Isaiah 60:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Instead of honoring the Creator, they had worshiped creations, granting reverence to trees and stones. Yet now, because the Gentiles have been enlightened by the light bestowed upon you, they too, as he states, will walk confidently in a noble path, unimpeded by obstacles, as if they are in broad daylight, and despite being children of night and darkness, they will triumph over all temptations.

We have previously elaborated on what is understood by the restoration of Zion and Jerusalem and what has been promised to it through prophetic declarations. As noted at the conclusion of the preceding book, it is written that the Redeemer of Zion will come, and of those who turn from iniquity in Jacob (Isaiah 59:20). We must also briefly consider the views of many who, having reflected on misconceptions, can more easily grasp the truth.

Some Jews and our fellow believers who hold similar views expect Jerusalem to be adorned with gold and precious stones from heaven. They believe this will occur during the millennial reign when all nations will serve Israel, and the camels of Midian and Ephah, coming from Sheba, shall bring gold and frankincense, with the flocks of Kedar gathered and the sheep of Nebaioth offered on the altar of the temple that will be built. Furthermore, they assert that ships from afar, particularly from Tarshish, shall bring their daughters like doves, laden with wealth. They predict that the walls of Jerusalem will be rebuilt by foreigners under non-Jewish rulers, and the gates shall always be open, allowing for continuous offerings and the influx of riches.

The deserts shall be transformed with cypress, pine, and cedar cut from Lebanon, particularly for the temple of the Lord, where eternal joy will abound. Here, the wealth of nations will be enjoyed, so that instead of brass there will be gold, instead of iron-silver, instead of wood-bronze, and instead of stones-iron. Not only will the rulers experience everlasting peace and oversee the nations in righteousness, but the gates will be beautifully adorned. Most importantly, instead of the sun and the moon, the Lord Himself will radiate with everlasting light, possessing great strength rather than merely a few individuals.

Such views are held by those who seek worldly pleasures and desire abundance in their lives, for whom God serves as their materialistic appetite, and whose pride lies in shame (Philippians 3). Others argue that these promises are literally made to the Jewish people, conditioned upon their acceptance of Him who proclaims in the Gospel, ‘I am the light of the world’ (John 8:12), the One who illuminates every person who comes into the world. Just as sacrifices were permitted for Israel, not because they were inherently good, but to prevent offerings to demons, so the Lord promises blessings to the Jews who indulge in carnal desires. However, since they did not accept Him, these promises remain unfulfilled.

Therefore, He responded to the Canaanite woman who pleaded for her daughter, stating, I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 15:24). Similarly, He instructed His disciples, ‘Do not go to the Gentiles, and do not enter a Samaritan town; go rather to the lost sheep of Israel’ (Matthew 10:5-6). For this reason, the apostles preached initially in the synagogues, and when they were not received, they declared, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you; since you reject it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles’ (Acts 13:46).

Light had come into the world, yet the people loved darkness rather than light. Thus, the Lord, lamenting over Jerusalem, expressed, ‘If you had only known on this day what would bring you peace’ (Luke 19:42). Since Jerusalem did not accept His peace, He prophesied impending destruction, saying, ‘The days will come upon you when your enemies will set up barricades around you and surround you and hem you in on every side; they will crush you to the ground’ (Luke 19:43-44).

We believe that this message is directed towards the Church, which was initially gathered from among the Gentiles. The light that has dawned upon it through the apostles has also been shared with the Gentiles. To her, it is stated, Arise, shine; having once fallen among the unbelievers, she is to rise among the faithful, having fallen within the synagogues, to rise in the churches and shine brightly, that they may find truth. For your light has come, as indicated by the prophecies you have awaited, and the glory of the Lord, once manifest in the tabernacle and the temple, now shines upon you.

Indeed, darkness will envelop the earth—those wise in worldly affairs—and darkness upon the nations, or as the Hebrew conveys, tribes, which can refer to the Israelites themselves. The Lord, the sun of righteousness, shall rise upon you, and His glory will be evident, as it is written, ‘And we have seen His glory, the glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth’ (John 1:14). The nations shall walk in your light; we shall follow the light of the apostles, which shines in the world and has not been overcome by darkness.

And kings, he states, shall come to your light at the brightness of your rising, when you are reborn in Christ. This is both a spiritual and a physical truth—those kings, whose hearts are guided by the Lord and who live not under the dominance of sin, shall walk in the brilliance of the Church or in Him who has ascended in the Church. This is evident as we witness, even today, the Roman officials turning from the error of idolatry and persecution to embrace faith in Christ.

There are some who claim that these events began partially to unfold following the first coming of the Savior and will continue until the end of time, culminating in the future when the full inclusion of the Gentiles leads to the salvation of all Israel (Romans 11:25). Their viewpoint should not be dismissed; however, it is crucial to recognize that this will unfold spiritually rather than physically. The references to Jerusalem and the nations, noted by the Seventy, do not appear in the Hebrew text and should be marked in front with a notation, countering those who insist all these words pertain directly to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, as the focal point of true reverence for God, will be sanctified for all peoples, and even the kings of the nations will ‘walk by the light of Jerusalem,’ meaning they will be enlightened by the light of authentic faith and led by it in their lives. This prophecy saw partial fulfillment during the era of the Old Testament Church, particularly after the Babylonian exile, when many Gentiles turned to Jerusalem and embraced Judaism, with notable pagan rulers such as Cyrus and Artaxerxes showing favor towards the Jews and acknowledging the greatness of the God of Israel. Nevertheless, the prophecy concerning the illumination by the light of true faith reached its fullest expression during the New Testament times, when Christ emerged as the focal point of hope not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. During this period, Jerusalem became the epicenter from which the light of the Gospel began to shine across the earth, leading earthly rulers like Constantine the Great and other Christian monarchs to embrace Christ and support His Church.