Saint Vitus's Cathedral ~ Prague. 900 AD. Painting by Todd Williams.Isaiah 60 (Today's New International Version)
1 "Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
4 "Lift up your eyes and look about you:
All assemble and come to you;
your sons come from afar,
and your daughters are carried on the hip.
5 Then you will look and be radiant,
your heart will throb and swell with joy;
the wealth on the seas will be brought to you,
to you the riches of the nations will come.
6 Herds of camels will cover your land,
young camels of Midian and Ephah.
And all from Sheba will come,
bearing gold and incense
and proclaiming the praise of the LORD.
7 All Kedar's flocks will be gathered to you,
the rams of Nebaioth will serve you;
they will be accepted as offerings on my altar,
and I will adorn my glorious temple.
8 "Who are these that fly along like clouds,
like doves to their nests?
9 Surely the islands look to me;
in the lead are the ships of Tarshish,
bringing your children from afar,
with their silver and gold,
to the honor of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor.
10 "Foreigners will rebuild your walls,
and their kings will serve you.
Though in anger I struck you,
in favor I will show you compassion.
11 Your gates will always stand open,
they will never be shut, day or night,
so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—
their kings led in triumphal procession.
12 For the nation or kingdom that will not serve you will perish;
it will be utterly ruined.
13 "The glory of Lebanon will come to you,
the juniper, the fir and the cypress together,
to adorn my sanctuary;
and I will glorify the place for my feet.
14 The children of your oppressors will come bowing before you;
all who despise you will bow down at your feet
and will call you the City of the LORD,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel.
15 "Although you have been forsaken and hated,
with no one traveling through,
I will make you the everlasting pride
and the joy of all generations.
16 You will drink the milk of nations
and be nursed at royal breasts.
Then you will know that I, the LORD, am your Savior,
your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.
17 Instead of bronze I will bring you gold,
and silver in place of iron.
Instead of wood I will bring you bronze,
and iron in place of stones.
I will make peace your governor
and well-being your ruler.
18 No longer will violence be heard in your land,
nor ruin or destruction within your borders,
but you will call your walls Salvation
and your gates Praise.
19 The sun will no more be your light by day,
nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you,
for the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your God will be your glory.
20 Your sun will never set again,
and your moon will wane no more;
the LORD will be your everlasting light,
and your days of sorrow will end.
21 Then will all your people be righteous
and they will possess the land forever.
They are the shoot I have planted,
the work of my hands,
for the display of my splendor.
22 The least of you will become a thousand,
the smallest a mighty nation.
I am the LORD;
in its time I will do this swiftly."
~ 20 Your sun will never set and your moon will wane no more; the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.
Strong, uplifting words! Only recently I have begun to understand the spiritual need for Cathedrals. It is our spiritual attempt to announce that the King of All, is King. Houston recently built a Catholic Cathedral, not the variety that takes generations of lives to be built, but all of Houston rejoiced to have the magnificence church built glorifying God. Many television specials and many hours with the artists brought from around the world. One artist was the marble craftsman from Italy, who made the floor, from start to finish. Famous marble statues from the same marble area as Michelangelo. Extreme joy on all faces! Heavenly joy on their faces! These faces were beautiful describing the joy in bringing beauty to the Lord!
Jesus tells us:
Luke 10:20a
Rejoice that your names are written in heaven!
When biblical scholars look at Isaiah 60, we all assume this is heaven. It's got to be and, of course, it is. Jesus told us about heaven:
In Him, in Jesus Christ:
The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand !
How serious was Jesus in announcing that He, the Kingdom of Heaven, was at hand?
Link ( Matthew 3, 4, 5 (multiple times), 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13 (multiple times), 16, 18 (m), 19 (m), 20, 22, 23, 25, Luke 11)
Jesus announced the Kingdom of Heaven was READY, when we repent, to receive:
Sad people looking for hope, righteous people, people looking for a relationship with their Father God and not religious pride, people who pray for God's will to be done and do God's will, people coming from all over the world (in time and circumstance), great and least people in a vast heaven, people seeking a refuge from violence, people healing the sick, people working with the helpless and cast out. He promises to raise the dead & cast out devils. People who give freely because they have received so much.
Jesus tells us how fortunate we are to live in Anno Domini, knowing exactly what His promises are:
Matthew 13:11
it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Matthew 4:16
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
Jesus is telling us how fortunate we are to be in an intimate, loving relationship with Him! Heaven, scholars argue in Isaiah 60, isn't just about Heaven, but includes events happening on earth. YES! This is what Jesus was talking about!!
When Jesus said the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, He wasn't just talking about events of indescribable beautiful when we die! He was telling us, that in us, He will make His home in us and in us, we will be His light. Using our love and our lives to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to be at hand.
God uses mere sand, pummeled and stained to be His glory!
Preach the gospel! And if you have to, use words!
Arise, shine, for your light has come,and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
To HIM be the glory!!!
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