Isaiah 60:1-22 - Rejoicing in the gathering of Israel and the glory of Zion.
I checked both the BYU Religious Studies Center (rsc.byu.edu) and The Joseph Smith Papers (josephsmithpapers.org). While the Joseph Smith Papers provided valuable insights into the necessity of gathering and temple building, Rosalynde Frandsen Welch's article, "The World Is God's Home, and Christ Is God's Homecoming: Reflections on Isaiah 60," from the BYU Religious Studies Center's Old Testament Reflections publication, directly reflects on today's assigned scripture, Isaiah 60, in a way that aligns well with the devotional theme.
In her reflection on Isaiah 60, Rosalynde Welch explores the concept of "homecoming" as a powerful metaphor for the gathering of Israel and the Savior's redemptive work. She emphasizes that the gathering is not just about bringing people back to a physical location, but about drawing all individuals to Christ, where God desires to establish His home among His people. This process involves finding the Lord in His sanctuary, symbolized by the "glory, the brilliant light that radiates from his habitation," as depicted in Isaiah 60:7 and 19, where the Lord becomes an "everlasting light" and "glory". Welch views the Restoration as a modern manifestation of this divine homecoming, where the "New Jerusalem as the temple-world of God is rising in our midst".
What implications does Welch's interpretation of "homecoming" in Isaiah 60 have for understanding the individual's role in the gathering of Israel today, beyond geographical relocation?
As you reflect on the glorious promises in Isaiah 60 regarding Zion's light and the gathering of God's people, how might actively seeking the Savior's Atonement today help you to humbly acknowledge any spiritual distance and bridge that gap, allowing His light to shine more brightly in your own "homecoming" to Him?
Scripture Reference:
Isaiah 60:1-22 (https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/isa/60?lang=eng)
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