Arise and Shine

 

Roddy Roderique had served seventeen years of a life-sentence and was appealing for an early release before the high court in Montreal. His pastor, Charles Seidenspinner, was testifying on his behalf. "Why should this man be released?" asked the Crown Attorney. "Because God has come into his life, and changed him, and will hold him steady" replied the pastor. "What do you mean `God has come into his life?"' asked the judge.

He listened thoughtfully as the pastor shared in detail how Christ transforms a life. The judge then asked a loaded question: "Suppose this man is released. Would you want him for a neighbor?" "Your Honor," said the pastor, "that would be wonderful! Some of my neighbors need to hear the same message that changed his life." Roddy was released, and today he's living for the Lord and is active in his church (D. J. De Haan).

God chose Israel to be a light to the nations (Isa. 43:10, 12). In Isaiah 52:1 God says to them “Awake, awake, Zion, clothe yourself with strength!  Put on your garments of splendour, Jerusalem the holy city”. However in Isaiah 59 we find the people lamenting, “we look for light, but all is darkness... we walk in deep shadows. Like the blind we grope along the wall, feeling our way like people without eyes” (Isa. 59:9-10).

In Isaiah 60:1-3 God tells his people to “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”. Even though this scripture has a special reference to Israel, it can be applied to every child of God.

Isaiah prophesied how the birth of Christ would bring brightness to a world full of darkness. He said “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned” (Isa. 9:2). Matthew 4:13-16 records the fulfilment of that prophecy.  Isaiah described them as “walking in darkness”. Matthew described the people as “sitting in darkness”. Darkness is the absence of light.

Spiritual darkness is a state of separation from the presence of God. It is often characterized by moral decay, spiritual blindness and rebellion. Spiritual blindness is state where individuals are ignorant of God's will and truth. Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in affliction and in irons, for they had rebelled against the words of God, and spurned the counsel of the Most High” (Ps. 107:10-11)  Their way is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble” (Prov. 4:19).

The people dwelling in darkness are in a terrible state.  The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast. For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly (Prov. 5:22-23). Jesus came as the light of the world, Zechariah prophesied that ^“the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).

Evil thrives away from scrutiny and light. John 3:19-21 says” the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” If we walk in the light as He is in the light the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1. 5-7).

Jesus came to bring the light of God’s life into a spiritually dark and dying world. The brilliance of Christ’s life shone like a light in the darkness of the world in his day. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (John 1:3).  Those who believe in the light become children of the light (John 12:36). Jesus said, ‘I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but have the light of life’”(John 8:12).

Ephesians 5:8 says “at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. To “walk” is to make progress. Christians are meant to grow in holiness and to mature in faith as they follow Jesus (2 Peter 3:18). Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Heb.5:13-14).

Proverbs 4:18 symbolizes righteousness as the morning sun. It says “the path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day”. Paul’s ceaseless prayer for Colossian believers was that God would “fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God (Col 1:9-13).

In Isaiah 60:1 God gives his children two commands “arise, shine”. The first command is “arise”! This word paints a picture of dawn but the people addressed here are fast asleep. So, they are commanded to arise! 1 Thessalonians 5:5-7 says “you are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night”.

The next command is “shine”! Today darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples just like was the condition in Jesus days. People are walking in darkness oblivious of the danger that they are in. At the same time Christ has poured his glory upon his people. They have a service to perform which is to shine. He wants the world to be attracted to the light. 1Peter 3:15 says “Your heart should be holy and set apart for the Lord God. Always be ready to tell everyone who asks you why you believe as you do” (NLT).

Ephesians 5 :8-14 says  ^“you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. This is why it is said “wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

Those who are now in Christ were once “darkness” and not just “in darkness”. Now they “are” light and not merely “in” the light (v.8). This testifies to the profound change brought about by the gospel. The world enshrouded in darkness can clearly see the “fruit of light”. Their lifestyle has a contrast with those whose actions are marked by “the fruitless deeds of darkness”. The amazing lifestyle of person transformed from “darkness” to “light” is a powerful witness.

For actions to be consistent with those who are “light in the Lord” (v. 8), one must “find out what pleases the Lord” in order to practice it (v. 10). What pleases the Lord is found in the Scriptures. To walk in the light means to know God, to know his will and to do it always. If one does not know what God requires then he is in spiritual darkness and it’s not possible to please him. Jesus told the religious leaders of his day that they were in error because they did not know the Scriptures (Matt. 22:29).

God commanded Joshua to Keep the Book of the Law always on his lips and meditate on it day and night, so that he may be careful to do everything written in it; careful to obey  everything in it without turning from it to the right or to the left (Joshua 1:7-8). The person whose delight is in the law of the Lord and who meditates on his law day and night will yields his fruit in season (Ps. 1:1-3). God’s word is a lamp to your feet and a light to your path.The entrance of your words gives light (Ps. 119:105,130).

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill that cannot be hidden.  A lamp put it on its stand that gives light to everyone in the house.  Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt 5:14-15). Your life is lifted high like a shining city upon elevated ground-visible, undeniable, and impossible to conceal. Your life is designed to display the beauty and hope of the Gospel before the eyes of watching world.

Genuine faith in Christ turns a man from darkness to marvelous light, and transforms him into “light in the Lord”. His aims, desires, speech and actions become full of divine light. The light illuminates all the chambers of his life and then shines so as to be seen by others. The believer is appointed to be a lighthouse to others, a cheering lamp, a guiding star. His light increases as he learns more about God. His faith is in itself a light; men see his good works even before they discover his knowledge.

As a child of God, you are to put on the new self; you are created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:24). Don't blindly do what the world claims to be right; Do what God's Word says is right. Live each day on purpose and in a way that's pleasing to God. Let the Fruit of the Spirit (Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control, Gal, 5:22-23) shine through you in an ever increasing measure.

Psalm 19:1-4 says, “the heavens declare the glory of God... day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world”.  In the same way the silent witness of our holy lives is, perhaps, the best contribution that we can make to the spread of His kingdom. Light does not say a word, it just shines. The beauty of a holy live is clearly visible from far.

As a Christians you cannot sit idly by and watch others continue in the darkness of sin, knowing that those in darkness are destined for eternal separation from God. God has commanded you to be the light for the gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:47). Open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God” (Acts 26:18) .This year, arise, shine, for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.

Like your master Jesus Christ, God will make you “a light for the Gentiles, that his salvation may reach to the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6). For surely the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze.But for you who fear his name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings and you will go out, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture” (Mal.4:1-2).