Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers teh earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize-winning author Elie Wiesel once remarked, "No one is as capable of gratitude as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night." Whether we have endured physical captivity or spiritual blindness, seeing the light after escaping pitch darkness can radically transform our perspective on life.
Throughout most of his ministry, he warned the people of God they would taste the bitter fruit of their disobedience in exile. (Isaiah 5:20-30) Now he looks ahead and describes a beautiful day where God's people will arise and shine in celebration of the Light that will have come.
Today, we know that the Light of the world is Jesus Christ. (John 8:12) Everyone who receives His life-giving light and follows Him as Savior will never walk in darkness again. Hallelujah! Yet we still live in a world where sin has drawn a veil of unbelief over the eyes of many. (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11) They grope for light in all the wrong places, and we grieve the destructive impact of disobedience.
Isaiah's description of the glorious future to come can help us to paint a clearer picture of our eternal destiny and point the spiritually blind to the true Light of the world.
- His Light will attract the nations and reflect God's glory. (Isaiah 60:1-9) Isaiah describes the Light as dwelling in Zion and drawing a diverse multitude of people to gather together and present their sacrificial offerings at the altar. On that magnificent day, a great throng from every earthly tribe speaking countless languages will stand before the Lamb and worship together as one. (Revelation 7:9)
- His Light will create beauty and produce great joy. (Isaiah 60:10-16) The gates to God's peaceful and secure sanctuary will remain open, ready to receive His children as all opposition to God's Kingdom wastes away in defeat. The Lord will transform His beloved into a majestic bride, and we will no longer experience the isolating pain of sin and brokenness. The saints will forever rejoice in glory before the King of kings and worship at His footstool. (Psalm 99:5; Revelation 7:13-17)
- His Light will restore peace and promote righteousness. (Isaiah 60:17-22) For those who fear the Lord, the sun of righteousness will rise up and bring healing. (Malachi 4:2) Death and destruction will finally disappear as God's children are protected in salvation's stronghold. (Revelation 21:4; Psalm 27:1) The redeemed will return to Zion with singing, and sorrow and sighing will flee away forever. (Isaiah 35:10)
The Apostle Paul echoed Isaiah's call for the people of God to walk as children of the Light.
Ephesians 5:7-15
7 Therefore do not be partners with them.
8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord. 11 Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. 13 But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. 14 This is why it is said:
“Wake up, sleeper,
rise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
As we look to the lamp of God's Word to direct our steps, our obedient lives expose the unfruitful works of darkness and point to Truth. (Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:23) This day we can choose to arise and shine because the God of restoration has rescued us from sin and chosen us as His radiant bride.