There was a whole year God spoke to me about light. Every time I opened my bible the word light would jump out at me.

In the beginning, God created Light

The first time we encounter God speaking in Scripture, is in the book of Genesis, addressing an earth that was void, without form and covered in darkness. One the first day, the first words he speaks are : “Let there be light”, and the account of creation tells us that there was light. From the beginning, this light was seperated from the darkness.

After reading this account for years, it started to dawn on me – that the light that we are surrounded by in the form of the sun and moon – only came on the 4th day. The daily source of light and sun as we know it, only came after the earth was formed and instructed to bring forth grass, trees and herbs; and after the waters had been commanded to gather to their appointed places.

So there was already a light – one that was not the sun or the moon – but it was God’s first priority, and it was good. During my time of training to become a Methodist preacher, I was taught to ask a few questions when examining the scriptures:

1. Have I an accurate account and are there other accounts of this incident?
2. What were the circumstances and context for this story?
3. Does this situation indicate something permanently valid about the way God deals with man?
4. How does this look in the light of Jesus Christ.
5. What confirmed truth does it hold for us today.

For me personally, the most helpful ( and often easiest to answer) question is number 4. – How dies this look in the light and revelation of Jesus Christ for us today as the church walking in full understanding. Approaching Scripture as fully revealed and fulfilled in Christ, and always pointing to Him, has deeply shaped my understanding.

Jesus – Light of the world

As I studied the theme of light throughout the Bible, it became clear that it is fulfilled most profoundly in the moment when Jesus Himself declares, “ I am the light of the world” . The opening chapter of John’s Gospel—another passage I had read many times without fully grasping, must be read as a cross-reference to Genesis 1. According to the revelation given to John, the Word that was in the beginning, that was with God and was God. This word was also the light of mankind. So Jesus – born of the Word that was in God and with God became the light of the first day and from the beginning that light could overcome the darkness because God made a clear distinction between this light and the darkness that was already hovering over the earth.

We see God continuing to make this distinction. From the very beginning, darkness always recedes when light appears. Recalling the journey of the Israelites to freedom from slavery in Egypt, the plague of darkness powerfully demonstrates this separation: while darkness covered Egypt, the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Let your light so shine so God is glorified

And the wonderful part of living as a believer is that we carry this light within us. Jesus tells us that He is the light of the world, and then He turns and tells us that we are the light of the world. The transfiguration shows Jesus manifesting His godliness on earth—fully revealed to those who were with Him. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became dazzlingly bright. It is a picture of what is possible for believers when we allow God’s glory to shine through. In that moment, God’s indwelling presence was impossible to miss. eter echoed the very sentiment God declared when He first created the light: This is good. So good, in fact, that Peter wanted to remain there forever.

What I took away from this is that we have to live a life that reflects God’s light so clearly that others, too, can look and say, This is good. As Jesus tells us we are the light of the world, he urges us to let our light shine before others, so God can be glorified.

Full circle – light from the beginning to eternity

When I study a theme, I usually trace it throughout the Bible, seeing how it evolves from Genesis through Revelation—from God’s initial intent, through the progression of mankind’s understanding, to the revelation of Christ, and finally to the completed picture. Its not always useful for everything, but light is one that fits beautifully.

The most exciting passage I’ve read about light is the description of the new heaven and new earth. Revelation 22 speaks of a place where there is no sun or moon. These things totally disappear because the glory of God is so brilliant that it is sufficient to light up the heavens and the earth Jesus Himself is the lamp that shines. What a full circle idea. God really does finish everything he starts the story of light begins and ends with him- the Alpha Omega

It really made me pause to reflect—the sun and all the other lights of the sky are just shadows of the true light, placeholders awaiting the full manifestation of God’s final plan. Everything we know about the sun—its power, its brightness—is only a reflection. No wonder the end of the world is described as the sun turning to darkness, the moon to blood, and the stars falling from the sky. These things must fall away for the real light of the world.

All I can say is: This is good

May God continue to bring His light into our lives as we wait with hope for the days we will spend in eternity with Him as the only light we will ever need.