The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.
In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat. (Psalms 19:1-6)
Ever noticed just how many people can be found at viewing points waiting for the sun to rise? And, have you considered the apparent sudden brightening between the just before and after of the sunrise (see above images).
As Psalm 19 reminds us, the Lord’s creation utters His words, and this includes at dawn, and through the movement of the sun. What is God saying in the sunrise? Well one big message is, “My Son is coming back, watch for Him”. The psalm even likens the sun to the bridegroom, an image of Christ. So appropriate when you consider these Biblical promises.
Malachi 4:2
But to you who fear My name
The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
With healing in His wings;
And you shall go out
And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Luke 1:78-79
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring [dawn, sunrise, east rising sun] from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
Revelation 1:12-17
Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed the glorified One, whose countenance is like the sun shining in full brightness, and in His rising is salvation, healing, and restoration. To remind us of Him, God set the sun as a sign in the heavens not only of Christ, but of His return. We should not worship the heavenly body that is the sun, a trap for some, rather worship only the Son of God.
His return will be like a rising of the sun, but the like of which we have never seen before.
Matthew 24:27
For as the lightning [bright shining; flash; lighten; shine] comes from the east and flashes [lighten; shine like with rays; appear; fire; light; luminousness; make manifest] to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.
When you look at the fuller meaning from the Greek of key words in this famous verse that speaks of Christ’s return, you can see perhaps something of the brightness that we will see at His coming, and similarities with the light at sunrise.
Mark 13:32-37
No One Knows the Day or Hour
(Matt. 24:36–44; Luke 21:34–36)
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”
Matthew 25:5-13
But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
The admonition of the Lord is clear, we are to watch for His return, and do so with endurance and expectation. In so doing we watch not just in the day time, but before the sun rises, for the shout has gone out, “Behold, the Bridegroom is coming”. We are to be found in Him in the watch, filled with His Spirit, and best done so with deep roots/wells that have been dug through trial and suffering, and with the patience of faith.
So here it is, the Lord gives us the sunrise to remind us of His Son, the Dayspring from on high. And, He calls us to watch and prepare for Jesus Christ’s return. Awaking to watch for the sunrise it is indeed a prophetic sign of this watch. Even those who do not know Him, gaze n to a reminding of Him as they watch for the dawning of a new day. He is the Sun of Righteousness who rises with healing in His wings, and a sign to this is that those who watch for Him even find healing, which ultimately salvation for those who do not know Him. The mystery of God.
So as you find yourself waking in the early hours, searching out a view of the rising sun, do so knowing the Lord’s call to watch, and so join with Him in this call, for He establishes a thing through the agreement of witnesses/watchers. Make ready, He comes soon.
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