God who is light
Psa
27:1 The LORD is my light
and my salvation - whom shall I fear?
SAD
(Seasonal Affective Disorder) is a type of winter depression that
affects an estimated half a million people every winter between September
and April; in particular during December, January and February, caused
by lack of sunlight. Light is important! The absence of light means
that we can only live by artificial means. Light means we can see
things around us and can therefore see where we are going. Light means
we can cook, play games, read, in fact do everything that we do in
life. We can't do these things in the dark. The very first thing God
created was light (Gen 1:3).
Light
and darkness are used in Scripture to indicate well-being and goodness
or gloom, difficulty and sin. In the book of Job, a book about a man
who seemed in darkness of life, the word ‘light' comes up 25 times.
David
also understood the concept of light and wrote elsewhere, “You
are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD
turns my darkness into light.” (2
Sam 22:29). David, in his last words reveals that he knew he also
had become like light with the Lord: “The
God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: `When one rules
over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is
like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like
the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.” (2
Sam 23:3,4). Do you see what he said? If you rule righteously you'll
be like the sun rising each morning, you'll be bring light – goodness
and the ability to live well and with blessing – to your people. Paul
picked up on the transfer of light from God to us when he spoke of
Moses reflecting God's glory when he came out of God's presence and
said that's how we too are changed (2 Cor 3:13,18).
With
the coming of Jesus, the use of light was multiplied. Matthew picked
up on the prophetic Scripture that said, “the
people living in darkness have seen a great light” (Mt
4:16 ). John wrote, “In him was life, and
that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness,
but the darkness has not understood it.” (Jn 1:4,5).and
“The true light that gives light to every
man was coming into the world ”
(Jn 1:9) Jesus declared of himself, “
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk
in darkness, but will have the light of life ” (Jn 8:12
) and “Night is coming, when no one can
work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world”
(Jn 9:5). In this Jesus was perfectly expressing the nature of his
Father in heaven.
When
God first came to Israel
at Sinai His presence had led them by a bright cloud by day and a
pillar of fire by night (Ex 13:21).
When He came down on Sinai in fire (Ex 19:18).
When He filled the Tabernacle and the Temple
it was with a bright cloud (Ex 40:33-35,
1 Kings 8:10,11).
When Ezekiel saw his heavenly vision he saw “brilliant light” (Ezek
1:4). Scientists link light and energy. God is all-powerful and that
energy is seen as brilliant light.
David
knew God as one who came with that light bringing the foundational
means (light) so that he could live. God brought revelation and showed
him the way. Jesus came and did that for mankind, and still does it
today for us. On a grey cloudy day, everything is dull and lifeless.
Then the sun comes out and everything is transformed and beautiful,
full of colour. This is what the presence of the Lord does for us.
Our lives were dead and drab and He comes and brings His presence
into them and they are utterly transformed so that, like David, we
can say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation.”
The two things go together.