Keep Moving Forward

Scripture(s): Isaiah 60:21

Also your people [shall] all [be] righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.

Commentary:
This whole chapter is all to the same purport, all in the same strain; it is a part of God’s covenant with his church, which is spoken of in the last verse of the foregoing chapter, and the blessings here promised are the fruits of the word and Spirit there promised. The long continuance of the church, even unto the utmost ages of time, was there promised, and here the large extent of the church, even unto the utmost regions of the earth; and both these tend to the honour of the Redeemer. It is here promised, I. That the church shall be enlightened and shone upon (v. 1, 2).

II. That it shall be enlarged and great additions made to it, to join in the service of God (v. 3-8). III. That the new converts shall be greatly serviceable to the church and to the interests of it (v. 9–13). IV. That the church shall be in great honour and reputation among men (v. 14–16). V. That it shall enjoy a profound peace and tranquility (v. 17, 18). VI. That, the members of it being all righteous, the glory and joy of it shall be everlasting (v. 19–22). Now this has some reference to the peaceable and prosperous condition which the Jews were sometimes in after their return out of captivity into their own land; but it certainly looks further, and was to have its full accomplishment in the kingdom of the Messiah, the enlargement of that kingdom by the bringing in of the Gentiles into it, and the spiritual blessings in heavenly things by Christ Jesus with which it should be enriched, and all these earnests of eternal joy and glory (Henry, 1996).

Those that are entitled to this happiness, being duly prepared and qualified for it, shall never be put out of the possession of it (v. 21): Thy people, that shall inhabit this New Jerusalem, shall all be righteous, all justified by the righteousness of the Messiah, all sanctified by his Spirit; all that people, that Jerusalem, must be righteous, must have that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord. They are all righteous, for we know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. There are no people on earth that are all righteous; there is a mixture of some bad in the best societies on this side heaven; but there are no mixtures there. They shall be all righteous, that is, they shall be entirely righteous; as there shall be none corrupt among them, so there shall be no corruption in them; the spirits of just men shall there be made perfect (Henry, 1996).

And they shall be all the righteous together who shall replenish the New Jerusalem; it is called the congregation of the righteous, Ps. 1:5. And, because they are all righteous, therefore they shall inherit the land for ever, for nothing but sin can turn them out of it. The perfection of the saints’ holiness secures the perpetuity of their happiness. 4. The glory of the church shall redound to the honour of the church’s God: "They shall appear to be the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, and I will own them as such.’’ It was by the grace of God that they were designed to this happiness; they are the branch of his planting, or of his plantations; he broke them off from the wild olive and grafted them into the good olive, transplanted them out of the field, when they were as tender branches, into his nursery, that, being now planted in his garden on earth, they might shortly be removed to his paradise in heaven (Henry, 1996).

It was by his grace likewise that they were prepared and fitted for this happiness; they are the work of his hands (Eph. 2:10), are wrought to the self-same thing, 2 Co. 5:5. It is a work of time, and, when it shall be finished, will appear a work of wonder; and God will be glorified, who began it, and carried it on; for the Lord Jesus will then be admired in all those that believe. God will glorify himself in glorifying his chosen. 5. They will appear the more glorious, and God will be the more glorified in them, if we compare what they are with what they were, the happiness they have arrived at with the smallness of their beginnings (v. 22): "A little one shall become a thousand and a small one a strong nation.’’

Reflection:
We can rest assured that God has planted us exactly where we are today for His purpose, honor, and glory. No matter what we go through in life, and no matter what we see with our natural eye. Sometimes, we will have to press beyond our physical limitations, and keep moving forward. Sometimes, when our hearts are broken because of a lost loved one; we still have to keep moving forward. Sometimes, when it appears that those that we love, don't love us back; we have to still, keep moving forward. Why? Because we are the planting of the Lord, and He will be glorified in our lives through everything that is birthed in and through us. Therefore, be encouraged to keep moving forward, despite: obstacles, heartbreak, pain, rejection, hinderances, sickness, and/or physical limitations. Remember that we are the planting of the Lord for His glory, and we will be what He has called us to be.

Strong's Concordance Definitions:

Thy people: 5971
1) nation, people
a) people, nation
b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
2) kinsman, kindred

also (shall be) all righteous: 6662
1) just, lawful, righteous
a) just, righteous (in government)
b) just, right (in one's cause)
c) just, righteous (in conduct and character)
d) righteous (as justified and vindicated by God)
e) right, correct, lawful

they shall inherit: 3423
1) to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir

a) (Qal)
1) to take possession of
2) to inherit
3) to impoverish, come to poverty, be poor
b) (Niphal) to be dispossessed, be impoverished, come to poverty
c) (Piel) to devour
d) (Hiphil)
1) to cause to possess or inherit
2) to cause others to possess or inherit
3) to impoverish
4) to dispossess
5) to destroy, bring to ruin, disinherit

the land: 776
1) land, earth

a) earth
1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)
2) earth (as opposed to heaven)
3) earth (inhabitants)
b) land
1) country, territory
2) district, region
3) tribal territory
4) piece of ground
5) land of Canaan, Israel
6) inhabitants of land
7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world
8) city (-state)
c) ground, surface of the earth
1) ground
2) soil
d) (in phrases)
1) people of the land
2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)
3) level or plain country
4) land of the living
5) end(s) of the earth
e) (almost wholly late in usage)
1) lands, countries
a) often in contrast to Canaan

forever: 5769
1) long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world

a) ancient time, long time (of past)
b) (of future)
1) for ever, always
2) continuous existence, perpetual
3) everlasting, indefinite or unending future, eternity

the branch: 5342
1) sprout, shoot, branch (always fig.)
 
the planting: 4302
1) place or act of planting, planting, plantation

a) planting place
b) act of planting
c) plantation

the work: 4639
1) deed, work
a) deed, thing done, act
b) work, labour
c) business, pursuit
d) undertaking, enterprise
e) achievement
f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment)
g) work, thing made
h) work (of God)
i) product

of my hands: 3027
1) hand
a) hand (of man)
b) strength, power (fig.)
c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.)
d) (various special, technical senses)
1) sign, monument
2) part, fractional part, share
3) time, repetition
4) axle-trees, axle
5) stays, support (for laver)
6) tenons (in tabernacle)
7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure)
8) wrists

that I may be glorified: 6286
1) to glorify, beautify, adorn
a) (Piel) to glorify, beautify
b) (Hithpael)
1) to glorify oneself
2) to get glory to oneself, be glorified
2) (Piel) to go over the boughs

References:
Blue Letter Bible. "The Major Prophet Isaiah 60 - (NKJV - New King James Version)." Blue Letter Bible. 1996-2010. 28 Feb 2010. http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Isa&c=60&t=NKJV

Henry, Matthew. "Commentary on Isaiah 60." . Blue Letter Bible. 1 Mar 1996. 2010. 28 Feb 2010.
http:// www.blueletterbible.org/commentaries/comm_view.cfm?
AuthorID=4&contentID=1388&commInfo=5&topic=Isaiah&ar=Isa_60_21

Higgins, S. (2010). Keep Moving Forward. Devotions for Thought. Higgins Publishing. Http://www.devotionsforthought.blogspot.com, Http://www.higginspublishing.com