And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light—And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually. In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD—“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”—In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ—“You are the light of the world–like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”—But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day—for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb—They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever—For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.
Gen 1:3 ESV; Ex. 27:20-21 NKJV; Jn. 9:5 ESV; Jn. 1:4-5 ESV; II Cor. 4:6 ESV; Mt.5:14 NLT; Prov. 4:18 ESV; Eph. 5:8 ESV; Rev 21:23 ESV; Rev 22:4-5 ESV; Ps. 18:28 ESV
From first to last God brings light into a dark world. We are creatures made to live in the light. It is no wonder we love the lengthening days of spring, the glory of a sunrise, the glow of candlelight, and the play of light on water. Darkness, no matter how pervasive, frightening or confusing cannot last. It must give way before the Light of the World.
Immortal, invisible, God only wise,
In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,
Most blessèd, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,
Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.
–Walter Smith, 1876
–LS