The Shining Light of Glory
Part 1

Sermon Notes of Pastor Mark Downey

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'The Shining' is the title of a weird jewish novel and movie by Stephen King, but we're not interested in demented literature or movies. However, we're going to be looking at the fantastic, spectacular and wonderfully brilliant subject of biblical light. Why? Because the scriptures have such a rich reference to not only literal light, but figurative light as well. I've prayed for the light bulb in my head to be turned on, so that the message God wants us to see is seen. I want to shed light on seeing the light. Why is it important to have light? So that we're not in the dark? Naturally, there is the issue of race and poses the question of why did God create light and dark races. And even if you don't believe in God, why did they evolve as such? I believe the Bible offers us an explanation. One of the peculiar revelations of this article is that light and the New Testament baptism are very similar. I don't think the other races can be baptized, and by that, I don't mean getting wet. I don't think the other races can see the light as we do, so as we go along, try to replace the word light with the word baptize. I think you'll see some interesting parallels.

Before we feast upon all the ingredients of what constitutes light, we must first set the table with the many definitions of light, so that we are rightly dividing the Word, applying the multiplicity of meanings to their proper use. Light is something that makes vision possible. Sight would be impossible without it. Scientifically, light is an electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range including infrared, visible, ultraviolet and x-rays; traveling in a vacuum at the speed of 186,281 miles per second. Science has yet to answer the question of how light originates (although as we'll see, the Bible does). And so scientists are primarily concerned with how light behaves after it has been emitted. It's a fact that a definitive scientific theory of light has yet to be formulated as scientific law. However, let's see in this study if the Word of God provides us with a fully formed reason that leaves no doubt as to what our biblical understanding of light is.

The word light is used over 250 times in the Bible with 20 different Hebrew words in the Old Testament and 15 different Greek words in the New Testament, according to Strong's Concordance. It would take too much time to do all of these and many are just used once for a unique clarity, but let's do look at a variety of uses in general.

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word "ore" for light is Strong's Concordance #216, which comes from #215. It means to be (make), luminous (literally and metaphorically), break of day, glorious, kindle, set on fire and shine. #216 means illumination, luminary (in every sense: lightening, happiness, etc.), bright, clear, day, morning and sun. #219 has a figurative definition denoting prosperity. Those are the most frequent numbers. A few other definitions will round out our appreciation of the word light in the Old Testament, such as: cheerfulness [#3974], wisdom [#5094], to rest, settle down, be confederate, quiet [#5117], happen unto, meet, bring about [#7136]. In the New Testament, the most commonly used Greek word for light is phos (#5457), from which we get several English words relating to light such as: to shine or make manifest (in the widest application of lit or fig), (#5461) to shed rays, to brighten up, enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see. A few other definitions from the New Testament are: to beam or radiate (#2989), to set on fire, consume (#2545), to shine upon (i.e. become visible or known), to appear (#2014). As you can see, the idea of something shining or having a bright, glowing appearance becomes conspicuous and a distinguished feature.

The hippies of the 60s would say 'I'm getting a flash' or 'I'm flashing', meaning the same thing the Bible is suggesting in having a profound revelation of awareness. Our illumination as Christians begins with the fundamental story of Creation in Genesis 1:3, where we have the first mention of light: God said, "Let there be light and there was light", and verse 4 "God saw the light that it was good and divided light from darkness. Now a lot of people think this was the sun, but they're premature. Verses 1 and 2 says all God created in the beginning was our planet earth and the heaven or universe, and He did that first step in the dark, while the earth was without form (that's open to speculation), and void (of the things to come in the rest of the chapter). It really doesn't serve our purpose here to debate what God's timeline was in all of this. The focus is light. And on the 4th day, the sun, moon and stars became visible (Gen. 1:14-19). So we can see here that there was some kind of light before the sun, and I would postulate that this is the same light that Rev. 22:5 talks about, "and there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever."

This is talking about the new paradise, the Kingdom of heaven on earth. But there's much to be learned between Genesis and Revelation regarding the big ball of fire in the sky and the supernatural light of God. Let's review some of these instances where light apparently was and is a mystery to this day. We don't necessarily need to know the science. We need to know the reality that it is from God.

Let's go to Exodus 10:21-23 and read, "and the Lord said unto Moses, stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." This is confirmed in Exodus 8:23 "and I will put a division between my people and thy people." The principle of racial separation is miraculously demonstrated with the contrast of light and dark. And if that wasn't enough, after Israel left Egypt, our people were redeemed; released from the curse of slavery, and one million people not knowing where they were going were led and guided by the power of Almighty God's presence as we read in Exodus 13:21-22 "and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: He took not away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people." And also in Exodus 14:20 "and it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness to them but it gave light by night to these: so that the one came not near the other all the night."

In II Samuel 21, it relates the incredible battles that David and his men were having in one victory after another against these WFW giants that were related to Goliath, having 6 fingers and toes on each hand and foot. David was so great a warrior that his generals told him to just cool it in verse 17, so that the light of Israel isn't extinguished. This is the first time in the Bible that light isn't literal, but does have the supernatural significance of leading into blessings rather than curses. They had their act together with God. Don't some denominations purport the same kind of blessings with Baptism? If they had a better understanding of it, without the pagan ritual of water immersion, they might start realizing some real supernatural blessings, just like our ancestors. The denominations really need to get their act together with God if they want to see the light. The last words of David in II Samuel 23:1-4 gives us a better understanding of what is meant by the light of Israel:

"Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, the Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. The God of Israel said, the rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain."

The word shining here is #5051 (which is also used for the word light), which means to complete, to consummate or finish. He got the job done, the divine mandates that God put forth before him, just like He does with us and is why, we too, should be a light unto our kinsmen.

Finally, the leaders of Nehemiah's day reckoned that their continual wickedness made them servants in the land of their fathers, so that the stranger had dominion over themselves and their possessions. And because of all this, they made a sure covenant with the princes and priests, signing and sealing the agreement, whereby Neh. 10:28 says, "the rest of the people separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the Law of God and to cleave to their brethren, their nobles and entered into an oath to walk in God's Laws." And that the first thing it says they would observe is that they would not give their daughters unto the people of the land, nor take their (the stranger's) daughters for their sons. That's racemixing, folks! And it went on to say all the other things they would do to get back what they lost ... the shining light of glory.

Continued in: The Shining Light of Glory, Part 2

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