13 December Deuteronomy 33

Arise and Shine

Deuteronomy 33:1-5 (ERV) "This is the blessing that Moses, the man of God, gave the Israelites before he died: 'The Lord came from Sinai, like a light shining at dawn over Seir, like a light shining from Mount Paran. He came with 10,000 holy ones. God’s mighty soldiers were by his side. Yes, the Lord loves his people. All his holy people are in his hand. They sit at his feet and learn his teachings! Moses gave us the law. These teachings are for Jacob’s people. At that time the Israelites and their leaders met together, and the Lord became Jeshurun’s king!".

This chapter finds Moses' final blessing on Israel, his last recorded words. It is a declaration of blessings for each tribe, but Moses reminds the nation of God’s unwavering goodness and care before these blessings. His words point the Israelites to God, giving Him all the glory for what He has done.

Moses describes God as “dawning” and “shining forth.” God is the Light who illuminated a nation that once walked in darkness. The manifestation of the Lord is, indeed, a feast of light. Isaiah echoes this in Isaiah 60:1 (NIV) “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you”.

This great light, however, is not just for Israel, it is for all people from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Isaiah foresaw a day when God, in His mercy, would reveal Himself to the nations of the earth. Isaiah 60:2-4 (AMPC) says: “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you [O Jerusalem], and His glory shall be seen on you. Nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. Lift up your eyes round about you and see! They all gather themselves together, they come to you. Your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be carried and nursed in the arms”.

The prophet's call to “Arise, shine” reminds us that this is a deliberate act of faith. We must rise above feelings of defeat, victimisation, and helplessness. It is a conscious decision to turn away from fear and hopelessness and embrace the light of Christ.

In Jesus, more power is available to us than we often realise. The more we draw on His goodness, the more we receive. The more we trust Him, the greater the manifestation of His glory in our lives. A new day is dawning, a day to arise and shine!

The blessing of Moses and the prophecy of Isaiah point us to the transformative power of God’s light. This light calls us to move from darkness into victory, fear into faith. As we embrace His light, we reflect His glory to the world. Let us rise, shine, and walk in the fullness of His promises, for His light has come, and His glory is upon us.