Light Will Rise

The book of Isaiah in the Old Testament is one of the most fascinating ancient records available to us today. Its prophecies and imagery of the coming Saviour are unparalleled in frequency, description, and specificity. I have spent many hours pondering his words and visualizing what he saw in the Saviour's day as well as ours.
One of my favorite phrases in Isaiah, however, comes from chapter 58, which mainly talks about fasting and Sabbath Day observance. In verses 8 and 10, however, Isaiah uses the imagery of light. In verse 8, we are told what happens to us if we help the needy and observe God's law of the fast: "Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily..." Verse 10 promises us further that "...[our] light shall rise in obscurity, and [our] darkness be as the noonday."
In chapter 60 of Isaiah, the Lord through Isaiah opens by addressing latter-day Israel: "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen 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./ And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (1-3).
Light has always fascinated me in many ways. One can spend a lifetime researching its startling and amazing scientific properties. Without light, life could not exist. It brings energy and warmth to our world. I could spend hours writing about the different scientific theories and ideas of light from the ancient Greek ideas to modern day relativity and quantum mechanics. However, what has amazed me more about light is how it is a perfect metaphor of spiritual concepts such as truth and error, good and evil, virtue and vice. Light always symbolizes the good.
Indeed, Isaiah uses the metaphor of truth and goodness as light in verses 19 and 20 of chapter 58: "The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory./ Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall the moon withdraw itself; for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended."

Light Will Rise because God works and moves in the world today.
Light Will Rise because he reveals truth to the world through modern-day prophets like Isaiah.
Light Will Rise because Jesus Christ, the Light of the World, will come again.

In the next few months, I will be exploring in depth the first 4 books of the New Testament, "the gospels" of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John (in that order). By reading about the life of the Light of the World himself, I hope to gain insights into His life and ministry. I hope to see patterns and themes I can identify and apply to my life today. By studying about His first ministry on the earth, I will be better prepared for the second.
My wish is that I may be a better reflection of the Light of Christ. I wish to more fully live what He taught for the benefit of myself and others. My wish is explained very well in a modern-day book of scripture called "The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" written by modern-day prophets. In the 88th chapter, God is addressing the members of a church organized only 2 years prior. God reveals much about the different kingdoms of heaven and what His people should strive for. In verse 67, He tells us what will happen to us if we can purify ourselves enough to have our beings completely focused on what He wants: "And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things." I want to cast away the darkness inside me. I want to be filled with light so that I can understand all things and be closer to my God. I wish to be part of the light that is rising in the world as God moves His hand in it. The light is rising because God wills it.

Light will rise.