Arise, Your Light Has Come
Darkness still covers the earth, but light has risen on one city, and the traffic reverses: sons carried home, camels from Sheba, foreigners rebuilding walls they tore down. Gates never close. The sun becomes unnecessary, since our Father is light that does not set.
60 1Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of our Father has risen upon you. 2For darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but our Father will rise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you. 3Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawning.
4Lift up your eyes all around and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons come from far away, and your daughters are carried on the hip. 5Then you will see and be radiant; your heart will throb and swell, because the abundance of the sea will turn toward you, the wealth of the nations will come to you. 6A multitude of camels will cover you, the young camels of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba will come, bearing gold and frankincense, and they will proclaim the praises of our Father.
7All the flocks of Kedar will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will minister to you; they will be offered on my altar and accepted, and I will glorify my glorious house.
8Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like doves to their windows? 9Surely the coastlands wait for me, the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from far away, with their silver and gold, for the name of your Father, the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified you.
10Foreigners will build up your walls, and their kings will serve you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor my heart was moved with compassion for you. 11Your gates will stand open continually; day and night they will not be shut, so that the wealth of the nations may be brought to you, with their kings led in procession. 12For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you will perish; those nations will be utterly laid waste.
13The glory of Lebanon will come to you—the cypress, the plane, and the pine together—to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will glorify the place of my feet. 14The children of those who oppressed you will come bowing before you; all who despised you will bow down at your feet. They will call you the City of our Father, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15Though you have been forsaken and hated, with no one passing through, I will make you an everlasting pride, a joy from generation to generation. 16You will drink the milk of nations, and nurse at the breast of kings; and you will know that I, your Father, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob—your Father. 17Instead of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. I will make peace your governor and righteousness your taskmaster. 18Violence will no longer be heard in your land, nor ruin and destruction within your borders; but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
19The sun will no longer be your light by day, nor will the moon give you its light; but our Father will be your everlasting light, and your Father your glory. a a v19 Revelation echoes this promise: the new Jerusalem has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of our Father is its light, and Jesus the Lamb is its lamp (Rev 21:23). 20Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not wane; for our Father will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be ended. 21Your people will all be righteous; they will possess the land forever—the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. 22The least one will become 1,000, and the smallest a mighty nation. I am your Father; when the time is right, I will make it happen quickly.
