I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Isaiah 60-63.

    When I read the beginning of today’s passage (chapter 60) I wonder if this prophecy about the future of Israel takes place before or after God creates the new Heaven and new Earth. And if before, is it meant to be taken literally or figuratively. Like many of Isaiah’s prophecies I suspect that this passage is intended to foretell more than one point in history. I see elements of the establishment, and current state, of modern Israel in this passage. The passage describes ships from the ends of the earth bringing the people of Israel home to their land. However, there are also many aspects of this passage which contain elements of the descriptions of the New Heaven and the New Earth which God will create.

    Beginning with verse one of chapter 61 we have a passage which Jesus explicitly quoted as being fulfilled in Himself. This passage was Jesus’ mandate, and, if we are imitators of Him, ours as well. We are true followers of Christ if God’s Spirit is upon us to bring good news to the poor, comfort the broken-hearted, and proclaim that slaves are to be freed. Jesus brought that message to us. Now we are to take that message, in His name, to the rest of the earth. But there is also a warning that goes along with that message. God loves justice and hates wrongdoing and robbery.

    When I read the final chapter of today’s passage I am reminded of “The Battle Hymn of The Republic”. Specifically, I am reminded of the images of the horror of the Civil War which it evokes for me. In particular, verse 3 brings that to my mind, and what we can expect if we allow similar injustice to occur again (or perhaps I should say allow such injustice to continue). Verse 3 says, “I have been treading the winepress alone; no one was there to help me.” If you do not understand what I am talking about, read some of the descriptions about how horrific the battlefields of the Civil War, or World War I. Those are two examples of when God unleashed His fury at mankind and began trampling His enemies. The Battle Hymn of the Republic was written, and used, in order to make the Union Army seem like the arm of God’s vengeance, but by the end of the war, I believe that many of the Union soldiers realized that they too had been trampled as part of God’s vengeance on His enemies.