And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
When the glory of the Lord rises and shines upon His people amid spiritual darkness covering the earth, people from distant nations and their rulers are drawn to that light and to the brightness of that rising. That light is the Lord's glory revealed in Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, the truth of the Bible shining in clear rays through His people as bearers of gospel truth. What was promised of the Messiah drawing outsiders beyond Israel began with His coming, when Gentile seekers honored Him, and His death broke Satan's power to open salvation to all nations, and the same drawing will be the final work closing this world's history. The church carries that drawing light by proclaiming the last warning message everywhere and by reflecting Christ's character in transformed lives of obedience, love and good works. The promise will be fulfilled more fully than ever in the last days when God's people separate fully from evil, awake in consecration and reformation, and receive the Holy Spirit to present truth so plainly that many unwarned souls are convicted and converted.
Light Shining in Darkness
When the Lord's glory rises and shines upon His people and upon His church amid spiritual darkness covering the world, Gentiles come to that light and kings to the brightness of that rising. The shining is the Lord arising upon them and His glory being seen upon them, and the light they reveal draws outsiders to it. This is the call for God's church to do its appointed work and carry the gospel to the nations, so that the way is prepared for His everlasting kingdom. Those seeking truth among heathen peoples are thus guided to the light through the spread of missionary work.
Its setting is the call to arise and shine because light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon His people. While darkness covers the earth and gross darkness covers the people, the Lord arises upon them and His glory is seen upon them, so Gentiles come to their light and kings to the brightness of their rising. Zion thus arises and shines with a penetrating light, and those responding answer with praise and thanksgiving. Looking to Jesus enables people to reflect His image and grow in Him, giving the call to shine a practical expression in lives shaped by following Him. The promise also means the Holy Spirit will come upon those who diligently search the Scriptures, enabling them to present truth in language so simple that old and young, learned and unlearned can understand it.
The light and brightness are the Lord's glory revealed in Christ, whose rising brings God's truth into the world's spiritual darkness and draws Gentiles and kings to Him. He is the Messenger of the Covenant and the Sun of Righteousness rising upon the world, whom the church is to reflect and show in practical gospel life so people are not left in moral darkness. The light is the light of truth brought into the heart, and God's people are to shine as workers with Christ while He establishes His kingdom. The church is the repository of gospel truth through which God's light shines in clear, distinct rays when the Lord arises upon her and His glory is seen upon her. That light is the truth of the Bible, and young men and young women are to be the Lord's light-bearers, going with Bible in hand into new places to flash the light of truth into the mist and fog of error for the salvation of souls.
The Gentiles are heathen nations and peoples from far away seeking truth, and the kings are rulers and leaders drawn to the brightness of that rising. Outsiders from all nations gather to God's people, with sons coming from far, daughters gathered at the side, and the abundance of the nations coming to them. God thus causes righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations as people gather to His people from far away. Made a light to the nations by God's glory shining upon them amid spiritual darkness, Christ's followers reveal God's character and carry His work to those darkened by sin.
Christ the Rising Light
The promise is that the light of the Messiah would draw the Gentiles to Him and kings to the brightness of His rising, carrying God's truth and salvation beyond Israel to the nations. His coming brings God's truth into the world's spiritual darkness. The wise men who followed the star to the infant Jesus were the first fruits of the Gentile world, worshipping Him and offering their finest gifts to show that people of every rank would honor Him with what had been entrusted to them.
The verse foretells His coming as the distinguished Teacher whose words would command universal attention. It identifies Him as the Messenger of the Covenant and the Sun of Righteousness who rises upon the world, bringing light that draws Gentiles to that light and kings to its brightness. That drawing means non-Jewish nations and rulers are drawn to Christ Himself and to His teaching, preaching of the gospel, and revelation of judgment and law with invincible power and authority. After His crucifixion and resurrection, people from all nations would study the prophecies and recognize in Christ the promised divine Teacher and the fulfillment of the prophetic message.
His death on the cross broke Satan's power and opened salvation to all nations, with the emancipation of the human race signed by the blood of the Son of God. After Christ's victory over sin and Satan the message of hope and mercy goes to the ends of the earth, reaching beyond His people to those formerly held in superstition and darkness. The heathen need no longer remain wrapped in midnight superstition, but anyone may reach out, take hold of God's hand, and make peace with Him, as gloom disappears before the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness and proves the power of hell overcome. These chapters define His work as coming to save people under Satan's power, to carry out heaven's purposes, and to set right what the scribes and Pharisees had made wrong. This work of Gentiles coming to Christ's light and kings to His rising began with His advent and will be the final work closing this world's history, when Christ as the Sun of Righteousness arises and shines gloriously upon His people.
Israel's Trust and Failure
God's purpose was that Israel, called out and separated from the world as depositaries of His law, should preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Through them the light and truth of heaven was to shine out to the dark places of the earth, with a voice appealing to all peoples to turn from idolatry to serve the living and true God, so that Gentiles and kings and rulers would have opportunity to receive the light. Israel was intended to make that light known among the nations, and the spiritual advantages and principles revealed through God's people were meant to bless the world and help restore God's moral image in humanity. Had the Hebrews been true to this trust they would have been a power in the world, defended by God and exalted above all other nations as an example of the superiority of His wise and holy government over every form of idolatry.
When they broke covenant and followed idolatrous practices, God brought the oppressor upon them and scattered them as captives among the nations. In affliction many repented and spread abroad the knowledge of the true God. Servants such as Daniel, Nehemiah and Ezra were thus brought face to face with kings and rulers to do in captivity under trial the work neglected in prosperity.
The work Israel failed to do in making God's salvation known is now carried to the world by God's people when the Lord's glory rises upon them amid the world's darkness and draws Gentiles to their light and kings to its brightness. As light once went forth from Mount Zion, so teaching shining from a center of faith can reach distant lands. So it was when students came from across Germany to Wittenberg, praised God for the truth they found there, and carried its influence toward remote countries.
Church Carrying Light Worldwide
The verse calls the church to do its appointed work when the Lord's glory shines upon it amid spiritual darkness, carrying the gospel to the nations so that the way is prepared for the everlasting kingdom. It is a call to bring people to God both at home and beyond, to those nearby as well as those in distant lands. The light is to shine openly in the great cities and in the thoroughfares of travel, where people from many nations can hear and then carry it to their homes around the world.
The light that draws nations and rulers is the uplifted banner of truth in the third angel's message, the last warning message to be carried everywhere. It is to be proclaimed with a certain sound through the ministry of the Word, in the missionary work of the church in every age and no less in the present time. That building up and restoration goes forward in divine lines by diversity of talent and instrumentalities, with marked variety in nature and work like branches of the true vine, bearing both sharp, strong messages and words of consolation, because conversion is in it through the perfect law of the Lord taking hold of heart and character to beautify and elevate and ennoble. Unity and love among believers help this work succeed and help carry that light outward.
The church carries it through united efforts, including the circulation of publications and the giving of the last warning message. It carries it through the spirit and power of the truth and through Christlike personal work in homes and among individuals. Teachers are to bear the light of the word so that sacred light reaches all nations and illumines the world, and sharing that drawing light with those in darkness is a purpose of missionary canvassing service. Young men and young women are to be light-bearers with Bible in hand, going into new places to flash the light of Bible truth into the mist and fog of error for the salvation of souls, instead of being held in restaurant work that absorbs talent and capability, carries a burden not laid upon it, feeds the poorer class but little because of expensive preparation of food, and reveals few results in souls. Instruction joined to Isaiah 60:1-3 with Isaiah 56, Isaiah 58:12-14, and Isaiah 61:1-4 directs benevolent work in which loyal people convicted and converted through truth, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus and keeping the Sabbath, who lose situations and are cast out from homes and refused work for truth's sake, receive special help through a fund to aid worthy poor families who love God, so they reveal to a sinful world that God has not left them to perish, instead of diverting means to the unworthy and disobedient and transgressors of His law.
People are drawn to God's work through the converted life and witness of His servants, when the Lord's glory shines upon His people and they live as lights in a dark world. Transformed believers reflect Christ's love and go out as a light to the world. The church shines through gospel truth and through lives marked by good works, obedience, love, and righteousness, bringing glory to God and revealing His character.
The ingathering includes sons coming from far and daughters gathered at the side, with the abundance of the sea and the forces of the Gentiles converted unto them. People gather to the Lord's people from far away, and God causes righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations. Those nearby and abroad who are instructed and helped in gospel and Sabbath truth may enter God's kingdom and share in its joy.
Last-Days Promise and Conditions
The coming of Gentiles to the light and kings to the brightness of the rising is a glorious promise still to be fulfilled, to be kept in mind with enlarged faith and expectation looking for its fulfillment. It is a prophecy about the remnant church in the last days that will be fulfilled more fully than ever in the past. That fuller fulfillment comes when God's people separate themselves so fully from evil that the light of heaven can rest upon them in rich measure and shine forth from them to the world, with sons coming from far and daughters gathered at the side and the abundance of the sea and the forces of the Gentiles converted.
It applies to the present time when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people, when the glory of the Lord is seen upon His church and outsiders and even rulers are drawn to its light. The church is commissioned to cooperate with God in spreading Bible truth, while the Lord in compassion delays judgment on an impenitent world so His light-bearers can seek and save the lost and enlighten those groping in error. He calls the church to awake from lethargy and do its heaven-appointed work, and to those who faithfully do their part as bearers of precious light the coming of nations and leaders to that light is given as assurance that their labor will succeed.
Its setting in Isaiah 60 to 65 must be heeded and accepted, especially by leaders in the cause and those connected with institutions, taking chapters 60 and 61 together with chapters 62 to 65. Its promise of the ingathering of nations is understood only with faith and thorough consecration to God, with heeding the reproofs given and warning the people what is truth. When these words are taken and neglected duties to warn and to make truth understood are fulfilled, and when all complaining and every evil work are stopped and put away in reformation, repentance and conversion, then the Lord manifests His power in the conviction and conversion of souls, so that many souls now unwarned hear the reasons of faith.
The promise means that while darkness covers the earth and gross darkness covers the people, the Lord arises upon His people and His glory is seen upon them as they arise and shine because their light is come. It means the Holy Spirit will come upon those who diligently search the Scriptures, enabling them to present the truth in language so simple that old and young, learned and unlearned can understand it. It is a present call to awake from confusion and uncertainty, to look to Jesus for help and guidance, to understand and proclaim the message for this time, to cry aloud and show God's people their transgression and sin, and to seek and save the lost as Christ did. When the spirit of the third angel's message takes hold upon hearts a work God can approve will be done.
God has sent abundant light and His Spirit to awaken and transform His people so the church receiving God's light and glory may reach the world. But that light has been rejected when the church is content with carnal security and resists the way God chooses to work. The light given amid the world's darkness to draw people is a great privilege, but it brings responsibility to walk in its rays and obey, otherwise that light becomes darkness to those who reject its guidance.
Living as Light Bearers
God's people become a light that draws outsiders and rulers to them as they follow on to know the Lord and experience His glory resting upon them amid the earth's darkness. Looking to Jesus enables them to reflect His image and to grow up in Him, which gives the call to shine its practical expression in lives shaped by following Him. They shine in His light by looking unto Jesus and trusting in the Lord continually, taking courage in Him, refusing fear, discouragement and dark views, and speaking testimony and wise words of encouragement. This promise is spoken amid an awakening marked by supplication and prayer, by faith, and by words of pardon and peace.
When the Lord's glory is seen upon His people, outsiders come to their light and rulers to the brightness of their rising, for Christ clothes His people with salvation and causes the work of His glory to shine through them. The message belongs to the word of inspiration and encouragement for those called to work for God on earth, assuring them that God's light will draw the nations and their leaders. That drawing is applied to the church's duty to carry the truth everywhere and to give the last warning message to the world. Unity and love among believers help carry that light outward and help this work of giving the truth succeed.
The call is to arise and shine because the Lord's glory has risen, with the light understood as the light of truth brought into the heart. God's people are to shine as workers with Christ while He establishes His kingdom. Zion thus arises and shines with a penetrating light, while the saints respond with praise and thanksgiving.
When the glory of the Lord rises and shines upon His people amid spiritual darkness covering the earth, people from distant nations and their rulers are drawn to that light and to the brightness of that rising. That light is the Lord's glory revealed in Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, the truth of the Bible shining in clear rays through His people as bearers of gospel truth. What was promised of the Messiah drawing outsiders beyond Israel began with His coming, when Gentile seekers honored Him, and His death broke Satan's power to open salvation to all nations, and the same drawing will be the final work closing this world's history. The church carries that drawing light by proclaiming the last warning message everywhere and by reflecting Christ's character in transformed lives of obedience, love and good works. The promise will be fulfilled more fully than ever in the last days when God's people separate fully from evil, awake in consecration and reformation, and receive the Holy Spirit to present truth so plainly that many unwarned souls are convicted and converted.
Light Shining in Darkness
When the Lord's glory rises and shines upon His people and upon His church amid spiritual darkness covering the world, Gentiles come to that light and kings to the brightness of that rising. The shining is the Lord arising upon them and His glory being seen upon them, and the light they reveal draws outsiders to it. This is the call for God's church to do its appointed work and carry the gospel to the nations, so that the way is prepared for His everlasting kingdom. Those seeking truth among heathen peoples are thus guided to the light through the spread of missionary work.
Its setting is the call to arise and shine because light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon His people. While darkness covers the earth and gross darkness covers the people, the Lord arises upon them and His glory is seen upon them, so Gentiles come to their light and kings to the brightness of their rising. Zion thus arises and shines with a penetrating light, and those responding answer with praise and thanksgiving. Looking to Jesus enables people to reflect His image and grow in Him, giving the call to shine a practical expression in lives shaped by following Him. The promise also means the Holy Spirit will come upon those who diligently search the Scriptures, enabling them to present truth in language so simple that old and young, learned and unlearned can understand it.
The light and brightness are the Lord's glory revealed in Christ, whose rising brings God's truth into the world's spiritual darkness and draws Gentiles and kings to Him. He is the Messenger of the Covenant and the Sun of Righteousness rising upon the world, whom the church is to reflect and show in practical gospel life so people are not left in moral darkness. The light is the light of truth brought into the heart, and God's people are to shine as workers with Christ while He establishes His kingdom. The church is the repository of gospel truth through which God's light shines in clear, distinct rays when the Lord arises upon her and His glory is seen upon her. That light is the truth of the Bible, and young men and young women are to be the Lord's light-bearers, going with Bible in hand into new places to flash the light of truth into the mist and fog of error for the salvation of souls.
The Gentiles are heathen nations and peoples from far away seeking truth, and the kings are rulers and leaders drawn to the brightness of that rising. Outsiders from all nations gather to God's people, with sons coming from far, daughters gathered at the side, and the abundance of the nations coming to them. God thus causes righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations as people gather to His people from far away. Made a light to the nations by God's glory shining upon them amid spiritual darkness, Christ's followers reveal God's character and carry His work to those darkened by sin.
Christ the Rising Light
The promise is that the light of the Messiah would draw the Gentiles to Him and kings to the brightness of His rising, carrying God's truth and salvation beyond Israel to the nations. His coming brings God's truth into the world's spiritual darkness. The wise men who followed the star to the infant Jesus were the first fruits of the Gentile world, worshipping Him and offering their finest gifts to show that people of every rank would honor Him with what had been entrusted to them.
The verse foretells His coming as the distinguished Teacher whose words would command universal attention. It identifies Him as the Messenger of the Covenant and the Sun of Righteousness who rises upon the world, bringing light that draws Gentiles to that light and kings to its brightness. That drawing means non-Jewish nations and rulers are drawn to Christ Himself and to His teaching, preaching of the gospel, and revelation of judgment and law with invincible power and authority. After His crucifixion and resurrection, people from all nations would study the prophecies and recognize in Christ the promised divine Teacher and the fulfillment of the prophetic message.
His death on the cross broke Satan's power and opened salvation to all nations, with the emancipation of the human race signed by the blood of the Son of God. After Christ's victory over sin and Satan the message of hope and mercy goes to the ends of the earth, reaching beyond His people to those formerly held in superstition and darkness. The heathen need no longer remain wrapped in midnight superstition, but anyone may reach out, take hold of God's hand, and make peace with Him, as gloom disappears before the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness and proves the power of hell overcome. These chapters define His work as coming to save people under Satan's power, to carry out heaven's purposes, and to set right what the scribes and Pharisees had made wrong. This work of Gentiles coming to Christ's light and kings to His rising began with His advent and will be the final work closing this world's history, when Christ as the Sun of Righteousness arises and shines gloriously upon His people.
Israel's Trust and Failure
God's purpose was that Israel, called out and separated from the world as depositaries of His law, should preserve among men the knowledge of Himself. Through them the light and truth of heaven was to shine out to the dark places of the earth, with a voice appealing to all peoples to turn from idolatry to serve the living and true God, so that Gentiles and kings and rulers would have opportunity to receive the light. Israel was intended to make that light known among the nations, and the spiritual advantages and principles revealed through God's people were meant to bless the world and help restore God's moral image in humanity. Had the Hebrews been true to this trust they would have been a power in the world, defended by God and exalted above all other nations as an example of the superiority of His wise and holy government over every form of idolatry.
When they broke covenant and followed idolatrous practices, God brought the oppressor upon them and scattered them as captives among the nations. In affliction many repented and spread abroad the knowledge of the true God. Servants such as Daniel, Nehemiah and Ezra were thus brought face to face with kings and rulers to do in captivity under trial the work neglected in prosperity.
The work Israel failed to do in making God's salvation known is now carried to the world by God's people when the Lord's glory rises upon them amid the world's darkness and draws Gentiles to their light and kings to its brightness. As light once went forth from Mount Zion, so teaching shining from a center of faith can reach distant lands. So it was when students came from across Germany to Wittenberg, praised God for the truth they found there, and carried its influence toward remote countries.
Church Carrying Light Worldwide
The verse calls the church to do its appointed work when the Lord's glory shines upon it amid spiritual darkness, carrying the gospel to the nations so that the way is prepared for the everlasting kingdom. It is a call to bring people to God both at home and beyond, to those nearby as well as those in distant lands. The light is to shine openly in the great cities and in the thoroughfares of travel, where people from many nations can hear and then carry it to their homes around the world.
The light that draws nations and rulers is the uplifted banner of truth in the third angel's message, the last warning message to be carried everywhere. It is to be proclaimed with a certain sound through the ministry of the Word, in the missionary work of the church in every age and no less in the present time. That building up and restoration goes forward in divine lines by diversity of talent and instrumentalities, with marked variety in nature and work like branches of the true vine, bearing both sharp, strong messages and words of consolation, because conversion is in it through the perfect law of the Lord taking hold of heart and character to beautify and elevate and ennoble. Unity and love among believers help this work succeed and help carry that light outward.
The church carries it through united efforts, including the circulation of publications and the giving of the last warning message. It carries it through the spirit and power of the truth and through Christlike personal work in homes and among individuals. Teachers are to bear the light of the word so that sacred light reaches all nations and illumines the world, and sharing that drawing light with those in darkness is a purpose of missionary canvassing service. Young men and young women are to be light-bearers with Bible in hand, going into new places to flash the light of Bible truth into the mist and fog of error for the salvation of souls, instead of being held in restaurant work that absorbs talent and capability, carries a burden not laid upon it, feeds the poorer class but little because of expensive preparation of food, and reveals few results in souls. Instruction joined to Isaiah 60:1-3 with Isaiah 56, Isaiah 58:12-14, and Isaiah 61:1-4 directs benevolent work in which loyal people convicted and converted through truth, keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus and keeping the Sabbath, who lose situations and are cast out from homes and refused work for truth's sake, receive special help through a fund to aid worthy poor families who love God, so they reveal to a sinful world that God has not left them to perish, instead of diverting means to the unworthy and disobedient and transgressors of His law.
People are drawn to God's work through the converted life and witness of His servants, when the Lord's glory shines upon His people and they live as lights in a dark world. Transformed believers reflect Christ's love and go out as a light to the world. The church shines through gospel truth and through lives marked by good works, obedience, love, and righteousness, bringing glory to God and revealing His character.
The ingathering includes sons coming from far and daughters gathered at the side, with the abundance of the sea and the forces of the Gentiles converted unto them. People gather to the Lord's people from far away, and God causes righteousness and praise to spring up before all nations. Those nearby and abroad who are instructed and helped in gospel and Sabbath truth may enter God's kingdom and share in its joy.
Last-Days Promise and Conditions
The coming of Gentiles to the light and kings to the brightness of the rising is a glorious promise still to be fulfilled, to be kept in mind with enlarged faith and expectation looking for its fulfillment. It is a prophecy about the remnant church in the last days that will be fulfilled more fully than ever in the past. That fuller fulfillment comes when God's people separate themselves so fully from evil that the light of heaven can rest upon them in rich measure and shine forth from them to the world, with sons coming from far and daughters gathered at the side and the abundance of the sea and the forces of the Gentiles converted.
It applies to the present time when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people, when the glory of the Lord is seen upon His church and outsiders and even rulers are drawn to its light. The church is commissioned to cooperate with God in spreading Bible truth, while the Lord in compassion delays judgment on an impenitent world so His light-bearers can seek and save the lost and enlighten those groping in error. He calls the church to awake from lethargy and do its heaven-appointed work, and to those who faithfully do their part as bearers of precious light the coming of nations and leaders to that light is given as assurance that their labor will succeed.
Its setting in Isaiah 60 to 65 must be heeded and accepted, especially by leaders in the cause and those connected with institutions, taking chapters 60 and 61 together with chapters 62 to 65. Its promise of the ingathering of nations is understood only with faith and thorough consecration to God, with heeding the reproofs given and warning the people what is truth. When these words are taken and neglected duties to warn and to make truth understood are fulfilled, and when all complaining and every evil work are stopped and put away in reformation, repentance and conversion, then the Lord manifests His power in the conviction and conversion of souls, so that many souls now unwarned hear the reasons of faith.
The promise means that while darkness covers the earth and gross darkness covers the people, the Lord arises upon His people and His glory is seen upon them as they arise and shine because their light is come. It means the Holy Spirit will come upon those who diligently search the Scriptures, enabling them to present the truth in language so simple that old and young, learned and unlearned can understand it. It is a present call to awake from confusion and uncertainty, to look to Jesus for help and guidance, to understand and proclaim the message for this time, to cry aloud and show God's people their transgression and sin, and to seek and save the lost as Christ did. When the spirit of the third angel's message takes hold upon hearts a work God can approve will be done.
God has sent abundant light and His Spirit to awaken and transform His people so the church receiving God's light and glory may reach the world. But that light has been rejected when the church is content with carnal security and resists the way God chooses to work. The light given amid the world's darkness to draw people is a great privilege, but it brings responsibility to walk in its rays and obey, otherwise that light becomes darkness to those who reject its guidance.
Living as Light Bearers
God's people become a light that draws outsiders and rulers to them as they follow on to know the Lord and experience His glory resting upon them amid the earth's darkness. Looking to Jesus enables them to reflect His image and to grow up in Him, which gives the call to shine its practical expression in lives shaped by following Him. They shine in His light by looking unto Jesus and trusting in the Lord continually, taking courage in Him, refusing fear, discouragement and dark views, and speaking testimony and wise words of encouragement. This promise is spoken amid an awakening marked by supplication and prayer, by faith, and by words of pardon and peace.
When the Lord's glory is seen upon His people, outsiders come to their light and rulers to the brightness of their rising, for Christ clothes His people with salvation and causes the work of His glory to shine through them. The message belongs to the word of inspiration and encouragement for those called to work for God on earth, assuring them that God's light will draw the nations and their leaders. That drawing is applied to the church's duty to carry the truth everywhere and to give the last warning message to the world. Unity and love among believers help carry that light outward and help this work of giving the truth succeed.
The call is to arise and shine because the Lord's glory has risen, with the light understood as the light of truth brought into the heart. God's people are to shine as workers with Christ while He establishes His kingdom. Zion thus arises and shines with a penetrating light, while the saints respond with praise and thanksgiving.