Isaiah 60:1-5 KJV
1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
2 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.
3 And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
4 Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee.

Last night in my neighborhood the power went out around 9:45 PM. Hubby and I went on to bed earlier then usual when the power did not resume. I passed the heater with the flashlight on my cell phone. Yes those flashlights are niffty little tools. Got ready for bed, only to turn off the flashlight on the phone to see how dark my world really was without it. I use to the streetlights being on after going to bed. I thought to myself this may what I see in a few years. The water was dripping in the sink, so I got up in the dark without the flashlight and turned off the dripping noise, only to then see a light in the other room. No the power was still off. Where is that light coming from, so I went to investigate. I said "Honey any clue where the light coming from in the front room"? Kenny responded,"Probably the heater." I thought for a moment and said that doesn't make any since at this hour. So as I preceded to look sure enough the light from the ventless heater was a blaze. Shining up the intire room. By this time I felt like an idiot, because I had just past that same heater with a flashlight. The point is often we pass the light not seeing it because we following a lesser light. We can not see the light of God/Christ, because we are following the light of man, the light that sounds good, looks good, and maybe is good in one sense but it is not the light of God. It that imitation light. The light the devil likes to claim as his only for man to discover it been stolen from God and used with temptation and deceptive art.

The darkness or shadow of God will cover the, the gross darkness people, is not the darkness of God. This passage in Isaiah 60 is part of the Messianic prophecy surround the rise of the temple being rebuilt and reference to the birth of Christ. The temple is not the light of God, Christ is the light of God. Temple rebuilding should of brought all people to God and his word, but instead it caused division. Jesus came, it did cause division, but it also brought much needed light to the world, of both Jews and Gentiles that would believe and be healed. All came to light of the Day Star that would believe. The Day Star in 2 Peter 1:19. arises in our hearts, the image of Christ arises with in us, the hope of glory, the only begotten Son of God. The light coming at a time when the grossness of people was seen in the world. Yet the light of God was first established in the rebuilding of the temple, but also becoming a stumbling stone to the world, because of its refusal to allow the darkness in it of worshippers of idols. God forbids the worship of idols in his sanctuary. God forbids the temple to be descreted. Yet Jesus walked and talked with Gentiles. God on his throne and Christ on the footstool(earth) ministering to all people that would receive the word of God. He was a light to the world, Temple a light but could not shine in the places of gross darkness.

What then Jesus still went to the temple, Jesus still taught in the temple. God still was being worshipped in the temple even on the day of the turning over of the tables of the moneychangers. Yet Christ light shone in a world as the Son of God as a brilliant light being a healer, a teacher, power over satan, and power over the air. Temple well lit, but the darkness that surrounded it could not come in to the temple but into gentile courts only. Jesus could go everywhere and light the path of those in a darken world, with God sitting on his throne in heaven, hovering by his Spirit over the earth, bringing the dawn of light and the Day Star.

Prophecy is not of private interpretation, neither is fables. Yet fables are only allegories of life already occurred or might occur. Prophecy is the word of God that will be in God's timing and by his power and not the power of man. This light that shines in Isaiah, should of been among the heathens already, but during Isaiah time, though the word was spoken boldly, the meaning was hidden, until the word would begin to manifest in reality and through ancient prophecies of faith. How many times has faith died in our world only for God to bring it alive once more through his prophetic word, through his action, and through the prophets of Old and New Testament.

Is Christ light more special then the prophets light in the world around the temple where they preached? Why are some ministers in the church and others on the outside preaching. It simple both do not always get along, because they understand not the role of each other. Christ role was special, because he was the child to be born by prophecy and currect word of God of Christ day and God's word in the future coming forth. John the Baptist forerunner of Christ came preaching of the Messiah coming, but that Messiah would baptize with a fire that could not be quenched and was by the Holy Spirit. When Christ followed in believers baptism as a witness of faith, God's Spirit descended like a dove upon him and God spoke that this was his Son whom he was will pleased. John time to preach was coming to a close, but John coming was for a purpose to bring light to the gentiles that Jesus was the prince of peace, prophet, teacher, Messiah, Christ(the anointed) and by many other names in which Christ was called. John ministry was only a lesser light then Christ. Christ being the light to shine because of who he was both prophetically and in reality and prophecy to come. A part of God that was God in full power and held the fullness of God within his flesh(see Colossians 2:9-end of chapter). We are lesser lights if we are in Christ sharing God's word and Christ.

We shine much like that heater in my front room as the flame lets off only a little light to when it runs across the stove and lights every portal making a broader flame, that lights the entire room. It only takes a spark to get a fire going. Christ was more then a spark, he was the flame that would ignite the world to the ways of God, to the love of God, the power of God, and even the Gentile nation would trust in Jesus. John ministry in the wilderness and Jesus would go when John died into the wilderness to minister to his disciples and gentile nation. No doubt all these things disturbed the Pharisees and Sadduccees.

The light of the prophecy to shine forth to the gentiles was coming, yet they did not understand this light coming to them, or their role in helping the temple to be built in regards to supplies, but not able to enter in because of idolatry and sin. Yet the light would come outside the temple to minister to the people of the world. One can not hide the light on a hill, it going to flow out to the ground and beyond. God was covering their blindness with his shadow, it was okay it was for a purpose. Just like their blindness as a gentile nation, the Jews would be blinded to who Christ was and even crucify him. Take time to read Romans 9-11 if you got time. It explains alot about this situation of blindness for a purpose. Yet with blindness comes light to see who God is and in that gross darkness called sin, we either turn to walk in the light of God or continue without hope of eternal life.

Jews were scared of the light of Christ and the crowd and power within the ministry of Christ. It was like the power seen in Moses day, but they could receive it, only deny it as being the power of God. That is why the light of God would be crucified because they seen the power and could not own or control that power themselves. The power of God is not for us to control, so let us grab hold and control those things God has given man power to control and not the things that should only be his to control. The Light where it shines, is God's power to control. We might want to take the light here or there, but sometimes, it takes another who carries the light of Christ with them to be a witness to another. You got a child that not saved, and you talk faith, he/she does not hear you, consider asking God to bring those who can help your child learn more about him to enter into his life as a testimony to him/her.

I went to a funeral many years ago, and heard a beautiful testimony how a minister had gone and witness to a man about salvation in the hospital, that was answer to my prayer. I could not get there, but I had witness to the man a few times myself. He was on his death bed. I began to pray God would send someone to him, because I could not go myself. Minister shared the story how the man got saved. I knew God had heard me. This pray was at my heart, not verbal. It testified to me the power of prayer. God did not take an order from me, but listened to my heart desire and choose to grant it and sent me knowledge of it. Two more got saved at the funeral upon hearing the testimony of the man that got saved. God hears our prayers when we ourselves seem to fail, God still bringing light to those in need, because he hears the prayers of his children. Why this particular prayer spoke to me, perhaps because of things I was going through at the time, of feeling limited to stopped the enemy, only to find we have power through prayer. It was not my only request or my only answer to prayer in life. Parents pray for your children to have those people in their life to bear witness of Christ to them. God beared witness to his children of Israel as he did to his children in the gentile world through the sending of his Son. Jesus the true Messenger that lights the path of man by His word to all that will believe. All others are only a lesser light. Christ being the full light, the dawning of the Day Star.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to trust in the light you bring forth from both your word, your church. For Jesus is the great light to the darkness of evil man. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: 2 Peter 1:16-21 KJV
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.