December 13
The Glory of the Lord Dispels the Darkness
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. Isaiah 60:1-3
A quick Google search of recent societal trends reveals a dark picture: high numbers of divorce and out-of-wedlock births; rising levels of crime and imprisonment; unprecedented rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Sin and its effects surround us.
Darkness permeates our personal lives too: relationships strained and broken; fears about the future and guilt over the past; daily struggles with anger, lust, envy, and pride; the secret sins that burden my conscience.
The bleakness of this world, the gloominess of my heart, the thick darkness . . . at times, it can simply overwhelm.
And then we read Isaiah’s glorious vision. On the one hand, he’s prophesying the future: “Nations will come to your light.” On the other hand, he’s describing the present: “Your light has come.” The prophet continues to alternate between these two timeframes over the course of the chapter.
The future depicted by Isaiah expresses our Christian hope: the new Jerusalem, where believers from every people and nation will gather around the throne of our Savior-God in eternal worship and praise, finally freed from death, mourning, pain, and sin. This heavenly city, Isaiah tells us later in this chapter, will be devoid of earthly darkness, because “the Lord will be your everlasting light.” The future is bright for those who trust in the God of Israel.
But what about the present? What solace is there for believers living now in this sin-darkened world? What comfort does our God offer Christians struggling currently with temptation, anxiety, and despair? Isaiah tells us, “The glory of the Lord rises upon you.”
God’s brilliant, radiant grace has been revealed in Christ Jesus. His gracious, sovereign reign has been inaugurated. Though at times the darkness might appear to have the upper hand, our Savior has already won the victory. His glorious light is bursting into broken lives, illuminating sinful hearts, and guiding and protecting his chosen people. The glory of the Lord is not only our future hope, but our current reality.
Lord, dispel the darkness from this world and the sin from my heart. Bring the people of this earth to the light of your glorious gospel. Amen.
Dr. Timothy Grundmeier serves Martin Luther College as a professor of history.
