God gives us physical symbols to understand the spiritual
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse
God and Son are Light
1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
1 Timothy 6:16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
Darkness Entered
Lucifer became Satan (God did not create a devil; Lucifer became one, our adversary)
Ezekiel 28:14 “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones.
Ezekiel 28:15 You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you.
Isaiah 14:12 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations!
Isaiah 14:13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north;
Isaiah 14:14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians 4:2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
2 Corinthians 4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
2 Corinthians 4:5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
The Plan from the Beginning: Let there be Light
Genesis 1:2 The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.
What is interesting here is that God LATER creates the other lights
Genesis 1:14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;
Genesis 1:15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
Genesis 1:16 Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also.
Genesis 1:17 God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth,
Genesis 1:18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good.
So then what is He saying in :4
He had a plan!
Brought the light in the world but world did not comprehend
John 1:5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
This was true in Old Testament times as well as the New Testament, the Israelites and Pharisees are a testimony to that.
His Son Came as Light of the World in Human Form
John 1:9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
Jesus did just that
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
John 3:18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
John 3:20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
John 3:21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
What the Light Does
Luke 1:79 To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The darkness of the grave. We have a transformation when we are raised in baptism from darkness into the light (symbolism of Romans 6)
We are Able to Walk the Path Rightly
John 11:8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
John 11:9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.
John 11:10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”
Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
It showed us how to act
Proverbs 6:23 For the Commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
We have made progress, but still…
1 Corinthians 13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
1 Corinthians 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. [KJV darkly; obscured as to be an enigma]
We are to make the most of the light that we have
John 12:35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.
John 12:36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
We are to Become Light of World
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Matthew 5:15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
We are to reflect the light in us
Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
We reflect it in our:
Relationship with God
1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.
John makes a conditional statement. This is the if-then statement.
You make a supposition and follow it with a conclusion.
[talk the talk and walk the walk; we cant say one thing {that we believe one way; in God}
If we do this we can have a better relationship with God and our fellow man:
1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another….
Relationship with Man
1 John 2:8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
It seems like a new commandment, because the darkness is being penetrated by the light and our eyes are seeing more clearly now that the veil has been lifted
1 John 2:9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.
1 John 2:10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
1 John 2:11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.
This is how important it is to God
Matthew 5:23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
Matthew 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
If we are a light then we also do this:
Philippians 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
Philippians 2:13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Philippians 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
Philippians 2:15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Philippians 2:16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
The light is not just for us though. After we have been an example to those around us, we will eventually have the chance to deliver the light to the rest of the world
Millennium is for Bringing Light to those that Survive
This is a section about The Future Glory of Israel
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you.
Isaiah 60:2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the LORD will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.
Isaiah 60:3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.
Isaiah 60:19 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.
Isaiah 60:20 Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended.
Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
Isaiah 9:3 You have multiplied the nation And increased its joy; They rejoice before You According to the joy of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
Isaiah 9:4 For You have broken the yoke of his burden And the staff of his shoulder, The rod of his oppressor, As in the day of Midian.
Isaiah 9:5 For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle, And garments rolled in blood, Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgment and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
Isaiah 2:2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall flow to it.
Isaiah 2:3 Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Isaiah 2:4 He shall judge between the nations, And rebuke many people; They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.
Isaiah 2:5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk In the light of the LORD.
The Message of the Last Great Day of the Feast
John 7:53 And everyone went to his own house.
John 8:1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
John 8:2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.
John 8:3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,
John 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
John 8:11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
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.”
A light to Israel and the Gentiles
He was claiming the title as The Light – It was also a title of the Messiah
Still the same Sabbath here (John 9:14, 16)
John 9:1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.
John 9:2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
John 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.
John 9:4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
John 9:6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.
John 9:7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Sin leads to blindness and darkness, so it no surprise that Jesus physically healed so many blind – to foreshadow what He was doing spiritually – giving light that allows us to see
Our ongoing mission in the past and present is to continue to be a light to the world
Acts 26:17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you,
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
In the future we will continue to do this through the Millennium and 2nd resurrection until Satan is put in his place. Satan’s final stop is this symbolic grave:
Jude 1:13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
Ultimately: Eventually Inherent Light and No Darkness
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
Revelation 21:11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Revelation 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Goes on to describe the some of this and then in verse :22
After that we can look forward
Revelation 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
Revelation 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Revelation 21:24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
Revelation 21:25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
Revelation 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Let’s continue to allow God to shine upon us and in us as we reflect that light to others – through our actions and example – and as we look forward to teaching others to do the same.