Before dawn over the dark Judean hills, a walled city on a far ridge whose flat roofs and level wall top have just caught the first gold light while every hill around it lies in shadow.

New heavens and earth

Isaiah 60

What would it look like for your darkest season to end in light?

22 verses≈ 5 minBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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Where we are

1–5Zion on trialJudah’s sin, the mountain raised, the vineyard’s song
6Holy, holy, holyIsaiah’s call, in the year King Uzziah died (about 740 BC)
7–12ImmanuelAhaz’s fear, the sign, the Child, the shoot of Jesse
13–23The nations judgedBabylon to Tyre: the LORD is Judge of all the earth
24–27The whole earthThe earth laid waste, and death swallowed up
28–35Woe and a KingEgypt’s help or the LORD’s, and the King in His beauty
36–39Hezekiah’s crisisSennacherib, 701 BC: the prayer, the sickness, the envoys
40–48Comfort My peopleTo the exiles ahead: Cyrus, the idols, the Servant
49–55The Servant and ZionPierced for our transgressions; Zion restored
56–66New heavens and earthA house of prayer, the Anointed One, all things newChapter 60

Future Glory for Zion

God

Sunrise on the flat roofs and level wall top of rebuilt Jerusalem, warm light running across them while the valley below lies in dark haze; on one roof a family stands turned toward the light.

Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

For behold, darkness covers the earth,

and thick darkness is over the peoples;

but the LORD will rise upon you,

and His glory will appear over you.

Nations will come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Tap to go deeper: meaning, history and related Scripture

God

Early morning on a flat roof in Jerusalem: a mother seen from behind, one hand at her mouth, looking over the wall to the road where a line of families walks toward the city, a father carrying a small daughter on his arm.

Lift up your eyes and look around:

They all gather and come to you;

your sons will come from afar,

and your daughters will be carried on the arm.

Then you will look and be radiant,

and your heart will tremble and swell with joy,

because the riches of the sea will be brought to you,

and the wealth of the nations will come to you.

God

God

Caravans of camels will cover your land,

young camels of Midian and Ephah,

and all from Sheba will come,

bearing gold and frankincense

and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

God

All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you;

the rams of Nebaioth will serve you

and go up on My altar with acceptance;

I will adorn My glorious house.

Stylised map · locations approximate

On the map

They come to your light

From the desert peoples of Arabia and from the sea, the nations bring their wealth to Zion: “young camels of Midian and Ephah,” Sheba’s gold, the flocks of Kedar and the rams of Nebaioth.

God

Morning on a blue sea: a line of Phoenician ships with single pale square sails coming in toward the coast like a flight of birds, a flock of rock doves flying above them toward the cliffs.

Who are these who fly like clouds,

like doves to their shelters?

God

Surely the islands will wait for Me,

with the ships of Tarshish in the lead,

to bring your children from afar,

with their silver and gold,

to the honor of the LORD your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

for He has glorified you.

God

Foreigners will rebuild your walls,

and their kings will serve you.

Although I struck you in anger,

yet in favor I will show you mercy.

God

Night at a city gate of rebuilt Jerusalem: the two heavy timber leaves swung wide and fastened back, clay lamps burning in niches, laden donkeys and travelers of other peoples coming in out of the dark.

Your gates will always stand open;

they will never be shut, day or night,

so that the wealth of the nations may be brought into you,

with their kings being led in procession.

God

For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish;

it will be utterly destroyed.

God

God

The glory of Lebanon will come to you—

its cypress, elm, and boxwood together—

to adorn the place of My sanctuary,

and I will glorify the place of My feet.

God

The sons of your oppressors

will come and bow down to you;

all who reviled you

will fall facedown at your feet

and call you the City of the LORD,

Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Question

Quick question

John’s vision of the new Jerusalem at the end of the Bible borrows many of its pictures from this chapter.

Revelation 21 takes up Isaiah 60. What does it say of the holy city’s gates?

God

Whereas you have been forsaken and despised,

with no one passing through,

I will make you an everlasting pride,

a joy from age to age.

God

You will drink the milk of nations

and nurse at the breasts of royalty;

you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

God

God

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold;

I will bring silver in place of iron,

bronze instead of wood,

and iron instead of stones.

I will appoint peace as your governor

and righteousness as your ruler.

God

No longer will the sun be your light by day,

nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night;

for the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your splendor.

God

Your sun will no longer set,

and your moon will not wane;

for the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and the days of your sorrow will cease.

God

Morning on a newly planted terraced slope: rows of young olive trees in fresh dark earth, each with its first green shoots, a stone terrace wall behind, a small town far below.

Then all your people will be righteous;

they will possess the land forever;

they are the branch of My planting,

the work of My hands,

so that I may be glorified.

The least of you will become a thousand,

and the smallest a mighty nation.

I am the LORD;

in its time I will accomplish it quickly.

0:19

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

Pray

LORD, darkness covers the earth, but Your glory rises over those who are Yours. Be my everlasting light. Name my walls Salvation and my gates Praise, and in its time, do what You have promised. Amen.

You’ve experienced

Isaiah 60

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A verse to carry with you

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Isaiah 60:1

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