Tag: Isaiah 60:1-2
Walls of Salvation–Gates of Praise!
Scripture reading for August 1: Isaiah 58-62
“”No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise. The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.” Isaiah 60:18-19
There’s a song out that uses the thoughts of these verses of Isaiah. Chris Tomlin sings “My Deliverer” and I love the chorus about the walls and gates of the New Jerusalem! This passage and chapter of Isaiah have many similarities with Revelation 21 and the vision of the Apostle John and it is exciting to see that God’s plans are firmly established and moving forward.
Our nation and world are in deep darkness. The peoples of the earth for the most part are living in ignorance of the Lord and His light. It was the vision of Isaiah that as the world lay in darkness, a call to arise and shine would be given to God’s people. (Isaiah 60:1-2) This might refer to the rapture of the Church at the end of time as well as when Jesus first appeared. The Glory of the Lord will rise upon the earth and nations will come to the brightness of that new dawning. Jesus Christ came into the darkness of this world and proclaimed that He was the light of the world! (John 8:12) Whoever would follow Him will never walk in darkness but would have the light of life! At the end of time we will shine like the brightness of heaven and the stars! (Daniel 12:3)
From the witness of the light of God within His church, Jesus Christ is populating the New Jerusalem. It’s walls are salvation. We are protected by God’s saving grace through the gift of forgiveness. We are saved from the penalty of our sins and eternal judgment in the lake of fire and outer darkness. It’s gates are praise! Those who enter come singing and praising the One who gave them life and eternal light! God is their light and they have no darkness in them! There are no more tears, crying or pain. Eternal light from God’s glory fills the city and it’s inhabitants!
When this will happen is not known by any man. But the Lord tells us that in it’s time, it will be done swiftly! We must be ready and watching! “I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly.” (Isaiah 60:22b) “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon. (quickly)” (Revelation 22:20)
Preaching in the land of darkness!
Scripture reading for July 2nd: Matthew 4
Key Scriptures: Matthew 4:12-17 “Now when He heard that John had been arrested, He withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth He went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, and in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles–the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and the shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.””
Jesus Christ heard that John the Baptist had been arrested by King Herod for preaching repentance and confronting Herod’s sinful sexual life. Jesus withdrew to His own childhood region of Israel but moved to another town from Nazareth, Capernaum by the sea. This area was on a trade route where peoples from all over the world would visit on their way to trade in other parts of the world. It was known as “Galilee of the Gentiles” but had been the home property given to Zebulun and Naphtali, tribes of Israel. Isaiah the Prophet had spoken about this area in Isaiah 9:1-2, about 700 years before Christ’s birth. Jesus began preaching right where John the Baptist left off. He began where the land of the Jews was particularly darkened by the shadow of death and brought great light by preaching the Word of God. God’s Word would bring deliverance from death and its dark shadow and the dawning of a new day! Herod’s kingdom of darkness and death would be overcome by the kingdom of Light!
Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise, shine, for your Light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 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. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of Your rising.”
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to light up my world of darkness! Thank You for loving Gentiles as You loved Jews. Through the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Your light shines through me. Let the preaching of repentance, faith and miracles of healing flow through my life and today’s ministry opportunities.
Matthew 4:23-24 “And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So His fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics, and He healed them.”
Jesus: Reverent and Obedient!
Scripture reading for October 18th: Isaiah 60-63, Hebrews 5
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 5:7-9 “In the days of His flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Although He was a son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
Jesus Christ, our High Priest, was a man of prayer during His time on the earth. He was reverent before His Father, learning obedience through what He suffered. His total obedience to His Father made Him perfect as our source of eternal salvation. He lives forever to intercede for us.
Isaiah 60:1-2 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 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.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to earth as light from the Father and showing us Your glory. Thank You for Your reverence and perfect obedience. Help me to follow Your example. Amen.
Thankful for Christ’s Light!
FScripture reading for December 5th: Ephesians 4-6, Philippians 1-2
Key Scriptures: Ephesians 5:11-16 “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead; and Christ will shine on you.” Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”
But for God’s grace through Jesus Christ, we would be hopelessly lost in the darkness of sin and the shame of our disobedience. But thanks be to God that through Jesus Christ He wakes those who believe in Him from death and the grave and brings us into His marvelous light! We are awake to Christ, walking in His wisdom and exposing evil in the days before He comes again for us!
Rejoicing in His 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.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)
Children of the Light!
Scripture reading for September 19th: 1st Thessalonians 5
Key Scriptures for over-comers: 1st Thessalonians 5:4-9 “But you, brothers are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons 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 alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul encouraged the Thessalonians concerning their new identity as sons of light. Those who live in the light of Christ and God’s word will not be caught off guard when events of the end time prophesy are being fulfilled. As children of the light, we belong to the day of Christ and live self-controlled lives by trusting in God’s word and His promises of salvation. We know that we have escaped the coming wrath of God because of sin through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and are now awaiting the new day of Christ’s millennial reign on the earth and then His eternal reign over the new heaven and new earth.
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers are awake in the Spirit and live life in the light of Christ’s coming and eternal promises to those who believe! “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.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)
Awakened from darkness!
Scripture reading for August 30th: Ephesians 5
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Ephesians 5:8-11 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists of 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.”
The contrast between light and darkness is Paul’s illustration of the difference between our new life in Christ and our former way of life under Satan, leading to death and everlasting darkness. Over-comers have awakened from the darkness of their former life and let the light of Christ shine through them in actions that are consistent with Christ. In fact, they consistently resist the ‘fruitless’ deeds of the old life and expose them as the darkness that they really represent. They are honest about living a life of goodness and truth by faith in Jesus Christ.
Observations for over-comers: Over-comers allow Christ’s love and truth from His word to expose sin and darkness in every area of their lives. They live in humble dependence on God’s grace as they shine the light of Christ’s love on a dark world. “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.” (Isaiah 60:1-2)