Arise

Future Glory

English Standard Version Chapter 60

60 Arise, shine, for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

Here in the Hebrew we can think of this light as something we should find pleasure in; maybe like fireworks. Then we see a contrast of darkness. 2  For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the LORD will arise upon you,

and his glory will be seen upon you.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 60:2. This darkness covers the whole Earth. If you have grown up in the big city you might not ever truly enjoy the stars. The lights of the big city seem to block out the light of the heavens. Being a country boy I was blessed with dark nights that allowed us to see the light show of God. This passage calls us to see the contrast. God is light and His splendor is a magnificent show to be enjoyed. The best way for us to see the show is when we are surrounded by darkness.

3  And nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your rising.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 60:3. We just came out of the Advent season and we go right into Epiphany. Epiphany in the words of the great Hank Williams, “I Saw the Light”. That Country Gospel song came out in 1948 and was long before my time but it depicted the idea that Hank had seen the Lord.

4  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.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 60:4. In order to see the light, so to speak, one can best see it if there has been a great contrast in your life. Darkness is a great contrast to the light of God. This passage tells us that they all come to you, like a magnet draws iron. We might say as a moth is drawn to a flame.

As we look at this week of Epiphany we should try to reflect and see how the Lord may manifest himself to you and I. An example of epiphany is when the Magi inn Matthew 2:1-12 saw the baby Jesus. He was revealed to them. I remember Randy talking in his Sunday School class and saying that the night shift shepherds were the lowly, the less seniority people, right.

English Standard Version Chapter 60

5  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.

6  A multitude of camels shall cover you,

the young camels of Midian and Ephah;

all those from Sheba shall come.

As we pray about the Star Words that we all receive we should ask ourselves how will the Lord reveal himself to me through this word. You might think that this is not a word for me, but God might actually know better than you, right.