DRAFT: A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 59-63
Kuruvilla Thomas
Bangalore
Published on 10 August 2024 *
Introduction
This study treats Isaiah 59:15b-63:6 as a cryptochiasmus in order to arrive at a coherent reconfiguration of the text ( see definition of cryptochiasmus in [1] ). If you wish to skip the technicalities of a chiastic parse, you may read starting from Section 4 of the Discussion section, which has the reconfigured text.
Isaiah 59:15b-63:6 primarily details various aspects of the start of Christ's Millennial Reign. It also makes predictions about Christ's first coming and the growth of the early Church. We show that Christ reads an excerpt from this prophecy at the beginning of his ministry to announce the year of the start of the Millennial Reign.
Discussion
1. Presuppositions
We base our parse of Isaiah 59:15b-63:6 on the assumption that it refers to 3 periods:
- Jesus Christ's Ministry on Earth (26AD-30AD). Christ makes important announcements at the start of his ministry.
- The Church grows out from the Christian Community of Judahites (starting 73AD) after the First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD). In most chiastic reconfigurations, the passages of this Period are regarding the war itself, but here the focus is on events after the war.
- The Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth (2027AD).
2. Parsing the chiasmus
We will use the NIV Bible for this parse.
Parsing this chiasmus involves dividing portions of the text into three categories as above. We will call the period of Christ's Ministry at his First Coming Period 1, the First Jewish-Roman War Period 2, and the Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth Period 3.
Categorizing Isaiah 59:15b-63:6
Ch 59 Vs 15b - Ch 60 Vs 21a belong to Period 3. The New Israel is established after Satan's empires are defeated at the start of Christ's Millennial Reign.Ch 60 Vs 21b-22 belongs to Period 2. After the Roman slaughter, the righteous remnant of Judahites spreads the Gospel, so that the Church grows rapidly. ( Verse 21b could also belong to Period 3, but we categorize it as Period 2 so that we have balanced regular chiasmi in both Periods.)
Ch 61 Vs 1-2a belong to Period 1. Christ makes an announcement at the start of his ministry. The extent of this subunit is approximately based on the quote in the New Testament (Luke 4:18,19).
Ch 61 Vs 2b-3 belong to Period 2. After the trauma of the Jewish-Roman War, Jesus' Gospel comforts the Christian Judahites and makes them righteous.
Ch 61 Vs 4-9 belong to Period 3. After millennia of destitution, the Israelites will be blessed in the New Israel of the Millennial Reign.
Ch 61 Vs 10 belong to Period 1. Christ is anointed to bring salvation and righteousness to the world.
Ch 61 Vs 11 belong to Period 2. The Judahites spread Christianity to the world, and, with it, righteousness and the worship of God.
Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6 belong to Period 3. After millennia of destitution, the Israelites are a blessed and prosperous people. God destroys Satan's wicked empires.
Original text
We color-code the chiastic units of the original text (NIV) below for easy visual identification using: red for Period 1, blue for Period 2 and green for Period 3. We have retranslated parts of the text.
Isaiah 59 15b The Lord looked and it was evil in his eyes [a] that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. 19 From the west, people will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD [b].
20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.
21 “As for my people [c], this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.
Retranslation notes for Isaiah 59
[a] vs 15b "it was evil in his eyes" instead of "was displeased".
[b] vs 19 "raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD" instead of "pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along".
[c] vs 21 "my people" instead of "me".
Isaiah 60 1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “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; 5 then you will see and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy— [a] the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. 6 Caravans [b] 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. 7 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 glorify the house of my glory [c].
8 “Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? 9 Surely the islands gather to me— the ships of Tarshish first bring your children from afar— their silver and gold with them, to the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you. [d]
10 “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. 11 Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the worthy among the Gentiles— [e] their kings led in triumphal procession. 12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.
13 “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. 14 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.
15 “Although you have been forsaken and despised [f], with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations. 16 You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts. You [g] will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. 17 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. 18 No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders. You [h] will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. 19 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. 20 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.
21a Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever.
21b They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, so that I may be glorified [i].
22 The little one will become a clan, the small one a mighty nation [j]. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”
Retranslation notes for Isaiah 60
[a] vs 4,5 "you— your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip; 5 then you will see and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy—" instead of "you; your sons come from afar, and your daughters are carried on the hip. 5 Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy;". Inserted dashes to match vs 9 in the corresponding subunit.
[b] vs 6 "Caravans" instead of "Herds".
[c] vs 7 "glorify the house of my glory" instead of "adorn my glorious temple".
[d] vs 9 "Surely the islands gather to me— the ships of Tarshish first bring your children from afar— their silver and gold with them, to the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you" instead of "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 honor of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor".
[e] vs 11 "worthy among the Gentiles" instead of "wealth of the nations".
[f] vs 15 "despised" instead of "hated".
[g] vs 16 "You" instead of "Then you". For the regular chiasmus.
[h] vs 18 "borders. You" instead of "borders, but you". For the regular chiasmus.
[i] vs 21 "so that I may be glorified" instead of "for the display of my splendor".
[j] vs 22 "The little one will become a clan, the small one a mighty nation" instead of "The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation".
Isaiah 61 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me. [He has anointed me] to proclaim good news to the humble. He has sent me to heal the contrite of heart, [a] to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners. 2a [He has sent me] to [b] proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God.
2b [The Lord has sent me] to comfort [c] all who mourn, 3 and console [d] those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a festive headdress [e] instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called trees [f] of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified [g]. .
4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.[h]
5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. 6 And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the treasures of nations, and in their riches you will pride yourselves [i].
7 Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your lot. Surely [j] you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. 8 Truly, I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.[k] 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed”
10 I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness. He has put an ornate headdress on me as on a bridegroom, and adorned my head with ornaments as on a bride. [l]
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes what is sown [m] to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
Retranslation notes for Isaiah 61
[a] vs 1 "me. [He has anointed me] to proclaim good news to the humble. He has sent me to heal the contrite of heart" instead of "me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted". Modified for the regular chiasmus. Modified, based on the Douay-Rheims Bible, so that there is a parallelism.
[b] vs 1,2a "release for the prisoners. 2a [He has sent me] to" instead of "release from darkness for the prisoners, to". Modified for the regular chiasmus. Changed for the parallelism.
[c] vs 2a,2b "God. [The Lord has sent me] to comfort" instead of "God, to comfort". For the regular chiasmus.
[d] vs 3 "console" instead of "provide for". From the NKJV, to maintain the parallelism with 2b.
[e] vs 3 "festive headdress" instead of "crown of beauty".
[f] vs 3 "trees" instead of "oaks". From the KJV. The meaning of the metaphor is not clear when "oak" is specified.
[g] vs 3 ", that He may be glorified" instead of "for the display of his splendor".
[h] vs 4 "And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations" instead of "They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations". From the ASV.
[i] vs 6 "treasures of nations, and in their riches you will pride yourselves" instead of "wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast".
[j] vs 7 "lot. Surely" instead of "inheritance. And so".
[k] vs 8 "Truly, I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them" instead of "For I, the LORD, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them". Based on the ESV.
[l] vs 10 "righteousness. He has put an ornate headdress on me as on a bridegroom, and adorned my head with ornaments as on a bride" instead of "righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels". Based on the Septuagint.
[m] vs 11 "what is sown" instead of "seeds". For the metaphor, to avoid the plural.
Isaiah 62 1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness [a] shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2 The nations will see your righteousness [b], and all kings your glory. You [c] will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. 3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, 7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.
8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled; 9 but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”
10 Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations.
11 The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’” 12 They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.
Retranslation notes for Isaiah 62
[a] vs 1 "righteousness" instead of "vindication".
[b] vs 2 "righteousness" instead of "vindication".
[c] vs 2 "glory. You" instead of "glory; you". Changed punctuation for the regular chiasmus.
Isaiah 63 1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his dazzling garments [a]? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, proclaiming victory, mighty to save.”
2 Why is there red on your garments [b], like those of one treading the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.
4 It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. 6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”
Retranslation notes for Isaiah 63
[a] vs 1 "dazzling garments" instead of "garments stained crimson". For the parallelism of the verse.
[b] vs 2 "is there red on your garments" instead of "are your garments red".
3. Building the reconfigured text
From this parse, it appears that Isaiah 59:15b-63:6 forms a cryptochiasmus as below:A1 Ch 59 Vs 15b - Ch 60 Vs 21a Period 3. The Blessed New Israel
B1 Ch 60 21b-22 Period 2. The Judahites grow the early Church
X Ch 61 Vs 1-2a Period 1. Christ announces the date of the Millennial Reign
B2 Ch 61 Vs 2b-3 Period 2. Christian Judahites are comforted after the Roman attack
A2 Ch 61 Vs 4-9 Period 3. The Israelites are blessed in the New Israel
We now reconstruct the passages in the right order based on the chiastic structure above and based on the ordering rules of a cryptochiasmus [1].
We usually lead with the pivot point but for this reconstruction we will add the central pivot point 'X' at the end, so that we get another chiasmus with the rest of the prophecy (the rules of cryptochiasmi [1] allow this). The corresponding subunits (For example; subunit A1 corresponds to A2) are placed contiguously to form units (For example, A1,A2 is a unit ) so that we get a list of such units.
The sequence selected for rearrangement is:
[A1,A2] [B1,B2] X (1)
We have the following sequence when we include the next two subunits:
[A1,A2] - Period 3
[B1,B2] - Period 2
X - Period 1
Ch 61 Vs 10 - Period 1. Christ brings salvation and righteousness to the world
Ch 61 Vs 11 - Period 2. God helps the Church grow
Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6 - Period 3. The prosperous New Israel, God defeats Satan
We still have text for the periods in a non-contiguous form. We can treat this as a doubly applied cryptochiasmus as below.
M1 [A1,A2] Period 3
N1 [B1,B2] Period 2
XX X, Ch 61 Vs 10 Period 1
N2 Ch 61 Vs 11 Period 2
M2 Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6 Period 3
The sequence selected for rearrangement is:
XX [M1,M2] [N1,N2] (2)
Translating this sequence (2) into the subunits of the first chiasmus, we get:
X, Ch 61 Vs 10, [[A1,A2], Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6] [[B1,B2], Ch 61 Vs 11] (3)
Further translating (3) into verse numbers, we get:
[Ch 61 Vs 1-2a, Ch 61 Vs 10], [[59 Vs 15b - Ch 60 Vs 21a, Ch 61 Vs 4-9], Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6] [[Ch 60 21b-22, Ch 61 Vs 2b-3], Ch 61 Vs 11] (4)
We arrive at the reconfigured passage in the next section by rearranging the verses so they are in sequence (4).
4. Isaiah 60:1-63:6 Reconfigured
Jesus Christ's Ministry on Earth (26AD-30AD) (Ch 61 Vs 1-2a, Ch 61 Vs 10)The Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth (2027AD) (59 Vs 15b - Ch 60 Vs 21a, Ch 61 Vs 4-9, Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6)
Chiasmus 1: Satan's reign ends and Christ's Millennial Reign begins
Chiasmus 2: The peoples of the world come to Israel to worship and honour God
Chiasmus 3: The people of the world will serve the New Israel
Chiasmus 4: Israel is restored and greatly blessed
Chiasmus 5: Israel is spiritually and physically restored
Chiasmus 6: Satan's empires are defeated
The Church grows out from the Christian Community of Judahites (starting 73AD) after the First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD) (Ch 60 21b-22, Ch 61 Vs 2b-3, Ch 61 Vs 11)
5. A Commentary on the Reconfigured Text
5.1 Jesus Christ's Ministry on Earth (26AD-30AD) (Ch 61 Vs 1-2a, Ch 61 Vs 10)
This Period is arranged in the form of a two-unit chiasmus:A1 61:1a Christ is anointed
B1 61:1b Christ brings salvation and righteousness through the New Covenant
X 61:2a Christ predicts the year of the start of the Millennial Reign
B2 61:10a Christ brings salvation and righteousness through the New Covenant
A2 61:10b Christ is anointed
Subunit A1: Christ is anointed (61:1a)
Chapter 61 1a The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me.
The Holy Spirit (the "Spirit of God") is on Christ, because God has appointed ("anointed") Christ to bring a New Covenant, Christianity, to the world (see also John 1:41, John 20:31); note that both the words "messiah" and "christ" mean "anointed one". The Holy Spirit remains on Jesus throughout his ministry, conveying God's word to Christ.
At the start of his ministry, Christ reads out a paraphrase of this passage in 61:1-2a regarding himself (apparently from a Greek translation), and then announces that this scripture has been fulfilled at that time (see Luke 4:16-21).
Subunit B1: Christ brings salvation and righteousness through the New Covenant (61:1b)
Chapter 61 1b [He has anointed me] to proclaim good news to the humble. He has sent me to heal the contrite of heart, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners.
This passage is made up of two parallelisms:
- [He has anointed me] to proclaim good news to the humble. He has sent me to heal the contrite of heart: Christ comes to bring the Good News of the New Covenant from God - to bring righteousness to the humble and to bring salvation to the contrite (see also Luke 4:18, John 3:16). But the proud and arrogant Pharisees and their kind, those who fight Christ and his message, are punished with death.
- to proclaim freedom for the captives and release for the prisoners: At the time of Jesus' First Coming, the leadership of the Judahites (Pharisees, Sadducees etc.) had led them astray with corrupted doctrines from Babylon (see Matt 23). Christ comes to free these Judahites who are "imprisoned" under false doctrines and idolatry - he comes to open people's eyes to the true nature of God and His righteousness, and to detail how God is to be worshipped under the New Covenant (see also Luke 4:18; John 9:35-41, Matt. 23:16-19).
Although Jesus preached to the Judahites first, the truth of his Gospel and the salvation that comes with it are for all those living in ignorance around the world.
Pivot X: Christ predicts the year of the start of the Millennial Reign (61:2a)
Chapter 61 2a [He has sent me] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God.
Christ predicts the "the year of the Lord’s favor", which we take to be the year in which his Millennial Reign on Earth begins. Satan's empire will be destroyed at the same time, as "the year of the Lord’s favor" is also a period ("day") of God's vengeance against the wicked (see Joel 2:31,32 [7]). ( Note that language similar to this verse can be found under Period 3 in 63:4.)
We believe that, with this statement, Jesus connected that year, the year of the beginning of his ministry, to the start of his Millennial Reign. Essentially, he announced the last two (or even three) digits of the year of the start of the Millennial Reign.
We reckon that Christ started his ministry at the start of the Hebrew civil year around Sept 26AD (see appendix below for details). We take this announcement from Jesus as indicating that the start of the Millennial Reign will be during the Hebrew civil year that begins in 2026AD - the 26th year of the century, the 26th year immediately following the coming Messiah's anointing in 2017AD [2]. So Christ's Millennial Reign will begin 2000 years after the start of his ministry. Based on the constraints introduced in other passages (the 3 1/2 years of Daniel 7 [12], the sign of the Woman in Rev. 12 [11]), we believe that the Messiah's Reign will start in the middle of the Hebrew year that starts in 2026AD, around 8 April 2027 (the first day of Nisan).
Subunit B2: Christ brings salvation and righteousness through the New Covenant (61:10a)
Chapter 61 10a I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.
Christ was delighted when God sent him into the world to bring righteousness and salvation through the gospel of the New Covenant and through his death (John 14:6, John 3:16). In the metaphor of this passage, the "garments" represent the manifestation of these objectives of Christ - righteousness and salvation - at his First Coming (cf. Isaiah 59:17). ( This passage continues from 61:1b in the corresponding subunit B1 above.)
Subunit A2: Christ is anointed (61:10b)
Chapter 61 10b He has put an ornate headdress on me as on a bridegroom, and adorned my head with ornaments as on a bride.
The grandeur and beauty of Christ's role as the Anointed One, the Messiah, who brings the Good News of the New Covenant to the world is indicated by comparing his anointing to a bridegroom's ornate headdress and to the jewellery on a bride's head. ( This passage continues from 61:1a in the corresponding subunit A1 above.)
5.2 The Start of Christ's Millennial Reign on Earth (2027AD) (59 Vs 15b - Ch 60 Vs 21a, Ch 61 Vs 4-9, Ch 62 Vs 1 - Ch 63 Vs 6)
This Period is structured as a series of 6 chiasmi.The passages of this Period are primarily addressed to the New Israel of the Millennial Reign.Chiasmus 1: Satan's reign ends and Christ's Millennial Reign begins
The passage below in 59:15b-60:3 is structured as a two-unit chiasmus:
A1 59:15b-16 Satan's unjust reign ends and Israel's righteous reign begins
B1 59:17-18 God punishes the wicked and establishes His righteous people
X 59:19-20 The coming Messiah takes control of the world through Israel
B2 59:21 God punishes the wicked and establishes His righteous people
A2 60:1-3 Satan's unjust reign ends and Israel's righteous reign begins
Subunit A1: Satan's unjust reign ends and Israel's righteous reign begins (59:15b-16)
Chapter 59 15b The Lord looked and it was evil in his eyes that there was no justice. 16 He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him.
Satan's reign over the world through his empire of "Babylon" and the Beast is marked by injustice and wickedness, particularly during the reign of the Beast, and God is appalled that no one who has the power tries to remedy the situation. So God intervenes and saves the earth from Satan's unrighteous empires by His own strength (see Rev. 16) ("his own arm"), and God establishes His righteous reign over the earth. ( Note that language similar to that in 59:16 can be found towards the end of this prophecy in 63:5.)
Note that "God's arm" can refer to different things in different prophecies. In this prophecy, we take it as referring to God's power.
Subunit B1: God punishes the wicked and establishes His righteous people (59:17-18)
Chapter 59 17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. 18 According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due.
God will punish and destroy the wicked people and nations ("islands") of Satan's reign in proportion to their sins (see also Rev 18:6-8). God's "military armour and garments" represent the characteristics He manifests as He defeats Satan's forces and saves the earth from the influence of the wicked: righteousness, salvation, vengeance and zeal (cf. Ephesians 6:14-17).
Pivot X: The coming Messiah takes control of the world through Israel (59:19-20)
Chapter 59 19a From the west, people will fear the name of the Lord, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory.
The whole world will come to fear and revere the God of Israel, those to the west of Israel and those to the east ("rising of the sun") (see also Psalm 113:3).
Chapter 59 19b For he will come like a raging flood, driven by the breath of the LORD.
The world will fear God, because the Messiah ("he") will take control of the world quickly and with overwhelming power ("like a raging flood"), with God's help ("driven by the breath of the Lord") (see also Isaiah 30:27-30).
Chapter 59 20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord.
The coming Messiah ("The Redeemer") will redeem the Israelites after millennia of punishment and will rule over the world from the New Israel ("Zion"). The New Israel will be made up of the Israelites who repent of their sins and turn away from their idol worship (see Isaiah 27:9, Ezekiel 20:38). ( Paul paraphrases 59:20-21 in Romans 11:26-27, when he predicts that the Northern Tribes will be saved and return to their God in this Period.)
Subunit B2: God punishes the wicked and establishes His righteous people (59:21)
Chapter 59 21 “As for my people, this is my covenant with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit, who is on you, will not depart from you, and my words that I have put in your mouth will always be on your lips, on the lips of your children and on the lips of their descendants—from this time on and forever,” says the Lord.
God establishes a Millennial Covenant with the Israelites of the New Israel ("my people"), according to which He will continually influence their souls through His army of angels, the Holy Spirit ("My Spirit") (see also Jeremiah 31:31-34, Romans 11:27). So the Israelites and their descendants will remain faithful to God throughout the Millennial Reign; they will be a nation of priests who preach His word and are a positive influence on the world ("my words that I have put in your mouth") (see Exodus 19:6).
Subunit A2: Satan's unjust reign ends and Israel's righteous reign begins (60:1-3)
Chapter 60 1 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
Addressing the New Zion/Israel of the Millennial Age (see 60:14), Isaiah says it will shine with God's righteousness and spiritual glory ("light") - it will reflect God's righteousness to the rest of the world (cf. Isaiah 2:3, Isaiah 11:10).
Chapter 60 2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
After the injustice and wickedness ("darkness") during Satan's reign over the earth for millennia and especially the great tribulation ("thick darkness") during the reign of the Beast, the righteous and glorious age of God, Christ and his Messiah dawns, and God will reign through the New Israel ("his glory appears over you").
Chapter 60 3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
The righteousness ("light") of God reflects off the New Israel, like the morning light ("dawn") on a beautiful city, so the people of the world are drawn to the spiritual glory of this nation.
Chiasmus 2: The peoples of the world come to Israel to worship and honour God
The passage below in 60:4-9 is structured as a single-unit chiasmus:
A1 60:4-5 The peoples of the world gather to honour God in the New Israel
X 60:6-7 The Arab peoples come to Israel to worship God
A2 60:8-9 The peoples of the world gather to honour God in the New Israel
Subunit A1: The peoples of the world gather to honour God in the New Israel (60:4-5)
Chapter 60 4 “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; 5 then you will see 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.
The Israelites watch with joy ("Lift up your eyes and look") as people from all nations visit the New Israel ("All assemble and come to you") to honour God. They are particularly thrilled when they see the scattered Israelites from around the world ("sons", "daughters") transported to the New Israel for the final gathering into their own land ("come from afar", "carried on the hip") (see also Isaiah 11:11-12, Isaiah 49:18).
The peoples from the other nations bring with them some of the riches of their lands as offerings to honour God (the "seas" represent the people of the world, as in Rev. 13:1).
Pivot X: The Arab peoples come to Israel to worship God (60:6-7)
Chapter 60 6 Caravans 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. 7 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 glorify the house of my glory.
The Arab peoples - the descendants of Abraham through his wives Hagar and Keturah (see Gen 25:1-6,12-18) - turn to the God of Israel in this Period, and they come to the New Israel with their offerings to worship God. All the lands mentioned in this pivot - Midian, Ephah, Sheba, Qedar, Nebaioth - were located in the Arabian Desert south and east of Israel, and they represent all the Arabs. The "camels" represent the Arabs' modern modes of transportation to and in the New Israel (planes, cars...). The "gold", "incense", "flocks" and "rams" figuratively represent the wealthy Arabs' offerings to God in the land of God's priests, the New Israel; these offerings will be accepted by God in the same way that he accepted the Israelite's offerings at the altar under the Old Covenant, and the offerings will be used to enhance the New Israel ("the house of my glory") (note that the offerings mentioned, particularly the "flocks" and "rams", are not to be taken literally).
Subunit A2: The peoples of the world gather to honour God in the New Israel (60:8-9)
Chapter 60 8 “Who are these that fly along like clouds, like doves to their nests? 9 Surely the islands gather to me— the ships of Tarshish first bring your children from afar— their silver and gold with them, to the honor of the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has glorified you.
People from the nations of the world (the "islands") come to the New Israel by air transport ("fly like clouds/doves" on "Ships of Tarshish"); they bring some of their wealth with them as offerings to God, for God has glorified the New Israel as His land ("you" in vs 9 refers to the New Israel). But first the Israelites ("your children") from around the world will gather into their land.
"Ships of Tarshish" represent international transportation of all kinds (see appendix in [8]); in this case, it represents transportation by air, and the prophet is amazed to see this vision of people flying like clouds or doves (his wonder and amazement is indicated by the rhetorical question, "who are these...?").
Chiasmus 3: The people of the world will serve the New Israel
The passage below in 60:10-14 is structured as a single-unit chiasmus:
A1 60:10-11 The people of the world will serve the New Israel
X 60:12 The nations that refuse to serve Israel will be punished
A2 60:13-14 The people of the world will serve the New Israel
Subunit A1: The people of the world will serve the New Israel (60:10-11)
Chapter 60 10 “Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favor I will show you compassion. 11 Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the worthy among the Gentiles— their kings led in triumphal procession.
The peoples of the world, both the elite ("kings" refers to the best in all fields) and commoners, will help rebuild the New Israel into a great nation ("rebuild your walls"). God had made the Israelites slaves to the world for millennia ("I struck you"), but now the Israelites will be served by other nations. A continuous procession ("gates always open", "triumphal procession") of the elite of the world ("kings", "worthy among the gentiles") will come to serve God's blessed land (see Isaiah 49:23).
Pivot X: The nations that refuse to serve Israel will be punished (60:12)
Chapter 60 12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish; it will be utterly ruined.
The nation that refuses to serve Israel, the land of God's priests, effectively refuses to serve Israel's God, and will be ruined for it (see also Zech. 14:17).
Subunit A2: The people of the world will serve the New Israel (60:13-14)
Chapter 60 13 “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.
Based on the theme of this chiasmus, we take the "glory of Lebanon" - the "juniper", "fir" and "cypress" - to represent the great people around the world (as in Isaiah 2:12-13). So the sense of this verse is that the elite of the world in all fields will serve the New Israel and bring glory to it (the New Israel, God's "sanctuary", is the "place for God's feet" - see Ezekiel 43:7).
Chapter 60 14 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.
Those who once despised the Israelites, even the descendants of people that once oppressed them, will acknowledge the New Israel as God's own nation ("City of the Lord", "Zion of the Holy One of Israel") (see also Isaiah 49:23).
Chiasmus 4: Israel is restored and greatly blessed
The passage below in 60:15-21a,61:4-7a is arranged in the form of a five-unit chiasmus:
A1 60:15 Forsaken Israel will become the pride and joy of the world
B1 60:16a Israel will be given the best the world has to offer
C1 60:16b Israel will be a nation of priests of the Almighty God
D1 60:17-18a Israel is restored and will be blessed with peace and prosperity
E1 60:18b The Israelites will be righteous and faithful to God
X 60:19-20 Israel will reflect the glory of God
E2 60:21a The Israelites will be righteous and faithful to God
D2 61:4-5 Israel is restored and will be blessed with peace and prosperity
C2 61:6a Israel will be a nation of priests of the Almighty God
B2 61:6b Israel will be given the best the world has to offer
A2 61:7a Forsaken Israel will become the pride and joy of the world
Subunit A1: Forsaken Israel will become the pride and joy of the world (60:15)
Chapter 60 15 “Although you have been forsaken and despised, with no one traveling through, I will make you the everlasting pride and the joy of all generations.
Israel, which had been a neglected and scorned nation that few cared about or visited ("no one traveling through"), will be celebrated as the pride and joy of the world throughout the Millennial Reign ("everlasting", "all generations").
Subunit B1: Israel will be given the best the world has to offer (60:16a)
Chapter 60 16a You will drink the milk of nations and be nursed at royal breasts.
The New Israel will receive of the best of everything that the world has to offer ("milk", "nursed at royal breasts") (see also Isaiah 49:23). The word "royal" in this context refers to those who excel in all areas of human endeavour, and not just those with political power.
Subunit C1: Israel will be a nation of priests of the Almighty God (60:16b)
Chapter 60 16b You will know that I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
The Israelites will be spiritually guided by the Holy Spirit, so that they know their God and Saviour, the God of their fathers (see also Isaiah 30:21). They will turn away from idolatry and will remain faithful to the Almighty God forever.
Subunit D1: Israel is restored and will be blessed with peace and prosperity (60:17-18a)
Chapter 60 17a 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.
The Israelites had to make do with whatever little they had as a destitute people, but now they will enjoy a far superior lifestyle ("gold" instead of "bronze"...).
Chapter 60 17b I will make peace your governor and well-being your ruler. 18a No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders.
The Israelites had been frequently invaded and ruled by other nations as punishment for their waywardness (see Deut. 28:7), but now they will enjoy peace and prosperity, because they will be governed for God by the coming Messiah - the prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 2:4) and the righteous ruler (Isaiah 11:4).
Subunit E1: The Israelites will be righteous and faithful to God (60:18b)
Chapter 60 18b You will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.
The walls of the New Israel are called salvation to indicate that only the Israelites saved through their righteousness can live in this Holy Land (see Isaiah 1:25); all those who enter its gates will forever praise and worship God (see also Rev 22:14-15, Isaiah 26:1).
Pivot X: Israel will reflect the glory of God (60:19-20)
Chapter 60 19 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.
Some of God's great righteousness and spiritual glory ("light") will manifest itself in the greatness of the New Israel ("your God will be your glory"). Israel will no longer rely on its idol gods or fallen angels as it had for millennia (the "sun and moon" represent fallen angels, as in Rev. 6:12, Deut. 4:19....) ( Similar language can be found in Revelation regarding the Heavenly Jerusalem - cf. Rev 21:22-25, Rev 22:4-5 [6]).
Chapter 60 20 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.
God's glory will be made visible through the spiritual greatness of the New Israel throughout the Millennial Reign ("your sun will never set..."), and Israel will no longer face times of spiritual and physical destitution ("days of sorrow") as it had for millennia (cf. Isaiah 30:26). ( Note that the metaphor has changed: God is the "sun and moon" in this verse, while the fallen angels were the "sun and moon" in the previous verse.)
Subunit E2: The Israelites will be righteous and faithful to God (60:21a)
Chapter 60 21a Then all your people will be righteous and they will possess the land forever.
After a purge of the Israelites during the time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:6,7), only the righteous will remain. They and their descendants will stay faithful to their God, and so they will possess the land forever.
Subunit D2: Israel is restored and will be blessed with peace and prosperity (61:4-5)
Chapter 61 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
After the neglect that comes through extreme poverty over many generations, the land of the Israelites will be repaired and built up to be a great nation (see also Isaiah 58:12).
Chapter 61 5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
The Israelites had been spread around the world and served other nations for generations (Lev. 26:33), but now other peoples will serve in the New Israel and contribute to its growth and prosperity ("shepherd your flocks" and "work your fields and vineyards" - these were the primary occupations in Isaiah's time and they represent all types of work in the New Israel).
Subunit C2: Israel will be a nation of priests of the Almighty God (61:6a)
Chapter 61 6a And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God.
The New Israel will be a nation of priests (see Exodus 19:6, cf. Rev 5:10), a nation dedicated to doing God's work on earth.
Subunit B2: Israel will be given the best the world has to offer (61:6b)
Chapter 61 6b You will feed on the treasures of nations, and in their riches you will pride yourselves.
The best of talent and things ("treasures" and "riches") from around the world will be brought to the New Israel to enhance its greatness ("pride yourselves") (see also Isaiah 66:12).
Subunit A2: Forsaken Israel will become the pride and joy of the world (61:7a)
Chapter 61 7a Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your lot.
For all the shame and disgrace that Israel has suffered over the millennia, she will be compensated with far more ("double portion") greatness and glory. (see also Zech. 9:12).
Chiasmus 5: Israel is spiritually and physically restored
The passage below in 61:7b-9, 62:1-10a is arranged in the form of a three-unit chiasmus:
A1 61:7b The Israelites gather in the land of their inheritance
B1 61:8-9 Israel is restored: Spiritually
C1 62:1-2a Christ and his angels intercede for Israel
X 62:2b-5 Israel becomes God's favoured nation
C2 62:6-7 Christ and his angels intercede for Israel
B2 62:8-9 Israel is restored: Physically
A2 62:10a The Israelites gather in the land of their inheritance
Subunit A1: The Israelites gather in the land of their inheritance (61:7b)
Chapter 61 7b Surely you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.
The Israelites are now allotted a far larger land ("double portion") than the one promised to their forefathers through Abraham (Genesis 15:18-21). Their stay in this land will be one of great joy throughout the Millennial Reign.
Subunit B1: Israel is restored: Spiritually (61:8-9)
Chapter 61 8 “Truly, I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
For the sins of their fathers, God had spiritually blinded the Israelites over millennia and hidden His face from them (see Isaiah 29:9,10). But now God, in His righteousness ("I hate robbery and wrong"), will compensate His nation for this extended spiritual punishment. He will make a Millennial Covenant with His people, according to which He will always spiritually guide them, and they will eternally remain faithful to Him (see also Isaiah 59:21, Jeremiah 31:31-34, Isaiah 30:21).
Chapter 61 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
And so the Israelites and their descendants will be known around the world as the spiritually blessed people of God, a nation of priests, throughout the Millennial Reign.
Subunit C1: Christ and his angels intercede for Israel (62:1-2a)
We take the position that this subunit and the corresponding subunit C2 below are spoken by Christ (there are, similarly, subunits spoken by Christ in Period 1 - in 61:1 and 61:10).
Chapter 62 1 For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. 2a The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory.
Christ will persevere in making petitions to God for Israel, the nation from which Christ will rule the earth, until its righteousness and the effects of its salvation are manifest. He will intercede for Israel until its spiritual greatness is a shining example to the leaders ("kings") and people of the world, so that it is worthy of ruling over the earth (see also Isaiah 1:26, Isaiah 46:13).
Pivot X: Israel becomes God's favoured nation (62:2b-5)
Chapter 62 2b You will be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will bestow. 3 You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
The New Israel will receive a new name to represent its new blessed status, for a new name signifies a new role (cf. Rev 2:17). Israel will be a crown in God's hand, in the sense that He will rule the world through the land - a "crown/diadem" represents a centre of power (cf. Rev. 13:1).
Chapter 62 4 No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. 5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
Israel is now the "bride" of the God (Hephzibah means "My delight is in her" and Beulah means "married") after a long estrangement ("Deserted', 'Desolate') (see also Isaiah 54:4-6). God and the New Israel will be united in a "marriage" covenant, so that Israel becomes God's favoured nation, and this covenant will not be broken (see also Isaiah 59:21) (similarly the Church becomes the bride of Christ in this Period - cf. Rev 19:7, Ephesians 5:22-33).
Subunit C2: Christ and his angels intercede for Israel (62:6,7)
As in the corresponding subunit C1 above, this subunit is spoken by Christ.
Chapter 62 6 I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, 7 and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth.
Jesus has appointed guardian angels to watch and pray continually for Israel until God makes it a beacon of righteousness and a spiritually glorious nation, the praise of the earth (see also Isaiah 52:8, cf. Zechariah 1:12).
Subunit B2: Israel is restored: Physically (62:8-9)
Chapter 62 8 The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: “Never again will I give your grain as food for your enemies, and never again will foreigners drink the new wine for which you have toiled; 9 but those who harvest it will eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather the grapes will drink it in the courts of my sanctuary.”
As part of their punishment over the millennia, the Israelites' wealth had been handed over other nations (Deut. 28:33,39,51), but God swears by His own power ("right hand", "mighty arm") that the New Israel will live in peace and enjoy the fruits of its labour (Deut. 28:11,12). The "courts of my sanctuary" refers the New Israel, God's holy nation.
Subunit A2: The Israelites gather in the land of their inheritance (62:10a)
Chapter 62 10a Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones.
The Israelites from around the world are called to gather into the New Israel ("Pass through"). All impediments to the Israelites' entering the New Israel must be removed, so that their return is smooth, as on a highway (see also Isaiah 11:15,16, Isaiah 57:14).
Chiasmus 6: Satan's empires are defeated
The passage below in 62:10b-63:6 is structured as a single-unit chiasmus:
A1 62:10b-12 God redeems Israel and destroys Satan's empires
X 63:1-3 The coming Messiah defeats the Beast army
A2 63:4-6 God redeems Israel and destroys Satan's empires
Subunit A1: God redeems Israel and destroys Satan's empires (62:10b-12)
Chapter 62 10b Raise a banner for the nations. 11 The Lord has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.’”
God makes an announcement to the Israelites ("Daughter Zion"), even those scattered around the world ("nations", "ends of the earth"), that their God ("Saviour") has come to save them from spiritual and physical destitution, and that He brings with Him rewards for the righteous remnant of the Israelites (see also Isaiah 40:10).
Chapter 62 12 They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.
The Israelites ("they") will once again be God's people ("Holy People", "Redeemed of the Lord"), and Israel ("you", "City") will once again be God's chosen, blessed nation ("Sought After", "No Longer Deserted") (see also Isaiah 61:6, 35:10, Jer. 30:17, Isaiah 62:4).
Pivot X: The coming Messiah defeats the Beast army (63:1-3)
Chapter 63 1 Who is this coming from Edom,
from Bozrah, with his dazzling garments?
Who is this, robed in splendor,
striding forward in the greatness of his strength?
“It is I, proclaiming victory,
mighty to save.”
Isaiah sees an amazing vision of the coming Messiah, the King of kings, returning with a victorious swagger ("striding forward") after he destroyed the Beast army when it attacked the New Israel (see Eze. 39, Rev 19:17-21, 14:14-20). The Messiah proclaims victory, for God had given him the power to save Israel from this wicked army.
"Edom" represents Satan's empires of "Babylon" and the Beast (as we have shown in our parse of Obadiah [10]), and, in this passage, it specifically represents the Beast army. Bozrah, a chief city of ancient Edom, synecdochically also represents modern "Edom", Satan's empires (as in Isaiah 34:6). The Messiah's "dazzling, splendid garments" represent his power and glory as the King of kings (see Rev 19:11-16); the rhetorical question, "Who is this...?", indicates wonder and amazement at the sight of the glorious Messiah (as in Isaiah 60:8 above). This passage of the pivot in 63:1-3 is presented as a dialogue in order to highlight the importance of this event (see another example in Rev 7:13-17).
Chapter 63
2 Why is there red on your garments,
like those of one treading the winepress?
3 “I have trodden the winepress alone;
from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled them in my anger
and trod them down in my wrath;
their blood spattered my garments,
and I stained all my clothing.
The Messiah's robe is reddened with the juice ("blood") of grapes ("them" and "their" in vs 3 refers to the grapes) that splashed on him when he stomped at a winepress (see Rev.14:17-20, Rev 19:15-21, Genesis 49:11). The metaphor of this subunit indicates that the coming Messiah has destroyed the Beast army - the "grapes" represent the army, the "red grape juice" represents their destruction and the "winepress" represents the wrathful vengeance of God and His Messiah (the same metaphor is used for this event in Rev. 14:19,20, 19:13). The Messiah thwarts this attack by the Beast with the aid of an army of angels (Rev 19:14) and the Israelites (Zech. 12:8), but without any help from other nations of the world ("from the nations no one was with me").
Subunit A2: God redeems Israel and destroys Satan's empires (63:4-6)
Chapter 63 4 It was for me the day of vengeance; the year for me to redeem had come.
The start of the Millennial Reign is a time for God's redemption of the Israelites and the righteous of the world, and a time ("day") of punishment for the wicked (this period is one of the "Days of the Lord" of Joel - Joel 2:31,32 [7]). We show, in Period 1 (vs 61:2a), that Christ predicts the year in which these events occur. ( This subunit in 63:4-6 continues from 62:11-12 in the corresponding subunit A1 above, and is spoken by God.)
Chapter 63 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm achieved salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. 6 I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”
God saw that no one who was in power during the Beast's reign was willing to fight the wickedness of the reign of Satan's "Babylon" and Beast empires ("Edom" of 63:1), so God, in His righteous wrath, uses His own power ("my own arm") to end their reign (see also Isaiah 59:15b-16 above). God destroys ("tramples on") the wicked people that control the nations of the world, particularly those of the Beast empire - He punishes them ("made them drunk" with the "wine" of His wrath - cf. Isaiah 51:17) and kills them ("poured their blood on the ground"). ( Note that the "wine" metaphor of this passage is different from that in 63:2-3 of the pivot.)
5.3 The Church grows out from the Christian Community of Judahites (starting 73AD) after the First Jewish–Roman War (66AD–73AD) (Ch 60 Vs 21b-22, Ch 61 Vs 2b-3, Ch 61 Vs 11)
This Period is arranged in the form of a single-unit chiasmus:A1 60:21b-22 God establishes Christianity in the world through the Judahites
X 61:2b-3 Christ's words comfort the Judahites and make them righteous
A2 61:11 God establishes Christianity in the world through the Judahites
Subunit A1: God establishes Christianity in the world through the Judahites (60:21b-22)
Chapter 60 21b They are the shoot I have planted, the work of my hands, so that I may be glorified. 22 The little one will become a clan, the small one a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.”
All that remained of Judah after the Roman massacre was the Christian community (the community is "the shoot that I have planted"). This small community ("little one") was the one that preached the Gospel of Christ to the rest of the world (Romans 1:16, Acts 3:25), so that the community rapidly multiplied and grew into the global Church ("a mighty nation") - a Church that is made up of righteous Christians who glorify the God of Israel (see also Galatians 3:26–28).
Pivot X: Christ's words comfort the Judahites and make them righteous (61:2b-3)
We will treat the passage of this pivot as coming from Christ, an extension of his statement at the start of his ministry in 61:1-2a (even though he did not say it out loud, according to Luke 4:18-19). With this, we have passages from Christ in all 3 Periods.
Chapter 61 2b [The Lord has sent me] to comfort all who mourn, 3a and console those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a festive headdress instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
The Christian Judahites followed Jesus' advice to flee to the mountains, and so escaped the slaughter of the First Jewish-Roman War (see our reconfiguration of the 70 Weeks of Daniel for details [2].). These Judahites had been through the trauma of a cruel war that destroyed their holy city, Jerusalem, and killed a majority of their fellow Judahites. Christ's message and the New Covenant he brought into effect now comfort these grieving Judahites (see Isaiah 40:1-2), so that the Christian Judahites celebrate ("festive headdress") with joy ("oil of joy") and praise God ("garment of praise"), while the non-Christian Judahites were utterly destroyed ("ashes", "sorrow", "despair").
Chapter 61 3b They will be called trees of righteousness, a planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
Christ's teachings have turned the Christian Judahites into strong, stable, fruitful paragons of righteousness ("trees of righteousness" - cf. Jeremiah 17:8), so that the God they worship is glorified.
Subunit A2: God establishes Christianity in the world through the Judahites (61:11)
Chapter 61 11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes what is sown to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
God creates the favourable conditions that nurture and grow the Christian community (the community is the "sprout"/"shoot I have planted" - the metaphor of this subunit continues from 60:21b in the corresponding subunit A1 above) and consequently spread righteousness and the worship of the God of Israel to the rest of world (cf. Isaiah 45:8).
( Note that in the metaphor of the pivot, each "tree" represents individual Judahites, while in the subunits the "shoot" represents the entire Christian community.)
Conclusion
With this chiastic reconstruction, we show that the passage contains three interwoven prophetic passages. Christ the Messiah comes in Period 1 to save the world spiritually and the Messiah of the Millennial Reign comes in Period 3 to save the world physically. All three Periods have passages spoken by Christ, notably the one at the start of his mission in 61:1-2a that predicts the year of the start of the Millennial Reign.
Appendix
Dates of significant events during Jesus' First ComingThe following are our estimates of some of the significant dates of Christ's First Coming and the justification we have for those estimates.
Christ's Death - Passover of 30AD. Jesus dies in the spring of 30AD at the time of the Passover (Matt. 26:2), 40 years before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD (from our parse of Ezekiel 4-5 [9]).
The start of Christ's ministry - Fall of 26AD. We estimate this date based on a combination of the evidence below:
- In the first Passover season of Jesus' ministry, the Jews stated that the Temple had been under construction for 46 years (see John 2:20). Since Herod had commenced construction around 20BC, this first passover was in 27AD, and Christ's ministry must have begun within a year prior.
- According to Luke 3:1-3, John the Baptist's ministry began in the 15th year of Tiberius. Tiberius' reign began in 12AD as co-ruler with Augustus, so John's ministry started in 26AD and Jesus may have started preaching in the same year.
- From this parse of Isaiah 59-63, it appears that Jesus' ministry began around the start of the Hebrew civil year, around September.
- In John's gospel, Jesus attended 3 annual passover feasts (John 2:13, 6:4, 11:55-57), indicating that his ministry was, at a minimum, 2 1/2 years long.
In summary, Jesus was born in the fall of 5BC and started his ministry in the fall of 26AD at the age of about 30 years. After preaching for 3 1/2 years, he died at the age of around 33 1/2 years in the spring of 30AD.
References
[1] A Definition of Cryptochiasmus[2] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The 70 Weeks Of Daniel"
[3] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Revelation 4-22 Part 2: An Exegesis of Period 2
[4] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Daniel 8
[5] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of "The Olivet Discourse" in Matthew 24
[6] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Revelation 4-22 Part 3: An Exegesis of Period 3
[7] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Joel
[8] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Isaiah 23
[9] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Ezekiel 4-5
[10] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Obadiah
[11] A Chiastic Reconfiguration Of Revelation 12
[12] A Commentary on Daniel 7
* First version published on 27 December 2021.