Isaiah 60

We may suppose the ground-work of the prophecies, contained in this and the two following chapters, to be the Jews’ restoration from captivity; but any discerning reader may easily be satisfied, that the prophettakes occasion from thence to describe the glories of Christ’s kingdom, which began upon the first publication of the gospel, but will not bo completed till the fulness of the Jews and gentiles are come into the church; which is the general subject of tho prophecies which follow to the end of the book. The. reasons Mr. White hath advanced against this interpretation, shall be considered under each verse of this chapter, from whence he takosthem.

Isaiah 60:1

JLRISE, shine; for thy light is cornel & n d the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. It is a usual metaphor to describe happiness by light, and affliction by darkness. So here Jerusalem is bid to arise from the ground or tho dust, where her afflictions had laid her low, and like the morning star, or sun, to give light to all about her, aud communicate to others part of that honour and lustre which she hath received from God, the true Sun of righteousness. (Compare Mai. iv. 2.)

Isaiah 60:2

For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth — but the Lord shall arise upon thee. And the gentiles shall cotne to thy light. When ignorance, like a thick darkness, overspreads the world, then shall the light of God’s truth, like the day-spring from on high, difFuse itself over the earth, and excite the gentiles to seek instruction from the church as from an oracle. (Compare ii. 3.)

Isaiah 60:3

And kings to the brightness of thy rising. The graces, and glories of the church shall attract the eyes of kings, and make them willing to become her proselytes. (Compare xlix. 23.)

Isaiah 60:4

All they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side. The prophet describes the fulness of the church by the gentiles coming into it, and bringing the dispersed remainder of the Jews along with them, (see the note on xi. 12.) whom they are said to take the same care of in their journey as a nurse does of a sucking child. For to that sense, I think, the last words of the verse should be rendered, And thy daughters shall be nursed at their side. (Compare xlix. 22. Deut. i. 31.)

Isaiah 60:5

Then thou shall see, and flow together, and thy heart shall fear, and be enlarged. Thy joy shall break out upon thee like an overflowing river; and the sudden trans-, ports of it shall produce an astonishment like that which ariseth from the impressions of fear; for which reason tho effects of one passion are ascribed to the other: the prophet Jeremiah useth the same metaphor, (xxxiii. 9.) " They shall fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity thatl procure unto it." The same figure occurs kx Lucretius, lib. ii. init. > " Ita me qugedam divina voluptas Inficit, atque horror." Because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee.] A multitude of people is compared to many waters, xvii. 12. Rev. xvii. 15. Or the words may bo understood of the multitude of those that came from the sea, as if the sea had transported all its passengers hither. (See ver; 9.) Others explain it of the riches which are brought by sea, and dedicated to God’s service; (see ver. G.) in which sense the word hamon is used, Eccles. v. 10. and so the Septuagint here understand it. The following words explain this of the fulness of the gentiles coming into the church. The forces of the gentiles shall come unto thee.] Others render it, The riches of the gentiles. (See ver. G. 16. and Ixi. 6.)

Isaiah 60:6

The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come. The Arabians had great stocks of camels, and suchlike beasts of burden. (See Judg. vi.5. vii.12.) Ephah was a son of Midian; (see Gen. xxv. 4.) from whom part of that country had its name. Tliey shall bring gold and incenseJ] The conversion of heathen nations is elsewhere expressed by their bringing ofFerings to God, and dedicating part of their wealth to his service. (See xviii. 7. xxiii. 18.) This may be farther verified in that glorious state of the church, described Rev. xxi. 24. 2G.

Isaiah 60:7

All the flocks ofKedar shall come unto thee, the rams o/Nebaioth shall minister unto thee. Kedar and Nebaioth were two sons of Ishniael, who settled themselves in Arabia. (See Gen. xxv. 13.) Their substance did chiefly consist in their cattle, with winch they travelled from one place to another, according as they could find pasture. (See Judg. vi. 5. and the note upon xxi.13.) They shall come up with acceptance on mine altar.’] This niay’in some measure be understood of the ^offerings brought out of the neighbouring countries to the second temple. (See the note on xlv.14.) But the whole seope of the chapter plainly regards the coming of the gentiles into the church, and dedicating part of their substance to the service of God: nor is this expression a demonstration to the contrary, as Mr. White too confidently pronounces, in as much as nothing is more usual than for.the prophets to describe the state of the Christian church, by representations taken from the Jewish temple and service. (Sec the notes on xix. 19. Ivi. 8. lxvi. 23.)

Isaiah 60:8

Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as.doves to their tvindows?. A flock of birds resembles a dark cloud: so the prophet here compares the multitudes of people that flock to the church, to a flock of pigeons that fly to their dove-houses…. *

Isaiah 60:9

Surely the isles shall wait for me. Compare xlii.4. li. 5. The expression denotes their readiness to embrace the* gospel whenever the means of grace arc ottered to them. So Christ is said to be the Desire of all nations, Hag. ii. 7. as he that alone could answer all their wishes and expectations. And the ships of Tarshish, first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their goldxvith them.] Ships of Tarshish mean any ships of trade or commerce. (Sec the note on ii. 1G.) These, the text saith, shall be principally subservient to God’s design in bringing the sons of Zion (which, taken in a mystical sense, is the. mother of all believers, Gal. iv. 2G.) from distant countries, who will bring their free-will-offerings and religious acknowledgments along with them. (See ver. G.) Thewords are an allusion to the law which enjoined that none should appear empty before the Lord, at the times of the solemn festivals, (Deut. xvi. 1G.) To which custom of going up to Jerusalem at those solemn times, the expressions, so often found in the prophets, allude, of the gentiles seeking after the Lord, of their going tip to Jerusalem, and the like. (See the note on ii. 3.) So that it is a great mistake in Mr. White, to conclude from suchlike expressions in this chapter, that the prophet’s words, cannot be expounded of the gentiles coming into the church. Unto the name of the Lord thy God.] God chose the temple in Jerusalem toplace his name there; (IKings viii.29.) and this temple was a type of the Christian church. (See Ezek. xlviii. 35. 2 Cor. vi. 1G. 2 Thess. ii. 4.)

Isaiah 60:10

And the sons of strangers shall build tip thy walls, and their kings shall minister to thee. This may be, in some measure, fulfilled in the assistance which Cyrus and his successors gave to the restoring and re-edifying of the city and temple. (See note on xlv. 14.) But the words received a farther accomplishment in the honours which the gentiles (commonly called strangers by the Jews, sec lvi. 3.) and their kings paid to the church of Christ, (compare xlix. 23. Zcch. vi. 15.) and may yet. receive a farther accomplishment. (Sec Ilpv, xxi. 24.): For in my wrath I smote thee, hit in my favour have I had tliercy on thee.] I will abundantly recompense thee for the afflictions which I have brought upon thee. (Compare liv. 7, 8.) •".’.:. Ver. IX Therefore thy gates shall be open continually, &c] It is a sign of a settled peace, and that there is no fear pf an enqmy, when the gates of a city stand* always open. (Compare Ezqk. xxxviii. 11.) So the poet describes a profound peace, by apertisotia portis. The phrase signifies withal, that there shall be such a confluence of people to the church, and even of the highest rank and dignity,.that the gates must continually stand open to give them admittance.

Isaiah 60:12

For the nation and kingdom that ivill not serve thee shall perish. This must relate to the latter days, a;s the Scripture calls.them, when the church shall become a great mountain, and break in pieces all the kingdoms of the earth, according to Daniel’s prophecy, (Dan. ii. 35. 44.) and then the faithful shall have power over the nations^ and rule the refractory with a rod of iron, as it is foretold Rev. ii, 2G, 27.

Isaiah 60:13

The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, &c.J Lebanon was reckoned. one of the pleasantest parts of Ju,- dea: (see xxxiii. 9. xxxv. 2.) and was particularly beautiful for its tall cedars. (See xxxvii. 24.). So the expression, denotes, that the cedars, and whatever other trees grow in Lebanon, shall contribute to the re-edifying and beautifying God’s temple,.which is called here the place of God’s feet, as.the ark is elSevYher.e called his footstool, because the Di-. vine Schechinah, or glory, sat between the two cherubims, which were placed.over the ark. (See Psal. exxxii. 7.) This implies, in the spiritual sense, every thing that tends to the adorning and perfecting the church, which is called the house and building of God. (See 1 Tim. Jii. 15. 1 Cor< iii. 9. Ephes. ii. 20. and compare Zech. yL 12, 13.)

Isaiah 60:14

The sons also of them that afflicted. thee. shall come bending unto thee. They shall acknowledge the errors ¥ of.their fathers, and instead of being persecutors, sr^all become proselytes. And they that despised thee shall bozo themselves down at the soles of thy feet.] See the note on xlix. 23. and compare Rev, iii. 9. And. they shall call thee, ThecityoftheLord, TJieZionof the Holy One of Israel.] Mr. White is pleased to say, in Jijs argument upon this chapter, that the church cannot, with any propriety of speech, be called the. city of the Lord, or the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. This must sQ£m a strange assertion to any one that hath read the New Testament* where the church, as consisting of all its members both Micah 7 litant and triumphant, and united together under God an<J Christ, is expressly called Mount Zion, the city oftheliving God, and the heavenly Jerusalem; of which the city,ou earth called by that name was a figure, IJeb. xii. 22, The Lamb, i. e. Christ, is said to stand upon Mount Zion $ Rev. xiv. 1. Christ is called the corner-stone placed in Zion, whereon the church is built and supported, 1 Pet ii.. G. and Jho is called the Deliverer, or Redeemer, tltat shall come out of Zion, Rom. xi. 2G. Ver. J 5. IFIiereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will nxake thee an eternal excellency, &c] This may in the first sense be fitly applied to Jerusalem, which, during the captivity, lay desolate, and