Isaiah 60 · The Lantern

Rise thou, Jerusalem, be thou liytned, for thi liyt is comun, and the glorie of the Lord is risun on thee.

But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

[Christ] made our poverty his own, and we see in Christ the strange and rare paradox of lordship in servant's form and divine glory in human abasement. That which was under the yoke in terms of the limitations of manhood was crowned with royal dignities, and that which was humble was raised to the most supreme excellence.

Arise, be enlightened. Here he begins to set out the promise of salvation. And first, as to prosperity; second, as to joyfulness: the spirit of the Lord (ch. 61); third, as to the honor of glory: for Zion's sake (ch. 62). Concerning the first, he does two things.

For lo! derknessis schulen hile the erthe, and myist schal hile puplis; but the Lord schal rise on thee, and his glorie schal be seyn in thee.

And hethene men schulen go in thi liyt, and kyngis `schulen go in the schynyng of thi risyng.

It is the church whose children shall come to it with all speed after the resurrection, running to it from all quarters. [The church] rejoices, receiving the light that never goes down and clothed with the brightness of the Word as with a robe.

Prophecy did not lie, then, when it said, "Kings shall walk in thy light." They shall walk openly, and especially Gratian and Theodosius before other princes, no longer protected by the weapons of their soldiers but by their own merits; clothed not in purple garments but in the mantle of glory. In this world they took delight in pardoning many.

And he sets out the effect of the light: and the Gentiles shall walk, to knowledge of and devotion to God, seeing the benefits given to you by God; in the brightness of your rising, like the sunrise, glowing like a star: when the holy city (2 Macc 3:1). Or in your light, in the faith of Christ: the nations shall walk in the light of it (Rev 21:24).

Reise thin iyen in cumpas, and se; alle these men ben gaderid togidere, thei ben comun to thee; thi sones schulen come fro fer, and thi douytris schulen rise fro the side.

Thanne thou schalt se, and schalt flowe; and thin herte schal wondre, and schal be alargid, whanne the multitude of the see is conuertid to thee, the strengthe of hethene men is comun to thee;

(Verse 5) Then you will see, and you will be wealthy, and your heart will be amazed and expanded: when the multitude of the sea turns to you, the strength of the nations will come to you. LXX: Then you will see, and you will be afraid, and you will be astonished in your heart: for the riches of the sea and the nations and the peoples will be transferred to you.

"Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow": in contemplation, there is admiration, expansion, a transference and restoration of one's self.

Second, as to the servitude of the peoples: then shall you see; when the multitude of the sea, namely, the traders of the sea, shall be converted to you, serving you in commerce; the strength, kings and princes, providing peace and tribute to you. Or, this refers to the conversion of the gentiles to the Church: then shall you abound in delights in the Almighty (Job 22:26).

the flowyng of camels schal hile thee, the lederis of dromedis of Madian and of Effa; alle men of Saba schulen come, bryngynge gold and encense, and tellynge heriyng to the Lord.

(Verse 6, 7) The flood of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah. All those from Sheba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praise of the Lord. All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall be offered on my acceptable altar, and I will glorify the house of my majesty.

Third, as to abundance of riches. And first, as to merchandise, he sets out beasts of burden: the flood, that is, an abundance like a flood of water, of camels, on which merchandise was carried; which signifies, mystically, the rich, turned to faith, who carry the burden of riches and the hump of sin, above: they carry their riches upon the shoulders of beasts (Isa 30:6); drome…

Ech scheep of Cedar schal be gaderid to thee, the rammes of Nabaioth schulen mynystre to thee; thei schulen be offrid on myn acceptable auter, and Y schal glorifie the hous of my maieste.

Who ben these, that fleen as cloudis, and as culueris at her wyndowis?

Thus, typically, under the leadership of the Law (for Moses was a type of the Law that was coming) Israel passes unwetted over that sea, while the Egyptian who crosses in her track is overwhelmed. Each fares according to the disposition which he carries with him; one walks lightly enough, the other is dragged into the deep water.

And what is more, they (Ethiopians, Midianites, Arabians) are also in the habit of offering these beasts as presents to the God of the universe, some, in gaining closeness to some apostle, offer them as gifts; others, in approaching a martyr, look for his intercession to reconcile themselves to God and lead [their beasts] by way of firstfruits of offerings that they have promis…

Who are these? Here he shows the manner in which they will come into this prosperity. And first, as to the restoration of the city; second, as to the subjection of foreign peoples: and the children of them that afflict you, shall come bowing down to you (Isa 60:14); third, as to the multiplication of riches: for brass I will bring gold (Isa 60:17).

Forsothe ilis abiden me, and the schippis of the see in the bigynnyng; that Y brynge thi sones fro fer, the siluer of hem, and the gold of hem is with hem, to the name of thi Lord God, and to the hooli of Israel; for he schal glorifie thee.

It is possible to contemplate the fulfillment of the divine word when one sees, in consequence of the conversion of the nations, such souls dedicating themselves to the message of godliness and being diligently busy in the ministry of the altar of God. It is then especially on account of the conversion of such souls and their salvation that the church of God receives glory.

He calls the ships "from Tharsis," those that come from Tharsis in India, which is situated in the far east and puts us in mind of Jonah. These will come to Jerusalem not for its sake but for God, who wished to ratify the promise made to the ancestors through his great mercy.

And he sets out the help in coming, which they had from the gentiles: the islands, the various nations by the sea, and even far off, wait for me, as though subject to the choice of my will; the ships of the sea from the beginning of the place in which they were held captive, for perhaps some returned through the sea, or the Lord was able to lead them back thus.

And the sones of pilgrymes schulen bilde thi wallis, and the kyngis of hem schulen mynystre to thee. For Y smoot thee in myn indignacioun, and in my recounselyng Y hadde merci on thee.

(Verse 10 and following) And the sons of strangers will build your walls, and their kings will serve you. In my indignation I struck you, but in my mercy I have shown you compassion; and your gates will always be open, never closed day or night, so that the strength of the nations may come to you and their kings may be brought.

Cyrus ordained the reconstruction of Jerusalem, but the work remained unfinished. Under Darius, the son of Hystapis, only the temple of God was reconstructed. Under Artaxerxes the Long-armed, Nehemiah—who was not a stranger but a Jew—was engaged in the reconstruction of the walls.

Second, he sets out the restoration of the city as to the building of walls: and the children of strangers; and first, as to the structures of the city; second, as to the structures of the temple: the glory of Libanus (Isa 60:13). Concerning the first, he does two things.

And thi yatis schulen be openyd contynueli, day and niyt tho schulen not be closid; that the strengthe of hethene men be brouyt to thee, and the kyngis of hem be brouyt.

For whi the folk and rewme that serueth not thee, schal perische, and hethene men schulen be distried bi wildirnesse.

The glorie of the Liban schal come to thee, a fir tre, and box tre, and pyne appil tre togidere, to ourne the place of myn halewyng; and Y schal glorifie the place of my feet.

(Verses 13, 14.) The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the cypress, the fir tree, and the pine tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet. The descendants of those who oppressed you will come to you bent low, and all who spoke against you will bow down at your feet and call you the city of the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

Scripture likes to compare the multitude of the saints with trees of this kind.… Paul calls us in one place "the plantation of God." Some interpreters say that Scripture calls the nations Lebanon (just as Carmel can mean Jerusalem, though it is a mountain in Samaria) on the grounds that it comes from another race.

The glory of Libanus. Here he sets out the rebuilding of the structures of the temple: the glory of Libanus, which is the fir tree, and the box tree, and the pine tree; to beautify the place, namely, the temple, of my feet, in which adoration is given to me, as is given to kings at their feet: the place of my throne, and the place of the soles of my feet (Ezek 43:7).

And the sones of hem that maden thee lowe, schulen come lowe to thee, and alle that bacbitiden thee, schulen worschipe the steppis of thi feet; and schulen clepe thee A citee of the Lord of Sion, of the hooli of Israel.

For that that thou were forsakun, and hatid, and noon was that passide bi thee, Y schal sette thee in to pryde of worldis, ioie in generacioun and in to generacioun.

(Verse 15, 16.) Because you were abandoned and hated, with no one to pass by, I will make you a pride for all generations, a joy from generation to generation. You will suck the milk of the nations and nurse at the breast of kings. And you will know that I am the Lord, your Savior and strong Redeemer, Jacob.

Those who are strangers to godliness are said to be cut off and hated and to have no help. But those from the wild olive branch come to take their place and are made to be joined into one people out of each. And in the Savior's power there is made the full number of those being saved, the one city out of both tribes that is called Zion, and to it is the following promise made.

Second, he sets out the reason for their subjection: because you were forsaken, it is just that you should be comforted after your distress; into the pride, height, of ages, through many ages. This also mystically befits the Church; after a storm you make a calm (Tob 3:22).

And thou schalt souke the mylke of folkis, and thou schalt be soclid with the tete of kyngis; and thou schalt wite that Y am the Lord, sauynge thee, and thin ayen biere, the stronge of Jacob.

For bras Y schal brynge gold, and for irun Y schal brynge siluer; and bras for trees, and yrun for stoonys; and Y schal sette thi visitacioun pees, and thi prelatis riytfulnesse.

The apostles received the gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus the Christ was sent forth from God. So then Christ is from God and the apostles are from Christ. Both, therefore, came of the will of God in good order.

(Vers. 17 seqq.) I will bring gold instead of bronze, and silver instead of iron, and bronze instead of wood, and iron instead of stones; and I will appoint peace as your overseer, and justice as your ruler. No more shall iniquity be heard in your land, devastation and destruction within your borders; but your walls shall be called Salvation, and your gates Praise.

For brass. Here he sets out the manner of restoration as to the restoration of riches: for much greater things will be offered to the temple by kings than what would be taken by Nabuchodonosor.

Wickidnesse schal no more be herd in thi lond, nether distriyng and defoulyng in thi coostis; and helthe schal ocupie thi wallis, and heriyng schal ocupie thi yatis.

Some give the definition that a city is an established community, administered according to law. And the definition that has been handed down of the city is in harmony with the celestial city, Jerusalem above.

Everyone will see a truer fulfillment of these promises in the future life. That life is free from all injustice. That life is adorned with the highest justice. That life is in truth without sorrow and exempt from troubles. However, one also finds, as it were, a prefigurement of a similar state of affairs even now in the church of God.

And he also sets out the effect of justice as to the absence of wickedness: iniquity shall no more be heard in your land, because for some time the laws will be well observed (2 Macc 3:1); or iniquity, of idolatry. Mystically, this refers to the state of future beatitude: as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our iniquities from us (Ps 102[103]:12).

The sunne schal no more be to thee for to schyne bi dai, nether the briytnesse of the moone schal liytne thee; but the Lord schal be in to euerlastynge liyt to thee, and thi God schal be in to thi glorie.

We must keep in mind, however, that the Word promises to the righteous through the mouth of Isaiah that days will come when not the sun but the Lord will be to them an everlasting light, and God will be their glory.

This is exactly what the future life possesses. It will need neither moon nor sun, since it has the ineffable light of God. But those who believe can take advantage of it in a provisional form. Nevertheless, in a figurative sense, believers enjoy this light even now.

This also pertains mystically to the state of future beatitude, when, although the sun may be much brighter than it is now and the moon also, nevertheless, not for the saints, for they have no need of their brightness: and the city has no need of the sun, nor of the moon, to shine in it. For the glory of God has enlightened it: and the lamb is the lamp thereof (Rev 21:23).

Thi sunne schal no more go doun, and thi moone schal not be decreessid; for the Lord schal be in to euerlastynge liyt to thee, and the daies of thi mourenyng schulen be fillid.

Forsothe thi puple alle iust men, withouten ende schulen enherite the lond, the seed of my plauntyng, the werk of myn hond for to be glorified.

(Vers. 21, 22.) But your people, all the righteous, will inherit the land forever, the offspring of my planting: the work of my hands for glorification. The least will become a thousand, and the smallest will become a mighty nation. I, the Lord, will do this suddenly in its time.

From the various translations and the Septuagint we find that the author of these words, and so to speak, the gardener, is the God of the universe. For it is he who has planted his church. It is he who watches over it now. It is he who has made it grow and he who receives the glory that proceeds from it.

Second, he sets out the observance of justice: and your people shall be all just; to glorify me, above: every one that calls upon my name, I have created him for my glory (Isa 43:7). They shall inherit the land for ever, as long as they remain in justice; but mystically, this clearly refers to the blessed saints.

The leeste schal be in to a thousynde, and a litil man schal be in to a ful stronge folk. Y, the Lord, schal make this thing sudenli, in the tyme therof.

Isaiah60