Christ in Isaiah: You Shall See and Be Radiant

This is the Third Sunday of Advent, and the theme is joy. The candle we light on this day is the pink candle that is symbolic of the birth of a boy-child. But this boy-child is not just any child — he is God’s promised Anointed One, Israel’s Messiah and the Savior of the World. On the night of his birth, heaven will break open over the lambing fields of Bethlehem, and an angel will announce to shepherds, “ ... “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10–11, ESV)

ILLUS. They hymn we sang a moment ago reminds us that Joy has dawned upon the world, Promised from creation. God’s salvation now unfurled, Hope for every nation.

The Prophet Isaiah talked about this coming Messiah and the joy he would bring to his people. “Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, ... .” (Isaiah 60:5, ESV). Christ is everywhere in the pages of Isaiah’s prophecy. Chapter after chapter speaks of Christ, of redemption and salvation. His prophecy covers the entirety of Christ’s life — his incarnation, his ministry, his death and resurrection, and his future reign as Lord of all.

In these closing chapters of Isaiah, we catch a glimpse of the day toward which history is moving. When we reach that goal, we will see and share His glory, as all life’s mysteries find final resolution in joy. What’s amazing is that the Prophet is speaking of events that are over one hundred years in the future.

Isaiah has repeatedly called Israel to repentance of her idolatry and immorality.

The people have consistently ignored the call.

The result, says the prophet will be a captivity by a foreign power and exile to a foreign land. Emotionally and spiritually it will be as if darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples.

But God will ultimately bring them out of their exile and repatriate them to their land and they will rebuild Jerusalem and its Temple.

In chapter 60, the prophet renews the promise of a new day for the community of faith. He assures the people that God has not forgotten them and that their mission as a light to the world has not changed.

I. ISRAEL WILL BE A LIGHT TO THE NATIONS

1. in these verses we see that God will glorify Israel by making them a witness of the grace of God

a. the historical background of this prophecy concerns the restoration and rebuilding of Jerusalem in the time of Ezra and Nehemiah

1) 587 years before the birth of Jesus, Judah will be attacked and defeated by the Babylonian Empire

a) the Hebrew people will be taken captives in Babylon — where they’ll experience a long night of sin, of punishment, of suffering, and of mourning,—a long night of nearly seventy years

2) it will be a difficult captivity and the people will yearn for the hills of Judah and the city of Jerusalem

a) we catch a glimpse of their gloom in the 137th Psalm

“By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. 2 On the willows there we hung up our lyres. 3 For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land? 5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! 6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!” (Psalm 137:1–6, ESV)

2. but after seventy years, things will begin to change in Israel’s favor as God providentially works out His will in Middle East history

a. Babylon — Israel’s captors — itself will fall to the armies of the Persian King Cyrus the Great in 539 B.C.

ILLUS. Greek historians epitomized Cyrus as the “perfect ruler.” Contemporaries describe Cyrus as an ideal, tolerant and brave monarch. His people are even said to have called him ‘father’. Today, Cyrus the Great Day is an unofficial holiday in Iran.

b. soon after his capture of Babylon, Cyrus will release the Israelites from their captivity, and several waves of Jews will return to Judah and Jerusalem

1) the Scripture say that “Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus” to issue a proclamation which allowed those Jews who wished to return to their homeland to do so

a) how Yahweh stirred up Cyrus is not stated, but Jewish tradition says that the Jews showed him the prophecies of Isaiah 44–45 which named Cyrus as the one who would liberate the Jews — which he did

c. the first wave of returning Jews is sometimes called the Zerubbabel Return since he was prince of the House of David who led the captives home, and just over 42,000 Jews returned to Judah

1) the first priority after returning was the reconstruction of the altar so they could offer sacrifice to God

2) then immediately materials were gathered for rebuilding the Temple

3) the foundations were laid, but opposition from the non-Jews who were living in the area caused the work to cease for about sixteen years

4) the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the Jews to resume building, and the temple project was completed

a) it is commonly referred to as Zerubbabel’s Temple or the Second Temple

b) the new Temple was dedicated on March 12, 515 BC, and some of the very elderly Jews who were in attendance regarded it as a poor substitute compared the splendor of the original Temple that Solomon had built

5) but the Prophet Haggai predicted far greater glory for it would come

“ ‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not as nothing in your eyes? 4 Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, declares the LORD. Be strong, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the LORD. Work, for I am with you, declares the LORD of hosts, 5 according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. 6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. 7 And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of hosts. 8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD of hosts. 9 The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.’ ”” (Haggai 2:3–9, ESV)

d. but before that happens, the returned exiles are still struggling and there is severe opposition from surrounding peoples

3. over one hundred years before any of this happens, the Prophet Isaiah is prophesizing that it will happen

a. but Isaiah also prophecies that, just as things are at their bleakest, God will give them light, and His glory shall rise upon them

A. ISRAEL’S DARKNESS WILL TURN TO LIGHT

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the 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.” (Isaiah 60:1–3, NIV84)

1. just as divine light overcame primordial night at creation, a day is coming when the glory of the Lord will rise over Israel

a. God’s people will return to their city and attempt to rebuild its walls and the Temple, but things will not go to plan

b. their hopes and dreams will remain frustrated

2. despair and hopelessness began to set in

a. the prophet’s words reassure his people and calls them to rejoice in the light that will come

b. God was going to act for them on their behalf

3. Isaiah picture a darkness and despair that has settled, not only over Israel, but over the entire earth

ILLUS. One of mankind’s deepest fears remains scotophobia — the fear of the dark. It’s not so much fear of the dark, as it is the fear of things that go bump in the night. Why do you think that a majority of scary movies are set during the nighttime hours? Darkness causes people to be uneasy. They’re unsure of what’s around them, and most bad things seem to happen when it’s dark out.

a. Isaiah draws us into an eerie, gloomy, and frightening picture when he writes: “See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples,” (Isa. 60:2a)

b. the Prophet is using the metaphor of darkness to picture sin and the gloom and death that result from it

4. but God would shine his glory upon them so that the light of his glory would attract the nations to Jerusalem

5. the first two words in vs. 1 of Isaiah chapter 60 are imperatives, that is, commands

a. the first imperative is Arise

1) Jerusalem is here personified as a woman sitting in dust and ashes because of her sins

a) it’s a symbol of deep mourning

2) the command is to Arise, stand up tall and, as we say, dust yourself off because God is getting ready to do something great and glorious in their midst

3) when God, through the prophet cries, “Arise,” it is God Himself who enables Jerusalem to arise

b. the second imperative is shine, literally be light

1) just as darkness is a metaphor for God’s absence in the bible, light is a metaphor for God’s presence

a) the glory of God is displayed in the whole of the created universe, but was manifested in particular as the Shekinah Glory which was witnessed in the pillar of cloud and fire that led Israel in the desert, and later descended upon the Temple that Solomon built

2) having received from the Lord His own perfect, holy light, Zion is to radiate that light to others

“ “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations,” (Isaiah 42:6, ESV)

a) imagine if you will sunbeams of light shining through the storm clouds to illuminate patches of earth

b) they are an illustration of God’s presence that shines through the storm clouds, giving us light, that we then reflect into the culture around us

B. ISRAEL’S LIGHT IS THE LIGHT OF THE COMING ANOINTED ONE

1. keep in mind, Israel is not the light that Isaiah refers to in this passage

a. vs. 1 says your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you

1) here is a reference to the coming of God’s True Light into the world

b. that True Light would come into the world 500 years later through a virgin giving birth to her first-born son in a stable in the City of David

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:4–5, ESV)

2. the light which radiates from Israel will be the holy nature of God Himself through the Incarnation, and this light brings is forgiveness and redemption

II. NATIONS WILL STREAM TO THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL

“Lift up your eyes all around, and see; they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried on the hip.” (Isaiah 60:4, ESV)

1. this chapter has a near future, and a far future, and an end of future meaning to it

A. IN THE NEAR FUTURE, THE NATIONS WILL REBUILD JERUSALEM

“Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you; for in my wrath I struck you, but in my favor I have had mercy on you. 11 Your gates shall be open continually; day and night they shall not be shut, that people may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. 12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve you shall perish; those nations shall be utterly laid waste.” (Isaiah 60:10–12, ESV)

ILLUS. Again, remember that Isaiah is writing of things that will happen over one hundred years after his death!

1. the first wave of Jews to return to Judah will have unimaginable hardships and opposition in rebuilding Jerusalem, it’s walls, but most importantly the Temple

a. fifty years will go by, and not much will be accomplished — Jerusalem’s walls are still broken down

2. Nehemiah, a Jew who is a high official at the Persian court, hears about the sad state of Jerusalem, and it causes him to weep

a. he goes to the Persian Emperor for permission to go to Jerusalem

1) he will get the blessing of King Artaxerxes who will supply money for rebuilding Jerusalem and its Temple and orders the local provincial governors, to cease and desist their opposition to the Jews

b. over the next dozen years Nehemiah will serve as governor of Judah

1) he will oversee rebuilding of the city, and he will lead the inhabitants to spiritual renewal and revival

c. one hundred years before it happened, Isaiah prophesies foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall minister to you ... and they do!

B. IN THE FAR FUTURE, THE NATIONS WILL COME TO JERUSALEM

1. the far future jumps from Israel’s return from exile to the days of Christ

a. the glory of the Lord will attract the nations of the earth to Jerusalem

b. this was literally fulfilled o the Day of Pentecost

“Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”” (Acts 2:5–12, ESV)

2. nations come ... people heard the gospel, were saved, and went home taking the gospel of Christ to others

C. IN THE END OF TIME FUTURE GOD WILL BE THE GLORY OF ALL NATIONS

1. this prophecy will be fulfilled fully, and completely when God redeems the world and reconciles all things to Himself through a new earth, a new heaven and a new Jerusalem

“The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 20 Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended. 21 Your people shall all be righteous; they shall possess the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I might be glorified. 22 The least one shall become a clan, and the smallest one a mighty nation; I am the LORD; in its time I will hasten it.” (Isaiah 60:19–22, ESV)

III. THE LIGHT OF ISRAEL WILL BRING GREAT JOY TO THE WORLD

“Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of the nations shall come to you.” (Isaiah 60:5, ESV)

1. the presence of the glory of the Lord rested upon Jesus

a. in John’s gospel we read, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

2. the statement that “we beheld His glory” links Jesus to the Old Testament wilderness tabernacle

a. at this earthly tent of meeting, Yahweh’s divine presence and glory dwelled and visibly manifested among the people of Israel

1) they saw His glory in the fire, pillar of smoke, and cloud (Exodus 40:34)

b. in the New Testament, God’s glorious presence was made visible in the living Word, who was clothed in flesh and “tabernacled” among us in the person of Jesus Christ

1) Jesus revealed His glory for the first time publicly at the wedding in Cana, and, as a result, “his disciples believed in him”

2) Peter, James, and John beheld a glimpse of His unveiled glory at the Transfiguration

3) at his resurrection, Jesus was completely and totally glorified and all the world will see that glory on full display at the Second Advent

IV. LESSONS FROM ISAIAH CHAPTER 60

1. this prophecy in Isaiah, chapter 60, primarily points readers to the Second Advent of the Lord and the glory of His kingdom in Jerusalem during the Millennium

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations.” (Revelation 21:21–26, ESV)

a. what Isaiah prophesied would happen, John in his Revelation, reasserts will happen when Jesus returns in power and glory

2. but Isaiah’s prophecy also contains Biblical themes that apply to all generations

A. 1st, GOD HAS GIVEN US THE LIGHT OF CHRIST

1. Jesus is the Light of the World

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, NIV84).

2. Jesus makes this proclamation during the Feast of Tabernacles

a. during that Feast there was a nightly ritual

In the Temple at Jerusalem, in the Court of the Women stood four huge Menorahs — a seven-branched candelabra. Each night they were lit, pushing light up into the night sky like a searchlight. So brilliant was their light that one ancient Jewish source declared, “There was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that did not reflect [their] light” They served as a reminder of the pillar of fire by which God had guided Israel in the wilderness. While countless Jewish priests played on harps, lyres, cymbals and trumpets, the people danced exuberantly around the candelabra throughout the night, holding blazing torches in their hands and singing Psalms of praise. It was against the backdrop of that ceremony that Jesus stands one evening and makes the stunning announcement that He is the true Light of the world just as they are about to light the first Menorah.

b. with that announcement, Jesus is saying, “I Am the pillar of fire that led you in the wilderness. I Am the ‘Great Light’ that Isaiah spoke of. I Am the Glory of the Lord.”

1) it’s an astounding claim!

3. the Gospel of Luke likens Jesus' first coming is likened to the sunrise, and Jesus Himself is called 'the sunrise from on high'

“because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”” (Luke 1:78–79, ESV)

a. this is part of what we call the Song of Zechariah — it’s a prophecy that Zechariah utters after the birth of his son, John (who will become the Baptizer)

b. for centuries, both Israel and especially the Gentile nations had been in darkness spiritually speaking

1) but the coming of Jesus signified the dawn of a new day — just as it will when He returns the second time

c. his First Advent was the fulfilment of another prophetic passage in Isaiah that says

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.” (Isaiah 9:2, ESV)

1) Jesus is the sunrise from on High

4. have you seen a great light? ... his name is Jesus and he wants to be the light of your life

a. not let me warn you, great light can be uncomfortable

1) the light of Christ will reveal things about your life that you would like to keep secret, that you don’t want others to know about

ILLUS. Ruth Graham, wife of Billy Graham once told the story of a major television interview she and Billy were going to sit for. The interview was going to be broadcast from the living room of their home. Ruth writes that she cleaned for days so that the house, especially the living room, would be spotless. The day of the interview electricians and gaffers came in to set up lights and equipment. When they tested the backlighting Ruth said she was horrified to see cobweb strings all over the ceiling and dust bunnies in the corners. The bright lights had exposed things she didn’t want people to see and that she didn’t even know were there. She hurriedly retrieved a broom and began battling the dust bunnies.

a) the light of Christ will expose things in your life that you need to deal with

2) the light of Christ will reveal the truth about Jesus and his redemptive work

“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6, ESV)

a) in John 8:12, the passage I read a few minutes ago, Jesus told the crowd Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness

ILLUS. Think for a moment what happens when it’s night time, and the electricity goes off. One of the things you might do is find a candle and light it. You take the candle with you to dispel the darkness. As you walk, you hold the candle out ahead of you. You essentially follow the light.

b) likewise, the Light of Jesus Christ has to be taken into the darkness of sin that engulfs the hearts and lives of those who are not following Him

c) that’s the condition behind having his Light — that we follow Him

d) if we do not follow Him, we will not have his light, his truth, or his eternal life

5. if you let the light of Christ into your life Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and exult

B. 2nd, WE ARE TO REFLECT HIS LIGHT TO ALL PEOPLES OF THE WORLD

1. a more literal translation of Arise, shine in Isaiah 60:1 is Arise, give light

2. Jesus is probably thinking of this passage when he says:

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14–16, NIV84)

a. the presence of Christians in the world must be like a light in the darkness, not only in the sense that the truth of God’s Word brings light to the darkened hearts of sinful man, but also in the sense that our good deeds must be evident for all to see

b. and the promise is that if we live for Christ, and when we act like Christ, men will see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven

c. this begs the question, “Do others look at my life and think, ‘Now that’s what it means to be a Christian!’?”

3. so that’s a good place to end!

Isaiah assures His people that God has not forgotten us. God has given us the Light of Jesus, and our mission is to be a light to the world.

Related Media

Related Sermons