Reassigned by Refinement: Isaiah 60:17 and the Call to Kingdom Entrepreneurship

Catherine Guillaume-Sackey
May 22
5 min read

Catherine Sackey, MPAP

May 22, 2025

(Part 2 of the “I Am Being Rebuilt” Series)

In Part 1 of this series, “I Am Being Rebuilt: A Devotional Journey Through Isaiah 60”, I reflected on how Isaiah 60:17 revealed the intimate and intentional work God was doing within me. It wasn’t just about fixing broken places or pushing me into a new season—it was about being rebuilt from the inside out.

I began to see that God wasn’t only removing what no longer served me—He was depositing new materials into my life. He was replacing shame with peace, pressure with alignment, and performance with purpose. What once felt like wood and stone—fragile, temporary, heavy—was being transformed into something enduring and sacred. God was giving me gold for bronze, silver for iron. And most of all, He was shifting who governed my life: peace became my overseer, and righteousness my taskmaster.

“We are God’s accomplishment, created in Christ Jesus to do good things. God planned for these good things to be the way that we live our lives.” — Ephesians 2:10 (CEB)

I was no longer building from exhaustion or external expectation. I was being rebuilt by God for something eternal.

While reading my Bible plan, I saw a deeper connection—one I hadn’t noticed before. The more I sat with Isaiah 60:17, the more I realized: this passage isn’t just about restoration. It’s about realignment. God wasn’t only rebuilding me—He was preparing me to become a vessel of construction, not just for myself, but for others. He was shifting me from being shaped by my skill to being sent by His Spirit. I began to ask, not just “What am I capable of building?”—but rather, “What has God refined me for?”

This next chapter is about the shift from skilled laborer to Kingdom entrepreneur—not just doing the work but becoming the vessel through which Kingdom work is established. It’s about building from identity, not just gifting. It's about purpose, not pressure. It's about peace, not performance.

Solomon’s Craftsman: Skill for Sacred Space

In 2 Chronicles 2, Solomon makes a bold and specific request:

“So now send me a craftsman skilled in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, as well as in purple, crimson, and violet yarn—someone also experienced as an engraver. He will work with my craftsmen in Judah and Jerusalem who were provided by my father David… because the temple that I am about to build will be magnificent and amazing.” — 2 Chronicles 2:7–9 (CEB)

Solomon was constructing a temple for God's presence, not a structure of convenience but one of reverence. He didn’t just need workers; he needed refined artisans. He called for someone whose hands were trained, whose gifts were matured, and whose excellence was proven.

The materials—gold, silver, bronze, iron, and wood—mirror those in Isaiah 60:17. But where Solomon requested a skilled craftsman to work with external materials, Isaiah reveals something even more transformative: God becomes the craftsman, and we become the material.

“In a mansion, there aren’t just gold and silver bowls but also some made of wood and clay… If anyone washes filth off themselves, they will be set apart as a special bowl. They will be useful to the owner of the mansion for every sort of good work.” — 2 Timothy 2:20 21 (CEB)

Isaiah 60:17: The Exchange and the Reassignment

“Instead of bronze, I will bring gold; instead of iron, I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze; and instead of stones, iron. I will make peace your governor and righteousness your taskmaster.” — Isaiah 60:17 (CEB)

Each line reveals a divine exchange:

Bronze is replaced by gold: durable strength becomes divine glory.
Iron is replaced by silver: defensive hardness becomes redemptive refinement.
Wood becomes bronze: what was fragile and impermanent becomes forged and enduring.
Stones become iron: what once weighed you down becomes purposeful and usable.

“But whether the work is built on the foundation—gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, or hay—each one’s work will be clearly shown… the fire will test the quality of each one’s work.” — 1 Corinthians 3:12–13 (CEB)

But these aren’t just material upgrades. They are spiritual revelations. And then comes the most powerful line:

“I will make peace your governor and righteousness your taskmaster.”

This is the real shift—from self-governed striving to Spirit-led stewardship.

“The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body.” — Colossians 3:15 (CEB)

Christ: The Fulfillment of the Exchange

What Isaiah outlines symbolically, Jesus fulfills literally.

Wood was the material of the cross. Jesus carried the wooden beam meant for execution, and turned it into the altar of our redemption.

Stone symbolized judgment, but also foundation. Jesus, once rejected, became the cornerstone.

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” — Matthew 21:42 (CEB) “No one can lay any other foundation besides the one that is already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 3:11 (CEB)

So when Isaiah prophesies that wood and stone will be replaced, it is pointing to a deeper truth: Christ is both the one who carried the wood and the one who became the stone we now build upon.

He bore the weight so we could rise in purpose. He endured the cross so we could be repurposed. Now, He is the foundation of our calling, our business, and our identity.

You Are God’s Temple—and a Room in God’s Mansion

The New Testament reminds us that we are not just co-laborers—we are God’s building.

“Don’t you know that you are God’s temple and God’s Spirit lives in you?” — 1 Corinthians 3:16 (CEB)

If you are God’s temple, then you are a sacred space, designed with intention and expected to carry glory.

And Jesus offers another image:

“My Father’s house has room to spare. If that weren’t the case, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?” — John 14:2 (CEB)

The Kingdom of Heaven is described as a mansion—a divine dwelling with many rooms. That means your life is not only a temple but also a designated room in God's eternal structure. Your gifts, your leadership, and your entrepreneurship are not just tools—they are assignments tied to sacred architecture.

You were never meant to be common. You were never meant to hustle without holiness. You were always meant to reflect the quality and purpose of the house you belong to.

Because the Kingdom is a mansion and you are His temple, you must live like both: holy in posture and ready in purpose.

From Craftsman to Kingdom Builder

I now see that I was once a craftsman. I worked faithfully, excelled in my role, and built with skill and precision. But in this new season, God wasn’t asking for more output—He was redefining my purpose.

I was no longer just crafting—I was being crafted. And now, having been refined, I’m being sent again—but with sacred intention.

“We are God’s coworkers, and you are God’s field, God’s building.” — 1 Corinthians 3:9 (CEB)

This is what it means to step into Kingdom entrepreneurship. You’re not just starting a business—you’re building what God envisioned before you ever held a tool.

Final Reflection: Now That You’ve Been Refined… What Will You Build?

Will your skills serve only success, or will they be surrendered for significance?
Will your business reflect your gifting, or your governance under peace and righteousness?
Will your foundation be self-made or Christ-laid?

You were the craftsman. Then you became the material. Now, you are the Kingdom builder.