Like most of you, on my computer I have a screen saver – a scene that changes every 24 hours. This past Monday, being the date ascribed to the pagan holiday of Halloween, the screen saver was a gloomy, dark forest scene with a black-clad faceless figure wandering through the forest. The darkness was entirely appropriate for the occasion.
Light and dark have great impact as well as meaningful symbolism in the Bible. We note that the first act of God in relation to the tohu and bohu as God begins to fashion anew is – “Let there be light!” This is an expression of the fullness of Elohim – light. Light is the first thing of order God introduced into the chaotic state of darkness which Satan’s rebellion had created.
Light is associated with God, as darkness is associated with Satan. God creates light and Satan created darkness. How very symbolic.
As Job wrestled with his satanic affliction of boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head, he lamented:
“May the day be darkness; may God above not seek it, nor the light shine upon it. May darkness and the shadow of death claim it; may a cloud settle on it; may the blackness of the day terrify it” (Job 3:4,5).
As Job contemplated his horrible condition, he associated his position with darkness, of which we know Satan to be the source.
Evil and darkness are often linked in scripture:
“From those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the way of darkness” (Proverbs 2:13).
“The way of the wicked is like darkness …” (Proverbs 4:19).
This world is in darkness. Satan has blinded the minds of mankind with a darkness that prevents the light of God. The Apostle John understood this well:
“But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:11).
Conversely, the prophecies concerning Christ coming to this earth relate to light:
“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 9:2).
The darkness that has engulfed the world is going to get even darker as Satan knows he has “but a little time.” We need to understand this in a practical way of knowing that this world offers us nothing of the true light that is available to us. But not only is that light available to us personally, we must become representative of that light.
“…I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). “…God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
The light of Christ is yet future for this world as a whole. But that light is present in the world at this time, and it is meant to be seen. We have a very important role to play in preparation for the light of God to illuminate the world.
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
God is about to restore light to this world as He did in the beginning. At this time God is saying to each one of us – “Let there be light!”.
Brian Orchard
