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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Isaiah 61:5

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And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.

5. the sons of the alien ] Render with R.V. aliens (as ch. Isa 56:3).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

5, 6. Israel’s priesthood among the nations, and the services rendered to it by the latter. The meaning of course is not that all Israelites shall minister in the Temple or that a separate sacerdotal order shall not exist (see on the contrary ch. Isa 66:21) but simply that in relation to the Gentiles, Israel shall enjoy a position of privilege analogous to the relation between priests and laymen. The fundamental idea of priesthood in the O.T. being the right of approach to God, this idea is conceived as realised in a system which may be likened to a series of concentric circles, priests, Levites, ordinary Israelites, Gentiles, each grade standing nearer to God than the next. It was Israel’s calling to be a “kingdom of priests” (Exo 19:6), and in the latter days this destiny will be fulfilled in their mediatorial relation to the outer world. Although prophecy in general accords a position of supremacy to Israelites in the future kingdom of God, the distinction is perhaps nowhere so definitely formulated as here.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

And strangers shall stand – (See the notes at Isa 14:1-2; Isa 60:10).

And feed your flocks – The keeping of flocks constituted a very considerable part of the husbandry of those who dwelt in Palestine. Of course, any considerable prosperity of a spiritual nature would be well represented by an accession of foreigners, who should come to relieve them in their toil. It is not necessary to suppose that this is to be taken literally, nor that it should be so spiritualized as to suppose that the prophet refers to churches and their pastors, and to the fact, that those churches would be put under the care of pastors from among the pagan. The idea is, that it would be a time of signal spiritual prosperity, and when the accession would be as great and important as if foreigners were to come in among a people, and take the whole labor of attending their flocks and cultivating their fields.

Your plowmen – Hebrew, ‘ikkar, from which probably is derived the Greek agros; the Gothic akr; the German acker; and the English acre. It means properly a digger or cultivator of the soil, or farmer Jer 51:26; Amo 5:16.

And vine-dressers – The sense here accords with that which has been so repeatedly said before, that the pagan world would yet become tributary to the church (see the notes at Isa 9:5-7, Isa 9:9-10).

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 5. Strangers shall – feed your flocks] Gentiles shall first preach to you the salvation of Christ, and feed with Divine knowledge the Jewish congregations.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Strangers, viz. Gentiles, such as are not of, the natural race of the Jews, but Gentile converts. Or such as shall have no more than an outward profession, strangers to tho true work of grace.

Shall stand; ready to be at thy service; a like expression Isa 48:13.

Feed your flocks, the churches, with, the word of God. The sons of the alien; the same with strangers, or their successors.

Shall be your ploughmen and your vine-dressers: as the words describe the prosperous estate of the Jews, the meaning of them is, that they should be in such a flourishing and prosperous condition, that without their own labour they should have all inferior offices executed, either by slaves taken in war, or by persons hired for reward, which they should have riches and wealth enough to accomplish; but as they principally relate to the spiritual state of the church, so probably by strangers we may understand converted Gentiles, with their successors, meant by the

sons of aliens, which should be ready to discharge all offices for the advantage of the church, feeding the flocks, viz. the churches of Christ, with the word of God, and should manage the whole work of Gods spiritual husbandry therein: see 1Co 3:6-9. Or by strangers may be meant members of the church only by an outward profession, even they shall be some way serviceable to her in ordinary and inferior matters: The earth shall help the woman, Rev 12:16.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

5. standshall wait on you asservants (Isa 14:1; Isa 14:2;Isa 60:10).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,…. The several congregated churches of Christ, which shall be set among them, compared to flocks of sheep, as they often are; and which shall be fed with knowledge and understanding, with the words of faith and sound doctrine, by pastors of the Gentile race; who shall be raised up by Christ, and shall freely, and faithfully, and constantly perform the office they are called unto; see Ac 20:28:

and the sons of the alien shall be your ploughmen, and your vinedressers: the sons of Gentiles, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, Eph 2:12, but now being converted and brought to the knowledge of Christ, and gifted by him, will be of eminent service in his church; which, as it is “God’s husbandry”, 1Co 3:9 shall be filled and cultivated by them; the fallow ground of men’s hearts shall be ploughed up by them, with the plough of the Gospel the Lord succeeding their labours; and the seed of the word sown in them, which, by the blessing of God, shall take root, spring up, and bring forth fruit. And whereas the church of God is compared to a vineyard, and particular churches of Christ to vines; such men as are called by grace from among the Gentiles, and have received gifts from Christ, shall be the keepers and dressers of these vines, plant, and prune, and water them, and do everything requisite unto them; see So 2:15.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

5. And strangers shall stand. He means that foreigners and strangers shall be ready to yield obedience to them; for, in consequence of their being at that time separated from the rest of the nations, none was willing to assist them, and therefore he says that “strangers stand;“ that is, are ready to meet and assist them. As to what follows, about “feeding sheep” and “cultivating fields and vines,” these are metaphorical expressions; for the Prophet treats of the kingdom of Christ, which is spiritual, but by means of these figures describes its perfect happiness, that we may understand it better from examples drawn from those things which are known to us. Let us therefore understand that we shall be truly happy when Christ shall exercise his dominion over us; for in this way shall we likewise obtain, beyond expectation, many advantages of which the children of Adam are justly deprived.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

2. FORTUNE

TEXT: Isa. 61:5-7

And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowman and your vinedressers.

But ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them.

QUERIES

Why emphasize so much the subjugation of foreigners?

Why promise that New Zions citizens would be priests?

PARAPHRASE

Amazing but true, many of those who are now your enemies, alienated against you, will, in the days of the messianic Jubilee, become subjects of the. New Kingdom of Zion and join with you in service to Jehovah. All of you together will be anointed as priests and ministers of Jehovah. Those former enemies who become members of New Zion will be the most precious thing their nations have and they will aid in the ongoing of Zion and their coming will bring fame and honor and blessing to you. The fact that Jehovah will conquer and make citizens of Zion of those who once opposed and mocked Him will replace whatever shame you once knew with twice as much glory and honor and blessing. And Zion will be glad and happy forever because of this.

COMMENTS

Isa. 61:5-6 JOINING: The Hebrew word zarim is translated strangers and means, loathed-ones, barbarians, enemies, excluded-ones. Ben-nekar is Hebrew for sons of the alien or sons of the foreigner. When the Messiah-Servant came crying aloud the time of the messianic Jubilee (the time of the Lords pleasure), those who had been excluded, alienated from covenant relationship to Jehovah were to be given an invitation to join the chosen people in serving and ministering to Him. Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth apparently closed the scroll of Isaiah before He read beyond verses one and two of this chapter. He did not read the verses now under consideration, but He implied them in His reference to the mercy shown by Jehovah to two Gentiles (Luk. 4:23-27) in the remainder of His sermon!

Pauls statement to the Gentiles in Eph. 2:11-22 is certainly the fulfillment of this. Isaiah is replete with predictions that the nations (goiym) will be included in the messianic age as Gods people (Isa. 2:1-4; Isa. 19:23-25; Isa. 25:6-12; Isa. 56:6-8; Isa. 60:10-14, etc.).

The Jewish Apocrypha (non-canonical writings) however, reflect the humanistic, materialistic interpretations of such prophecies as those of Isaiah here concerning Gods purposes for the Gentiles in the messianic age. These apocryphal writings show a liberal attitude of the Jewish mind toward the Gentiles during a time of relative freedom and peace for the Jews in the days of the Maccabeans, but an intensifying bitterness and hatred for the Gentiles as the oppression of Rome increased until the days of Jesus and the hotheaded Zealots and Sicarii eventually stirred up the rebellion and insurrection that brought about the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation in 70 A.D.

According to I Enoch Isa. 10:21, (written about 164 B.C.), all the Gentiles will become righteous and offer to God their adoration and worship. In the Sibylline Oracles III (written about 150 B.C.), the Gentiles will make their way in procession to Gods Temple there to ponder his law and supplicate the Eternal King (716ff; 725ff); from every land the Gentiles will bring frankincense and gifts to the house of the great God and in the coming messianic kingdom they will have a share in the blessings that it brings. However, in II Baruch (written after 90 A.D.), it is written: My Messiah . . . will both summon all the nations, and some of them he will spare and some of them he will slay. These things therefore will come upon the nations which are to be spared by him. Every nation which knows not Israel, and has not trodden down the seed of Jacob, shall indeed be spared. And this because some out of every nation will be subject to thy people. But all those who have ruled over you, or have known you, shall be given up to the sword (II Baruch 72:26).

But the bitterness of the Jews toward the Gentiles finds its fullest expression in Similitudes of Enoch and II Esdras (both written in the first century A.D.). They teach that all Gentiles who dwell upon the earth, at the time of the messianic age, will bring to the Elect One gifts and presents and tokens of homage; but these will be of no avail; they will be destroyed and banished from the face of the earth and will perish forever and ever. D. S. Russell says in The Method and Message of Jewish Apocalyptic, pub. Westminster, pg. 303, The bitterness . . . expressed by the writer of II Esdras against the Gentiles is to be understood against the background of persecution which the Jewish nation as a whole had to suffer, first in the time of the Seleucids and then in the time of the Romans. It reflects the troubled years following the capture of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and is in keeping with the trend in Judaism generally. From this time forward, and especially from the close of the first century A.D., the harsher view prevailed and the universalism of the earlier years was gradually replaced by that spirit which could be satisfied only with the annihilation of all the other nations of the earth.

In the light of these apocryphal views, which were undoubtedly the views of the majority of the Jews in Jesus day, we may well understand the extreme animosity generated toward Jesus when He interpreted chapter 61 of Isaiah to mean the Gentiles were to be accepted and blessed in the messianic kingdom! The traditional interpretation the people of the synagogue in Nazareth expected to hear was that the Gentiles would at least become literally the conquered slaves of the Jews. That Saturday crowd expected to hear Isaiah 61 interpreted to mean Gods people would someday kill most of the Gentiles and those not killed would become slave laborers (like the ancestors of the Jews had been in Egypt) and put to work building a rich, prosperous Jerusalem and Palestine which would become the capital city of the world.

What God meant in Isaiah 61 was, of course, just the opposite of the common Jewish concept. Many of the Jews learned this with great difficulty but rejoiced once it became apparent that it was the will of Jehovah (cf. Act. 9:1-16; Act. 10:34-43; Act. 11:18; Act. 13:44-52; Act. 15:12-21; Gal. 2:11 ff, etc.).

The Hebrew word for priests, is kohenyim from the root word kahan, meaning, to stand, to prepare, make ready, adjustthus to officiate as one who readies or adjusts something. The word translated ministers, is sharethey and means, to wait upon, to serve, to attend; it is applied only to the Levites in the O.T. Law. The concept that all Jews, (let alone a kingdom of Jews and Gentiles) would become priests and ministers to Jehovah was revolutionary! It is essentially a prediction that the Law of Moses will be abrogated in the messianic age! Only those of Levi could be priests and ministers according to the Mosaic covenant. It took the major portion of the book of Hebrews in the N.T. to convince Jewish Christians of the first century that Jesus (from the tribe of Judah) could be a priest (after the order of Melchezidek). All of Messiahs people are priestseven Gentiles (cf. 1Pe. 2:4-5; Rev. 1:6; Rev. 5:10; Rev. 20:6). Access, intercession, offering will be the vocation of all members of the New Zion (Heb. 10:19-25; Heb. 13:15-16; Rom. 12:1-2).

The Hebrew heyl goiym could be translated host or army of the Gentiles. The wealth or riches of any nation is not its gold or diamonds, but its people. It is the character of the people that make any kindgom what it is. God predicts through His prophets that the future Israel (N.T. church, Gal. 6:16) will feed on the best of all nations (cf. Oba. 1:17; Oba. 1:21; Mic. 7:11-17; Zec. 14:16-21; Isa. 19:16-25; Isa. 60:10-18; Isa. 66:12-21). Many of those who came into the N.T. church were not what most nations would consider their best (1Co. 1:26-31), but they were people who could repent and be made into the image of Christ and were really the jewels of creation (cf. Php. 4:1; 1Th. 2:19-20).

Isa. 61:7 JOY: The Hebrew word bashettekem is from the root bash which means, disappointment, confusion, ingnominy, disgrace. When the Jews were sinning the prophets called on the pagan nations to look at them and see if there had ever been a nation on earth so disgraceful (cf. Jer. 2:10-12; Jer. 18:13; Jer. 23:14, etc.). The nations of the Gentiles could not hold a candle to the Jews of the days of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel! The Gentiles mocked, derided and held in contempt everything Jewish. When they were taken into captivity the Assyrians and Babylonians hissed at them for they had claimed to be invincible because Jehovah was with them. The Jews suffered much indignity and reproach living in unclean heathen lands as prisoners. But Isaiah predicts a time (when the Messiah comes) when all these indignities shall be turned into exaltation and joy. The Messiah will take away all uncleanness and disgracefulness. Of course, it would not be relief from national, cultural shame, but spiritual disgrace and spiritual uncleanness would be taken away. One is reminded of the glorious predictions of the messianic relief made by the father of John the Baptist (by the direction of the Holy Spirit) when he (Zechariah) spoke of the mission of his own son, the waypreparer (Luk. 1:67-79). Everlasting joy is a promise to be fulfilled only in the Messiahs kingdom (cf. Isa. 35:10; Isa. 51:11; Joh. 15:11; Joh. 16:22; Joh. 16:24; Joh. 17:13; Rom. 14:17; Rom. 15:13; Gal. 5:22; 1Jn. 1:4, etc.).

QUIZ

What would have been the common interpretation of Isa. 61:1-7 in Jesus day?

Why is calling citizens of New Zion priests so revolutionary?

What will the everlasting joy of Zion have as its object of gladness?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(5) Strangers shall stand . . .i.e., like servants waiting for their masters orders. The implied thought of the whole passage is, as in the next verse, that all Israel is raised to the dignity of a priestly caste, leaving the rough work of the world to be done by foreigners, who stood on a lower level. (Comp. Sir. 38:31-34.)

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

5. Strangers sons of the alien That is, Gentiles converted to the true religion.

Your flocks The keeping of flocks was a large husbandry in Palestine. The employment of Gentile keepers denotes a breaking down of “the middle wall of partition.” All have become Christians together. All are now strong and willing workers together in the world’s great pasture-field add vineyard. Other meaning than spiritual this verse has not.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Isaiah Adds His Words to Those of the Anointed One ( Isa 61:5-7 a).

It is not always clear in this chapter who is speaking. In Isa 61:1-3 and probably 4 it is the Anointed One. In Isa 61:8 it is Yahweh. But otherwise we have to choose between the Spirit inspired Isaiah or God Himself. ‘Our God’ in Isa 61:6 points in that section to Isaiah. Perhaps we may see the change from third person to second person, and back again as determining the distinction.

Isa 61:5-6

‘And strangers will stand and feed your flocks,

And aliens will be your ploughmen and your vinedressers,

But you will be named the priests of Yahweh,

Men will call you the ministers of our God,

You will eat the wealth of the nations,

And in their glory will you boast yourselves.’

The picture switches from building to ministry. It is now a picture of God’s people, released from the mundane that they might serve Yahweh. That this includes some from among the nations who have united themselves with Israel comes out in Isa 66:21. God’s true people are to be priests to the nations (Exo 19:5-6). As a result of the work of the Anointed One, other peoples will look after mundane things, the feeding of flocks, the ploughing of fields, the dressing of vines, but His people will concentrate their efforts on ministering to all men in His name. It is the attitude of mind that is primary. The whole of the efforts of God’s people are to be concentrated on serving Him in worship and praise and in ministering to the nations.

And from the nations they will receive their tithes, their portion from the wealth of the nations. And they will take great pride in the progress of the nations towards glory. The ministry of the Good News of the Gospel (compare Isa 61:1) is here very much in mind as Jesus, the true vine (Joh 15:1), and the new Israel of God, built on the foundation of the Apostles, went out to the world with the news of God’s salvation, receiving help and support from those who were not themselves the people of God, but were potentially so. And some becoming so, would also bring their wealth with them. So God will even make nations that are not His own, assist with the work of the people of God. The contrast is with the nations who in the past had come for the sole reason of bringing God’s people into subjection.

As Isaiah looked into the future under God’s inspiration he foresaw many things which he sought to put in understandable terms to the people of his day. As we have seen in past chapters he foresaw God’s judgment on those who saw themselves as His people, a judgment because of their sins, he foresaw a purified remnant who would come through as His true people, he foresaw many from the nations who would join themselves with, and become one with, the people of God (consider Isa 66:21), and he foresaw that God would use even the unconverted of the nations to bring about His purposes for His people. Many of these ideas are being expressed here from the perspective of Israel’s way of thinking.

Note the change from third person to second person, possibly indicating that two prophecies have been brought together. Note the sudden change back to the third person in Isa 61:7. But the change may be simply a literary one for the purpose of a special emphasis of the passage to his hearers, or for the purpose of different emphases when reading aloud.

Isa 61:7

‘For your shame, double,

And for confusion they will rejoice in their portion,

Therefore in their land they will possess double,

Everlasting joy will be to them.

They had experienced shame and confusion. But in the future those who are His true people will, instead of shame, have a double portion of blessing. Instead of confusion they will rejoice in what God has allotted to them (compare Isa 45:7). Yes, in the land of their inheritance they will have ‘double’ what was theirs before, that is an abundant excess, and they will have everlasting joy (a constant theme of Isaiah, compare Isa 35:10; Isa 51:11). The idea is one of a perfect future arising out of their suffering when God will triumph

That this is not to be applied literally comes out in the use of everlasting. No land will be everlasting except the new heaven and the new earth. Thus ‘their land’ here must refer to that new earth. Isaiah’s conception is constantly of the ‘everlasting’, a problem which has to be explained away by those who seek to literalise everything. Isaiah was seeing into the everlasting future, not some future earthly kingdom that could only pass away.

We must constantly keep in mind that as Isaiah looks ahead he is restricted to what his hearers can understand. They see the future in terms of a world that goes on and on in the same way. Thus the everlasting future is depicted in earthly terms, and its perfection in those terms. They had no conception of a spiritual future. The idea of ‘Heaven’ would have been meaningless. (We may think we have better understanding but our view of ‘Heaven’ is also grossly misrepresentative. Literally speaking Heaven is beyond our comprehension). They had no other way of describing it. It is the great, perfect, Promised Land, the new Jerusalem, lasting for ever. Even the resurrection was seen as being a resurrection into the promised land (Isa 26:19).

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

As the Lord Jesus was so well known to his people, by the tenderness of his Person and Character; so his Church had her features from her connection with her Lord, by which she was to be known also.

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Isa 61:5 And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.

Ver. 5. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, ] i.e., Shall be very well pleased to serve you, so they may serve the true God with you: yea, being proselyted, they shall become eminent pastors and teachers of the gospel; such as were Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Augustine, &c.

Shall be your ploughmen. ] See 1Co 3:9 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

strangers = foreigners.

the alien = an unknown people.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Isa 61:5-9

Isa 61:5

“And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers.”

That there should be a new society in which the Jews would be the favored upper crust, and that the Gentiles would do all of their menial work is a perverted interpretation of these words. As Barnes explained it: “The idea is that it would be a time of signal spiritual prosperity, and that it would be so great and glorious as if foreigners were to come in among the people and take over the whole labor of attending their flocks and cultivating their fields.

Isa 61:6

“And ye shall be named the priests of Jehovah; men shall call you the ministers of our God: ye shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.”

If there had been any doubt of this chapter’s application to the reign of Messiah, the question would have been settled here. Only the members of the Church of the firstborn were ever designated collectively as “priests of God” (1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 5:10). “Neither will there be a clergy distinct from the laity, for all will be called the ministers of our God.

Isa 61:7-9

“Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be unto them. For I, Jehovah, love justice, I hate robbery with iniquity; and I will give them their recompense in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And your seed shall be known among the nations, and their offspring among the peoples: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which Jehovah hath blessed.”

Here we have a recapitulation of the marvelous blessings to be attained through Messiah, presented here in literal, materialistic terms, but undoubtedly having a spiritual meaning.

Note Isa 61:8, where robbers are promised God’s vengeance in the same breath with the promise of God’s everlasting covenant. A covenant with the robbers? Certainly not. This is characteristic of Isaiah and of all the prophets, that the blind, deluded, deaf, and hardened Israel is frequently mentioned in the same sentence with the Ideal Israel of the “righteous remnant.” The “covenant” is definitely a reference to Christ. Many able scholars seem to be totally unaware of this.

Speaking of the middle verses of this chapter, McGuiggan stated, “We need to bear in mind that this is all a description of the glory of the Jew.” In fairness, we do not know exactly what was meant by this; but it should be remembered that in the Dispensation of the Love of Christ, “there is no distinction” between Jew and Gentile, none whatever. If, by the Jew, one means racial Jews, nothing could be further from the truth. Race has no bearing whatever upon salvation, neither guaranteeing it to anyone whomsoever, or denying it to anyone whomsoever!

Isa 61:5-6 JOINING: The Hebrew word zarim is translated strangers and means, loathed-ones, barbarians, enemies, excluded-ones. Ben-nekar is Hebrew for sons of the alien or sons of the foreigner. When the Messiah-Servant came crying aloud the time of the messianic Jubilee (the time of the Lords pleasure), those who had been excluded, alienated from covenant relationship to Jehovah were to be given an invitation to join the chosen people in serving and ministering to Him. Jesus in the synagogue at Nazareth apparently closed the scroll of Isaiah before He read beyond verses one and two of this chapter. He did not read the verses now under consideration, but He implied them in His reference to the mercy shown by Jehovah to two Gentiles (Luk 4:23-27) in the remainder of His sermon!

Pauls statement to the Gentiles in Eph 2:11-22 is certainly the fulfillment of this. Isaiah is replete with predictions that the nations (goiym) will be included in the messianic age as Gods people (Isa 2:1-4; Isa 19:23-25; Isa 25:6-12; Isa 56:6-8; Isa 60:10-14, etc.).

According to I Enoch Isa 10:21, (written about 164 B.C.), all the Gentiles will become righteous and offer to God their adoration and worship. In the Sibylline Oracles III (written about 150 B.C.), the Gentiles will make their way in procession to Gods Temple there to ponder his law and supplicate the Eternal King (716ff; 725ff); from every land the Gentiles will bring frankincense and gifts to the house of the great God and in the coming messianic kingdom they will have a share in the blessings that it brings. However, in II Baruch (written after 90 A.D.), it is written: My Messiah . . . will both summon all the nations, and some of them he will spare and some of them he will slay. These things therefore will come upon the nations which are to be spared by him. Every nation which knows not Israel, and has not trodden down the seed of Jacob, shall indeed be spared. And this because some out of every nation will be subject to thy people. But all those who have ruled over you, or have known you, shall be given up to the sword (II Baruch 72:2-6).

What God meant in Isaiah 61 was, of course, just the opposite of the common Jewish concept. Many of the Jews learned this with great difficulty but rejoiced once it became apparent that it was the will of Jehovah (cf. Act 9:1-16; Act 10:34-43; Act 11:18; Act 13:44-52; Act 15:12-21; Gal 2:11 ff, etc.).

The Hebrew word for priests, is kohenyim from the root word kahan, meaning, to stand, to prepare, make ready, adjust-thus to officiate as one who readies or adjusts something. The word translated ministers, is sharethey and means, to wait upon, to serve, to attend; it is applied only to the Levites in the O.T. Law. The concept that all Jews, (let alone a kingdom of Jews and Gentiles) would become priests and ministers to Jehovah was revolutionary! It is essentially a prediction that the Law of Moses will be abrogated in the messianic age! Only those of Levi could be priests and ministers according to the Mosaic covenant. It took the major portion of the book of Hebrews in the N.T. to convince Jewish Christians of the first century that Jesus (from the tribe of Judah) could be a priest (after the order of Melchezidek). All of Messiahs people are priests-even Gentiles (cf. 1Pe 2:4-5; Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10; Rev 20:6). Access, intercession, offering will be the vocation of all members of the New Zion (Heb 10:19-25; Heb 13:15-16; Rom 12:1-2).

The Hebrew heyl goiym could be translated host or army of the Gentiles. The wealth or riches of any nation is not its gold or diamonds, but its people. It is the character of the people that make any kindgom what it is. God predicts through His prophets that the future Israel (N.T. church, Gal 6:16) will feed on the best of all nations (cf. Oba 1:17; Oba 1:21; Mic 7:11-17; Zec 14:16-21; Isa 19:16-25; Isa 60:10-18; Isa 66:12-21). Many of those who came into the N.T. church were not what most nations would consider their best (1Co 1:26-31), but they were people who could repent and be made into the image of Christ and were really the jewels of creation (cf. Php 4:1; 1Th 2:19-20).

Isa 61:7 JOY: The Hebrew word bashettekem is from the root bash which means, disappointment, confusion, ingnominy, disgrace. When the Jews were sinning the prophets called on the pagan nations to look at them and see if there had ever been a nation on earth so disgraceful (cf. Jer 2:10-12; Jer 18:13; Jer 23:14, etc.). The nations of the Gentiles could not hold a candle to the Jews of the days of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel! The Gentiles mocked, derided and held in contempt everything Jewish. When they were taken into captivity the Assyrians and Babylonians hissed at them for they had claimed to be invincible because Jehovah was with them. The Jews suffered much indignity and reproach living in unclean heathen lands as prisoners. But Isaiah predicts a time (when the Messiah comes) when all these indignities shall be turned into exaltation and joy. The Messiah will take away all uncleanness and disgracefulness. Of course, it would not be relief from national, cultural shame, but spiritual disgrace and spiritual uncleanness would be taken away. One is reminded of the glorious predictions of the messianic relief made by the father of John the Baptist (by the direction of the Holy Spirit) when he (Zechariah) spoke of the mission of his own son, the waypreparer (Luk 1:67-79). Everlasting joy is a promise to be fulfilled only in the Messiahs kingdom (cf. Isa 35:10; Isa 51:11; Joh 15:11; Joh 16:22; Joh 16:24; Joh 17:13; Rom 14:17; Rom 15:13; Gal 5:22; 1Jn 1:4, etc.).

Isa 61:8-9 RENOWN: Zion will one day rejoice because she shall be made famous. The reason she shall be made famous, however, will not be due to her own merit but because God is who He is He is by nature absolutely just and faithful. God will deliver Zion from her enemies because He loves justice and hates iniquity and therefore must vindicate His absolute sovereignty by destroying iniquity and rewarding loyalty. The loyalty Jehovah will reward will be that of the sinless Servant; but the Servant will impute His perfect meritorious obedience (Heb 10:5-10) to all who by faith and covenant-keeping become citizens of the New Zion. The Lords primary goal is the vindication of His Name (cf. Ezek. 29:9, 14, 22, 44; Eze 36:21-23; Eze 36:32; Eze 38:16; Eze 38:23; Eze 39:7-8, Eze 39:25-29). It is imperative that Jehovahs absolute sovereignty and absolute faithfulness be proven and vindicated. Mans salvation depends on Gods faithfulness, not his own (see comments, Isa 48:9-11).

The word emeth is translated truth and is from the Hebrew root aman (same as Greek and English amen). The word means firmness, faithfulness, stability, fidelity, verity. The idea in verse eight is that God is going to prove His fidelity by keeping His promise to destroy Zions enemies because they are wicked. This demonstration of Jehovahs absolute faithfulness will, in turn, move men of all nations to happily come into covenant relationship with Jehovah. All this will be accomplished when Jehovah makes an everlasting covenant with man. Thus once again we conclude these scriptures are prophetic of the New Zion, the church. It was at the cross and the empty tomb that God destroyed the power of all the enemies of man (cf. Luk 1:67-79; Luk 2:29-35; Joh 12:27-33; Joh 16:11; Rom 8:31-39; Col 2:14-15; Heb 2:14-15, etc.).

The Hebrew word berith is the word for covenant. It is from the Hebrew root word barah which means literally to cut, or to choose, to select. Its fundamental idea is chosen separated or that which distinguishes a selected people. Gods salvation and blessings are available always within a covenant. A covenant, by its very nature, demands choice, or selection, and that requires conditions and terms. The everlasting covenant (or new covenant Jer 31:31 ff) has conditions and terms men must choose if they wish its blessings. Christ is the new covenant (cf. Mat 26:26-29; Heb 8:6; Heb 12:24; Heb 13:20). He is the resurrection and the life, whoever lives and believes in Him shall never die (Joh 11:26). Paul, the apostle, spoke of the new covenant relationship as being in Christ (cf. Rom 12:5; 1Co 15:22; 2Co 1:21; 2Co 3:14; 2Co 5:17; Gal 3:27; Eph 3:6; etc.). The everlasting covenant is predicted in many places in the O.T. (cf. Isa 55:3; Jer 32:40; Eze 16:60-63; Eze 37:26, etc.).

The seed and offspring of New Zion will be renowned among the Gentiles. The people of the Messiah (Christians) were known throughout the Roman world of the first century (and ever after) for their faith, obedience and love (cf. Act 2:47; Act 4:13; Act 4:33; Rom 16:19; 1Th 1:8-10; Phm 1:4-7; 1Pe 4:4). Pliny the younger wrote the believers met regularly early in the morning to worship Christ as a divinity. They insisted on a strict code of ethics; to abstain from fraud, theft, and adultery, never to lie, nor to default on an obligation. At the end of the assembly they ate a common meal and then adjourned. John Noble (prisoner of the Russians for 12 years) received the admiration and respect of the Russian prison guards for his Christian life. Isaiah means to stress how different the people of the Messiah will be from the heathenish behavior of the Israel of his day or the paganism of the world in general (cf. Joh 13:35). The goodness and blessedness and joy of the lives of the citizens of Zion will be acknowledged (perhaps even grudgingly respected) by the whole world. The Messiahs people are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3).

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2, Isa 60:10-14, Eph 2:12-20

Reciprocal: Num 16:5 – who is holy 1Ch 22:2 – the strangers Isa 45:14 – The labour Isa 54:3 – and thy Jer 43:12 – putteth 1Co 3:9 – ye are God’s

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Isa 61:5-11. The prophet now addresses the people directly. Men of other nations shall serve as labourers at their bidding and call them Yahwehs priests, or Servants of our God, recognising Yahweh as such. As a priestly caste they will enjoy the wealth of the peoples, as priestly tithe, and deck (so emend boast; cf. LXX) themselves in their splendours. This privileged treatment is justified. For as their (so emend your) shame was in double measure, and ignominy their lot (emending for confusion . . . portion), they shall have in their own land a double portion and everlasting joy. For Yahweh loves justice, and hates iniquitous plundering; so He will recompense His wronged people, making with them a covenant (cf. Isa 55:3). Their descendants shall be so prosperous that all nations shall recognise their pre-eminent blessedness. As surely as the seed germinates in the soil shall their triumph arrest the eyes of the nations.

Isa 61:10. Seems to be misplaced. Zion rejoices because Yahweh has clothed her with deliverance and victory like a begarlanded bridegroom or a bejewelled bride.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

61:5 And foreigners shall {i} stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers.

(i) They will be ready to serve you in all your needs.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Flocks and crops would again flourish in the Promised Land, and the Israelites would be so blessed that their former Gentile oppressors would even serve Israelite farmers.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

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