Last week we looked at the plague of darkness in Exodus chapter 10. The darkness was not only a judgment upon the ungodliness and unrighteousness of Egypt but also symbolic of the spiritual darkness that already permeated the people of Egypt. They worshipped idols because there was no light in them with respect to knowledge of the true and living God.
This week we look at Christ’s claim that he is the only light of the world so far as revealing the truth of God to men. He says in our passage: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follo
ws me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” This is an extraordinary claim. Jesus is saying that the world is in darkness without him.
We know that without the sun to enlighten the world, it would always be in perpetual darkness and there would be no life. No one questions the necessity of the sun to see and live. Jesus is equating himself with the sun with respect to the need of men to know him in order to be free of spiritual darkness.
The spiritual darkness in the world is connected to Satan, who is called the god of this world. He styles himself as an angel of light but distorts men’s understanding of God and themselves. He is called the prince of the power of the air. The delusions of men in worshipping idols and the barbaric tendencies of sinful men proceed from his power.
The blindness of men is exhibited in their blindness to God. It is incredible that men would believe the world exists by chance or that matter has always existed on its own. Yet this doesn’t begin to exhibit the depth of blindness in the human soul. We need light from God.
If you belong to God you have spiritual light from Christ. Christ is the Sun from whom all the beams of this light come. There was a time when you were only in the dark, you were darkness; but Jesus Christ enlightened you. Ephesians 5:8 says: “You were once darkness, but now you are the light of the Lord: walk as children of the light.”
Jonathan Edwards once wrote: “It is the property of light to manifest; to cause things to appear that would otherwise remain unseen. Without light, nothing can be seen; all things are hid; nothing can be discerned by the most piercing sight without some light.” Christ only can enlighten the soul of a man, make glorious things manifest that have never been seen before.
It is important for us to understand what being enlightened by Christ means. It means becoming sensible of what was not perceived before. A man becomes aware of the darkness when he comes into the light. He now sees his own vileness in sin that he was not humbled by before. The “poor in spirit” are those who know the need of being forgiven, cleansed and made new.
Christ has caused a marvelous light to shine in your minds, whereby he has revealed to you the righteousness of the law that thereby you might see the odious nature of sin. By this also, he has revealed to you the truth of the gospel that thereby you might discern the excellency of gospel privileges, and the exceeding riches of God’s grace and kindness through Jesus Christ.
The light of Christ makes him the most glorious object to behold when the truth of sin and death is revealed. The soul is greatly delighted to behold him, to see him with the eyes of the soul, and to believe. There becomes no satisfaction or contentment like that of beholding Christ crucified for sinners.
We read in John 11 that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus loved Christ before but, no doubt, this resurrection of him, so wonderful, endeared his love to Christ exceedingly. Shall not Christ giving light and life to your soul raise your heart to a great height of love to Christ?
There is no other way to be in the light apart from Christ. No one can come to God apart from Christ. No one can be forgiven or escape death apart from Christ. He is the one to seek, to come to, to call upon now and forever. He is the light of the world.
