Isaiah 60:17 says, 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. God said He was going to bring the people of Israel much better things than they now had. Brass would be replaced with gold, iron with silver, brass with wood, and stones with iron. He also said that their leaders would rule with peace and righteousness. I don’t believe that this was a call to the people of Israel to serve God for material blessings, but it was a call for them to obey God, and then spiritually at least, these greater blessings would come. We should never come to God through faith in Jeus Christ because we expect Him to bless us materially if we do. This was also a promise that their leaders when they were following God’s will would always be looking out for the good of the people and not just for their own gain.
Verse eighteen adds, 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. Though there may have been times when there was no violence, wasting or destruction in the land of Israel, I believe this refers to the coming kingdom of God when Jesus Christ returns to claim those who have put their faith in Him. There will never be a time in this present world when there will be no violence, wasting and destruction in this lifetime since the majority of people refuse to obey God if they even acknowledge Him at all.
Verse nineteen continues. 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. This verse makes it even clearer that God was referring to a time after Jesus Christ returns. The sun and moon at that time will not be our source of light, but Jesus Christ Himself will be. He will be an everlasting Light Who brings honor and glory to the Heavenly Father. Even as we walk the earth today as followers of Christ, He should be our spiritual light, and we should never look to the sun and moon or stars for spiritual guidance. For example, horoscopes should never be thought of as the guiding force in our lives, since they are based on the sun, moon and stars.
Verse twenty states, 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. God said that when Jesus Christ, the Light, returns that there will no longer be the darkness of night in the world. I believe this also refers to spiritual darkness that sin brings into the world. Also, in the coming kingdom of God, there will be no reason for mourning.
Verse twenty-one adds, 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. God said that when this day comes that people would live in righteousness and inherit the land forever. When Jesus Christ returns, those who have put their faith in Him will go to heaven forever.
Verse twenty-two continues, A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time. This verse refers back to the growth of the nation if Israel, but it also refers to the growth of God’s everlasting kingdom. The kingdom of God started with one man believing and it exploded from that man’s belief to form a great nation. Still, the people often failed, and the nation of Israel fell, but when Jesus Christ returns, those who are His people will go to an everlasting kingdom that will never fail. In the meantime, we need to be sharing the gospel so that His kingdom can continue to grow until He does return.