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Isaiah 59-61
The Message
Isaiah 59-61
The Message
We Long for Light but Sink into Darkness
59 1-8 Look! Listen!
God’s arm is not amputated—he can still save.
God’s ears are not stopped up—he can still hear.
There’s nothing wrong with God; the wrong is in you.
Your wrongheaded lives caused the split between you and God.
Your sins got between you so that he doesn’t hear.
Your hands are drenched in blood,
your fingers dripping with guilt,
Your lips smeared with lies,
your tongue swollen from muttering obscenities.
No one speaks up for the right,
no one deals fairly.
They trust in illusion, they tell lies,
they get pregnant with mischief and have sin-babies.
They hatch snake eggs and weave spider webs.
Eat an egg and die; break an egg and get a snake!
The spider webs are no good for shirts or shawls.
No one can wear these weavings!
They weave wickedness,
they hatch violence.
They compete in the race to do evil
and run to be the first to murder.
They plan and plot evil, think and breathe evil,
and leave a trail of wrecked lives behind them.
They know nothing about peace
and less than nothing about justice.
They make tortuously twisted roads.
No peace for the wretch who walks down those roads!
9-11 Which means that we’re a far cry from fair dealing,
and we’re not even close to right living.
We long for light but sink into darkness,
long for brightness but stumble through the night.
Like the blind, we inch along a wall,
groping eyeless in the dark.
We shuffle our way in broad daylight,
like the dead, but somehow walking.
We’re no better off than bears, groaning,
and no worse off than doves, moaning.
We look for justice—not a sign of it;
for salvation—not so much as a hint.
12-15 Our wrongdoings pile up before you, God,
our sins stand up and accuse us.
Our wrongdoings stare us down;
we know in detail what we’ve done:
Mocking and denying God,
not following our God,
Spreading false rumors, whipping up revolt,
pregnant with lies, muttering malice.
Justice is beaten back,
Righteousness is banished to the sidelines,
Truth staggers down the street,
Honesty is nowhere to be found,
Good is missing in action.
Anyone renouncing evil is beaten and robbed.
15-19 God looked and saw evil looming on the horizon—
so much evil and no sign of Justice.
He couldn’t believe what he saw:
not a soul around to correct this awful situation.
So he did it himself, took on the work of Salvation,
fueled by his own Righteousness.
He dressed in Righteousness, put it on like a suit of armor,
with Salvation on his head like a helmet,
Put on Judgment like an overcoat,
and threw a cloak of Passion across his shoulders.
He’ll make everyone pay for what they’ve done:
fury for his foes, just deserts for his enemies.
Even the far-off islands will get paid off in full.
In the west they’ll fear the name of God,
in the east they’ll fear the glory of God,
For he’ll arrive like a river in flood stage,
whipped to a torrent by the wind of God.
20 “I’ll arrive in Zion as Redeemer,
to those in Jacob who leave their sins.”
God’s Decree.
21 “As for me,” God says, “this is my covenant with them: My Spirit that I’ve placed upon you and the words that I’ve given you to speak, they’re not going to leave your mouths nor the mouths of your children nor the mouths of your grandchildren. You will keep repeating these words and won’t ever stop.” God’s orders.
People Returning for the Reunion
60 1-7 “Get out of bed, Jerusalem!
Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight.
God’s bright glory has risen for you.
The whole earth is wrapped in darkness,
all people sunk in deep darkness,
But God rises on you,
his sunrise glory breaks over you.
Nations will come to your light,
kings to your sunburst brightness.
Look up! Look around!
Watch as they gather, watch as they approach you:
Your sons coming from great distances,
your daughters carried by their nannies.
When you see them coming you’ll smile—big smiles!
Your heart will swell and, yes, burst!
All those people returning by sea for the reunion,
a rich harvest of exiles gathered in from the nations!
And then streams of camel caravans as far as the eye can see,
young camels of nomads in Midian and Ephah,
Pouring in from the south from Sheba,
loaded with gold and frankincense,
preaching the praises of God.
And yes, a great roundup
of flocks from the nomads in Kedar and Nebaioth,
Welcome gifts for worship at my altar
as I bathe my glorious Temple in splendor.
What’s That We See in the Distance?
8-22 “What’s that we see in the distance,
a cloud on the horizon, like doves darkening the sky?
It’s ships from the distant islands,
the famous Tarshish ships
Returning your children from faraway places,
loaded with riches, with silver and gold,
And backed by the name of your God, The Holy of Israel,
showering you with splendor.
Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings assist you in the conduct of worship.
When I was angry I hit you hard.
It’s my desire now to be tender.
Your Jerusalem gates will always be open
—open house day and night!—
Receiving deliveries of wealth from all nations,
and their kings, the delivery boys!
Any nation or kingdom that doesn’t deliver will perish;
those nations will be totally wasted.
The rich woods of Lebanon will be delivered
—all that cypress and oak and pine—
To give a splendid elegance to my Sanctuary,
as I make my footstool glorious.
The descendants of your oppressor
will come bowing and scraping to you.
All who looked down at you in contempt
will lick your boots.
They’ll confer a title on you: City of God,
Zion of The Holy of Israel.
Not long ago you were despised refuse—
out-of-the-way, unvisited, ignored.
But now I’ve put you on your feet,
towering and grand forever, a joy to look at!
When you suck the milk of nations
and the breasts of royalty,
You’ll know that I, God, am your Savior,
your Redeemer, Champion of Jacob.
I’ll give you only the best—no more hand-me-downs!
Gold instead of bronze, silver instead of iron,
bronze instead of wood, iron instead of stones.
I’ll install Peace to run your country,
make Righteousness your boss.
There’ll be no more stories of crime in your land,
no more robberies, no more vandalism.
You’ll name your main street Salvation Way,
and install Praise Park at the center of town.
You’ll have no more need of the sun by day
nor the brightness of the moon at night.
God will be your eternal light,
your God will bathe you in splendor.
Your sun will never go down,
your moon will never fade.
I will be your eternal light.
Your days of grieving are over.
All your people will live right and well,
in permanent possession of the land.
They’re the green shoot that I planted,
planted with my own hands to display my glory.
The runt will become a great tribe,
the weakling become a strong nation.
I am God.
At the right time I’ll make it happen.”
Announce Freedom to All Captives
61 1-7 The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me
because God anointed me.
He sent me to preach good news to the poor,
heal the heartbroken,
Announce freedom to all captives,
pardon all prisoners.
God sent me to announce the year of his grace—
a celebration of God’s destruction of our enemies—
and to comfort all who mourn,
To care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion,
give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes,
Messages of joy instead of news of doom,
a praising heart instead of a languid spirit.
Rename them “Oaks of Righteousness”
planted by God to display his glory.
They’ll rebuild the old ruins,
raise a new city out of the wreckage.
They’ll start over on the ruined cities,
take the rubble left behind and make it new.
You’ll hire outsiders to herd your flocks
and foreigners to work your fields,
But you’ll have the title “Priests of God,”
honored as ministers of our God.
You’ll feast on the bounty of nations,
you’ll bask in their glory.
Because you got a double dose of trouble
and more than your share of contempt,
Your inheritance in the land will be doubled
and your joy go on forever.
8-9 “Because I, God, love fair dealing
and hate thievery and crime,
I’ll pay your wages on time and in full,
and establish my eternal covenant with you.
Your descendants will become well-known all over.
Your children in foreign countries
Will be recognized at once
as the people I have blessed.”
10-11 I will sing for joy in God,
explode in praise from deep in my soul!
He dressed me up in a suit of salvation,
he outfitted me in a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom who puts on a tuxedo
and a bride a jeweled tiara.
For as the earth bursts with spring wildflowers,
and as a garden cascades with blossoms,
So the Master, God, brings righteousness into full bloom
and puts praise on display before the nations.
Isaiah 59-61
New International Version
Isaiah 59-61
New International Version
Sin, Confession and Redemption
59 Surely the arm(A) of the Lord is not too short(B) to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear.(C)
2 But your iniquities have separated(D)
you from your God;
your sins have hidden his face from you,
so that he will not hear.(E)
3 For your hands are stained with blood,(F)
your fingers with guilt.(G)
Your lips have spoken falsely,(H)
and your tongue mutters wicked things.
4 No one calls for justice;(I)
no one pleads a case with integrity.
They rely(J) on empty arguments, they utter lies;(K)
they conceive trouble and give birth to evil.(L)
5 They hatch the eggs of vipers(M)
and spin a spider’s web.(N)
Whoever eats their eggs will die,
and when one is broken, an adder is hatched.
6 Their cobwebs are useless for clothing;
they cannot cover themselves with what they make.(O)
Their deeds are evil deeds,
and acts of violence(P) are in their hands.
7 Their feet rush into sin;
they are swift to shed innocent blood.(Q)
They pursue evil schemes;(R)
acts of violence mark their ways.(S)
8 The way of peace they do not know;(T)
there is no justice in their paths.
They have turned them into crooked roads;(U)
no one who walks along them will know peace.(V)
9 So justice is far from us,
and righteousness does not reach us.
We look for light, but all is darkness;(W)
for brightness, but we walk in deep shadows.
10 Like the blind(X) we grope along the wall,
feeling our way like people without eyes.
At midday we stumble(Y) as if it were twilight;
among the strong, we are like the dead.(Z)
11 We all growl like bears;
we moan mournfully like doves.(AA)
We look for justice, but find none;
for deliverance, but it is far away.
12 For our offenses(AB) are many in your sight,
and our sins testify(AC) against us.
Our offenses are ever with us,
and we acknowledge our iniquities:(AD)
13 rebellion(AE) and treachery against the Lord,
turning our backs(AF) on our God,
inciting revolt and oppression,(AG)
uttering lies(AH) our hearts have conceived.
14 So justice(AI) is driven back,
and righteousness(AJ) stands at a distance;
truth(AK) has stumbled in the streets,
honesty cannot enter.
15 Truth(AL) is nowhere to be found,
and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.
The Lord looked and was displeased
that there was no justice.(AM)
16 He saw that there was no one,(AN)
he was appalled that there was no one to intervene;(AO)
so his own arm achieved salvation(AP) for him,
and his own righteousness(AQ) sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate,(AR)
and the helmet(AS) of salvation on his head;
he put on the garments(AT) of vengeance(AU)
and wrapped himself in zeal(AV) as in a cloak.
18 According to what they have done,
so will he repay(AW)
wrath to his enemies
and retribution to his foes;
he will repay the islands(AX) their due.
19 From the west,(AY) people will fear the name of the Lord,
and from the rising of the sun,(AZ) they will revere his glory.(BA)
For he will come like a pent-up flood
that the breath(BB) of the Lord drives along.[a]
20 “The Redeemer(BC) will come to Zion,(BD)
to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,”(BE)
declares the Lord.
21 “As for me, this is my covenant(BF) with them,” says the Lord. “My Spirit,(BG) who is on you, will not depart from you,(BH) and my words that I have put in your mouth(BI) 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.
The Glory of Zion
60 “Arise,(BJ) shine, for your light(BK) has come,
and the glory(BL) of the Lord rises upon you.
2 See, darkness(BM) covers the earth
and thick darkness(BN) is over the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations(BO) will come to your light,(BP)
and kings(BQ) to the brightness of your dawn.
4 “Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble(BR) and come to you;
your sons come from afar,(BS)
and your daughters(BT) are carried on the hip.(BU)
5 Then you will look and be radiant,(BV)
your heart will throb and swell with joy;(BW)
the wealth(BX) on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels(BY) will cover your land,
young camels of Midian(BZ) and Ephah.(CA)
And all from Sheba(CB) will come,
bearing gold and incense(CC)
and proclaiming the praise(CD) of the Lord.
7 All Kedar’s(CE) flocks will be gathered to you,
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;
they will be accepted as offerings(CF) on my altar,(CG)
and I will adorn my glorious temple.(CH)
8 “Who are these(CI) that fly along like clouds,(CJ)
like doves to their nests?
9 Surely the islands(CK) look to me;
in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,[b](CL)
bringing(CM) your children from afar,
with their silver and gold,(CN)
to the honor(CO) of the Lord your God,
the Holy One(CP) of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.(CQ)
10 “Foreigners(CR) will rebuild your walls,
and their kings(CS) will serve you.
Though in anger I struck you,
in favor(CT) I will show you compassion.(CU)
11 Your gates(CV) will always stand open,
they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations(CW)—
their kings(CX) led in triumphal procession.
12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve(CY) you will perish;
it will be utterly ruined.(CZ)
13 “The glory of Lebanon(DA) will come to you,
the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,(DB)
to adorn my sanctuary;(DC)
and I will glorify the place for my feet.(DD)
14 The children of your oppressors(DE) will come bowing before you;
all who despise you will bow down(DF) at your feet
and will call you the City(DG) of the Lord,
Zion(DH) of the Holy One(DI) of Israel.
15 “Although you have been forsaken(DJ) and hated,
with no one traveling(DK) through,
I will make you the everlasting pride(DL)
and the joy(DM) of all generations.
16 You will drink the milk of nations
and be nursed(DN) at royal breasts.
Then you will know(DO) that I, the Lord, am your Savior,(DP)
your Redeemer,(DQ) the Mighty One of Jacob.(DR)
17 Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,(DS)
and silver in place of iron.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,
and iron in place of stones.
I will make peace(DT) your governor
and well-being your ruler.(DU)
18 No longer will violence(DV) be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction(DW) within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation(DX)
and your gates Praise.(DY)
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,(DZ)
and your God will be your glory.(EA)
20 Your sun(EB) will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more;
the Lord will be your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow(EC) will end.
21 Then all your people will be righteous(ED)
and they will possess(EE) the land forever.
They are the shoot I have planted,(EF)
the work of my hands,(EG)
for the display of my splendor.(EH)
22 The least of you will become a thousand,
the smallest a mighty nation.(EI)
I am the Lord;
in its time I will do this swiftly.”(EJ)
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit(EK) of the Sovereign Lord(EL) is on me,
because the Lord has anointed(EM) me
to proclaim good news(EN) to the poor.(EO)
He has sent me to bind up(EP) the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom(EQ) for the captives(ER)
and release from darkness for the prisoners,[c]
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor(ES)
and the day of vengeance(ET) of our God,
to comfort(EU) all who mourn,(EV)
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown(EW) of beauty
instead of ashes,(EX)
the oil(EY) of joy
instead of mourning,(EZ)
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting(FA) of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.(FB)
4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins(FC)
and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
that have been devastated for generations.
5 Strangers(FD) will shepherd your flocks;
foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.
6 And you will be called priests(FE) of the Lord,
you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth(FF) of nations,
and in their riches you will boast.
7 Instead of your shame(FG)
you will receive a double(FH) portion,
and instead of disgrace
you will rejoice in your inheritance.
And so you will inherit(FI) a double portion in your land,
and everlasting joy(FJ) will be yours.
8 “For I, the Lord, love justice;(FK)
I hate robbery and wrongdoing.
In my faithfulness I will reward my people
and make an everlasting covenant(FL) with them.
9 Their descendants(FM) 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.”(FN)
10 I delight greatly in the Lord;
my soul rejoices(FO) in my God.
For he has clothed me with garments of salvation
and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness,(FP)
as a bridegroom adorns his head(FQ) like a priest,
and as a bride(FR) adorns herself with her jewels.
11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up
and a garden(FS) causes seeds to grow,
so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness(FT)
and praise spring up before all nations.
Footnotes
- Isaiah 59:19 Or When enemies come in like a flood, / the Spirit of the Lord will put them to flight
- Isaiah 60:9 Or the trading ships
- Isaiah 61:1 Hebrew; Septuagint the blind
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.