Jerusalem Series Part 2 - Jerusalem God’s manifest glory resting on a city

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Jerusalem: God’s Manifest Glory Resting on a City (Isa. 60)

I. REVIEW: JERUSALEM’S GLORY, SIGNIFICANCE, AND STRUGGLE

A. We ask the Holy Spirit to teach us what He sees and feels about Jerusalem.

B. Jesus is zealous for Zion (Jerusalem). Jesus will return to Jerusalem to live there forever. I want to be zealous for whatever He is zealous for. His eternal and end-time purposes are “Jerusalem centric.” We study Jerusalem to cultivate understanding and love for it because it is so important to Jesus. The Scripture promises to prosper all who pray for and love Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6).

2 “I am zealous for Zion with great zeal…3 II will return to Zion, and dwell in the midst...” (Zech. 8:2-3)

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you…” (Ps. 122:6)

C. All who love Jerusalem are to rejoice with her by standing for Jerusalem's prophetic destiny. We mourn for her by understanding her pressures and failures and praying for God’s help and mercy.

10Rejoice with Jerusalem…all you who love her; rejoice for joy, all you who mourn for her… (Isa. 66:10)

D. Jesus declared that Jerusalem is His own city, calling it “the city of the great King” (Mt. 5:35). His worldwide government will be based in Jerusalem forever.

35“Jerusalem…is the city of the great King.” (Mt. 5:35)

17Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it. (Jer. 3:17)

E. The New Jerusalem will descend to the earth during the Millennium. In my opinion, along with many commentators, the New Jerusalem will descend to a place just above millennial Jerusalem.

10He…showed me the great City, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven… (Rev. 21:10)

F. Jerusalem is a unique model: Jerusalem is a picture that gives us understanding of how God will deal with the nations. We must understand what the Scripture says about the blessings and judgments on Jerusalem because of the principle that I call “like kind, but lesser degree.” Both the glory and judgments that God will release on Israel in the Tribulation and the Millennium will be released in “like kind, but to a lesser degree” to the nations and the Church in this age. Israel will receive the most severe judgments and the greatest measure of glory in repentance.

G. Isaiah 60-62 is perhaps the most detailed prophetic description about Jerusalem’s destiny. This passage shows us how far God is willing to go in His commitments to a city. God never changes (Mal. 3:6; Jas. 1:17; Heb. 13:4-8). Thus, what He does “in fullness” at Jesus’ return, tells us what He will do “in part” in this age. It gives us a clear message to comfort Israel (Isa. 40:1).

II. JERUSALEM: A CITY FILLED WITH GOD’S MANIFEST GLORY (ISA. 60)

A. Isaiah 60 describes Jerusalem after the glory of God descends on her at the time of Jesus’ return.

To emphasize the certainty of what will happen, Isaiah uses the word shall (38x) or will (12x) a total of 50 times in Isaiah 60. The glory is permanent. It is not just a brief season of visitation.

Jerusalem will be the eternal dwelling place, or final resting place, for God’s glory (Ps. 132:5, 8).

5 A dwelling place for the Mighty One…8 Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place.
(Ps. 132:5, 8)

B. Isaiah 60 is a part of the message that we will comfort Jerusalem with in the days of darkness.

God’s manifest glory resting on Jerusalem will result in Israel bringing blessing to all nations.
This will fulfill God’s promise to Abraham, that in his seed, all the families of the earth would be blessed (Gen. 12:3), and His commission to Moses that Israel will be a kingdom of priests (Ex. 19:6)that will be His witnesses to all the nations (Isa. 43:10) in order to bring them to God.

2Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. (Isa. 40:2)

C. The inhabitants of Jerusalem are to arise and shine or to take action in bringing God’s glory to the nations. This exhortation echoes Jesus’ call to “go” to the nations (Mt. 28:19; Acts 1:8). All the nations (Gentiles) and their kings and top governmental leaders will be impacted by this glory and they will come to Jerusalem to encounter God’s glory (Isa. 60:2-3; 62:2). The context here is at the end of the Tribulation when unprecedented darkness is on the nations (v. 2).

1Arise, shine; for your light has come! and the glory of the LORD is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the LORD will arise over you [Jerusalem], and His glory will be seen on you.
3 The Gentiles [nations] shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. (Isa. 60:1-3)

D. Isaiah calls the inhabitants of Jerusalem to take notice of the supernatural events
(Isa. 60:4-7).

First, they will see their relatives and fellow Jews from the nations being brought to them (v. 4).

Second, they will see great wealth coming from the nations, especially by way of the sea (v. 5).

5 Lift up your eyes all around, and see…they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters…5 Then you shall see and become radiant …because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you. (Isa. 60:5)

E. Wealth will come from the surrounding Arab nations that had recently attacked Jerusalem (v. 6).
A vast number of camels will be needed to carry the great quantities of gold to Jerusalem. The gold will probably be used to beautify the temple in Jerusalem (v. 7). These Arab converts will bring their best gifts to Jesus as an expression of their devotion to Him. This parallels the wisemen who came to see Jesus, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Mt. 2:11). The cities of Midian, Ephah, Kedar, Nebaioth, and Sheba (Yemen?) are in or near Saudi Arabia.

6 The multitude of camels shall cover your land, the dromedaries [Arabian camels] of Midian and Ephah; all those from Sheba shall come; they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall proclaim the praises of the LORD. 7 All the flocks of Kedar [Saudi Arabia] shall be gathered…the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; they shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, and I will glorify the house of My glory [the temple in Jerusalem]. (Isa. 60:6-7)

F. How will the people and gold get to Jerusalem from far away places? They will come in ships (some suggest planes?) to present gifts to the Lord who will manifest His glory in Jerusalem.

8 Who are these who fly like a cloud…? 9 And the ships of Tarshish will come first, to bring your sons from afar, their silver and their gold with them, to the name of the LORD your God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because He has glorified you.
(Isa. 60:8-9)

G. How will the money be used? It will be used to rebuild the walls and the city of Jerusalem that the nations had recently destroyed. It will also help the residents in Jerusalem in practical ways, as seen in the kings of the nations “ministering” to them financially (v. 10). God can easily move on the wealthy leaders and kings of the earth to release finances to establish His purposes.

10The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you.
(Isa. 60:10)

H. How much money will come to Jerusalem? People will bring money continually, arriving day and night. Every nation on earth will be required to honor God’s purpose for Jerusalem (v. 12).

11Your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day or night, that men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles, and their kings in procession. 12For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, and those nations shall be utterly ruined. (Isa. 60:11-12)

17The families of the earth [who] do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King…on them there will be no rain…18They shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. (Zech. 14:17-18)

I. The money and the materials (cedars of Lebanon, cypress, pine, and box trees) will be used to build the temple in Jerusalem. The temple is called the place of “His sanctuary” and “His feet.”

13The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the pine, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious. (Isa. 60:13)

J. Jesus told Ezekiel about His throne and referred to it as “the place of the soles of My feet.”

4 The glory of the LORD came into the temple [millennial temple]...6 Then I heard Him [Jesus] speaking to me from the temple…7 He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell [live] in the midst of…Israel forever.” (Ezek. 43:4-7)

K. The former enemies of Jerusalem will see the city through God’s eyes. They will see it as the city of the God of Israel not as a city of Islam. The controversy over Jerusalem will be over.

14The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bowing to you, and all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy One of Israel. (Isa. 60:14)

L. This will all be the work of God through the Messiah, presented in the next chapter (Isa. 61:1-3).

1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor…2 to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD…." (Isa. 61:1-2)

III. GOD’S GLORY: SEVEN CONTRASTS (ISA. 60:15-22)

A. Isaiah describes seven contrasts between the past and future of the people of Jerusalem; their promised future will be a result of God’s glory resting on them in a way that all nations see and experience (v. 1-3): great reversals will affect them spiritually, financially, politically, socially.

B. Contrast #1: In how Jerusalem is viewed. It will be seen as excellent because of God’s glory, and it will bring joy to the nations instead of being seen as forsaken by God and hated by men.

15Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no one went through you, I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations. (Isa. 60:15)

C. Contrast #2: In how Jerusalem is supplied. It will be abundantly supplied by the nations because the Lord will supernaturally move on them to do this. Previously, Jerusalem has been isolated financially with boycotts, plundered, attacked, and even starved in a long siege (Zech. 12:2).

16You shall drink the milk of the Gentiles, and milk the breast of kings; you shall know that I,
the LORD, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isa. 60:16)

D. Contrast #3: In how Jerusalem will build. They will replace less expensive building materials with expensive ones.

17Instead of bronze I will bring gold, instead of iron I will bring silver, instead of wood, bronze, and instead of stones, iron. (Isa. 60:17a)

E. Contrast #4: In how Jerusalem will be governed. Jerusalem governmental officials referred to as officers and magistrates will bring peace and righteousness instead of violence and corruption.

17I will also make your officers peace, and your magistrates righteousness. 18Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, neither wasting nor destruction… (Isa. 60:17b-18a)

F. Contrast #5: In how Jerusalem will live spiritually. All interaction with its leaders and
inhabitants will cause the visitors from the nations to experience God’s salvation with praise.
18But you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise. (Isa. 60:18b)

G. Contrast #6: In how Jerusalem will be illuminated. Its light will come from God’s glory coming from the New Jerusalem, which will descend close to Jerusalem (Rev. 3:12; 21:2, 10).

19The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory. 20Your sun shall no longer go down, nor shall your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your mourning shall be ended. (Isa. 60:19-20)

H. Contrast #7: In how Jerusalem’s people will live. It will forever have a righteous society. This favor and resource will not ever diminish but it will continually multiply.

21“Your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. 22A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time.” (Isa. 60:21-22)

Much of this teaching will be used by the English speaking Pastors in the Africa Training Bible School.(ATBS)

Each of these ATBS Series includes an audio and handout or study notes to be downloaded as well as a PowerPoint to make the viewing more visual for the Pastors in Africa and the youth in their church.

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Jerusalem Series

Download the entire Jerusalem Series

Download Part 1 Jerusalem her glory, significance and struggle

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Download Part 2 Jerusalem God’s manifest glory resting on a city

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Download Part 3 Jesus zeal and commitment to Jerusalem

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Download Part 4 Jesus the Warrior King

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Download Part 5 Jerusalem the capital city of the New Earth

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