![]() These verses are some of Isaiah’s most well-known. Seven hundred years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that Christ’s coming would be like a light shining in the darkness, a light that would defeat the chaos of sin with the peace of God’s rule and reign. Having seen that God is the Author of light and the controller of darkness, we now study one of the most pointed promises of Christ’s coming. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.Īs we continue to approach Christmas, we keep moving through the overall narrative of Scripture, centering upon the themes of light and darkness. On the throne of David and over his kingdom, Of the increase of his government and of peace Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,Īs they are glad when they divide the spoil.įor every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumultĪnd the government shall be upon his shoulder, In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. When we shine as lights in the world, we contribute in some small but substantial way to this unifying work.But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. God's ultimate purpose is not to divide the universe into light and darkness, but rather "to bring to unity all things in heaven and on earth under Christ" (1:11). The same God who redeemed us through his glorious and generous grace seeks to redeem others through us (1:6-8). The goal of exposing the darkness, therefore, follows the storyline of Ephesians. We want those who live in darkness to leave behind their fruitless work and turn to the Lord, so they might become children of light and reflections of God's own light in the world. As New Testament scholar Thomas Yoder Neufeld observes in his fine commentary on Ephesians, what we see in this passage could be called "evangelistic exposing." We expose the deeds of darkness, not as instruments of judgment, but as channels of God's love. It seeks, not to alienate those who walk in darkness, but rather to draw them into the light of Christ. Thus, the goal of exposing is redemptive and inclusive. Verse 13 adds, "and everything that is illuminated becomes a light." This suggests that the people who have been doing dark deeds, when they see clearly the fruitlessness and wrongness of their actions, will indeed turn to the light and, like those of us who have gone before them, reject the darkness and become "light in the Lord" (5:8). The second result of exposing by light reflects this turning. ![]() This means that those who are engaged in such works have the opportunity to see the emptiness of their lives and to turn away from their sin and to the Lord, what we call repentance. First, that which is exposed "becomes visible." People see the deeds of darkness for what they truly are: fruitless, deceptive, and evil. This verse reads, "But everything exposed by the light becomes visible-and everything that is illuminated becomes a light." This verse reveals a two-part result of exposing by the light. What is the goal of this exposing? What are we seeking to accomplish by shining the light on the dark deeds of the world? What is God's purpose in all of this?Įphesians 5:13 answers these questions in a captivating and unexpected way. When people see the fruit of the light in us, the deeds of darkness will be exposed as fruitless and empty. In the language of Ephesians, we expose the darkness primarily through the witness of our lives. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matt. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. In last week's reflections, we considered the question: How should we expose the deeds of darkness? Our answer for this question came from the lips of Jesus himself, who said, "You are the light of the world. This is why it is said: "Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." But everything exposed by the light becomes visible-and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. Learning From the Psalms How to Pray Through Your Work. ![]()
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