LHC Midday Word: The Book of ISAIAH

The glory of Zion

‘Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

See, darkness covers the earth

and thick darkness is over the peoples,

but the Lord rises upon you

and his glory appears over you.

Nations will come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

‘Lift up your eyes and look about you:

all assemble and come to you;

your sons come from afar,

and your daughters are carried on the hip.

Then you will look and be radiant,

your heart will throb and swell with joy;

the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,

to you the riches of the nations will come.

Herds of camels will cover your land,

young camels of Midian and Ephah.

And all from Sheba will come,

bearing gold and incense

and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you,

the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;

they will be accepted as offerings on my altar,

and I will adorn my glorious temple.

‘Who are these that fly along like clouds,

like doves to their nests?

Surely the islands look to me;

in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,

bringing your children from afar,

with their silver and gold,

to the honour of the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

for he has endowed you with splendour.

‘Foreigners will rebuild your walls,

and their kings will serve you.

Though in anger I struck you,

in favour I will show you compassion.

Your gates will always stand open,

they will never be shut, day or night,

so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations –

their kings led in triumphal procession.

For the nation or kingdom

that will not serve you will perish;

it will be utterly ruined.

‘The glory of Lebanon will come to you,

the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,

to adorn my sanctuary;

and I will glorify the place for my feet.

The children of your oppressors

will come bowing before you;

all who despise you will bow down at your feet

and will call you the City of the Lord,

Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

‘Although you have been forsaken and hated,

with no one travelling through,

I will make you the everlasting pride

and the joy of all generations.

You will drink the milk of nations

and be nursed at royal breasts.

Then you will know that I,

the Lord, am your Saviour,

your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,

and silver in place of iron.

Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,

and iron in place of stones.

I will make peace your governor

and well-being your ruler.

No longer will violence be heard in your land,

nor ruin or destruction within your borders,

but you will call your walls Salvation

and your gates Praise.

The sun will no more be your light by day,

nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,

for the Lord will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your glory.

Your sun will never set again,

and your moon will wane no more;

the Lord will be your everlasting light,

and your days of sorrow will end.

Then all your people will be righteous

and they will possess the land for ever.

They are the shoot I have planted,

the work of my hands,

for the display of my splendour.

The least of you will become a thousand,

the smallest a mighty nation.

I am the Lord;

in its time I will do this swiftly.’

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Word by Word Meditations

by Fred Ursell

Isaiah 60: “swiftly” (v.22)

Our perspective on events is often blinkered. We see nothing happening, and all too easily conclude it never will. This prophetic chapter about “Zion” (v.14) moves from “your light has come” (v.1) to a situation where “thick darkness is over the peoples” (v.2). Changes is often so gradual it seems inexistent; but with God instigating it may be dramatically sudden, “I am the LORD, in its time I will do this swiftly” (v.22). He’s a class act, in changing individuals and situations, and on his timing. Count on it, even if you can’t ‘track’ your personal package!

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READING

The Book of ISAIAH- Chapter 60

- Read by David Suchet -