Isaiah 61:11, commentary and pictures

As the earth brings forth its bud and a garden causes sown seed to spring up, so the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations, as certainly, naturally, openly and abundantly as plants grow. It belongs to His people being blessed, clothed with salvation and covered with righteousness after forgiveness, under the blessing and righteousness of His everlasting covenant, so that they are recognized among the nations as blessed by the Lord. This growth comes only by God's power and not by human effort, for teachers can prepare hearts and preach the word but cannot give it life, and as seed grows only as God works day and night to call forth the life He placed in it, so spiritual sowing is a work of faith that trusts Him for the harvest. He brings it about through His people as they arise and shine with His glory risen upon them, set as lights amid darkness to reveal His character, and as Christ's helping hands showing mercy, clothing the needy with salvation and righteousness, and pioneering the gospel with healing compassion. Its fullness belongs to the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom at Christ's coming and the restoration of all things, when the earth is redeemed as humanity is to become the eternal home of the obedient, and all nations share in worship and praise before Him.

Words and Context

The image of soil pushing out its sprout and a tended plot bringing sown seed to life teaches that the Lord God will make right standing and praise break out in front of all nations with the same certainty as germination. The growth is natural rather than forced, open rather than hidden, and abundant rather than meager, like a garden yielding what was planted in it. What springs up is both deliverance and right conduct crowned with thanksgiving, the result produced by His own action among His people. This belongs to those who take God at His word and claim their place as His children, so that their offering of praise brings Him glory.

In its setting the promise comes after the assurance that His people are blessed, dressed in salvation and wrapped in righteousness. It is an object lesson for forgiven people clothed in that righteousness, that God Himself brings forth right living and praise in their lives. The springing up is part of the blessing and righteousness of His everlasting covenant, with His people acknowledged among the nations as those the Lord has blessed.

The chapter marks out the work the Messiah was to do, and it matches His life and ministry. This held true despite His lowly appearance and despite distorted claims about earthly splendor attached to prophecies of His glory. He came to rescue those held under Satan's power, to carry out heaven's purposes, and to set God's vineyard in order, so that righteousness and salvation would appear among the nations.

How God Brings Growth

Righteousness and praise grow only by God's power, not by human effort, for teachers can prepare hearts and preach the word but cannot give it life or make righteousness and praise grow, and only God working through the divine Spirit renews the soul and makes the word effective. As in natural growth so in spiritual growth, God alone supplies the power that brings life forth and causes righteousness and praise to arise among all nations. The seed contains the life God put in it and the soil has power, yet nothing grows unless God works day and night to call the life forth, so spiritual sowing produces life only from God and not from human effort. Sowing is therefore a work of faith that casts the seed and trusts God to bring the harvest, and truth planted in receptive hearts yields abundant results as naturally and abundantly as plants grow from earth and garden.

The promise belongs with the same certainty as plants sprouting to those who believe God's Word and claim to be His children, so that offering praise glorifies God. It is fulfilled for those who trust Him and receive His mercies and showers of grace, and the earth is to be filled with God's glory. It is fulfilled as people recognize and receive the grace God gives, gather the light they have been given, value His mercies, and trust Him, bringing this growth by His grace until the whole earth is filled with His glory.

The verse gives steady assurance that God is present with those who give the pure Word without mixing in false reasoning, so that preaching continually at every fitting and unfitting time will bring the certain open growth of righteousness and praise before all nations. Its chapter gives inspiration and encouragement to those called to work for God, fitting the call to sow the gospel and carry His work into new fields. This springing forth of righteousness and praise comes through medical missionary work as the pioneer work of the gospel, the gospel practiced and the compassion of Christ revealed bringing to humanity release from suffering. When its importance is understood and new fields are entered, the ministry will be after the Lord's order, the sick will be healed, and poor suffering humanity will be blessed.

God accomplishes this work through people who serve as Christ's helping hands by showing mercy and opening the way to help those in need, and through them His name is glorified. He clothes them with salvation and righteousness, and their lives are to show goodness, love and compassion so that others recognize them as blessed by the Lord. Christians are urged to fill their lives with goodness, love and compassion that this description of righteousness and praise springing forth before all nations may be true of them.

Mission and Future Glory

As God's people arise and shine because the glory of the Lord has risen upon them, the Lord will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations as surely as the earth brings forth its bud and the garden causes sown things to spring forth. This applies to every follower of Christ today both at home and in regions beyond, set as a light to those whose minds are darkened by sin, just as Israel was set as a light amid heathenism to reveal the character of God and to carry forward the work Christ came to do. So the Gentiles shall come to their light and kings to the brightness of their rising and be converted, with believers going forth as a light to the world and reflecting Christ's love in connection with arising and shining. The chapter to which this promise belongs will be understood when reformation comes to God's people and they heed and accept its message.

It takes place in the future glory of the saved, when all nations share in worship and praise. God will make righteousness and praise flourish and spring up openly before all the nations, as certainly as seed sprouts in a garden and growth springs from the earth. This belongs to the day when all flesh comes to worship before Him and His glory is revealed for all to see together, when He is a crown of glory and beauty to the remnant of His people.

It belongs to the establishment of the Messiah's kingdom at Christ's coming and the restoration of all things. When the Messiah's kingdom is established at the Lord's coming, God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth and come into view among all nations, as naturally as plants grow from the earth and a garden. Then the rule of evil ends and God's glory is revealed to all in the restoration and glory of God's people and land.

In the restored world righteousness and praise will spring forth before all nations, as naturally as plants grow from the earth. The earth is redeemed even as humanity is, becoming the eternal home of the obedient, so that God's original purpose for it is fulfilled and the sacred commandments are honored throughout a sinless universe. This is the future glory for Zion, when the Lord comforts Zion and all her waste places, makes her wilderness like Eden and her desert like the garden of the Lord, and gives her the glory of Lebanon and the excellency of Carmel and Sharon. Then her names Forsaken and Desolate are ended, she is called My Delight and her land Beulah, and He rejoices over her as a bridegroom rejoices over the bride, while righteousness and praise are made to grow openly before all the nations.