Isaiah 60:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Your sons shall come from afar and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.” This signifies His gathering of believers from all nations and lands, drawing them with the Gospel’s divine proclamation, inviting them toward the grace of faith, which nourishes the saints—referring to the Church. Clearly, the same is affirmed in another passage: in the last days, the mountain of the Lord will be established and lifted above all hills, and many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths” (Micah 4:1-2; Isaiah 2:2-3).

The children of Jerusalem represent not only the lineage of Israel but all from every nation who respond to the call of faith and step into the light of truth, as the wise Paul notes: “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham, but in Isaac shall your seed be called” (Romans 9:6-8). God told Abraham that He would make him the father of many nations (Rom. 4:17; Gen. 17:5). Hence, as the Gentiles gather in greater numbers to worship Christ, the call to lift one’s eyes signifies the embrace of the wide expanse of the earth to witness the coming of these children from all corners, having been far removed not merely in distance but also in thought and spirit. Thus, one of the holy prophets urged those who strive to comprehend the divine nature of God: “If you are exiled from the Lord, think upon Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 51:50). Paul writes of Christ bringing the Gospel of peace to those far away and those nearby (Eph. 2:17), addressing Gentile believers, stating that before knowing Christ, they were without hope and in darkness, alienated from the covenant of promise but now brought near by the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:11-13).

Consequently, those unfamiliar with the true and living God are truly distant from Him in thought and in spirit. However, their calling will soon be realized and will not be delayed; they will approach as if drawn by the footsteps of the Gospel proclamation, coming to God in faith effortlessly and without barriers. The imagery evokes newborns who naturally seek the warmth and sustenance of their mothers. Similarly, those emerging from the errors of pagan beliefs find gentle guidance and nurture, gradually maturing until they reach fullness in Christ. Therefore, the Lord instructed His holy apostles to baptize all nations in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He commanded (Matthew 28:20). In their desire to fulfill this directive, the apostles, guided by wisdom, did not weigh down the believers with burdens; they communicated to the Gentile converts, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: that you abstain from blood, from things strangled, and from fornication” (Acts 15:28-29). Paul further conveyed, “I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it” (1 Corinthians 3:2). Those who are mature in faith partake of solid nourishment, their senses trained through practice to discern between good and evil (Heb. 5:14). Hence, it is said, your sons and daughters shall rise up and ascend in joy. You shall see and be in awe and trepidation. As the divine Habakkuk expressed, “O Lord, I have heard Your report, and I was afraid” (Hebrews 3:1). We may echo this sentiment when unexpected events unfold, eliciting our astonishment; the gathering of wealth and peoples shall be directed toward you, indicating that many Gentiles will come to the knowledge of truth.

The land of the Jews lies at the southern edge of the world, while the north and sea regions are occupied by Gentile nations. Yet, as the Gentiles have repudiated their former errors and turned toward the one true God through the messengers of Christ’s Gospel, He foretells of riches being transferred to the Church. The vast resources once held by the cities along the sea now symbolize those drawn into the faith. “The multitude of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah shall come to you.” Midianites and Ephah are neighboring nations long regarded as pagan and idolatrous; nonetheless, these words assure that they too will be called and bear fruit for God, arriving not in isolation but in great numbers, bringing their offerings to honor God. “All they from Sheba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.” Sheba lies across from the land of the Arabs near the Red Sea and was once visited by the Queen of Sheba during Solomon’s reign (1 Kings 10:1-13). This region is abundant with precious materials, and thus they will come bearing gifts to glorify God—representing the fruits of good works, moral purity, and spiritual wealth. Many Gentiles, endowed with wisdom and a keen understanding of faith, shall receive the honor of teachers, spreading the message of salvation and grace through Christ, the Savior of all, ultimately receiving the crown of glory.

The flock of Kedar and the goats of Nabeoth shall come to you, ascending with delight to My altar. These nations, known for their ample pasturelands yet steeped in idolatry, will also present sheep and lambs, all pleasing in My sight. Although the Mosaic law forbade foreign nations from offering sacrifices—and had they attempted, it would not have been accepted—now God declares that these offerings are worthy of His holy altars. In Christ Jesus, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, but all are one in Him (Galatians 3:28). Two peoples have been united in Him, for He has broken down the wall of separation, nullifying the regulations of the old covenant (Eph. 2:15). Thus, the sacrifices of all who approach God through faith in Christ are made acceptable, and God's house is exalted. It is essential to note the significance of this; the Church is described not merely as a place of sacrifice and ritual smoke, as was the temple in Jerusalem, but as a house of prayer—an embodiment of spiritual devotion. The divine David articulated this beautifully, “Let my prayer be like incense before You, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (Psalm 140:2). Jesus Himself referenced this verse, rebuking those who profaned the Temple, declaring, “My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have made it a den of thieves” (Matthew 21:13). The Temple's glorification came when it fulfilled its purpose as a house of prayer.

Midian and Ephah are lands located on the far side of Arabia, rich in camels, collectively referred to as Sheba, from which came the Queen of Sheba to inquire about Solomon’s wisdom, bringing gold and frankincense, contributing greatly to the reign of the peaceful king, and receiving abundantly from him in return. Kedar represents the land of the Saracens, identified in the Scriptures as Ishmaelites. Nabaioth was one of the sons of Ishmael, and his name is associated with the desert, which is barren in produce yet abundant in livestock. Hence, the conversion of the whole world is foreshadowed through the neighboring foreign nations’ names. Here, Midian symbolizes wickedness, Ephah represents something spilled out or denied, Sheba indicates conversion or captivity, Kedar signifies darkness, and Nabaioth embodies prophecy. Thus, these herds of camels, freed from the shackles of wickedness, who pour forth their souls before God, will envelop Jerusalem with their offerings, emerging from captivity and conversion, carrying the gold of faith and the incense of sacrifice. Through these gifts, they will be so filled with grace that they will also proclaim the salvation of God to others.

The rich man in the Gospel, laden with wealth likened to a camel, refused to heed the Lord’s counsel and be released from his burdens, which would allow him to soar heavenward like a dove. Concerning this type of camel, the Savior remarked, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 19:24). He highlighted the difficulty of the situation but did not declare it impossible. Thus, your mother Paul and your esteemed brother Pammachios successfully navigated through the eye of the needle, symbolizing the narrow path leading to life that leads into the kingdom of heaven, abandoning the broad, heavy-laden path that leads to destruction. They offered all they had as gifts to the Lord, fulfilling the scripture, ‘The ransom of a man's life is his riches’ (Proverbs 13:8). For what seems impossible for humanity is feasible for God (Matthew 19). Those whose gifts express primacy, whose thoughts encompass gold and fragrant incense, and who pray, Let my prayer be as sweet incense before You (Psalm 140:2), affirming, We are the aroma of Christ everywhere (2 Corinthians 2:15), daily showcase through their virtuous examples the salvation of the Lord, gathering all the sheep of Kedar into the church from the shadows of error into the light. The sheep of the prophets, as stated in the twenty-eighth psalm, ‘Bring to the Lord, O ye sons of God, bring to the Lord the sons of sheep’ (Psalm 28:1), came and presented themselves, or according to Theodotion, offered themselves as pleasing sacrifices to the Lord, so that the Church of Christ may be exalted.

Regarding these sheep, the Savior instructed His disciples: Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Matthew 10:6), and again: My sheep hear My voice (John 10), further stating in Ezekiel: Behold, I will gather My sheep, and I will tend them as a shepherd tends his flock. Thus says the Lord: I will seek the lost, I will bring back the strays, I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak (Ezekiel 34:11-12, Ezekiel 34:16). To clarify who these sheep are, He reiterates plainly, And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, and these are My people, the house of Israel, says the Lord Adonai. But you are My sheep, the sheep of My pasture, and I am your God (Ezekiel 34:30-31). Therefore, if anyone among the nations possesses great wealth, let him be saved like a camel, not without offerings and gifts, that he may proclaim the word of the Lord. If any individual embodies the simplicity of sheep and the strength of rams, let him ascend or be presented upon the altar of the Lord, as those who exceed them in strength, that His house may be glorified.

What is noted in Hebrew, ‘The sheep of Nabaioth shall serve you and be offered on My pleasing altar,’ refers to those who, chosen from among the Gentiles, are appointed as ministers of the Savior. Should anyone engage in debate, insisting that this is meant literally, we respond, We have no such custom, nor do we permit such assertions in the church of God (1 Corinthians 11:16). We affirm that even if it is promised to the Jews in a straightforward manner, it carries the condition that they accept their light sent to them. Hence, if they, entrapped by gold, wealth, and other material desires that have always ensnared them, reject the Son of God, their legacy faces destruction. Conversely, the spiritual inheritance is granted to those who have embraced Him.