What does it mean to "let those who love Him be like the sun" (Judges 5:31)?

The song of Deborah closes with these words: "So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goes forth in his might. (v. 31) Here we have one more recovered blessing which characterizes the awakening: Deborah proclaims her hope. She looks on to that glorious day, when the Lord having executed judgment, the saints in Israel shall shine forth as the sun itself, like Him whose countenance was, in the eyes of the prophet, "as the sun shines in his strength." (Rev. 1:16, cf. Matt. 13:43)

The song of Deborah closes with these words: "So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord; but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might. (v. 31) Here we have one more recovered blessing which characterizes the awakening: Deborah proclaims her hope. She looks on to that glorious day, when the Lord having executed judgment, the saints in Israel shall shine forth as the sun itself, like Him whose countenance was, in the eyes of the prophet, "as the sun shineth in his strength." (Rev. 1: 16, c.f. Matt. 13: 43)

Verses 24-31 are a vivid description of what took place. The mother of Sisera is seen awaiting the return of her victorious son. She expects nothing but good and her wise ladies are with her. It is a remarkable irony. Thus all the enemies of Jehovah will perish, while for those who love Him there is glory and rest in store. Deborah could only express a longing that the enemies might perish, and those that love Him be as the sun in might and splendour. It was her prayer. We know more through the full light of prophecy how the enemies of God will perish and the glory shall be for those who love Him.

The enemy of God's people, and all related to him, are utterly confounded. Instead of the expected victory with lavish spoils, there is defeat and destruction. The palm of triumph, and the rejoicings are with God's people, and the mourning with those who thought to keep them in bonds, and to spoil them. But Deborah attributes all to Jehovah. The enemy of Israel was the enemy of Jehovah to her, so she can say, "So let all Thine enemies perish, Jehovah!" So will it be at the end! All those that come against Israel in the last days, whether from the West, the East or the North, all shall bring upon themselves the consuming judgment of God.

As for God's people, at the end, the law shall be written in their hearts, and they shall "love Him," and because of this they shall "be as the rising of the sun in its might." They shall take character from Him who shall "arise as the Sun of Righteousness with healing in His wings" (Mal. 4:2). After Deborah's victory, "The land had rest forty years," but after the Lord comes and secures the mighty victory for His people, the land will have rest for the long Millennial day, the Day of Christ; and the glory of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Wm. C. Reid.

The Lord, though rejected by His own, would have a people, and He secures the object of His desire at the expense of all besides. So it is a principle with him who acts according to the understanding of the purpose of God, that he will esteem nothing in comparison with Christ. The principle of giving up all for Christ would not have existed if Christ had not been rejected: the taking up the cross and following Christ was the necessary result of rejection. And accordingly we do not get this principle in the parables to the multitude. But Christ, for the sake of the wheat in the field, suffers the rejection of the mass which rejection serves to bring out a new light upon the kingdom, and a higher glory upon them that are His. They shall shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The use of the term "righteous" marks the saints of God in their individuality before and after the sowing of the seed. Deborah sang of this glory (Judges 5:31), "So let all thine enemies perish, O Lord, but let them that love Him be as the sun when he goeth forth in his might." Daniel speaks of it also (Dan. 12:2). It was a thought common to Old Testament saints. But no saint before was ever in the house with Jesus, none was before called "my brother, and sister, and mother;" and Jesus goes on unfolding more and more of the principles and purpose which actuate God during the present state of the kingdom. To us it is given to know them. May we be kept from our own thoughts about them.

Sometime before will the gathering for heaven have taken place, and the saints have met their Lord, as we have seen. Now, in this day of the judgment, which prepares the way for the blessing of the earth, they are seen in their heavenly place. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun." Blessed words! which speak of their association with their Lord in other ways than simply as sharers of His rule with the "rod of iron." For "unto you that fear My Name," says the Word by Malachi to Israel, "shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings." Who bears that name, we know; and how it speaks of earth's nighttime passed away. But "when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory." So, as the Sun, shall the righteous shine forth in the kingdom of their Father.

But the Lord also has the seven stars. The assemblies are His property. He has bought them, redeemed them, and set them here to shine for Him in the world of darkness before the great day of His own appearing, when He will shine forth upon the earth as the Sun of righteousness. Then, too, the righteous will also shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.

The light, God's light, shall have been removed to its own proper sphere, there to reflect each its peculiar brightness, shining as the brightness of the firmament, and as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father; being with Him who is the sun and centre of that heavenly system, undimmed and unobscured by any clouds of unbelief or doubt. They are with Him as He moves on in the course of the counsels of God, whether relating to the heavens above, or the earth beneath. In the presence of His glory, they shall be presented faultless, with exceeding joy. Will He "take His great power, and reign," swaying the sceptre of righteous supremacy over a judged and renovated earth? They will be with Him there.

Soon He will arise in majesty, as the last chapter of the Old Testament tells us, giving the righteous virtues and healing benefits of His blessed beams, as we read “the Sun of Righteousness” shall “raise with healing in His wings.” The rising of the Sun will be glorious indeed, and it shall set no more. Then also “shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Matt. 13:43).

It is thus they will be enabled to shed forth blessings upon the earth. All the light of the solar system is derived from the sun. The planets have no light in themselves. Whatever light they shed upon the earth is derived from the source of all light, their glorious centre. It is so with believers; we are light in the Lord. Our light is all derived from our radiant Centre, the Lord of glory. No mortal eye could gaze upon His face, upon whom the Church shall look with enraptured vision. The light of the sun is too powerful for the eye, if one desires to gaze upon his face. It is sufficient for us, and not too powerful, if we desire only to walk in the light it gives us without attempting to contemplate the orb itself. We do not look upon its face, but walk in the light which it freely sheds upon our path. But there is a light above the brightness of the sun (Acts 26:13) which would blind the strongest eye upon which one of its rays fell, and in the glory of that light the glorified saints of God shall walk for ever. We shall see His face. It is not merely material light such as the sun gives, though we must remember that there was a burst of glory from the heavens which blinded Saul of Tarsus; and this light came from the place where Jesus was enthroned. Still, to see His face is to see God perfectly revealed. This will be toned down and softened for the nations by coming to them through the medium of the Church.