Isaiah 60:10-14 – Building the gates and walls of the church

In Isaiah 60:10-14, the prophet prophesized the building of the wall of Zion. When the Babylonians laid siege to Jerusalem, the walls were dismantled, and the people were taken into exile. Initially, God used the foreigner as His instrument in the discipline of His people. When He ascertained that the period of chastening was enough, He used them to liberate the exile and enable them to return to build the walls of Jerusalem. We saw how King Cyrus was used to set the whole plan rolling. He decreed that the Jews could return to their homeland. So under Ezra, a group returned to rebuild the temple. And Nehemiah who was serving King Artaxerxes was given help by the king to secure the material to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

In talking about the rebuilding of the walls of Zion, these verses remind us of the building of the walls of spiritual Zion. If spiritual Zion is the church, then we see here the prophecy of how the foreigners will participate in building the walls of the church. Walls are symbols of strength. They define the boundaries of a city and are the first line of defense, signifying protection. A city without walls will be vulnerable to attack. The walls of the church must be properly established. Any gap must be dealt with so that those within can be secure. God is always looking for men to stand in the gap to ensure that the walls of this spiritual Zion will not have loopholes, making it easy prey for the enemies.

In verse 11, Isaiah talked about the gate of Jerusalem. This gate would never be closed so that it would facilitate a continuous flow of people into the city. Even kings would lead the flow of people, bringing with them their wealth into the city. Like the opened gates of physical Zion, the gate of the church will also be opened to facilitate continuous people of all status, rulers, and ordinary citizens to enter in at any moment, day or night.  Anyone who will not acknowledge and serve Christ, the sovereign King, will ultimately come to ruin.  

Using poetic language, verse 13 speaks of the glory of the church. It will be a place of strength and beauty, a place where God will make glorious by His presence. It will be the sanctuary of the Holy One. Those who once despised it will come submitting humbly to the city and the King. Physical Zion would be glorious for she would be uniquely the city of the Holy One of Israel. In a far more glorious way, the church where Christ is enthroned, will be the place where His glory is manifestly experienced.  

As people who make up the church of Jesus Christ, our transformed life will make Him more patently present. When we, the church, understand our mission, we will be the greatest force on earth. When we manifest the glory of Christ, people will be drawn to submit themselves to Christ’s Lordship. Each one of us has a part to play so that the glory of the church of Christ can be seen and experienced. Be committed to doing our part! It’s a great privilege!