Nations Converge Upon Jerusalem

9, 10. Who are seen converging on Jerusalem, and how does Jehovah receive them?

⁹ Using illustrations familiar to Isaiah’s contemporaries, Jehovah describes the expansion. The “woman,” looking from her vantage point on Mount Zion, first scans the eastern horizon. What does she see? “The heaving mass of camels itself will cover you, the young male camels of Midian and of Ephah. All those from Sheba​—they will come. Gold and frankincense they will carry. And the praises of Jehovah they will announce.” (Isaiah 60:6) Camel caravans used by traveling merchants of various tribes wend their way along the roads leading to Jerusalem. (Genesis 37:25, 28; Judges 6:1, 5; 1 Kings 10:1, 2) Camels are everywhere, like a flood covering the land! The caravans bring valuable gifts, showing that the traders come with peaceful intentions. They want to worship Jehovah and give him the best they can offer.

¹⁰ These merchants are not the only ones on the march. “All the flocks of Kedar​—they will be collected together to you. The rams of Nebaioth​—they will minister to you.” Yes, pastoral tribes are also traveling to Jerusalem. They come with gifts of their most valuable possessions​—flocks of sheep—​and offer themselves as ministers. How will Jehovah receive them? He says: “With approval they will come up upon my altar, and I shall beautify my own house of beauty.” (Isaiah 60:7) Jehovah accepts their gifts, which will be used in pure worship.​—Isaiah 56:7; Jeremiah 49:28, 29.

11, 12. (a) What sight greets the “woman” as she gazes westward? (b) Why are so many hurrying to Jerusalem?

¹¹ Jehovah now directs the “woman” to look to the western horizon, and he asks: “Who are these that come flying just like a cloud, and like doves to their birdhouse holes?” Jehovah himself answers: “In me the islands themselves will keep hoping, the ships of Tarshish also as at the first, in order to bring your sons from far away, their silver and their gold being with them, to the name of Jehovah your God and to the Holy One of Israel, for he will have beautified you.”​—Isaiah 60:8, 9.

¹² Imagine that you are standing with the “woman,” gazing westward across the Great Sea. What do you see? A distant cloud of white dots skimming the surface of the water. They look like birds, but as they come closer, you see that they are ships with their sails unfurled. They have come “from far away.”a (Isaiah 49:12) So many vessels are speeding toward Zion that they resemble a flock of homeward-bound doves. Why is the fleet in such a hurry? It is eager to deliver its cargo of worshipers of Jehovah coming from faraway ports. Indeed, all the new arrivals​—both Israelites and foreigners, from the east or the west and from nearby or faraway lands—​are hurrying to Jerusalem to dedicate their all to the name of Jehovah, their God.​—Isaiah 55:5.

Then a cloud of meek ones, “the very resources of the nations” and “the wealthiness of the sea,” hurried to join the remaining ones of Christ’s brothers.b Today all these servants of Jehovah coming from the four corners of the globe and from all walks of life join the Israel of God in praising their Sovereign Lord, Jehovah, and in exalting his name as the grandest name in all the universe.

14. How is it that the new arrivals “come up upon [God’s] altar”?

¹⁴ What does it mean, though, that these new arrivals from the nations “come up upon [God’s] altar”? A sacrifice is placed upon an altar. The apostle Paul used an expression involving sacrifice when he wrote: “I entreat you . . . to present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.” (Romans 12:1) Genuine Christians are willing to give of themselves. (Luke 9:23, 24) They devote their time, energy, and skills to the promoting of pure worship. (Romans 6:13) In doing so, they offer acceptable sacrifices of praise to God. (Hebrews 13:15) How heartwarming it is that millions of worshipers of Jehovah today, both young and old, have put their personal desires in a position secondary to the interests of God’s Kingdom! They display a genuine spirit of self-sacrifice.​—Matthew 6:33; 2 Corinthians 5:15.

New Arrivals Share in the Expansion

15. (a) In ancient times, how was Jehovah’s mercy expressed with regard to foreigners? (b) In modern times, how have “foreigners” shared in building up true worship?

¹⁵ The new arrivals offer both their possessions and their personal services in support of Jehovah’s “woman.” “Foreigners will actually build your walls, and their own kings will minister to you; for in my indignation I shall have struck you, but in my goodwill I shall certainly have mercy upon you.” (Isaiah 60:10) Jehovah’s mercy was expressed in the sixth century B.C.E. when foreigners helped in the construction work in Jerusalem. (Ezra 3:7; Nehemiah 3:26) In today’s larger fulfillment, “foreigners,” the great crowd, support the anointed remnant in building up true worship. They help build Christian qualities in their Bible students and thus build up Christian congregations and strengthen the citylike “walls” of Jehovah’s organization. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15) They also build in a literal way, working hard in the construction of Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and Bethel facilities. Thus they join their anointed brothers in caring for the needs of Jehovah’s expanding organization.​—Isaiah 61:5.

16, 17. (a) How have the “gates” of God’s organization been kept open? (b) How have “kings” ministered to Zion? (c) What will happen to those who try to close the “gates” that Jehovah wishes left open?

¹⁶ Each year as a result of the spiritual building program, hundreds of thousands of “foreigners” begin to associate with Jehovah’s organization, and the way is open for still more. Jehovah says: “Your gates will actually be kept open constantly; they will not be closed even by day or by night, in order to bring to you the resources of the nations, and their kings will be taking the lead.” (Isaiah 60:11) Who, though, are the “kings” taking the lead in bringing the resources of the nations to Zion? In ancient times Jehovah moved the hearts of certain rulers to “minister to” Zion. Cyrus, for example, took the initiative in sending the Jews back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. Later, Artaxerxes contributed resources and sent Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:2, 3; Nehemiah 2:1-8) Truly “a king’s heart is as streams of water in the hand of Jehovah.” (Proverbs 21:1) Our God can move even powerful rulers to act in harmony with his will.

¹⁷ In modern times many “kings,” or secular authorities, have tried to close the “gates” of Jehovah’s organization. However, others have ministered to Zion by making decisions that helped to keep those “gates” open. (Romans 13:4) In 1919, secular authorities released Joseph F. Rutherford and his companions from unjust imprisonment. (Revelation 11:13) Human governments “swallowed up” the flood of persecution unleashed by Satan after his fall from heaven. (Revelation 12:16) Some governments have promoted religious tolerance, sometimes specifically in behalf of Jehovah’s Witnesses. This kind of ministering has made it easier for crowds of meek ones to pass through the open “gates” into Jehovah’s organization.