Light In A Dark World

We live in a world that loves the darkness. “Men love darkness rather than light.” Jesus told Nicodemus. It’s a place of secrecy and unknown where light cannot unveil the horrors of a sinful heart. Darkness in scripture is a picture of evil. It represents those things that are contrary to the light of God’s Holy Word.

Psalms 10:8-11 says, “He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.”

But in stead of focusing on the darkness in our world (which we so often do), we ought to focus on the power of the Light! So, in contrast to the darkness, lets look a few things that God uses as lights to reveal Himself to man.

The Light of Christ

This is the Light that outshines all the others! He is our bright and Morning Star (Rev, 22:16).

“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

There is no darkness that can over shadow His love and there is no evil that can overcome His light. No matter how hard men my try to put out the light that is in Christ, they cannot attain the means necessary.

They tried to kill him when he was just a baby (John1:12). The Pharisees sought counsel with one another to shut Him up. The grave tried to keep him dead…but to no avail! Light always beats out the darkness and reveals the truth!

The Light of Creation

Creation speaks to all people by revealing the power, order, beauty and precision of God’s handiwork. It is His outdoor book. Just a look at the beautiful waterfalls of Fiji, or the great mist of the Smoky mountains, sheds light on the truth that there must be a Creator!

Isaiah 40:26 says, “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth.”

The Light of Conscience

In every man there is a ray of light. This light, although blackened by sin from Adam, is the express image (likeness) of God implied upon man at the time of creation. This does not mean we have a divine nature, if so we would be as God, but this means that the structure of our personhood is patterned after the heart of our Creator (Genesis 1:27). It is in this triune image (body, soul, and spirit) that we see the reflection of the God who created us and like fireflies to the flame, we are ever drawn to the God of the Garden. Our existence is only satisfied by a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and every longing of our soul is met in His favor. This is the light that God gives every man—a light that leads us to Him.

The Light of His Commandments

One of the greatest lights of all that God has given to man, is His Word (Prov.6:23). It’s not just a list of “dos and don’ts” but it is the character and heart of God in written form.

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105).

It’s amazing how much light a small lamp will put off in a completely dark room! This is the power of His Word! It sheds on the things that are true and of God and reveals things that otherwise would be blinded by sin. This was the essence of what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus in John three. “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.” (John 3:19-21).

Why do people have hard time reading God’s Word? Because it is sheds light on their sin.

TO BE CONTINUED...