Isaiah 60-62

Hello, the passage for this blog is one of blessing to the people has chosen to reveal himself to the world.  This passage has been used for some controversial topics with different views of biblical interpretation, so some of that will come up in the thoughts of this post.  In this passage, Israel is being promised that there will come blessing to their people and the glory of God will be shown to them.  This glory will make the wealth, power, and sustainability of the kingdoms of this world look small and miniscule compared to the glory that is going to be revealed to Israel.  This glory was being foretold upon their entry into slavery and captivity due to the judgement of God given to them due to their worship of false idols.  God was loving to them and decided to give to them something greater that would be good news to everyone, especially to those who were in mourning or poor.  So we will unpack these statements in Isaiah and discuss how this has been interpreted in something called the "prosperity gospel".

The Lord is revealing himself and his glory to his people.  This passage states that clearly.  This passage is not about wealth given to Israel and even blessing reigning down upon in the form of sustainability and healing, it is about the Lord and his glory.  The Lord is going to get glory from reprieving Israel of their bondage and crushing their enemies.  Why is this?  This is a picture of the victory that will come through the revelation of God through Jesus Christ.  The good news to those who mourn and the good news to those who are poor are exactly what Jesus was proclaiming during his time on Earth.  The monetary value and power of kingdoms of this world will not compare to the enormity and power of the kingdom that Jesus possesses.  Everything is his.  He inherits all glory, all riches, and all authority.  It is his.  The beauty of this is that it is not even about the riches that makes this so great.  It is that Jesus is greater than all these things and God has revealed his glory in this way.  The promise to Israel is preemptive to what they would receive through the releasing of their captivity, but it really points to the greatness of God being displayed through his Son, Jesus.  When he returns, mourning will be over and comfort will be there.  When he returns, the poor will be rich through the inheritance that is gained through Christ.  The greatest part of this is that God is the reward.  The riches and power will only be something possessed because Christ owns it and we will give him the glory in it as we were intended.


This passage has been used quite a bit among "televangelist", charismatic movements, and many authors to display that the inheritance for Israel (and God's truly redeemed people) is one of prosperity, riches, and wealth.  The concept of a "double portion"  and possession have been rallying cries to the masses for people to come to faith and receive the "reward" that God has destined for them.  If we read this passage in context and holistically through lens of all of scripture, this cannot be the case.  God's glory being revealed culminated through the revealing of Jesus Christ.  The possessions and riches of this world have no comparison of this glory and the richness that is in Jesus.  His glory is greater than this stuff.  That is what is being displayed in this passage.  This is being said with the truth that when Jesus returns, we do inherit what Jesus does because we are heirs with him.  He inherits everything, and we will get to enjoy that inheritance without the condemning and horrific effects of sin on our view of this inheritance, but it will be because of Jesus.  God is a good God, and he decided to reveal himself in a way that would show his power, authority, and richness was greater than anything else in this world.  That richness came through Christ.  This is cause for celebration and that one day when his glory is fully revealed, we will see that truly and it will be good.  Do not settle for cheap riches and authority now.