Isa 58:8, 10, Eph 5:8, 14 | JFB | STEP | 8. light-- emblem of prosperity ( ; ). health-- literally, a long bandage, applied by surgeons to heal a wound (compare ). Hence restoration from all past calamities. go before thee-- Thy conformity to the divine covenant acts as a leader, conducting thee to peace and prosperity. glory ... reward-- like the pillar of cloud and fire, the symbol of God's "glory," which went behind Israel, separating them from their Egyptian pursuers ( ; , ).

‏ Isaiah 58:8

8. light--emblem of prosperity (Is 58:10; Job 11:17).

health--literally, a long bandage, applied by surgeons to heal a wound (compare Is 1:6). Hence restoration from all past calamities.

go before thee--Thy conformity to the divine covenant acts as a leader, conducting thee to peace and prosperity.

glory ... reward--like the pillar of cloud and fire, the symbol of God's "glory," which went behind Israel, separating them from their Egyptian pursuers (Is 52:12; Ex 14:19, 20).

‏ Isaiah 58:10

10. draw out thy soul--"impart of thine own subsistence," or "sustenance" [Horsley]. "Soul" is figurative for "that wherewith thou sustainest thy soul," or "life."

light ... in obscurity--Calamities shall be suddenly succeeded by prosperity (Psa 112:4).

‏ Ephesians 5:8

8. sometimes--"once." The emphasis is on "were." Ye ought to have no fellowship with sin, which is darkness, for your state as darkness is now PAST. Stronger than "in darkness" (Ro 2:19).

light--not merely "enlightened"; but light enlightening others (Ep 5:13).

in--in union with the Lord, who is THE LIGHT.

children of light--not merely "of the light"; just as "children of disobedience" is used on the opposite side; those whose distinguishing characteristic is light. Pliny, a heathen writing to Trajan, bears unwilling testimony to the extraordinary purity of Christians' lives, contrasted with the people around them.

‏ Ephesians 5:14

14. Wherefore--referring to the whole foregoing argument (Ep 5:8, 11, 13). Seeing that light (spiritual) dispels the pre-existing darkness, He (God) saith ... (compare the same phrase, Ep 4:8).

Awake--The reading of all the oldest manuscripts is "Up!" or, "Rouse thee!" a phrase used in stirring men to activity. The words are a paraphrase of Is 60:1, 2, not an exact quotation. The word "Christ," shows that in quoting the prophecy, he views it in the light thrown on it by its Gospel fulfilment. As Israel is called on to "awake" from its previous state of "darkness" and "death" (Is 59:10; 60:2), for that her Light is come; so the Church, and each individual is similarly called to awake. Believers are called on to "awake" out of sleep; unbelievers, to "arise" from the dead (compare Mt 25:5; Ro 13:11; 1Th 5:6, with Ep 2:1).

Christ--"the true light," "the Sun of righteousness."

give thee light--rather, as Greek, "shall shine upon thee" (so enabling thee by being "made manifest" to become, and be, by the very fact, "light," Ep 5:13; then being so "enlightened," Ep 1:18, thou shalt be able, by "reproving," to enlighten others).