As we have had the failure and guilt of Israel in idolatry and the rejection of the Messiah, traced down to their reception of “the king” as well as idols in the last days; so now we have not a pledge or promise of covenanted blessing under the Redeemer-King, but the scene of joy and blessing and honor for Zion when the hour arrives for His glory to be revealed here below. There is no ground for doubting that, as before we had the dark picture of God's earthly people, so here we are permitted to behold the sure anticipation of the brightness in store for them.
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. 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. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 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. 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. 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 show forth the praises of the Lord. 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. Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows? 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.” (Ver. 1-9.)
There is no question here of God's glory revealed in the face of Christ on high and made known by the Spirit to the heart; the earth itself is the theater of this divine display. Another point to be noticed is that, immediately before the time arrives, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples. Plainly therefore it is a false interpretation of prophecy that light is to be diffused universally when the time of earthly glory for Israel, as well as heavenly glory for the Church, dawns on the world. Zion is to be visited in the mercy of God, when the Gentile lands are enveloped in the grossest ignorance of God. (Ver. 2.)
Again, there is a point of striking contradistinction to the present dealings of God in verse 3. For now the fall of the Jews has been the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; but here all is in contrast (as indeed Rom. 11 also teaches us) that their reception shall be to the world life from the dead. So here, when Jehovah's glory shall be seen on Zion, Gentiles shall come to that light and kings to the brightness of its rising.
The gospel goes out, its light is diffused far and wide, though only as a testimony; for it admits not of the power which binds Satan and changes the face of creation. But in our chapter Jerusalem has its proper central place, as the metropolis of the earth when all shall be settled and governed according to God. (Ver. 4.) Nor is it only sons and daughters that thus come to Zion from far, but strangers too. For there is then to be no such state of things on earth as the Church of God, one body, Christ's body. On the contrary, Gentiles and Israel, though blessed by Jehovah, will be distinct and kept so, however harmonious. So too it is the day when outward things are to be no unmeet offering to the Lord: camels and dromedaries, flocks and herds, land and sea shall pour their tribute before His feet. To think of serving God thus would be to go back to beggarly elements from the revelation of heavenly and eternal things in Christ; whereas gold and incense will be in season, and sacrifices will be then acceptable for His altar and the house of His glory. But no such joy shall be for the isles and the nations and creation generally till the Holy One of Israel glorifies Zion, rescuing her from the stranger that now treads her down to her sorrow and their own loss. But He shall arise and have mercy on that royal hill, and His servants take pleasure in her stones and favor her dust. Not till then shall the heathen fear His name, and the kings of the earth His glory.
But when the Lord builds up Zion, all shall be turned. “And the sons of the strangers shall build up the walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favor have I had mercy on thee.” (Ver. 10) God will make this felt universally in due time, after punishing those who think to gain all by the overthrow of His people. “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. For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. 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. 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. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. 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 Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob. 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. 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. 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. 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.” (Ver. 11-20.)
Here is evidence overwhelming, were more wanted, that the Church on earth or in heaven is not in question, but the ancient people of God blessed according to the promise and prophecy. For righteousness dealing according to an earthly measure is the rule; and it is the day also not for an elect witness, but “thy people shall be all righteous,” and this in prosperous power, instead of knowing the fellowship of Christ's sufferings, being made conformable to His death. “They shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the Lord will hasten it in his time.” (Ver. 21, 22.)