Next week our congregation is going to begin instituting a new practice in our liturgy – the practice of bringing our tithes and offerings forward during the course of our worship. But the question arises – why do such a thing? Why include our tithes and offerings in our service of worship?
It is to begin answering this question that I want to bring us back to Isaiah 60 this morning. Why? Because Isaiah 60 gives us a vision of what will happen when Zion is lifted up to become the light of the world. Throughout Isaiah, a number of things are said both about what will be coming out of Zion when she is lifted up and what will be coming to her. For example, in Isaiah 2 we are told that when Zion is lifted up, God’s law will come forth from her. Later we are told that righteousness and praise will spring forth from Zion. These are the things that will be coming forth from Zion. But what will be making its way to Zion? What will the nations of the world bring to Zion as they are drawn to her light? It is this question that is answered in Isaiah 60 and that is sung about in Psalm 112.