Arise And Shine For Jesus Christ

Isaiah 60:1-2

Topic: Arise and Shine for Jesus Christ

Isaiah was one of the four major prophets of the Old Testament along with Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. As a prophet, Isaiah prophesied to the southern tribe of Judah, and to the city of Jerusalem. Isaiah warned the people during his day and time to turn from their wicked ways, turn from worshipping idol gods and to return to trusting, worshipping, and serving the true and living God. Isaiah had warned the people in his day and time that if they did not repent from their wicked ways, Isaiah sad that God was going to send a nation from the north(Babylon) to destroy the city of Jerusalem, and to take the people of Judah into captivity for 70 years.

Not only did Isaiah prophesied and warned the people of Judah , but he also prophesied to the other nations as well, warning them to repent from sinning, and to worship and serve the true and living God, or God was going oto punish them as well.

The book of Isaiah is likened unto the Holy Bible itself. The Holy Bible has 66 books in it self, and the book of Isaiah has 66 chapters in it self.

The Holy Bible has two division. The first part of the Holy Bible is the Old Testament with 39 books that deals primarily with the law, and the wrath of God. The second part of the Holy Bible is the New Testament with 27 books that primarily deals with the love and the grace of God.

Likewise, the book of Isaiah has 2 division in itself with the first 39 chapter of the book of Isaiah deals with God’s judgement and His anger with his people, and the last 27 chapters in the book of Isaiah deals with God comforting and encouraging His people,

Now when Isaiah prophesied, He did not prophecy on his own. 2nd Peter 1:21 says, “For the prophecy came not in the old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” Isaiah prophesied by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Isaiah 60:1-2 says, “Arise, shine, for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is rise upon thee. 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 was a prophecy of Isaiah as He prophesied the church glory in the access of the Gentiles. In the Old Testament, to be God’s chosen few, one had to be born as a Jew. But in the New Testament, to be God’s chosen few, one must be born again. He or she must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

Galatians 3:26, 28 says, “For ye are all chidren of God by faith in Christ Jesus……There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond or free, there is neither male nor female, for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”

And since we are children of God by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we should “ arise and shine for Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

“Arise and shine, for thy light is come”, and the light is the Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ says in St. John 8:12, “I am the light of the world; he that followed me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Why do we need to stand and arise and shine for Jesus Christ?

Because we live in a world that is so dark. We have many people who are living in darkness. And to live in darkness, is to live this life without hope, without peace, without guidance, without joy, or without love.

And we who have the light of Jesus Christ in our lives need to stand up, arise, and shine for Jesus Christ by telling everyone the good news of Jesus Christ. We need to stand up and live the life of Christ by the way we talk, walk, and to live for Him. You see, the only way people can be delivered out of darkeness they have to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world, but for people to trust in Jesus Christ to be delivered out of darkness, we who have the light of Jesus in our hearts, must share Jesus with them by our witness, and by the way we live. So Arise and Shine for Jesus Christ today!!!