Jesus Christ talks about being the light in John 8 because He's just dealt with a bunch of people who are sitting in total darkness, blind to everything going on around them.
In fact, so treacherous is their blindness that they not only don’t recognize the Lord Jesus Christ, they’re seeking to entrap and accuse Him.
They were actually doing exactly what Satan was trying to do to God, by putting Him in that Isaiah 49:24 condition/conundrum of, "I’ve made Israel my lawful captive." But he wasn’t wise enough to figure how God demonstrated His wisdom, as we know now, explains Richard Jordan.
That wisdom is described over and over in the Bible as the Light. That’s why He says in John 3, "Except a man be born again he can’t see the kingdom of God."
John 8:12: [12] Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
The spiritual condition of the Pharisees was walking in darkness. They’re lost. You remember how Israel followed the cloud in the wilderness that led to Canaan? If they follow Christ, He’ll lead them to the kingdom, and if they do they’ll have the light of life.
*****
John 1: 4-5: [4] In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
If God is light and Jesus said, "I am the light," who is Jesus saying He is? That’s a proclamation by the Lord Jesus Christ of His deity. What deity? His deity as the Messiah. As the one who’s going to be the Light—Emmanuel.
In Isaiah 59 is the Second Coming of Christ back to Israel to redeem it. The last two verses:
[20] And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
[21] As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
Now watch what happens in the next chapter when He’s come. Isaiah 60:
[1] Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
[2] For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
[3] And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
When Christ comes there’s light because He’s the light. Isaiah 60:19-20, talking to the city of Jerusalem:
[19] The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.
[20] Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
When Jesus says, "I am the light of the world," that’s another one of those statements in the Book of John reminding Israel and teaching them that He is Messiah, and as the Messiah, He’s not only the Passover lamb, and the atoning lamb, He’s the one who is God in their midst.
No comments:
Post a Comment