Shine On! – Isaiah 60:1-2 | Steve's Bible Meditations

“Arise, Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance” (Isaiah 60:1-2, NLT).

When Jesus told His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount to be the light of the world and compared them to a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14), He may have been alluding to Isaiah’s description of the future glory of Jerusalem in these verses.

Isaiah says that when God comes to be with his people, His glory is so apparent in their lives that they become a source of light. They actually radiate His glory!

And, since light eliminates darkness, God’s light shining through His people reveals His truth and righteousness.

When God abides with His people, the radiance of His glory casts its shine on them so they become light in a darkened world.

And, when God’s radiant glory shines through the lives of His people, then those in darkness are attracted to the light and will come to find out the source of the light.

So, shine on, radiant people of God, shine on!

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16, NASB).