Isaiah 64:8

Isaiah 64:8 says, But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.  Isaiah said that all who put their faith in God were His children and were like clay in the hand of the Potter.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savor and Lord, we become a child of the Heavenly Father and then should allow Him to shape us into what He wants us to be. 

Verse nine adds, Be not wroth very sore, O Lord, neither remember iniquity for ever: behold, see, we beseech thee, we are all thy people.  Isaiah then asked God to not be angry with those who put their faith in Him and to not remember their iniquities anymore. When we become a follower of Jesus Christ, all our sins are washed away, and God no longer remembers them. 

Verse ten continues, Thy holy cities are a wilderness, Zion is a wilderness, Jerusalem a desolation.  Isaiah said at that time, all of God’s holy cities were as a wilderness and Jerusalem was desolate.  Still, this was not because of the failure of God but because of the rebellion of His chosen people.  If things are looking desolate for us spiritually in the world today as Christians, it is usually because of our rebellion against God. 

Verse eleven says, Our holy and our beautiful house, where our fathers praised thee, is burned up with fire: and all our pleasant things are laid waste.  Isaiah continued to talk about how Jerusalem was in desolation and mentioned the temple in particular.  He called it their holy and beautiful house where their fathers worshipped God, but it was always His house.  We should never think that a church building belongs to us.  Even more so, we should understand that as Christians, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and belong to Him and should reflect His glory. 

Verse twelve adds, Wilt thou refrain thyself for these things, O Lord? wilt thou hold thy peace, and afflict us very sore?  Isaiah asked if God would keep himself from them and hold His peace because of their sins.  I believe the answer was yes until they repented and returned to following God.  Even though we are forever saved, if we allow sin back into our lives, God may allow us to suffer in this lifetime, even though we are His forever.

Isaiah 64:1

Isaiah 64:1 says, Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence,  Isaiah said the people of Israel were calling on God to appear in a miraculous way and restore them to power.  He did appear in a miraculous way when Jesus Christ came to live, die, and be resurrected to make forgiveness of our sins available, but it wasn’t the way they were looking for God to restore them.  He didn’t melt mountains by His power, but He came as a humble servant.  We should not expect God to physically destroy all our enemies by a mighty display of power until Jesus Christ returns.  Instead, we should be humble servants of God reaching out to the lost world with His gospel. 

Verse two adds, As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!  Isaiah said that if God melted the mountains and caused the water to boil that their adversaries would then know the presence of God and tremble in His presence.  This is likely true, but they wouldn’t be obeying Him out of belief in Who He is, a God of love and compassion, but out of fear.  I don’t believe we should ever accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord because simply because we fear what will happen to us if we don’t. We should accept His gift of salvation because we know that He loves and wants to restore us to a right relationship with Him.  

Verse three continues, When thou didst terrible things which we looked not for, thou camest down, the mountains flowed down at thy presence.  Isaiah said the people of Israel were calling on God to remember when He had come in power before, particularly when He delivered them out of Egypt.  Still, this was done not because the people of Egypt were less worthy of God’s redemption but because they refused to obey His command to them.  When Jesus Christ returns in judgment, those who are sent way to everlasting punishment will not be sent away because they are less worthy than those who He calls home with Him, but because they have refused to put their faith in Him.  The thing that God did in the past that we as Christians should look back on is His sending His only begotten Son to die in our place.  

Verse four states, For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.  Isaiah said that by their own ability people had never completely understood Who God is and the way that He works in the world.  We do not come to know Who God is by our own reasoning power but by God revealing Himself to us if we come to Him in repentance and faith.  Even then, we cannot completely understand God.  We just have to wait by faith for the time when we will be called to our heavenly home, and even then, I don’t think we will ever know everything about God. 

Verse five adds, Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.  Isaiah said that God met those who rejoiced in the Lord and obeyed His commandments.  This does not mean that we can become acceptable to God by our own righteousness, but that we meet Him through accepting the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  It is by His righteousness that we can be saved, since as Isaiah pointed out, we are all guilty of iniquity, or sin, and sin separates us God.  Only when we confess our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord can we be saved. 

Verse six continues, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.  Isaiah continued to state the fact that all were spiritually unclean because of the sin in their lives and that their righteousness was as filthy rags.  By their own righteousness, they would fade away as a leaf fades away in the fall and winter.  This still applies to us today.  Our righteousness is still as filthy rags, and if we rely on it for salvation, we will one day fade away from the presence of God to go to everlasting punishment in hell. 

Verse seven concludes, And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee: for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us, because of our iniquities.  Isaiah said that there was no one that God had not revealed Himself to and that those who believed in Him and accepted His gift of salvation would be saved.  On the other hand, those who didn’t but continued to live in sin, or disobedience to God, would face God’s punishment one day.  These are the only two choices. 

Isaah 63:14

Isaiah 63:14 says, As a beast goeth down into the valley, the Spirit of the Lord caused him to rest: so didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name.  Isaiah said that just as God caused the beast to find rest in the valley, He led the people of Israel to rest in the Promised Land, and He did it not so that they might be praised but so that He would.  As Christians, we should be at rest or peace spiritually even as we are doing what God has called us to do, and we should always give the glory to GOD. 

Verse fifteen adds, Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?  The rest of this chapter is a prayer that Isaiah prayed concerning the people of Israel and their relationship with God.  Isaiah asked that when God looked down from heaven, would He see their living in holiness, or set apart from the world.  He also asked if He could see their zeal for their righteousness given to them by faith in Jesus Christ.   I don’t believe Isaiah was bragging on the people, but He was lifting their obedience to God up for Him to view.  We should never go to God in prayer bragging about what we are doing for Him, but we might ask if He is watching us as we live our lives for Him. 

Verse sixteen continues, Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.  Isaiah said that even though Abraham had entered into a covenant relationship with God and was known as the father of the nation of Israel, he was dead and could not help them.  Therefore, he could know nothing of them, but God as the Heavenly Father could know them, since He is eternal.  Our salvation will never come through any earthly father but will always come from the Heavenly Father and our relationship to Him as such. 

Verse seventeen states, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.  Isaiah seems to imply that God was responsible for the people of Israel turning away from following Him, but He did then ask that God return to them. Matthew Henry says that instead of blaming God that Isaiah was pointing out the sin of the people in not following Him.  I do know that when we sin against God that He will not be the cause of it, but our lack of faith and obedience to Him will.  Isaiah asked that God return to them, but He never left.  If we are separated from God by sin in our lives, He will always be calling us to return to Him.

Verse eighteen adds, The people of thy holiness have possessed it but a little while: our adversaries have trodden down thy sanctuary. Isaiah said that most of the people of Israel had possessed the holiness of God for a while, but then their adversaries had trodden them down.  Still, there was always a remnant that remained true.  This was because they had rejected following God and had begun to worship false gods and was not something that God had caused.  If we are a follower of Jesus Christ, we will always be a part of God’s kingdom, but we may lose the joy of our salvation by allowing sin back into our life. 

Verse nineteen continues, We are thine: thou never barest rule over them; they were not called by thy name.  Isaiah said that those who remained faithful to their covenant relationship with God were His people still.  Those who had turned away to serve other gods were not.  They were people of Israel by birth but not by rebirth in faith.  Not everyone in the church today has a personal relationship with God, but all we can do is to make sure that we do.

Isaiah 63:7

 Isaiah 63:7 says, I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his lovingkindnesses.  Isaiah said he would speak of the loving kindness of the Lord toward Israel after He entered into a covenant relationship with them.  We know many examples of this, from bringing them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land and culminating with sending His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins so that we can enter into a covenant relationship with Him.  In our own life as Christians, we should be able to cite examples of His acting in loving kindness towards us. 

Verse eight adds, For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie: so he was their Saviour.  Isaiah said that God had proclaimed that the people of Israel were His people and were children who would not lie.  Because of this, He was their Savior.  If we are to be a part of God’s family, we must not lie about Who He is and who we are and the only Way to become a part of His family, which is by putting our faith in His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.  After we become a part of His family, we should always speak His truth, no matter how the world may view us when we do. 

Verse nine continues, In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.  Isaiah said that when the people of Israel were afflicted that God was afflicted with them.  He also said that the angel of God’s presence saved them and out of His love and pity, or compassion, He redeemed them.  Though some people understand this as being a real angel, I believe as does Matthew Henry that it ultimately refers to Jesus Christ, the only One Who can bring everlasting salvation to anyone. 

Verse ten states, But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.  Isaiah then said that since the people then rebelled against God and vexed His Holy Spirit that He became their enemy.  This was not because God changed but because the people of Israel did.  They were chosen by God, but they weren’t choosing to obey Him.  If we are saved, we are chosen by God, but we can still rebel against Hiim and invite His wrath.  The people of Israel were God’s people because He had chosen them and entered into a covenant relationship with them, but this didn’t give them the right to then fall back into sinful ways.  Once we are redeemed by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, we are not free to continue to sin, and if we fall back into sinful habits, we will vex the Holy Spirit.   

Verse eleven adds, Then he remembered the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?  This verse calls on the people of Israel to look back to the days of Moses when they questioned who God was and remember that God was the one Who worked through Moses to bring them out of bondage in Egypt.  They needed to realize that He was the same God.  If we begin to rebel against God as followers of Jesus Christ, we need to look back to the day He redeemed us and remember that He is still the same God Who saved us.

Verse twelve continues, That led them by the right hand of Moses with his glorious arm, dividing the water before them, to make himself an everlasting name?  The people of Israel were asked to remember how God through Moses had led them through the parted waters of the Red Sea out of captivity and towards the Promised Land.  We were just as captive to sin until God sent His only begotten Son, Jesús Christ to redeem us by paying the death sentence of sin for us.  If we are straying away from God, we need to remember that we are in a covenant relationship with Him, and He will never fail in His part of the covenant. 

Verse thirteen concludes, That led them through the deep, as an horse in the wilderness, that they should not stumble?  Isaiah said they needed to remember that God had provided a way for them to travel without stumbling.  If we are faithful to God as Christians, He will lead us through life so that we don’t stumble spiritually, if we will allow Him to.  If we do stumble back into sin, we just need to remember that God is ready to restore us and put us back on the path of righteousness if we will repent and turn to Him again.  We also need to realize that even if we are off the path of righteousness that if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior that we are forever saved even if we have failed to make Him Lord for a time. 

Isaiah 63:1

Isaiah 63:1 says, Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.  Edom had been an enemy of Israel for years, but they were not victorious.  Isaiah asked Who was the coming Deliverer Who would be clothed in glorious apparel and traveling in the greatness of His strength.  Through Cyrus was going to deliver the people of Israel from their captivity in Babylon, this Deliverer is Jesus Christ.  If we are a Christian, we need to speak in the righteousness of God so that we might reach others. 

Verse two adds, Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat?  The question was asked why this coming Deliverer’s garments were covered in red.  We know that it is through the shed blood of Christ that we are saved and that His blood covers all our sins.  The question was also asked if this One had been treading grapes for wine and that was the reason their garments were red.  Treading grapes was the job of servants and not of a conquering hero, but Jesus Christ came in a servants role and not as a Hero.  People today still question Who He is and many don’t want to accept the fact that it is by His blood that we are saved. 

Verse three continues, I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.  Isaiah said that this coming Messiah proclaimed that He had tread the wine press alone without any help from others.   He then says He will tread on those who do not put their faith in Him with fury and their blood would stain His garment.  We can either accept salvation through putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, or we can one day face His judgment. 

Verse four states, For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.  Isaiah said that God was ready to have His day of vengeance.  It may be a long time in coming, and it certainly has since Isaiah’s day, but we can rest assured that it is coming when God says the day is here, but if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, we won’t feel His vengeance.  Of course, there was a day of deliverance when God brought the people of Israel out of Babylon and before that when He bought them out of Egypt, but these were temporary deliverances and not the day of vengeance of the Lord. 

Verse five adds, And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.  God said that He looked and there was no one to help Him deliver people from the bondage of sin I believe.  God could find no one qualified to redeem His people, so He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to redeem them by dying in their place.  The death penalty for sin has already been paid, but if we don’t accept God’s gift of salvation, one day we will know His vengeance. 

Verse six continues, And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth.  God said that when His day of vengeance came, that He would destroy all His enemies.  We might say that God shouldn’t act out of wrath, but we have to understand that He acted out of love first.  I believe that His wrath comes from His making salvation possible and people refusing to accept it.  Sin must be punished, and if we don’t accept Jesus Christ’s payment for it, then we will have to pay the penalty for our sins, and that is everlasting punishment separated from God.  

Isaiah 62:6

Isaiah 62:6 says, I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence,  God said He had set a watchman on the wall.  This refers to preachers, but I believe it also refers to all Christians.  We are to be ever alert to the threat of evil and we should never stay quiet when we see evil in the world.  God has given us the responsibility of being alert for evil and crying out when we see it, and this is not just the responsibility of preachers. 

Verse seven adds, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.  Isaiah said this watchman would have no rest until God was established and until He made Jerusalem the praise of the earth.  This will happen when Jesus Christ returns to claim His church, and until then we must continue to reach out to the lost world with the gospel 

Verse eight continues, The Lord hath sworn by his right hand, and by the arm of his strength, Surely I will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies; and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine, for the which thou hast laboured:  Isaiah said God made a promise that the people of Israel would be protected by His strong right arm and would not be enslaved again.  I believe this means spiritually, and once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, we are secured by His power and will never be under the death sentence of sin again.

Verse nine concludes, But they that have gathered it shall eat it, and praise the Lord; and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of my holiness.  Isaiah added that no one else would eat the fruits of their labor.  The fruits of our labor as Christians should be the spreading of the gospel, and if we accept God’s gift of salvation, no one else will be able to take it away from us. 

Verse ten states, Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people.  This passage refers to the Jews being delivered from Babylon and rebuilding Jerusalem and other cities, but in the broader context, it applies to Jesus Christ coming to deliver those who put their faith in Him when He first came and to our continuing to put our faith in Him until He returns. Isaiah said that the people of Israel were to proclaim God’s word everywhere.  They were to go through His gates and lift up His standard.  Jesus Christ is the only gate that we can go through to be restored to a right relationship with God, and He is the standard that we should lift up.  We are also to proclaim this as we call on people to prepare the way for the return of Jesus Christ. 

Verse eleven adds, Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.  The people of Israel were promised that salvation was coming.  They would need to put their faith in this coming Messiah and He would bring their reward, which was everlasting life with God in heaven. Jesus Christ is the only One Who can bring us salvation. 

Verse twelve continues, And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken.  Isaiah said once the people of Israel began to live by faith in God and the coming Messiah that they would be called a holy people and others would seek them out to learn how to become a part of God’s kingdom as well.    We, as followers of Jesus Christ are a holy people, or set aside from the world by our faith in Jesus Christ.  It would be nice if people sought us out to hear the gospel, but too often, we have a hard time getting people to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord when we seek them out.  Still, we should never stop trying to reach them.

Isaiah 62:1

Isaiah 62:1 says, For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.  Isaiah was a prophet, and Matthew Henry points out that the purpose of a prophet is to preach and pray. and he said he wasn’t going to rest until righteousness shined with brightness in Zion.  Isaiah may have spoken the wrods, but it was God Who was going to do what he prophesied.  He was not going to do this so he would be praised, but he was going to do it because God had called Him do it and for the sake of the people.  We as Christians need to be at work sharing God’s word today, and we should realize that the primary purpose of preachers is to preach and pray.  God has called other people to take care of the everyday business of the church if they will only answer His call.  Of course, the goal of the preacher should be to reach the lost and strengthen those who are believers in Jesus Christ and should never be to make themselves look powerful nor to make themselves rich materially.  Isaiah also said he would not hold his peace, which I believe means he would proclaim God’s word even if it put Him in danger.  As Christians, we should never allow fear to keep us from proclaiming God’s word.

Verse two adds, And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.  Isaiah said that when the word of God was proclaimed that the Gentiles would see the righteousness of the people of Israel.  This was not their righteousness, but the righteousness of God reflected in them.  When we become a follower of Christ, we should reflect His righteousness to those around us so that they will want to become a part of His kingdom. Isaiah also said they would have a new name.  Some denominations give themselves a new name when they accept Jesus Christ, but I don’t believe that this is what this verse means.  God would give them new name.  To me, it means that we will now be called God’s sons and daughters and not sons and daughters of Satan. 

Verse three continues, Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.  Matthew Henry says this is one new name that those who come to God in faith will be called.  They will be called a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord.  The crown will not be to adorn the one who is called a crown, but will be to adorn God, Who made salvation possible.  We are never to serve God because we expect to be glorified, but we are to serve Him so that He will be. 

Verse four states, Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.  Then, we have two name changes stated in this verse.  The name Hephzibah means ‘ My delight is in her.’  As stated earlier, we will no longer be strangers to God who displease Him, but we will be His child and He will delight in us, not because we have done anything to deserve it, but because we have accepted His gift of salvation.  Isaiah also said that their land would be called Beulah, which Matthew Henry says means married.  As Christians, we are the bride of Christ and are spiritually married to Him. 

Verse five adds, For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee: and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee.   Matthew Henry says this refers to the people of Israel being married to their own land, or to the kingdom of God that they became a part of.  When they were a part of His kingdom, God would rejoice over them like a groom does over his bride.  God still does this with Christians today.

Isaiah 61:7

Isiaih 61:7 says, For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.  God said that for the shame that the Jews had suffered in captivity, which was caused by their own failure to trust God, that they would be given double what they lost when they returned after repenting and putting their faith in Him once more.  I don’t believe this meant twice the material wealth, since their houses nor the Temple were as great as they were before, but it means they were spiritually blessed so much more than before.  God also said they would rejoice in their portion.  We should always rejoice in the Lord when He meets our needs and never desire what someone else has been blessed with.  This was to be everlasting joy, no matter what their portion might be.  As followers of Christ, we should have everlasting joy, because we have been given everlasting spiritual life with God. 

Verse eight adds, For I the Lord love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.  God said He loved judgment, which I believe means righteous judgment.  Other people may try to oppress Christians, but we don’t need to be their judge.  God is, and one day He will pass His judgment on those who refuse to accept His gift of salvation.  God is the God of truth, so sacrifices made just for show or for ones own glory will never be acceptable to Him.  Then, if we have put our faith in Jesus Christ, He enters into an everlasting covenant with us.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord, God seals us as His forever. 

Verse nine continues, And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed.  God said that the Gentiles who saw the Jews would acknowledge that they were blessed by God.  This would be true of their descendants as well.  This was when they had returned to God and were being obedient to Him and not just because they were descendants of  Jewish parents.  God never intended for the nation of Israel to be declared better than other people because of the fact that they were born into the nation of Israel, but they were to be made better because of their relationship with Him.  We as Christians are not better than anyone else based on our own goodness, since we are all sinners saved by grace, so we should never feel that God loves us more than anyone else. 

Verse ten says, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.  Isaiah said that he would greatly rejoice in the Lord and be joyful in his God, and so should we as followers of Christ today.  This is made possible because we are covered by the robe of righteousness of Jesus Christ.  He is the Bridegroom and we as the church are the bride. 

Verse eleven adds, For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.  God said He was going to cause righteousness and praise to Him to spring forth like the seeds or buds that were planted brought forth new life.  As Christians, we are to be rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ and we should bring forth fruit as we reach out to the whole world with the gospel of Christ.

Isaiah 61:1

Isaiah 61:1 says, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; Though this verse does apply to Isaiah by the Spirit of the Lord GOD being on him to proclaim good tidings and liberty to the captives of Babylon, in its greater context, it applies to Jesus Christ, who Himself said this scripture was fulfilled in Him.  This is found in Luke 4:17-19, 21.  We can proclaim the freedom from sin for those who confess their sins and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord, but we cannot free them from the penalty of sin.  Only Jesus Christ can.  Isaiah was anointed by God to be a prophet, but Jesus Christ was anointed by God to be the only One Who could forever set the captives free from the bondage of sin.

Verse two adds, To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;  The acceptable year of the Lord was when Jesus Christ came too set people free from the penalty of sin and to bring comfort to those who mourned.  Of course, for this to be true, people had to accept the gift of salvation that God gave everyone when He sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins.  Now, we await the acceptable year of the Lord God for Jesus Christ to return to call His people home forever.

Verse three continues, To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.  God said this was done to bring them joy and rejoicing in the Lord for the freedom that He gave them over the penalty of sin.  Though the people of Israel were freed from bondage in Babylon, this was a temporary freedom.  When we are freed from the penalty of sin by putting our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, it is an everlasting freedom, and we should rejoice and give all the praise to Him.  We are then to be trees of righteousness, and this not our own righteousness, but the righteousness of Jesus Christ.  We are to proclaim the gospel to all people, and we are to do so for the glory of God. 

Verse four states, And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.  This verse applies to the people of Israel when they returned from captivity in Babylon.  They were to rebuild the Temple and the cities that had been destroyed.  This also applies to what happens in the life of an individual when they accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Until a person accepts Him, their life is in spiritual ruin, and only by faith in Him can it be rebuilt. 

Verse five adds, And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. Isaiah said that when the restoration took place people from other countries would be working for them.  When we become a follower of Christ, the things of this world should not be our primary concern. We should not be entangled by the things of this world as Matthew Henry states it.  This did not mean that the people of Israel were sit back and have others do all their work for them, nor should we expect to do so today as Christians. 

Verse six continues, But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.  God said that the people of Israel were to be priests of the Lord and ministers of their God, Who is the only God.  The Levites had been the priests, but now every Israelite was to serve as a priest of God.  We are set free from the penalty of sin if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, but we are set free to serve God and proclaim the gospel to all people. Matthew Henry said eating the riches of the Gentiles didn’t mean that the people of Israel were going to seize them.  The Gentiles would become a part of God’s people if they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord, and this would bring their riches into the kingdom.  The glory that they were to boast about was the glory of God in redeeming them, and this should be the thing that we boast about today.  We don’t boast to bring honor and glory to ourselves, but we boast of the mercy of God in redeeming us. 

Isaiah 60:17

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.

 

Isaiah 60:9

Isaiah 60:9 says, 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.  The people of Israel were very poor at this time, having been captives in Babylon, but God said He was going to provide for their needs by the gifts of those who were not Jews.  This seems to refer to when Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls and city of Jerusalem and other people who weren’t Jews being ordered to help them financially.  God will always provide a way for those who are doing His will to do so if they remain faithful to Him.

Verse ten adds, 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.  Continuing with the thought of other people, those who were not Jews, helping rebuild the walls, Isaiah said that God was going to work through strangers to help rebuild the walls and that the kings of these strange lands would help fund the rebuilding.  I believe that God can still do this today, but until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are all strangers to the kingdom of God.  Isaiah said the people of Israel were in need of help because they had been punished for not putting their faith in God, but now that they had repented, He was going to show His mercy to them.  Until we become a follower of Christ, we are under the wrath of God because of our sin, but when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we are under God’s mercy. Once we are saved, we may at times not allow God to be our Lord, but there will never be a time when He is not our Savior. 

Verse eleven continues, 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.  God said that the gates of Israel should be open continually so that the helpers from the Gentiles could enter with their help and bring in the gifts from their rulers.  The doors of the church today should always be open to anyone who will come in, and hopefully if they aren’t a Christian, a part of the family of God, they will become a part of it and then help with the work of the church.   

Verse twelve states, For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.  God said that those who would not serve the people of Israel would perish and their names would be forgotten.  Those who refuse to accept God’s gift of salvation will perish spiritually and their names will be forgotten because it isn’t written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.  Even those who may help the church but do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord will perish spiritually and their names be forgotten by God, even if it is posted everywhere in the world. 

Verse thirteen adds, 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.  God said that timber was going to come from Lebanon to help with the building so that His sanctuary would be beautiful and the place where He put His feet would be glorious.  The temple was seen as God’s resting place, and as Christians, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we should do everything we can to make them as beautiful spiritually as we can, which means we must be obedient to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.  

Verse fourteen continues, 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.  God said that the sons of those who had afflicted the people of Israel would come bending a knee to them and those that despised would bow at their feet.  I believe this means that they would bow to the God of the people of Israel and not just to the people.  We as Christians should never want people to bow to us, but we should expect them to bow to God.  God also said that Jerusalem, or Zion, would be called the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of God.  As a part of the church, those who are God’s people by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we should be known for being His temple today.  

Verse fifteen says, Whereas thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.  God said that they had been forsaken and hated and no one wanted to come through them to get to God, but He was going to make them a joy to many generations.  As followers of Christ, at times we may be despised and hated, but if someone comes to Jesus Christ for salvation, then they will see that we have everlasting excellency because of His sacrifice for us on the cross.  It is the excellency of Jesus Christ that we should reflect to the world and not our own excellency because of who we are or anything that we have done. 

Verse sixteen adds, 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.   God said they would be as precious to the world as a baby.  Just as a mother provides food for a baby, people around Jerusalem were going to tenderly provide for the needs of the people of Israel.  This was to be done so that people would know that their God was the only God, Who was also their Savior and Redeemer. People of the world do not often treat us with kindness today, but we are still called on to reach out to them with the gospel.  Jesus Christ is still the only Savior and Redeemer, just as He was, has been and always will be.

Isaiah 60:1

Isaiah 60:1 says, Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. This chapter is a part of the covenant of God with the people of Israel, or even with all who will come to Him in repentance by faith.  This includes the church today, which is made up of all born again believers.  Isaiah called on the people to arise and shine, not because of their goodness but because God had redeemed them by His mercy.  They weren’t to shine the light on themselves but were to shine by the Light of God.  We should never attempt to make ourselves the object of importance in our relationship with God, but we should always let the Light of God shine through us and on Him. 

Verse two adds, 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.  Isaiah said that the world was filled with spiritual darkness, but that God was going to arise upon them, and His glory would be seen, or shine, through them.  This was done when Jesus Christ came to die for our sins and be the Light of the world. We as followers of Christ are not the Light of the world, but in the darkness of the world, we are to shine the Light to God, Jesus Christ, on the sinful world.  We need to always reflect His Light to the world. 

Verse three continues, And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.  This Light would not be limited to the Jews but would shine on the Gentiles as well.  Since the Jews believed that anyone who was not a Jew was a Gentile, this means that God’s light was to shine on all the world.  God never limited His saving grace to the Jews, and He doesn’t limit it to certain groups of people today.  We as Christians should never believe that we are superior to anyone else because God loves us more than other groups of people.  Jesus Christ died for the sins of our enemies just as surely as He died for our friends and us. 

Verse four states, 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.  Isaiah said the people of Israel needed to lift up their eyes and see what was happening.  I believe that the people of Israel had been feeling downcast, but Isaiah said God now expected them to look up in faith and see the great numbers of people who were coming to put their faith in Him.  Men and women, boys and girls, were coming from afar off to put their faith in and worship God.  We as Christians need to lift our eyes up in faith and see the fields white with harvest today and spread the gospel to the lost everywhere. 

Verse five adds, 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.  Isaiah said when they began to look around in faith, that the Jews would see great multitudes of Gentiles coming to God, and that their hearts would be enlarged because of this.  As Christians, our hearts should be enlarged with love for those whom God has shined His Light on and who have come to live in that Light.  We should never be upset because we don’t believe that some people deserve to be saved are saved, because we ourselves don’t deserve to be saved either.  Our salvation should shine the light on God’s grace. 

Verse six continues, 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.  Isaiah said that people were coming from afar with camels and dromedaries bearing gifts to God.  Even if they cannot bring valuable worldly gifts to God, anyone who becomes a part of God’s family by faith enriches the kingdom of God.  All who come are called for a purpose after they come, and when they fulfill that purpose, the whole body of Christ is enriched. 

Verse seven says, 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.  Isaiah continued speaking about the Gentiles coming from afar, saying they would bring gifts that would be acceptable to God on His altar.  The Jews had very strict laws about what was an acceptable offering, and in Jesus’s day, they were even making money from selling what they proclaimed to be acceptable offerings.  We should always bring our tithes and offerings to God and not be concerned with what other Christians give or don’t give.  The only acceptable gift that we must first give to God is our life by accepting His gift of salvation.  Since God gives us the right of freewill and the ability to say no to His gift of salvation, this is the only thing that He does not own.  So, in order for us to enjoy the gift of salvation, we must give our life to God.  He will never force us to become a part of His kingdom. 

Verse eight adds, Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?  I believe this was a rhetorical question, or maybe one that the Jews might be asking, since God knew who they were.  Gentiles were flocking or flying to put their faith in God.  It would be nice if people were flocking to the church today, but that is not the case.  Still, we need to reach out to all people with the gospel and gladly accept those who respond.