Father of Lights – 21 December 2021, Anno Domini

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VERY good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.  (James 1:17-18)

 

God the Father is not only the Father of Lights, but also the Father of the Light of the World – God the Son and our Lord Jesus Christ! From the beginning of Creation, He has scattered the lights of Heaven across the expanse of the Universe – He made the Sun, Moon, Stars, and all the heavenly galaxies that stretch even beyond our ability to see with the most powerful of telescopes, and our Lord Jesus Christ is that True Light that comes down from Heaven itself. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  (John 1:9-10)  It is true the world cannot know Him ere its sinfulness is forsaken and it turns to the Light. Even the preaching of the Word to those that disbelieve is foolishness. 

 

Christ revealed His nature as the True Light explicitly in the Gospels. I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12) Without Christ, there is NO Light – all the world, without Him, is bathed in smothering darkness. Men stumble and grope in search of joy and do not find it – not in power, not in wealth, not in any other venue. They follow the false and deceptive light of the swamp created by putrefying gases of refuse. (Will o’ the Wisp).  We follow Christ – the Light of the World – for His Light keenly reveals error and the bad way. In fact, our Lord IS the WAY!

 

Light, by its very nature travels in a perfectly straight path. It does not bend or twist. Though light itself cannot be seen by the eye, it sheds its beams upon the material object to reveal its appearance. Light is the only absolute constant in the Universe according to Albert Einstein. Its speed is constant regardless of the point from which its is measured. 

 

We have been blessed on earth to have the brilliant, life-giving rays of the Sun that provides light by day, and we have the Moon and Stars for light by night – all part of the Creators plan to make our nights restful and our days possible of labor and travel. Christ is our Sun. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall.  (Mal 4:2)He is also referred to as a Star – the Bright and Morning Star (Revelations 22:16) and our DAY Star (which is the Sun). The Light of Jesus is never referred to as the Moon. Why not? It is because the Moon’s light is not self-generating, but the Light of the Sun and Stars are, indeed, self-generating. If we know Jesus as our Sun, then we must know ourselves to be like the Moon – without our own light, but reflectors of the Light of the World (our brightest Star and sun in Heaven). (see Peter 1:19). We must not allow any material object (such as the world) to eclipse our light from the Sun of Righteousness else our Light will become utter darkness.

 

Those who walk in darkness have not seen the Light of Christ. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  (John 1:9)

 

The prophet Malachi ended his prophecy with the last word of the Old Testament of the Law and Prophets – the word CURSE, for the Law is a curse to those who do not believe: For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Gal 3:10) So, the Books of the Law end in a curse since no man but the Lord Jesus Christ could ever keep the Law sinless. 

 

Since no man can be without sin, and the wages of sin is death, how may we escape that penalty of death for it MUST be paid? Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal 3:13-14)

 

So, the Old Testament ends with the curse, and the new with these hopeful words expressed by John the Beloved Apostle: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.   (Rev 22:21)

 

            Hmmm. . . . . Law and curse versus Mercy and Grace! Which will you take? I’ll take Grace and Mercy.