“God separated the Light from the Darkness.”Genesis 1:4
“Light shines on in the Darkness but the Darkness has not mastered it.”John 1:5
THE FIRST RECORDED WORDS OF GOD ARE, “LET THERE BE LIGHT.” THEN IN PROGRESSIVE STEPS GOD SEPARATED THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.
IN ANY WORK, THERE MUST BE ORGANIZATION. IN ORDER TO DO SOMETHING WITH ANYTHING, THINGS MUST BE IDENTIFIED AND DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHER THINGS.
WHEN LIGHT SHINES IN A DARK ROOM, ALL THAT IS IN THE ROOM IS EXPOSED. GOD’S LIGHT IS IN THE PROCESS OF EXPOSING ALL THAT IS IN THE DARKNESS. ONCE SOMETHING IS EXPOSED FOR WHAT IT IS, IT CAN THEN BE JUDGED. AND GOD’S JUDGEMENT INVOLVES A LOT MORE THAN PUNISHMENT.
THERE WAS DARKNESS ON EARTH BEFORE MAN EVER EXISTED. IF GOD IS LIGHT, HOW DOES HIS CREATION HAVE DARKNESS IN IT? AN UNGODLY MAN ONCE TOOK GREAT PLEASURE IN QUOTING TO ME ISAIAH 45:7, “I AM THE ONE WHO FORMS LIGHT AND CREATES DARKNESS,” SUGGESTING THAT DARKNESS COMES OUT OF GOD. THE APOSTLE JOHN WRITES, “GOD IS LIGHT, AND IN HIM THERE IS NO DARKNESS AT ALL.” 1John 1:5 DARKNESS IS THE ABSENCE OF LIGHT. GOD IS LIGHT. SEPARATION FROM GOD BRINGS ON DARKNESS. NOTHING CAN HAPPEN BUT WHAT GOD ALLOWS. THUS GOD TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR ALL THAT HAPPENS IN HIS UNIVERSE.
WE CANNOT KNOW THE SECRET COUNSELS OF GOD’S WILL, BUT WE CAN KNOW THAT HE IS A MASTER WORKMAN AND DOES ALL THINGS WELL. GOD DOES NOT MAKE SLAVES SUCH AS SATAN DOES. GOD HAS GIVEN US FREEDOM. AND IF THERE IS FREEDOM TO DO GOOD, THERE IS FREEDOM TO DO EVIL.
WHEN A GREAT EDIFICE IS BUILT, ITS FOUNDATION INVOLVES DIGGING IN THE MUD AND A LOT OF UNPLEASANT NOISE AND SEEMING CONFUSION. IT DOESN’T LOOK ANYTHING LIKE THE FINISHED PRODUCT. THE HIGHER A BUILDING IS, THE DEEPER AND MORE COMPLEX MUST BE ITS FOUNDATION. WHAT WE SEE GOING ON HERE ON PLANET EARTH IS GOD’S FOUNDATIONAL WORK, AND MANKIND IS ITS CHIEF CORNERSTONE.
PROVERBS CHAPTER EIGHT IS A WONDERFUL PASSAGE THAT GIVES INSIGHT INTO THE COUNSELS OF GOD’S PLAN AND PURPOSE. “LISTEN, FOR I WILL SPEAK EXCELLENT THINGS, AND MY LIPS WILL UTTER WHAT IS RIGHT. FOR MY MOUTH SPEAKS TRUTH AND MY LIPS HATE WICKEDNESS. ALL THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH ARE RIGHTEOUS; THERE IS NOTHING IN THEM TWISTED OR CROOKED.” Proverbs 8:6-8 THUS AFTER EVERY PERIOD OF CREATION GOD COULD SAY THAT IT WAS GOOD.
PROVERBS EIGHT DESCRIBES THE ACTIVITY OF THE WORD OF GOD THROUGH WHOM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED. “THEN I WAS BESIDE HIM AS A MASTER WORKMAN; AND I WAS DAILY HIS DELIGHT, REJOICING ALWAYS BEFORE HIM, REJOICING IN THE WORLD, HIS EARTH, AND HAVING MY DELIGHT IN THE SONS OF MEN.” Proverbs 8:30-31 FROM THE BEGINNING, MANKIND HAS BEEN THE DELIGHT OF GOD.
JESUS SAID, “MY FATHER IS WORKING UNTIL NOW, AND I TOO AM WORKING.” John 5:17 GOD’S SON, THE ETERNAL WORD OF GOD BECOME SON OF MAN, IS CARRYING ON GOD’S WORK WHICH INVOLVES SEPARATING THE LIGHT FROM THE DARKNESS.
THE SUN, MOON, AND STARS ARE HEAVENLY BODIES THAT GOD CREATED TO HOLD AND REFLECT HIS LIGHT, BUT “THE TRUE LIGHT, WHO GIVES LIGHT TO EVERYONE, WAS COMING INTO THE WORLD.” John1:9
THE LIGHT WAS COMING WHEN GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, AND WHEN HE CREATED A MAN DESIGNED TO EXPRESS ALL THE FULLNESS OF GOD. THE LIGHT WAS COMING WHEN GOD PREPARED A BODY FOR HIS SON THROUGH ISRAEL. THEN ONE DAY IN BETHLEHEM OF JUDEA, THE LIGHT BURST FORTH FROM THE VIRGIN MARY’S WOMB INTO OUR WORLD, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH.
THE INCARNATION GOES FAR BEYOND THE CREATION OF THE SUN, MOON, STARS, AND GALAXIES. NOW THE SOURCE OF ALL LIGHT IS FOUND IN A HUMAN BEING. ONLY MANKIND WAS MADE TO LIGHT UP GOD IN ALL OF HIS FULLNESS. THE BIBLE STATES THIS VERY CLEARLY. “FOR GOD WAS PLEASED TO HAVE ALL HIS FULLNESS DWELL IN THE SON.” Colossians 1:19
AS JESUS GREW IN STATURE AND WISDOM AND IN FAVOR WITH GOD AND MAN, THE LIGHT SHINED BRIGHTER AND BRIGHTER. THEN AS A FULL-GROWN MATURE MAN, THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD DESCENDED UPON HIM AT HIS BAPTISM WITHOUT MEASURE AND REMAINED. THE LIGHT WAS CONTINUING TO COME INTO THE WORLD.
THEN, IN THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE FACED THE EVIL ONE AND OVERCAME HIM. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS AND THE DARKNESS HAS NOT OVERCOME IT. GOD’S LIGHT WAS NOW A PART OF HIS CREATION, WALKING, SPEAKING, HEALING, EXPOSING, BEARING AND OVERCOMING THE SIN OF MANKIND.
SIX DAYS BEFORE HIS TRANSFIGURATION, JESUS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT THERE WOULD BE SOME OF THEM WHO WOULD SEE THE SON OF MAN COMING IN HIS KINGDOM. PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN WITNESSED JESUS’ TRANSFIGURATION ON THAT MOUNTAIN WHEN HIS FACE SHONE LIKE THE SUN AND HIS GARMENTS BECAME WHITE AS LIGHT.
IN RESPONSE TO THE AUTHORITIES EXPOSING THE SIN OF AN ADULTEROUS WOMAN, JESUS TURNED THEIR ATTENTION TO HIMSELF SAYING, “I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. THE ONE WHO FOLLOWS ME WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS, BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE.” John 8:12
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD? LOOK, THE SUN IS SHINING. THERE IS PLENTY OF LIGHT. WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT? BUT JESUS IS TELLING THEM THAT THEY ARE WALKING IN DARKNESS. WHAT DARKNESS, WHERE IS IT? JESUS SPOKE OF THE DARKNESS WITHIN. NOT JUST IN THAT WOMAN WHO TRANSGRESSED THE LAW, BUT IN EVERY ONE OF THEM. HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN, LET HIM THROW THE FIRST STONE.
THE SEPARATION OF LIGHT FROM DARKNESS IS NOW GETTING TOO PERSONAL. AS LONG AS THE LIGHT JUST LIGHTS UP THE OUTSIDE, IT CAN SHOW THAT I GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY OR THAT I DID A GOOD DEED. IF SOMETHING IS DIRTY, I CAN WHITEWASH IT OR PAINT IT OVER. BUT GETTING INTO WHAT IS REALLY INSIDE OF ME, THAT IS GOING TOO FAR. I’M REALLY FAIRLY TOLERABLE WITHIN MYSELF. I CAN DEAL WITH IT. JUST KEEP THE LIGHT TURNED DOWN ENOUGH THAT I DON’T HAVE TO GET THAT CLEAN. KEEP IT ON AN EXTERNAL LEGAL LEVEL.
“YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO COME TO ME SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE,” JESUS SAID TO THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY COULD BE SAVED THROUGH THE LAW. John 5:40 BUT JESUS WOULD NOT COMPROMISE HIS MESSAGE. “UNLESS YOU EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YOU HAVE NO LIFE IN YOURSELVES.” John 6:53 THE SACRAMENT OF “COMMUNION” IS A SYMBOL OF THIS ORGANIC REALITY. THIS IS A NEW KIND OF FOOD, A NEW KIND OF LIFE, A NEW CREATION. THE HOLY HUMANITY OF JESUS MUST BECOME A VITAL PART OF OUR BEING, AN ORGANIC UNION WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.
“AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, TO THEM HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS NAME, WHO WERE BORN NOT OF BLOOD, NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, BUT OF GOD.” John 1:12
NOW THE ETERNAL LIGHT IS WITHIN GOD’S CREATION THROUGH THE HUMAN RACE. THROUGH A MAN GOD’S LIGHT IS TO PERMEATE THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE, BEGINNING RIGHT HERE ON EARTH IN A HOLY HUMAN BEING, JESUS, THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE OF GOD’S TEMPLE, GOD’S DWELLING PLACE. “FOR THE EARTH WILL BE FILLED WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE GLORY OF THE LORD AS THE WATERS COVER THE SEA.” Habakuk 2:14
IN THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH, THERE WILL BE NO MORE SEA. Revelation21:1 IT DOES NOT SAY THAT THERE WILL BE NO MORE WATER. THERE IS MORE TO THE SEA THAN WATER. THE BEAST OF REVELATION ASCENDS FROM OUT OF THE SEA. THE SEA COVERS THE ABYSS. IT IS INTERESTING THAT THE SEA IS SALTY. SALT CLEANSES AND PURIFIES. THE SALTIEST SEA IS THE DEAD SEA WHICH COVERS THE PLACE WHERE SODOM AND GOMORRAH ONCE EXISTED. THE SURFACE OF THE DEAD SEA IS THE LOWEST PLACE ON EARTH. WHEN JESUS RETURNS AND SETS UP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM THE DEAD SEA WILL NO LONGER BE DEAD. WATERS FLOWING FROM JERUSALEM SHALL MAKE THE DEAD SEA A LIVING SEA WHERE FISHERMEN WILL SPREAD THEIR NETS. Zechariah 14:8 and Ezekiel 47:7-10
THE GLORY OF THE MAN CHRIST JESUS COVERS AND TAKES AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD. HE IS THE ATONEMENT, OR COVERING, WHICH WAS SYMBOLIZED BY THE SOLID GOLD LID OF THE ARK OF THE COVENANT WHICH WAS HOUSED IN THE HOLY OF HOLIES OF THE JEWISH TEMPLE.
“IF ANYONE IS THIRSTY, LET HIM COME TO ME, AND LET THE ONE WHO BELIEVES IN ME DRINK. JUST AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, ‘FROM WITHIN HIM WILL FLOW RIVERS OF LIVING WATER.'” JESUS WAS REFERRING TO THE PROMISE FOUND IN THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES OF THE INDWELLING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. THE SPIRIT HE RECEIVED AT HIS BAPTISM HE CAN GIVE TO ALL WHO COME TO HIM, WHO PARTAKE OF HIM, AND WHO ARE FILLED BY HIM. THIS IS MANKIND’S HIGH CALLING, “AN ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY FAR BEYOND ALL COMPARISON.” 2Corinthians 4:17 AND TO MISS IT IS A TRAGEDY BEYOND ALL COMPARISON.
“THIS IS THE BASIS FOR JUDGING: THAT THE LIGHT HAS COME INTO THE WORLD AND PEOPLE LOVED THE DARKNESS RATHER THAN THE LIGHT, BECAUSE THEIR DEEDS WERE EVIL. FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES EVIL DEEDS HATES THE LIGHT AND DOES NOT COME TO THE LIGHT, SO THAT THEIR DEEDS WILL NOT BE EXPOSED. BUT THE ONE WHO PRACTICES THE TRUTH COMES TO THE LIGHT, SO THAT IT MAY BE PLAINLY EVIDENT THAT HIS DEEDS HAVE BEEN DONE IN GOD.” John 3:19-21
NOTE THE WORDS, “DONE IN GOD.” ONCE A RICH YOUNG RULER APPROACHED JESUS TO ASK HIM HOW HE COULD GAIN LIFE, CALLING HIM “GOOD TEACHER.” JESUS RESPONDED TO HIM THAT NO ONE IS GOOD BUT GOD ALONE. TO TEST THE EARNEST YOUNG MAN, JESUS REFERS HIM TO THE LEGAL COMMANDMENTS WHICH THE MAN CONFESSES THAT HE HAS KEPT FROM HIS YOUTH. THEN JESUS TOLD HIM THAT HE SHOULD SELL HIS MANY POSSESSIONS AND GIVE THE PROCEEDS TO THE POOR. WAS JESUS TELLING US THAT IF WE JUST LIVE IN POVERTY THAT WE WILL GAIN LIFE? NO, THAT WOULD BE JUST ANOTHER LAW TO KEEP, AND WOULD NOT BE ANY MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN TRYING TO KEEP ALL THE OTHER LAWS. EACH ONE OF US HAS OUR OWN RICHES. JESUS ASKED PETER, “DO YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN THESE?” ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL AND GOD KNOW WHAT THE “THESE” ARE. “MY SON, GIVE ME YOUR HEART.” Proverbs 23:26
JESUS CAN SEPARATE US FROM OUR DARKNESS BECAUSE HE SEPARATED HIMSELF FROM OUR DARKNESS. “DURING HIS EARTHLY LIFE HE OFFERED BOTH REQUESTS AND SUPPLICATIONS, WITH LOUD CRIES AND TEARS, TO THE ONE WHO WAS ABLE TO SAVE HIM FROM DEATH AND HE WAS HEARD BECAUSE OF HIS DEVOTION. ALTHOUGH HE WAS A SON, HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE THROUGH THE THINGS HE SUFFERED. AND BY BEING PERFECTED IN THIS WAY, HE BECAME THE SOURCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION TO ALL WHO OBEY HIM.” Hebrews 5:7-9
AS JESUS LIVED, WALKED, SPOKE AND ACTED IN THE MIDST OF SINFUL HUMANITY, HE WAS SEPARATING LIGHT FROM DARKNESS. HIS SUFFERING AND DEATH WERE THE RESULT OF HIS REFUSING TO COMPROMISE WITH OUR SIN. HE FASTED AND PRAYED IN THE WILDERNESS DURING HIS ENCOUNTER WITH SATAN. HE WOULD HAVE DIED THEN HAD NOT ANGELS MINISTERED TO HIM. IN GETHSEMANE, HE AGAIN STRUGGLED WITH OUR SIN AND WOULD HAVE DIED HAD NOT ANGELS MINISTERED TO HIM. YES, EVEN JESUS HAD “THESE” TO DEAL WITH. IT IS DIFFICULT FOR US TO CONCEIVE OF A HUMAN BEING WHO IS SINLESS BEING TEMPTED, OR TESTED. BUT HE WAS A TRUE HUMAN BEING, YET WITHOUT SIN.
BUT ON THE CROSS, THERE WERE NO ANGELS THERE TO SUSTAIN HIM. HE HUNG THERE ALONE, INTERCEDING FOR SINFUL HUMANITY. HIS DEFENSE ON OUR BEHALF WAS HIS OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, A WEIGHT OF GLORY GREATER THAN ALL OF OUR SIN. ALL THAT SIN AND EVIL COULD DO WAS TO KILL HIS BODY. BUT HE OVERCAME ALL THE FORCES OF EVIL BY THE POWER OF AN INDESTRUCTIBLE LIFE. Hebrews 7:16 HE DISARMED THE RULERS AND POWERS OF DARKNESS AND DISGRACED THEM BY THE PUBLIC DISPLAY OF HIS HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS HANGING THERE ON THE CROSS. HE RENDERED THEM POWERLESS AND MEANINGLESS. Colossians 2:15
THE DARKNESS OF SIN AND EVIL RECEIVED ITS DEATH BLOW AS JESUS DIED IN THE POWER OF HIS OWN DIVINE HUMAN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND GLORY. JESUS COULD SAY, “IT IS FINISHED.” THE LIGHT HAS TRIUMPHED OVER THE DARKNESS. THE SERPENT’S HEAD HAS BEEN CRUSHED. THE LIGHT HAS TURNED DARKNESS INTO NOTHING BUT AN ASH HEAP.
WE DO NOT SEE IT YET, “BUT WE SEE JESUS WHO WAS MADE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS FOR A LITTLE WHILE, NOW CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR BECAUSE HE SUFFERED DEATH, SO THAT BY GOD’S GRACE HE WOULD EXPERIENCE DEATH ON BEHALF OF EVERYONE.” Hebrews 2:9
THE DAY IS COMING WHEN THE FOUNDATION WILL BE FINISHED. IN THE MEANTIME, GOD’S WORK OF SEPARATING LIGHT FROM DARKNESS CONTINUES. THE CLOSER THE LIGHT COMES, THE DARKER THE DARKNESS BECOMES. JESUS IS COMING AND SATAN KNOWS HIS TIME IS SHORT.
“THEREFORE YOU HEAVENS REJOICE, AND ALL WHO RESIDE IN THEM! BUT WOE TO THE EARTH AND THE SEA BECAUSE THE DEVIL HAS COME DOWN TO YOU! HE IS FILLED WITH TERRIBLE ANGER, FOR HE KNOWS THAT HE ONLY HAS A LITTLE TIME!” Revelation 12:12
“WHILE YOU HAVE THE LIGHT, BELIEVE IN THE LIGHT, SO THAT YOU MAY BECOME SONS OF LIGHT.” John 12:36
Rosemary E. Hyslop February 14, 2017