II. A REDEEMER TO ZION
As the Servant of Jehovah, Christ will also be a Redeemer to Zion (Isa. 59:20). He will and can come as a Redeemer to Zion at His return because He is the sure mercies. Without being God’s mercies, Christ could never be a Redeemer to the rotten, corrupted children of Israel. Only the merciful God with all His mercies would redeem them. Thus, Christ is not only the sure mercies of God but also God’s Redeemer coming to redeem Zion at His return.
He will be such a Redeemer to the remnant of Israel who will turn to Him from their transgression. In Zechariah 12 there is a record of the repentance of the remnant of Israel at the Lord’s return (vv. 10-14).
III. THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL
Christ will be the light of Israel (Isa. 60:1-3). He will come as light (the glory of Jehovah) upon Israel at His return (v. 1). The entire earth today is under darkness, including Israel. But when Christ comes as a Redeemer to Israel, He will be their light to enlighten them, and that light is the glory of God. Our light today in our homes is from electricity, but their light at the Lord’s coming back will be the glory of Jehovah. It will not be sunlight or man-made light, but the light which is God Himself in His glory. Israel will have such a light by Christ being God’s sure mercies.
When Christ comes as light upon Israel at His return, the darkness will cover the earth and the heavy darkness will cover the peoples, the Gentiles (v. 2a). All the Gentile nations will be covered by darkness. Only Israel will have light, and that light is the appearing God in His glory. Christ as Jehovah will rise upon Israel, and His glory will be seen upon her (v. 2b). Today the nation of Israel is suffering under the pressure of the nations, but when Christ comes back, Israel will rise up.
The nations, the Gentiles, will come to Israel’s light, and kings will come to the brightness of her rising (v. 3). The nations will desire to be enlightened by Israel since they are in darkness. In that day Israel will be "rising," but today they are being put down by the nations. Israel has been put down and down for over two thousand years. Especially today they are suffering, but when Christ returns they will rise up.
Because we believers have Christ within us, we are rising up. We are not being put down. Today Christ is our divine mercies; He is our Redeemer; and He is our light. Based upon Him, we are rising.
(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 53, by Witness Lee)
