Isaiah 60: Israel's Empire?

One question that many Christians ask is, "How could the people of Jesus' day have missed His coming?  They lifted their Messiah up on a cross instead of lifting up His Name in worship.  They crowned their King with thorns rather than with gold and jewels.  Why?"  The answer may be, in part, that the people of Jesus' day had radically different expectations of their Savior.  In their minds, He wasn't coming to be a suffering servant, but a conquering king!

Isaiah 60 speaks glowingly of the future of the people of God.  It paints, in economic and military terms, a time of coming glory for Israel.  Whether it's a "multitude of camels" (vs. 6) or "silver and gold" (vs. 9), Isaiah says that Jerusalem will be rich with the wealth of nations.  They will also be strong and secure, as foreigners and kings will work for them (vs. 10) and nations that do not serve them will perish (vs. 12).  In fact, there will be such a reversal of fortune that the descendants of those who oppress Israel now will be the ones groveling at Israel's feet in a coming age! (vs. 14)

This is a picture of an Israelite Empire.  Instead of Babylon, or Persia, or Greece, or Rome (or, we might add today, America), it is Israel that will rule the world and hold sway over it.  Tribute will pour in, and the people will be blessed.  This material victory is what the people of Jesus' day were waiting for as they endured Rome's boot on their neck.

Instead what they got was a man who told them to love their enemies and put down their weapons.  He preached forgiveness and peace rather then issuing a call to arms and vengeance.  The blessings that God had in mind for His people were first of all to be spiritual, not financial or militaristic.  Jesus was not the Messiah they were looking for.  Is this vision to be forever unrealized?

The New Testament still sees the picture of Isaiah 60 as something yet to come.  Compare the closing verses of this chapter with the last two chapters of Revelation.  The gates shall always be open and never shut (vs. 11, Rev. 21:25)  The sun shall no longer be the light by day nor the moon by night but God will be the light (vs. 19; Rev. 21:23).  The days of mourning shall be ended; there shall be no more crying (vs. 20; Rev. 21:4).  Only this will not be an empire just for Israel; this will be Heaven for all God's people!