Isa 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 

Imagine the overwhelming feelings of liberty and glory that the Jewish people experienced when they were released from Babylonian captivity and returned home after seventy long years. Arise and shine, for the light of liberty has risen above you and is calling you home. And the glory of God rests upon you. Now, imagine, if you will, a world held captive from the day Adam bit the fruit, rather than a people held captive for seventy years. Thousands of years have passed. Heaven itself closed; the way is barred. And onto this stage, from the glory of heaven, comes Jesus. The light has come. The glory of God walks the earth. He proclaims liberty to those held captive all of their lives. The chains that held them are broken. The door is wide open. The grave has been rendered powerless.

We are those people. We must rise and shine, for the light has come into our lives and has set us free! We must arise and shine for all the world to see. Those who dwell in darkness and in prison must now see the glory of the Living God. There may be a terrible darkness that has settled over this world, but the Lord will arise in you. And His glory shall be seen in you. God has glorified the house of His glory; we are that house. The gates of heaven are open to you. God has made you an eternal excellence; never forget that you are His excellent ones, despite what the devil may whisper in your ear. The walls of His temple are salvation, and the gates of the temple are praise. He is our everlasting light. We walk by the light of the eternal Son. And the power of darkness is undone. Now rise and shine, for the glory of the Lord has risen, and it has risen in you.