On Light
In the beginning there was darkness. An inky black nothingness over a dark untamed sea in every direction.
The world was profoundly empty. Utterly devoid of life above and below the waters.
A lonely and churning flood of pitch black.
Then, God spoke. His voice resounded through the emptiness like a crack of thunder that brought forth not lightning but light itself. “Light, be”. In an instant it was day.
That which was hidden was suddenly revealed. Still empty, still chaotic, and still void, but now bright. The warm rays of light now shone through the surface of the water revealing the vibrant blues and white foam of cresting waves.
An illuminated canvas upon which God would begin to form His beautiful creation that we now see today, first by separating the waters of the sky and the sea below, then calling forth the land upon which plants began to spring up, and then placing inhabitants within each space.
A host of luminaries in the heavens, like the host in the heavens above those.
Birds for the air, fish for the seas, and a multitude of animals for the land, then finally - us, humans - the bearers of His image, the creatures through whom He would continue the work and maintenance of created order.
Wild vines, the raging flood with its terrible creatures, and the unknown existed outside the lush, beautiful, and safe garden where they were able to walk in the light of God’s presence. Naked yet without shame.
The humans were charged with tending the garden, and keeping it, guarding it, protecting it.
But then there appeared a subtle, crafty creature that sought to challenge this order with an offer of a new sort of illumination which they had not yet experienced. An enlightenment. A strange light.
The knowledge and familiarity with good and bad, which brought with it a self-awareness that resulted in shame.
The humans hid themselves. They covered themselves. They hid in the shadows.
When the Light shined on them they tried to divert it.
The first blame game.
The people were cursed, given coats of skin to cover their nakedness, and driven out of the garden where the Tree of Life was.
Out into the unfamiliar, cursed to bring forth food from the ground and made to contend with the elements that would continually encroach on any semblance of order they established, thorny vines and thistles and until the body lay at rest under the earth-
As it says in Job “a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder.”
The world itself lies in darkness.
Isaiah 60 says: For behold, darkness covers the earth, and thick darkness is over the peoples;
1st John states: “the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”
The people of the nations having rebelled were scattered across the world. Spiritual darkness took hold. It is this world into which we are all born.
The Light of God is not absent but we hide when it appears.
We grope around looking for shining trinkets instead, any offer of enlightenment which does not expose us.
The people labor in the day and the night is filled with their deeds of darkness. They gathered around what fires they made. City walls were built. Enclaves of protection from not only nature but other tribes, cities, nations. Kings and kingdoms were established, torn down, rebuilt, consolidated, or enslaved - each with their own idols of wood and stone that they served.
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It is into this ceaseless, dark and empty churning that - the Word, the Logos, the Memra of God appears.
John 1:1-18 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, and grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”
The kingdom of darkness, Satan’s kingdom, was suddenly threatened. He brought all his forces to bear in order to stamp out that light. Through king Herod a decree of slaughter went forth and was carried out - just like countless other tyrants seeking to eliminate all opposition.
Matthew 4:12-17 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles;
The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
We have to point men to Messiah. Only He can deliver them from the chains of sin and darkness.
Unfortunately, as I said before, instead of coming to the light, men hide. Instead of appreciating the light for revealing their condition, they prefer the darkness.
This is because they are part of that darkness and have chosen it.
John 3:16-21
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
We could resign ourselves to saying that bad people will reject Messiah, the good will come to Him and God will sort them out.
However, just like at creation - it is God’s will that we be part of this creative process and the restoration of divine order in the world.
You see, it was not enough for the Light to appear. Messiah accomplished the work of salvation, but He uses us to bring those that He is calling into that plan.
Messiah certainly called Himself the light of the world. He also said,
Matthew 5:14-16 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a lamp, and put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
So we take part by bringing glory to the Father and to His Son by our words and deeds.
It is not an easy task. As I said, for one we don’t know who is and isn’t going to respond. Most recoil at the gospel.
We do not know who is called as a child of God. There is no obvious difference prior to the person believing in Yeshua and being born again. Many that seem to be good will refuse Him, and many that lead the in the most dark, sinful lives will become children of the Light.
We must convince them that this Light is the love of God and that in Him is true freedom - that the eyes of the Lord are not upon us for judgment and wrath if we enter into the one on whom He already poured out His wrath.
We do not need to be ashamed of the Light if we put on Christ and the robes of righteousness that he gives us.
We may spend time with one that appears to desire the things of God, only to fall back into darkness.
So we must broadcast. In terms of sowing the seed that means scattering the Word broad so that some of it lands on good soil.
This is the same as putting our lamp on a lamp stand so that its light is broadcast for all to see.
Another reason that this is difficult is that we are exposed to the enemies of the light. We must contend with those who hate the truth.
Revelation 12:17 “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”
So how can we better serve God’s Kingdom and live as lights in the world?
Psalm 119:105 (Andy?) Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
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1 John 2:10-11 Whoever loves his brother remains in the light, and there is no cause of stumbling in him. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
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Phillipian 2:14-16 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
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**1John 1:**5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But 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. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
…Let us return to the fate of that old deceiver to see his end…
Isaiah 14:12-19 “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;
That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?
All the kings of the nations, even all of them, lie in glory, every one in his own house.
But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet.”
…but what about our fate?...
Daniel 12:1-3
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Ephesians 6:11-16
But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Psalm 107
8Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11Because they rebelled against the words of God, and scorned the counsel of the most High:
12Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Jonathan Brown
July 2024