A Complete Reversal

This reflection is part of the ongoing Forest Hills Haftorah Series. The rest of the content can be found here: https://www.sefaria.org/groups/FHJC-Haftorah-Series .

This is one of those weeks when I almost want to just leave you with the words of the prophet himself, with nothing whatsoever from me; His writing is just so poetic, so inspiring and lofty - how could I say anything that would add to it???
So with that, my first recommendation is to just open up a Bible to (Deutero-)Isaiah 60, in whatever language you are most comfortable with (though ideally in Hebrew if you can) and soak in his words.
Were you to do so, here is what would greet you first:

ישעיהו ס׳

(א) ק֥וּמִי א֖וֹרִי כִּ֣י בָ֣א אוֹרֵ֑ךְ וּכְב֥וֹד יְהוָ֖ה עָלַ֥יִךְ זָרָֽח׃

Isaiah 60

(1) Arise! Shine!

For your light has arrived; The very presence of YHWH radiates upon you!

The Herald will then go on to develop and play with this recurring motif of light all the way through verse 9. The imagery is astounding, and the force of his words makes the light really burst forth from the page!

ישעיהו ס׳

(ב) כִּֽי־הִנֵּ֤ה הַחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ יְכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ וַעֲרָפֶ֖ל לְאֻמִּ֑ים וְעָלַ֙יִךְ֙ יִזְרַ֣ח יְהוָ֔ה וּכְבוֹד֖וֹ עָלַ֥יִךְ יֵרָאֶֽה׃ (ג) וְהָלְכ֥וּ גוֹיִ֖ם לְאוֹרֵ֑ךְ וּמְלָכִ֖ים לְנֹ֥גַהּ זַרְחֵֽךְ׃ (ד) שְׂאִֽי־סָבִ֤יב עֵינַ֙יִךְ֙ וּרְאִ֔י כֻּלָּ֖ם נִקְבְּצ֣וּ בָֽאוּ־לָ֑ךְ בָּנַ֙יִךְ֙ מֵרָח֣וֹק יָבֹ֔אוּ וּבְנֹתַ֖יִךְ עַל־צַ֥ד תֵּאָמַֽנָה׃ (ה) אָ֤ז תִּרְאִי֙ וְנָהַ֔רְתְּ וּפָחַ֥ד וְרָחַ֖ב לְבָבֵ֑ךְ

Isaiah 60

(2) For look! Darkness covers the land, and thick clouds, the nations. While upon you radiates YHWH, and his very presence upon you shall be seen!

(3) And nations shall go towards your light, and kings to its shining gleam!

(4) Lift your eyes around you, and see everyone gathered, having come to you! Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters carried on the hip!

(5) Then you shall see and become bright, and your heart shall throb and swell!

Remember all those tears we read about? All those passages about a miserable, wretched Zion, weeping throughout the night? Well, all of that is now beyond light-years away. What we're getting here is a divine spotlight, shining on a beautified and majestic Zion, emanating such grace and dignity such that even all of the royalty of the world around her cannot help but be drawn towards her.

I love what happens in verse 5. Until then, we've been given the bigger perspective from the outside looking in, as we join the nations as they gaze in wonder at Zion's new-found majesty.
But then in verse 5, there is a shift, as we now watch from the perspective of Zion herself, seeing her beloved children being brought back, her heart "throbbing and swelling" with love and joy.

For the next several verses we continue to look on as people of the nations flock from near and far, bringing gifts and in order to get a glimpse of the one whom "YHWH, the Holy One of Israel, has made beautiful," (verse 9).

We then get to verse 10, at which point the visitors take it upon themselves to rebuild Zion's walls for her, with even kings participating. But while historically, walls were meant to keep out potential invaders, here Zion's walls must be entirely for beauty, for there could be no one who could wish anything ill upon her:

ישעיהו ס׳

(י) וּבָנ֤וּ בְנֵֽי־נֵכָר֙ חֹמֹתַ֔יִךְ וּמַלְכֵיהֶ֖ם יְשָׁרְת֑וּנֶךְ כִּ֤י בְקִצְפִּי֙ הִכִּיתִ֔יךְ וּבִרְצוֹנִ֖י רִֽחַמְתִּֽיךְ׃ (יא) וּפִתְּח֨וּ שְׁעָרַ֧יִךְ תָּמִ֛יד יוֹמָ֥ם וָלַ֖יְלָה לֹ֣א יִסָּגֵ֑רוּ לְהָבִ֤יא אֵלַ֙יִךְ֙ חֵ֣יל גּוֹיִ֔ם וּמַלְכֵיהֶ֖ם נְהוּגִֽים׃

Isaiah 60

(10) Foreigners shall build your walls, and their kings shall wait upon you.

...

(11) Your gates shall be continuously open by day and by night. It will never be shut, so as to bring you the riches of the nations, with their kings too, being led.

You might recognize verses 14-16, for we have addressed them before in our discussion of the Messiah Reimagined (https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/256449?lang=bi ) . Royal imagery that used to apply only to the royal Davidic line now applies to Zion herself, and all of her children.
Here they are again:

ישעיהו ס׳

(יד) וְהָלְכ֨וּ אֵלַ֤יִךְ שְׁח֙וֹחַ֙ בְּנֵ֣י מְעַנַּ֔יִךְ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲו֛וּ עַל־כַּפּ֥וֹת רַגְלַ֖יִךְ כָּל־מְנַֽאֲצָ֑יִךְ וְקָ֤רְאוּ לָךְ֙ עִ֣יר יְהוָ֔ה צִיּ֖וֹן קְד֥וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (טו) תַּ֧חַת הֱיוֹתֵ֛ךְ עֲזוּבָ֥ה וּשְׂנוּאָ֖ה וְאֵ֣ין עוֹבֵ֑ר וְשַׂמְתִּיךְ֙ לִגְא֣וֹן עוֹלָ֔ם מְשׂ֖וֹשׂ דּ֥וֹר וָדֽוֹר׃ (טז) וְיָנַקְתְּ֙ חֲלֵ֣ב גּוֹיִ֔ם וְשֹׁ֥ד מְלָכִ֖ים תִּינָ֑קִי וְיָדַ֗עַתְּ כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ מֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֔ךְ וְגֹאֲלֵ֖ךְ אֲבִ֥יר יַעֲקֹֽב׃

Isaiah 60

(14) And they shall come before you bowing, the children of your tormentors.

They shall prostrate at the soles of your feet, all of your revilers.

And they shall call you "City of YHWH, Zion, the Holy One of Israel!"

(15) Whereas you have been forsaken, rejected, with none passing through, I will make you a pride everlasting, a joy for age after age.

(16) You shall suck the milk of the nations, suckle at royal breasts. And you shall know that I, YHWH, am your savior and your redeemer; The Mighty One of Jacob!

And finally, the last four verses are well worth quoting altogether:

ישעיהו ס׳

(יט) לֹא־יִֽהְיֶה־לָּ֨ךְ ע֤וֹד הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ לְא֣וֹר יוֹמָ֔ם וּלְנֹ֕גַהּ הַיָּרֵ֖חַ לֹא־יָאִ֣יר לָ֑ךְ וְהָיָה־לָ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ לְא֣וֹר עוֹלָ֔ם וֵאלֹהַ֖יִךְ לְתִפְאַרְתֵּֽךְ׃ (כ) לֹא־יָב֥וֹא עוֹד֙ שִׁמְשֵׁ֔ךְ וִירֵחֵ֖ךְ לֹ֣א יֵאָסֵ֑ף כִּ֣י יְהוָ֗ה יִֽהְיֶה־לָּךְ֙ לְא֣וֹר עוֹלָ֔ם וְשָׁלְמ֖וּ יְמֵ֥י אֶבְלֵֽךְ׃ (כא) וְעַמֵּךְ֙ כֻּלָּ֣ם צַדִּיקִ֔ים לְעוֹלָ֖ם יִ֣ירְשׁוּ אָ֑רֶץ נֵ֧צֶר מטעו [מַטָּעַ֛י] מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יָדַ֖י לְהִתְפָּאֵֽר׃ (כב) הַקָּטֹן֙ יִֽהְיֶ֣ה לָאֶ֔לֶף וְהַצָּעִ֖יר לְג֣וֹי עָצ֑וּם אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֖ה בְּעִתָּ֥הּ אֲחִישֶֽׁנָּה׃ (ס)

Isaiah 60

(19) You will no longer even need the sun for light by day, nor the shining of the moon to give light.

Rather, YHWH will be for you an everlasting light! Your god shall be your splendor!

(20) And your sun will never set, nor will your moon be gathered in! For YHWH himself is your eternal light! Ended are the days of your mourning!

(21) And your people, they are all righteous! They will forever inherit the land. The branch of my planting, the work of my hands so that I shall be glorified!

(22) Even the small shall become a thousand, and the young will be a mighty nation!

I am YHWH! In its time, I shall hasten this!

Wow, there are several beautiful images here and I don't know which one speaks to me more; There's YHWH's illuminating presence being so imminent and palpable such that the role of the sun and the moon is rendered moot; And there's the image of Zion as a precious plant that YHWH tenders and cares for with utmost delicacy and attentiveness.

Notice how we ended coming full-circle, returning to the motif of light. This is surely an important one, for YHWH's favorable presence is generally thought of as what we're seeing here; a divine radiance.

Consider, for example, the priestly blessing:

במדבר ו׳

כֹּ֥ה תְבָרֲכ֖וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל אָמ֖וֹר לָהֶֽם׃ (ס) (כד) יְבָרֶכְךָ֥ יְהוָ֖ה וְיִשְׁמְרֶֽךָ׃ (ס) (כה) יָאֵ֨ר יְהוָ֧ה ׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ (ס) (כו) יִשָּׂ֨א יְהוָ֤ה ׀ פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ (ס) (כז) וְשָׂמ֥וּ אֶת־שְׁמִ֖י עַל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַאֲנִ֖י אֲבָרֲכֵֽם׃ (פ)

Numbers 6

Thus shall you bless the people of Israel!

(24) May he bless you - YHWH - and guard you!

(25) May he shine, YHWH, his face upon you and grace you!

(26) May he lift, YHWH, his face towards you, and grant you peace!

(27) And they shall place my name on the people of Israel, and I shall bless you!

And here's another example not as well-known, but that which begins a prayer-peom filled with incredible imagery.

תהילים ק״ד

(א) בָּרֲכִ֥י נַפְשִׁ֗י אֶת־יְה֫וָ֥ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱ֭לֹהַי גָּדַ֣לְתָּ מְּאֹ֑ד ה֭וֹד וְהָדָ֣ר לָבָֽשְׁתָּ׃ (ב) עֹֽטֶה־א֭וֹר כַּשַּׂלְמָ֑ה

Psalms 104

(1) Bless, O' my being, YHWH!

YHWH, my eloha, you are exceedingly great! Grandeur and glory you don!

(2) Wrapped in light like a cloak!

One thing about our beloved Herald is that he is a prophet very late in the game; Well after Isaiah, Micah, Amos, Hosea, and Jeremiah, as well as much of the non-prophetic literature such as psalms, to give some prophet-examples. And so he is very aware, and even well-read in much of what would eventually become part of the TaNaKhic-collection. For example, you might remember how we saw last week in From Death to Life (https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/258570?lang=bi ) that the Herald was playing with tent-imagery themes in Jeremiah.
The same is true in this week's reading, and it's all over the place; but I'll just leave you with two examples.
The first one comes from a genre of prayer-poetry found in the psalms-collection called Royal Psalms. It's a long poem so I'll jump around and only show you the relevant parts:

תהילים ע״ב

(א) לִשְׁלֹמֹ֨ה ׀ אֱ‍ֽלֹהִ֗ים מִ֭שְׁפָּטֶיךָ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ תֵּ֑ן וְצִדְקָתְךָ֥ לְבֶן־מֶֽלֶךְ׃ (ב) יָדִ֣ין עַמְּךָ֣ בְצֶ֑דֶק וַעֲנִיֶּ֥יךָ בְמִשְׁפָּֽט׃

(ה) יִֽירָא֥וּךָ עִם־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וְלִפְנֵ֥י יָ֝רֵ֗חַ דּ֣וֹר דּוֹרִֽים׃

(ט) לְ֭פָנָיו יִכְרְע֣וּ צִיִּ֑ים וְ֝אֹיְבָ֗יו עָפָ֥ר יְלַחֵֽכוּ׃ (י) מַלְכֵ֬י תַרְשִׁ֣ישׁ וְ֭אִיִּים מִנְחָ֣ה יָשִׁ֑יבוּ מַלְכֵ֥י שְׁבָ֥א וּ֝סְבָ֗א אֶשְׁכָּ֥ר יַקְרִֽיבוּ׃ (יא) וְיִשְׁתַּחֲווּ־ל֥וֹ כָל־מְלָכִ֑ים כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יַֽעַבְדֽוּהוּ׃

(יז) יְהִ֤י שְׁמ֨וֹ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם לִפְנֵי־שֶׁמֶשׁ֮ ינין [יִנּ֪וֹן] שְׁ֫מ֥וֹ וְיִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֑וֹ כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יְאַשְּׁרֽוּהוּ׃

Psalms 72

(1) O Elohim! Endow the king with Your judgments, the king’s son with your righteousness; (2) that he may judge your people rightly, your lowly ones, justly.

...

(5) May he endure [septuagint] as long as the sun shines, while the moon lasts, generations on end.

....

(9) Let desert-dwellers kneel before him, and his enemies lick the dust. (10) Let kings of Tarshish and the islands pay tribute, kings of Sheba and Seba offer gifts. (11) Let all kings bow to him, and all nations serve him.

...

(17) May his name be eternal; while the sun lasts, may his name endure; let men invoke his blessedness upon themselves; let all nations count him happy.

The first thing worth noticing here is that this is a poem to YHWH on behalf of the poet's beloved monarch. Our poet asks that YHWH should ensure that the king endures for as long as the sun and moon lasts. Then he asks for others to recognize the king's authority; some bowing down to him, and others bringing gifts; but that all royalty of the nations should serve him. Then we get more sun imagery.
In our Haftorah we see the Herald pick up on every one of these motifs, but rather than apply them to the Davidic king, he applies them to Zion as a whole. If you read our Haftorah inits entirely, you'll see that even some of the same specific place-names, from where the gifts are being brought, are the same!

But there are some noticeable differences, and the differences are as important as the parallels. In the poem, the longevity of the sun and the moon are symbols of the king's stability on his throne. But then in the Herald, he states that the sun and moon are forever moot, because the radiance of a divine king will now forever serve whatever purposes the luminaries had.

And now onto our other example; The second lament-poem in the lamentations-collection is another place to look for some linguistic and thematic parallels that the Herald uses in order to further demonstrate a complete reversal of misfortune.
Here are some of them - though you will very likely find much more if you go through the chapter on your own - (especially if you do it in Hebrew).

איכה ב׳

(א) אֵיכָה֩ יָעִ֨יב בְּאַפּ֤וֹ ׀ אֲדֹנָי֙ אֶת־בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן הִשְׁלִ֤יךְ מִשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ אֶ֔רֶץ תִּפְאֶ֖רֶת יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹא־זָכַ֥ר הֲדֹם־רַגְלָ֖יו בְּי֥וֹם אַפּֽוֹ׃ (ס) (ב) בִּלַּ֨ע אֲדֹנָ֜י לא [וְלֹ֣א] חָמַ֗ל אֵ֚ת כָּל־נְא֣וֹת יַעֲקֹ֔ב הָרַ֧ס בְּעֶבְרָת֛וֹ מִבְצְרֵ֥י בַת־יְהוּדָ֖ה הִגִּ֣יעַ לָאָ֑רֶץ חִלֵּ֥ל מַמְלָכָ֖ה וְשָׂרֶֽיהָ׃ (ס) (ג) גָּדַ֣ע בָּֽחֳרִי אַ֗ף כֹּ֚ל קֶ֣רֶן יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הֵשִׁ֥יב אָח֛וֹר יְמִינ֖וֹ מִפְּנֵ֣י אוֹיֵ֑ב וַיִּבְעַ֤ר בְּיַעֲקֹב֙ כְּאֵ֣שׁ לֶֽהָבָ֔ה אָכְלָ֖ה סָבִֽיב׃ (ס) (ד) דָּרַ֨ךְ קַשְׁתּ֜וֹ כְּאוֹיֵ֗ב נִצָּ֤ב יְמִינוֹ֙ כְּצָ֔ר וַֽיַּהֲרֹ֔ג כֹּ֖ל מַחֲמַדֵּי־עָ֑יִן בְּאֹ֙הֶל֙ בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן שָׁפַ֥ךְ כָּאֵ֖שׁ חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ (ס) (ה) הָיָ֨ה אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ כְּאוֹיֵב֙ בִּלַּ֣ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בִּלַּע֙ כָּל־אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֔יהָ שִׁחֵ֖ת מִבְצָרָ֑יו וַיֶּ֙רֶב֙ בְּבַת־יְהוּדָ֔ה תַּאֲנִיָּ֖ה וַאֲנִיָּֽה׃ (ס) (ו) וַיַּחְמֹ֤ס כַּגַּן֙ שֻׂכּ֔וֹ שִׁחֵ֖ת מוֹעֲד֑וֹ שִׁכַּ֨ח יְהוָ֤ה ׀ בְּצִיּוֹן֙ מוֹעֵ֣ד וְשַׁבָּ֔ת וַיִּנְאַ֥ץ בְּזַֽעַם־אַפּ֖וֹ מֶ֥לֶךְ וְכֹהֵֽן׃ (ס) (ז) זָנַ֨ח אֲדֹנָ֤י ׀ מִזְבְּחוֹ֙ נִאֵ֣ר מִקְדָּשׁ֔וֹ הִסְגִּיר֙ בְּיַד־אוֹיֵ֔ב חוֹמֹ֖ת אַרְמְנוֹתֶ֑יהָ ק֛וֹל נָתְנ֥וּ בְּבֵית־יְהוָ֖ה כְּי֥וֹם מוֹעֵֽד׃ (ס) (ח) חָשַׁ֨ב יְהוָ֤ה ׀ לְהַשְׁחִית֙ חוֹמַ֣ת בַּת־צִיּ֔וֹן נָ֣טָה קָ֔ו לֹא־הֵשִׁ֥יב יָד֖וֹ מִבַּלֵּ֑עַ וַיַּֽאֲבֶל־חֵ֥ל וְחוֹמָ֖ה יַחְדָּ֥ו אֻמְלָֽלוּ׃ (ס)(טו) סָֽפְק֨וּ עָלַ֤יִךְ כַּפַּ֙יִם֙ כָּל־עֹ֣בְרֵי דֶ֔רֶךְ שָֽׁרְקוּ֙ וַיָּנִ֣עוּ רֹאשָׁ֔ם עַל־בַּ֖ת יְרוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הֲזֹ֣את הָעִ֗יר שֶׁיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ כְּלִ֣ילַת יֹ֔פִי מָשׂ֖וֹשׂ לְכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס)(ס) (יט) ק֣וּמִי ׀ רֹ֣נִּי בליל [בַלַּ֗יְלָה] לְרֹאשׁ֙ אַשְׁמֻר֔וֹת שִׁפְכִ֤י כַמַּ֙יִם֙ לִבֵּ֔ךְ נֹ֖כַח פְּנֵ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְׂאִ֧י אֵלָ֣יו כַּפַּ֗יִךְ עַל־נֶ֙פֶשׁ֙ עֽוֹלָלַ֔יִךְ הָעֲטוּפִ֥ים בְּרָעָ֖ב בְּרֹ֥אשׁ כָּל־חוּצֽוֹת׃ (ס)

Lamentations 2

(1) Alas! YHWH in His wrath Has shamed Fair Zion, Has cast down from heaven to earth The majesty of Israel. He did not remember His Footstool On His day of wrath.

(3) In blazing anger He has cut down All the might of Israel; He has withdrawn His right hand In the presence of the foe; He has ravaged Jacob like flaming fire, Consuming on all sides.

He poured out His wrath like fire In the Tent of Fair Zion.

(7) YHWH has rejected His altar, Disdained His Sanctuary. He has handed over to the foe The walls of its citadels; They raised a shout in the House of YHWH As on a festival day.

(15) All who pass your way Clap their hands at you; They hiss and wag their head At Fair Jerusalem: “Is this the city that was called Perfect in Beauty, Joy of All the Earth?”

(19) Arise, cry out in the night At the beginning of the watches, Pour out your heart like water In the presence of YHWH! Lift up your hands to Him For the life of your infants, Who faint for hunger At every street corner.

Have you been able to connect any of the dots already? Here are some that I've found:
While in the lament-poem the walls are town down; The Herald describes Zion watching as the very kings of the world help to build them back up.
While in the lament YHWH's wrath is depicted as a burning fire, bringing devastation on Zion; In the Herald YHWH's glowing, radiating presence is a source of comfort and an indication of divine favor.
While in the lament, passers-by wag their head hiss in derision, thinking that this could not possibly be the once-majestic, joy of all the earth!; The Herald quotes YHWH promising that, While people once avoided your city, forsaking and hating you, now I will make you eternally majestic and a joy to the world!
And finally, my favorite one out of the above; While in the lament, Zion is called to arise! in the middle of the night to cry, along with her infants faint with hunger; The Herald calls on her to arise!, for YHWH, and her children, have returned!

On a side note, it is such comparisons like these that remind me how important it is to try my hardest to have as much of a familiarity with the works throughout the TaNaKh as a whole as I can; for the TaNaKh is not a book, but an ongoing conversation, in which many seemingly stand-alone texts are constantly responding to something found elsewhere. While Isaiah 60 is an immensely wonderful chapter in-and-of-itself, it can't land anywhere near as powerful as its intended impact on its readers without us knowing what other texts or ideas it is responding to.
So with that, I'll leave you with a discussion question:
Which of the above juxtapositions - be it something specific from the lament-poem, or something from the prayer-poem of Psalm 72, do you think has the biggest, most dramatic affect on your reading of (Deutero-)Isaiah?

May our Lord-Almighty, YHWH-of-Legions, the Mighty One of Israel, look upon us all with as much favor as he did in the days of the Herald! And may the time come speedily in our days when we merit basking in the warmth of his divine presence once again.