerusalem, which is the bride of Christ, the mother of us all (Gal. 4:26). The prophecy outlines the church's global influence, her internal purity and justice, her supernatural character, and her astonishing growth. The language is one of radical transformation: from shame to honor, from poverty to wealth, from violence to salvation, and from natural light to the very presence of God as her light. This is a full-throated postmillennial vision, where the kingdom of God, through the work of the gospel, advances in history until the knowledge of the glory of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the sea.

The central theme is God's glorification of His people for His own glory. The church becomes a showcase of God's handiwork. The transformation is not accomplished by human effort but is a direct work of Yahweh, her Savior and Redeemer. The climax is a promise of a totally righteous people who possess the land forever, who are a branch of God's own planting. This is fulfilled in the church's inheritance of the whole earth (Matt. 5:5). The passage concludes with a promise of explosive, exponential growth, which God Himself will bring about in His perfect timing.

Outline

Context In Isaiah

This section is part of the final major division of Isaiah (chapters 56-66), which focuses on the future glory of Zion after a period of judgment and restoration. Chapter 60 as a whole is a radiant prophecy about the dawning of God's light upon His people. It begins with the command, "Arise, shine; for your light has come" (Isa. 60:1), which is a direct reference to the coming of the Messiah. What follows is a description of the consequences of His arrival. The nations (Gentiles) and their kings are drawn to this light (vv. 2-3). The wealth of the nations flows into the church (vv. 4-14). Our passage, verses 15-22, continues and intensifies this theme of glorious transformation. It describes the internal character and blessed state of this renewed people of God. This is not about the rebuilding of a physical city with stone and mortar, but about the building of the church, the spiritual temple of God, into a city that fills the whole earth.

Key Issues

The New Jerusalem is the Church

Before we dive into the particulars, we must settle a foundational question. Who is this prophecy about? The modern evangelical mind, soaked for a century in dispensationalism, instinctively defaults to a future fulfillment for the modern state of Israel. But the New Testament itself teaches us how to read these prophecies. The Jerusalem above "is the mother of us all" (Gal. 4:26). When we worship, we come to "Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Heb. 12:22). The angel tells John he will show him the Bride, the Lamb's wife, and what does he show him? The holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God (Rev. 21:9-10). The Bride of Christ is the Church (Eph. 5:25). Therefore, the New Jerusalem is the Christian Church, being built up throughout history. Isaiah's glorious vision here is a portrait of the Church in her gospel triumph, as she fulfills the Great Commission and disciples the nations.

Verse by Verse Commentary

15 “Instead of being forsaken and hated With no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, A joy from generation to generation.

The prophecy begins with a stark contrast, a complete reversal of fortunes. The previous state was one of utter desolation: forsaken, hated, a place so ruined that travelers would not even pass through. This describes the state of God's people under judgment, and more broadly, the state of all humanity apart from Christ. But God intervenes. The "I will" is emphatic. This is a divine work. He will transform this desolate place into an everlasting pride. The Hebrew word for pride here is the same one used for God's own majesty; the church will be made to reflect the very glory of God. And this will not be a fleeting glory, but a joy that extends from generation to generation, which points to a long, historical period of blessing. This is the story of the gospel: God takes that which is shameful and makes it His glorious showcase.

16 You will also suck the milk of nations And suck the breast of kings; Then you will know that I, Yahweh, am your Savior And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

This striking metaphor describes the influx of the Gentiles and their wealth into the church. The church, like a nursing child, will draw her sustenance and riches from the nations and their rulers. This is not a picture of parasitic exploitation, but of willing tribute. As the gospel conquers the hearts of men, from the lowest to the highest, they bring their resources, their talents, their glory, and their honor and lay them at the feet of Christ, dedicating them to the service of His kingdom (Rev. 21:24). This process has a theological purpose: "Then you will know." The historical success of the gospel and the blessing of the church is the ultimate apologetic. It demonstrates to God's people that He is indeed Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God, their Savior, their Redeemer, the all-powerful God of their fathers.

17 Instead of bronze I will bring gold, And instead of iron I will bring silver, And instead of wood, bronze, And instead of stones, iron. And I will make peace your overseers And righteousness your taskmasters.

The transformation continues, moving from the external to the internal. God promises a radical upgrade in the very substance of the city. Common materials are replaced by precious ones. Bronze becomes gold, iron becomes silver. This is a picture of immense enrichment and beautification. But the most glorious transformation is in the city's governance. The rulers and administrators will not be men, with all their frailties and corruptions. The new overseers will be peace itself, and the taskmasters will be righteousness. This means the entire civil and social order will be characterized by biblical shalom and justice. When the gospel transforms a people, it transforms their politics, their economics, and their entire way of life. Righteousness ceases to be a burden to be enforced and becomes the very engine of the society.

18 Violence will not be heard again in your land, Nor devastation or destruction within your borders; But you will call your walls salvation, and your gates praise.

The result of having peace and righteousness as governors is the eradication of violence and destruction. The land becomes a place of complete security. But this security is not found in bigger armies or better weapons. The very defenses of the city are spiritual realities. The walls are not made of stone, but of salvation. What protects the people of God is the saving work of God. The gates, through which commerce and culture flow, are not made of iron, but of praise. The city's public life, its very identity, is one of worship. This is a picture of a thoroughly Christianized culture, where the reality of God's salvation is the bedrock of society and the worship of God is its public business.

19 No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have Yahweh for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory.

Here the prophecy reaches a crescendo. The transformation is so radical that it transcends the created order itself. This is not to be taken as a literal removal of the sun and moon, but as a statement of surpassing glory. The presence of God with His people will be so manifest, so brilliant, so all-sufficient, that the natural light of the sun and moon will be rendered secondary, almost irrelevant by comparison. God Himself will be their light. This is quoted in Revelation 21:23 to describe the New Jerusalem. The source of the church's life, knowledge, and joy is not any created thing, but God Himself. And He will be their glory, or their beauty. The church's beauty is not her own; it is the reflected beauty of her God.

20 Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have Yahweh for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be finished.

This verse intensifies the previous one. The constancy of this new light is emphasized. Our current light sources are cyclical; the sun sets, the moon wanes. But God as our light is everlasting and unchanging. There will be no night, no periods of darkness or decline for the people of God. This points to a state of perpetual blessing and fellowship with God. And the consequence of this is that the days of your mourning will be finished. Sorrow, which is a fruit of darkness and sin, will be brought to a complete end. This is the ultimate comfort of the gospel.

21 Then all your people will be righteous; They will possess the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may show forth My beautiful glory.

This is the ethical foundation for all the preceding glory. How is such a blessed society possible? It is because the citizens are transformed. All your people will be righteous. This speaks of the success of the gospel in regenerating and sanctifying the covenant community. They are righteous not by their own efforts, but because they are "the branch of My planting, the work of My hands." Their righteousness is a divine creation, a fruit of God's sovereign grace. Because they are righteous, they will possess the land forever. The "land" here is not a small strip in the Middle East, but the entire earth, as Christ promised the meek (Matt. 5:5). The ultimate purpose for all of this is doxological: "That I may show forth My beautiful glory." The transformed church is God's masterpiece, the canvas on which He displays His own glory to the entire creation.

22 The smallest one will become a clan, And the miniscule one a mighty nation. I, Yahweh, will hasten it in its time.”

The prophecy concludes with a promise of supernatural, exponential growth. That which starts small and insignificant will become immense and powerful. The "smallest one" will multiply to the size of a "clan" (or "a thousand"), and the "miniscule one" will become a "mighty nation." This is the parable of the mustard seed in Old Testament language. The kingdom of God begins as a tiny seed and grows into a world-encompassing reality. And this is not a matter of speculation or human striving. The final line is the divine guarantee. I, Yahweh, will hasten it in its time. God is in control of the timetable. He will bring this glorious vision to pass, and when the time is right, He will accelerate the process. This is a promise that should fuel our prayers, our evangelism, and our unshakeable, optimistic hope for the future of Christ's kingdom on earth.

Application

The glorious promises of this passage are not meant to be filed away under "eschatology" for some far-off future. They are meant to shape how we live, worship, and work right now. First, we must see the Church as God sees her: not as the struggling, often embarrassing institution she sometimes appears to be, but as the glorious Bride of Christ, destined to be an everlasting pride. This should cure us of our ecclesiastical cynicism.

Second, we must embrace the missionary task with robust, postmillennial optimism. God has promised that the nations and their kings will be brought into the Church. Our task is to preach the gospel that makes this happen. We should expect success. We should expect nations to be discipled. We should labor for a culture where peace is our overseer and righteousness our taskmaster.

Third, we must understand that all true cultural transformation begins with the transformation of the human heart. The glorious city is filled with righteous people, and those people are righteous because they are the "work of My hands." Our central task is the clear proclamation of the gospel of grace, which alone can take a sinner and make him righteous. Politics, education, and art are all important, but they are downstream from the worship of the Church and the preaching of the Word.

Finally, we must rest in God's sovereignty. "I, Yahweh, will hasten it in its time." We are called to be faithful, to plant and to water. But it is God who gives the growth. We may be living in a time that feels more like verse 15 than verse 18. But the promise is sure. The light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon us. Our job is to arise and shine, confident that our labor in the Lord is not in vain, and that His kingdom will grow from a tiny seed into a mighty nation that fills the earth.