Arise and Shine - Isaiah 60

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isa 60:2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

This refers to Israel in the Millennium, when the Lord comes amidst his chosen people Israel, but the application is for now, to those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. Look around and we see the darkness covering the earth. Sin and shame and fear and despair cover the land, but we are not just from the land, we are made heavenly creations in Christ Jesus, his ambassadors and light bearers.

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

What then? As ambassadors for Christ, we are not to be hidden in the darkness, but to get up and get out and shine for Jesus. Not only shine in appearance but with the word of life. We are not to be in darkness and gloom, we are to be like Jesus: full of life. He has arisen and his glory will be seen on us for we are in Christ by faith and the giving of his Holy Spirit. As He shined at the Mount of transfiguration, so we shall shine with a holy glow from within. We also are to associate with others of his light, encouraging one another, showing that we are one people of God; the Church of Jesus Christ and the chosen of God.

Mat 17:1 And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
Mat 17:2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Mat 17:3 And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

The darkness needs the light from Jesus. Those who are of God, will come out of darkness; those who remain, prefer the darkness. Politically correct people of darkness, may persecute those of the light. It is God who makes the laws, not man. Any law that transgresses the law of God is sin and darkness. God is not mocked, for the light shines and that which is true will gladly respond to that light, and not come against it.

John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.
John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

Isa 60:3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

The church are mostly Gentiles who have come to the light. Even kings shall come; I think of the kings who responded to the light of the star of Bethlehem. Jesus is God incarnate, the bright and morning star, the one who brought us the light of God.

Rev 22:16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Isa 60:4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.

Not only our natural family but our brothers and sisters of faith will come to the light of Jesus and in Israel many Jews from many lands shall return to the homeland, as they are now, and they will receive their Messiah.

Isa 60:5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

The nations are as the sea, a restless abundance of people. The abundance shall be converted unto thee. Sinners shall be saved, not by keeping the law or by partaking of the Jewish customs, but by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. His blood continues to save and convert the sinner.

Isa 60:6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring gold and incense; and they shall show forth the praises of the LORD.
Isa 60:7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
Isa 60:8 Who are these that fly as a cloud, and as the doves to their windows?
Isa 60:9 Surely the isles shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD thy God, and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.
Isa 60:10 And the sons of strangers shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee: for in my wrath I smote thee, but in my favour have I had mercy on thee.
Isa 60:11 Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night; that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought.
Isa 60:12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.
Isa 60:13 The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet glorious.

All the wealth and beauty of the nations, the Gentiles will bring with them to Israel, to worship the LORD. Jesus will be the everlasting king that all will come to serve and to honor. Apparently there will be a temple set up again at this time, according to Ezekial 40-48. There will be priests and sacrifices at the temple, but not for atonement, for Jesus was the final sacrifice for our redemption and atonement. It seems to me that the temple ceremonies and sacrifices would be to point to the Messiah, for those not yet saved, a sort of object lesson, perhaps for the children of those who were alive when Christ returns again. It may be somewhat like the teaching of the law, a picture of the holiness that is required through faith in Christ Jesus.

The sacrifices are for worship, consecration, and perhaps historical reenactment. (Guzik)

Isa 60:14 The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
Isa 60:15 Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.
Isa 60:16 Thou shalt also suck the milk of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the breast of kings: and thou shalt know that I the LORD am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Isa 60:17 For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron: I will also make thy officers peace, and thine exactors righteousness.
Isa 60:18 Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.

The sons of former enemies shall come and bow themselves low as the soles of your feet. They shall call Zion the place of the Holy King. There shall be abundance of milk and precious metals shall replace the common metals. It will be a glorious land, the habitation of the king of kings. The walls shall be called salvation, and the gates Praise.

Salvation is from Jesus, the chief cornerstone. He holds everything together and is our wall of defense and victory.

Psa 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.
Psa 122:7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

The gates are praise.

Psa 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Isa 60:19 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
Isa 60:20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

This is New Jerusalem as described in Revelation

Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Isa 60:21 Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.

Israel of God, the branch, those who have eternal life of the Jews, shall inherit the holy city forever.

Jer 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.
Jer 23:6 In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.

Isa 60:22 A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time.

The weak shall gather as a strong nation. We are weak in ourselves, but in Christ we have strength. We can look back to his first coming as a babe in Simeons arms as the old man prophecied:

Luke 2:30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luke 2:31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luke 2:32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
Luke 2:33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

Christ Jesus spoke as a man that he was that light sent from God, the Father.

John 12:45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

He is that blinding light that called Saul and converted him into the apostle to the Gentiles.

Acts 9:3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
Acts 9:4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Acts 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Jesus was sent from heaven to die and be risen to save us from our sins. Jesus shall return as KING OF KINGS and we are called to witness of him. Get up, get going. Ye are the light of the world, the light of Jesus in a dark time.

John 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
John 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.