Haftarah Ki Tavo

Haftarah Ki Tavo

Yirmeyahu – Isaiah 60:1-22

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for your light is come, and the glory of YHWH is risen upon you.

Isa 60:2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but YHWH shall arise upon you, and his glory shall be seen upon you.

This is both literal and metaphoric.  A literal darkness will be on the earth during the Tribulation, and a figurative darkness is on the earth, since the Torah is “the lamp for our feet and the light for our path.”  The darkness will be dispelled with the coming of the King of Kings, YHWH Tzeva’ot.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Again two applications:  the nations will be taught Torah, and the nations will also be required to come to the Temple and give tribute to Messiah during the kingdom.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:4  Lift up your eyes round about, and see: they all gather themselves together, they come to you: your sons shall come from far, and your daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

Isa 60:5  Then you shall see, and flow together, and your heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto you, the powers of the Gentiles shall come unto you.

This refers to the Ingathering in general and the Inaguration of the Kingdom at Sukkot in specific.  In Ezekiel and other places we learn that those returning will be so many that the environs of Jerusalem and the tribal territories will have to be greatly enlarged.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:6  The multitude of camels shall cover you, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of YHWH.

This has been said to also refer to the Magi who came to visit the infant in Bethlechem at Chanukkah, some 14 months after his birth, but primarily refers to the Tribute the nations will bring for the Inaguration of the Kingdom.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:7  All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto you, the rams of Nebaioth shall provide for you: they shall come up with acceptance on my altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.

As well as possibly referring to the shepherds who visited the Sukkah where he was born, near Bethlechem, this shows that sacrifices of animals will still be occurring in the Millennial Kingdom.  We already know that in spite of the fact that through Yeshua the order of the Firstborns will be re-established in the position of Cohen HaGadol, the Levites will still serve as the Priests for the Temple Service in the Messianic Era.

Jer 33:17 For thus says YHWH: David shall never want a man to sit on the throne of the house of Yisra’el;   Jer 33:18  neither shall the Kohanim the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to burn meal offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:8  Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?

Isa 60:9  Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring your sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of YHWH your Elohim, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he has glorified thee.

The Ingathering continues, and apparently some airplanes will still be operating – or possibly this refers to the return of the Obedient Believers who were included in the Parousia.  They return from the wedding banquet in heaven with Yeshua to rule the earth (the Tribulation Martyrs have permanent service in the Heavenly Temple – they do not return to earth).

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:10  And the sons of strangers shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister unto you: for in my wrath I smote you, but in my favour have I had mercy on you.

The mortal subjects of the kingdom labour to repair and expand the city after the war.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:11  Therefore your gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto you the wealth of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.

We know, however, from other verses that those who are uncircumcised in the flesh or in their heart, and any who are unclean, may not enter the city – so the Torah laws will be enforced for all peoples on earth, or else they could not participate in the Temple Services or be part of city life, even as laborers.

Gen 17:14 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”

Isa 52:1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, Tziyon; put on your beautiful garments, Yerushalayim, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Eze 44:9 Thus says Adonai YHWH, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into my sanctuary, of any foreigners who are among the children of Yisra’el.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:12  For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; yes, those nations shall be utterly wasted.

Zechariah tells us they will be devastated by drought if they also fail to observe Sukkot, etc.

Zec 14:16  It will happen that everyone who is left of all the nations that came against Yerushalayim will go up from year to year to worship the King, YHWH Tzeva’ot, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.   Zec 14:17  It will be, that whoever of all the families of the earth doesn’t go up to Yerushalayim to worship the King, YHWH Tzeva’ot, on them there will be no rain.   Zec 14:18  If the family of Egypt doesn’t go up, and doesn’t come, neither will it rain on them. This will be the plague with which YHWH will strike the nations that don’t go up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.   Zec 14:19  This will be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all the nations that don’t go up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:13  The glory of Lebanon shall come unto you, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

This will take place starting with the Inaguration and lasting until Chanukkah.  An altar, of course, will be set up immediately for the Inaguration.  Then, the Temple Mount wikll be cleansed and repaired and made ready for service.  And on Chanukkah, the rededication will take place and the Shekinah will return.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:14  The sons also of them that afflicted you shall come bending [their knees in homage] unto you; and all they that despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you, The city of YHWH, The Tzion of the Holy One of Israel.

Isa 60:15  Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through, I will make you an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.

Jerusalem was a stumbling block before, now it will be the jewel of the earth.   Also, due to the escalating tensions, people will hesitate to visit Israel, and during the Tribulation those not allied with the False Messiah will be expelled from the city completely.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:16  You shall also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shall suck the breast of sovereigns: and you shall know that I, YHWH am your Saviour and your Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

The “milk” is figurative, of course.  The tribute of the nations supports the city amply.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:17  For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make your officers peaceful, and your exactors righteous.

Isa 60:18  Violence shall no more be heard in your land, or wasting nor destruction within your borders; but you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise.

Isa 60:19  The sun shall be no more your light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto you: but YHWH shall be unto you an everlasting light, and your Elohim [shall be] your glory.

Isa 60:20  Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall your moon withdraw itself: for YHWH shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

Once the Temple mount is cleansed from the abomination after the war, it will be rededicated at Chanukkah, and the Shekinah will return.  But this time, not just the Cohen HaGadol in the Holy of Holies can see it.  Now it shines over the whole city, night and day, like the pillar of fire did over the Tabernacle.  The language of the sun and moon is figurative, because we know that New Moons and other Yom Tovim, which depend upon counting days correctly (such as Sukkot, above) will still be observed.

Isa 66:23 It shall happen, that from one new moon to another, and from one Shabbat to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, says YHWH.

Isaiah, continued:

Isa 60:21  Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

Isa 60:22  A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I, YHWH, will hasten it in his time.

Elohim defines righteousness as obedience to Torah.

Deu 4:8  And what nation is there so great, that has statutes and judgments so righteous as all this Torah, which I set before you this day?

Deu 6:24  YHWH commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear YHWH our Elohim, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as at this day.   Deu 6:25  It shall be righteousness to us, if we observe to do all this mitzvah before YHWH our Elohim, as he has commanded us.

Isa 51:7  Hearken unto me, you that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my Torah; fear you not the reproach of men, neither be you afraid of their revilings.

And when Torah observance is lessened, then righteousness is beseiged:

Hab 1:4  Therefore the Torah is slacked, and judgment never goes forth: for the wicked do  compass about the righteousness; therefore wrong judgment proceeds.

Elohim tells us to be perfect, for He is perfect, and no unrighteousness will enter the kingdom.

Next:  Talmidim Ki Tavo