“The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, 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.”
My Notes
What Does Isaiah 60:13 Mean?
Isaiah describes the future glory of Jerusalem's Temple with specific, material beauty: the glory of Lebanon — its famous cedars, firs, pines, and box trees — will come to beautify God's sanctuary. The best materials on earth will be used to make God's dwelling place glorious.
The phrase "the place of my feet" is an image of the Temple as God's footstool — the place where heaven touches earth, where God's feet rest on the ground. The Temple isn't God's home (the heavens can't contain Him), but it's where He touches down. His footstool is what gets beautified.
The reversal is significant: Lebanon's glory was often associated with human pride (the cedars of Lebanon were symbols of arrogance in prophetic literature). Now that glory is redirected — the trees that symbolized human self-exaltation are repurposed to beautify God's sanctuary. What was used for pride becomes material for worship.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What beautiful gifts or resources do you have that could be redirected toward God's purposes?
- 2.How does God's care for beauty in His sanctuary challenge both aestheticism and austerity?
- 3.What 'Lebanese cedar' in your life is currently used for self-exaltation rather than worship?
- 4.What does 'the place of my feet' — where God touches earth — look like for you personally?
Devotional
The best trees on earth — Lebanon's cedars, the most famous wood in the ancient world — will beautify God's sanctuary. The most glorious materials available will be used to make the place where God's feet touch the earth as beautiful as possible.
God cares about beauty in His house. This isn't a God who's indifferent to aesthetics. He wants Lebanon's glory — the finest materials, the most beautiful wood, the most excellent craftsmanship — applied to the place where He dwells. His footstool should be glorious.
The redemption of Lebanon's glory is a quiet but profound detail. Throughout the prophets, Lebanon's cedars represent human pride — the tall, impressive, self-exalting power of nations. Here, that same glory is redirected from self-exaltation to divine worship. The cedars don't lose their beauty — they find their true purpose. They were always meant for this.
Every beautiful thing in your life — your talent, your creativity, your resources, your natural gifts — was Lebanese cedar. Made to be glorious. The question is where you install it. In the temple of your own ego, or in the sanctuary of God? The glory isn't wrong. The destination determines whether it's pride or worship.
What glory do you possess that could be redirected from self-exaltation to beautifying God's presence?
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee,.... Which are the trees that grew upon it, especially the cedars, for which…
The glory of Lebanon - The ‘glory of Lebanon,’ here means the trees that grew on Lebanon (see the notes at Isa 35:2).…
And I will make the place of my feet glorious "And that I may glorify the place whereon I rest my feet" - The temple of…
The promises made to the church in the foregoing verses are here repeated, ratified, and enlarged upon, designed still…
Forest trees from Lebanon shall be brought for the adornment of the Temple. It is difficult to say whether the reference…
Cross References
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