Anglican Morning Devotion, 27 August 2021 Anno Domin
A ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2For, 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. 3And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. 4Lift 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. 5Then 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.” (Isaiah 60:1-5; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version)
Need we be reminded that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Light of the World? His first coming down to us from Heaven was heralded by the beauty of a Star; but His second coming will be as the brilliant Sunrise. For those with eyes to see and ears to hear, the beauty and luster of that Sunrise is already manifested in the Temple of their hearts.
In the first day of Creation, all the world and the surrounding bands of the Universe in deep space were bathed in smothering darkness. Well, the world has again emersed itself in gross spiritual darkness in which men walk as those drunken on stale wine, and stumble without love or hope. But the New Creation is coming in its fulness with the return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. From the beginning of man’s fall in Eden, the promise was made to man – but it was established even before time began in Eternity Past in the Council of Heaven.
The brightness of that Sunrise will be so great that even the eyes of the dead shall see and rise, either to glory or to damnation. The largest of all cemeteries – the sea – will also surrender the dead in its depths. Christ will descend to claim His own, but leading the Heavenly Host to execute judgment upon the wicked. He leads on a White Charger, and His glory will fill the earth.
There is an abundance of scriptural reference to that great day, but the scope of this devotion will allow only a summary explanation of it. “For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. 2But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. 3And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the LORD of hosts.” (Malachi 4:1-3)
There is an Ark that has been in the building since the time of Abraham. Much like the Ark of Noah, this new Ark will rise higher and higher above the destruction that is coming upon the earth – the greater the destruction, the higher shall that Ark rise. Just as with the Ark of Noah, only God can close the door of salvation on those masses clustered about its hull. “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, 12Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” (2 Peter 3:10-14)
Light has no dealing with the darkness. Darkness is no force at all compared to light. Light requires a power to generate whereas darkness is merely the absence of light. Light reveals the dangers of the path, and creates beauty where darkness reveals nothing. “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)
Our Lord Jesus Christ came as the Morning Star (Star of Bethlehem) in the dark night of our sins, but He returns as the Day Star wherein no man can hide in darkness. “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. 18And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19We 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.” (2 Peter 1:17-19)
