Sometime when you have a few minutes, get out your concordance and note how many times the terms "light" or "lamp" are used to represent God's word. Peter spoke of Old Testament prophecy as "a lamp shining in a dark place" (2 Peter 1:19). The psalmist said, "The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (119:130). And who could forget the familiar adage, "Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105).
Light has always been a symbol for wisdom and knowledge, in biblical times as well as today. (What does the cartoonist sketch above the head of his character to show that the latter has come up with a brilliant idea?) In the Bible, light depicts the wisdom of God. It is the truth, shining forth from heaven so that men groping in the darkness of ignorance might be enlightened as to how they should go. Without guidance from above man cannot see the pathway to heaven. When David prayed, "O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; let them bring me to Thy holy hill," he was praying for divine instruction (Psalm 43:3).
Jesus Christ is the ultimate instructor sent from God, "the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens man" (John 1:9). Though the prophets of old presented man with a degree of knowledge, they looked ahead to the advent of God's greatest messenger who would present the fullness of the divine will (Isaiah 9:1-2; 49:6; 1 Peter 1:10-12). Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "For God who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness" is the One who has shone in our hearts to give light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:6). Do you not see that ours is a glorious age? We live in a time of understanding, not ignorance; a time of certainty, not doubt. We have been granted a detailed knowledge of the plan of salvation, unrevealed to those of former days. Jesus has taught us how we can be acceptable to God in the finest way. The road to heaven has been fully illuminated, the entirety of truth has been revealed; and God expects us to live within its parameters. "If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7).
But the teaching of Christ has an annoying habit of exposing our ungodly attitudes and desires, and is therefore unpopular with some. With crystal clarity it points out our jealousies, our wickedness, our evil thoughts as well as actions. Jesus said, "Every one who does evil hates the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:20). The glare of truth is painful to those who have lived long in darkness, and they often shield their eyes from its teaching, refusing to look upon what God says concerning morality, godliness, and judgment to come. Many turn away from the gospel of Christ because it has the ability to penetrate through the veneer of half-hearted dedication, and reveals; the insincerity of our true character. But those who love the Lord will continually walk in His light, regardless of the errors His word calls upon them to correct.
Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness" (John 8:12). If you or I are lost, the fault will not be the Lord's, but our own. God has not lit His lamp of truth only to hide it under a bushel. He has sent Jesus into the world to teach us clearly and thoroughly what He would have us to do. What keeps men from understanding and obeying God's will is the stubbornness of their own. The gospel will not enlighten a man who refuses to open his eyes. So, many will go through life in blind ignorance, affirming as did the Pharisees, "We see!"; but their sins remains (John 9:41). The physically blind man at least knows he is in darkness. The spiritually blind fail to perceive even this.
The psalmist once said, " In Thy light, we see light" (36:9). O that we would believe these words, and realize that no one sees clearly who is not walking under the lamp of the Lord.
~In Gospel Power, Anderson, Alabama, 9/28/97.