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Last week, we looked at how God controls light, and more specifically how he controls the absence of light, or darkness. In that lesson, we saw the contrast between light vs. darkness and good vs. evil. Evil tends to prefer the darkness, whereas good prefers the light. In this lesson, we want to look at this idea a little more. What does God do with the darkness that is associated with evil? We see two things mentioned in Job:
Job 12:22: He reveals the deep things of darkness
and brings utter darkness into the light.
In this lesson, we’ll look at these two themes: God uses his light to expose what is in the dark, and he turns darkness to light.
God’s Light Exposes What Is in the Dark
As humans, we tend to want to hide what we are doing, especially if we know it’s something we shouldn’t be doing. This is especially true for sin. We saw last week in Job 24:13-17 that the murderers, thieves, and adulterers all come out at night, avoiding the light so their actions won’t be seen.
But the Bible tells us that no matter what our sins or actions are, even if they are done in the dark, God’s light will reveal them.
Daniel 2:22: He reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what lies in darkness,
and light dwells with him.
Psalm 90:8: You have set our iniquities before you,
our secret sins in the light of your presence.
Psalm 139:11-12: 11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
Luke 8:16-17: 16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. 17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
We can try to hide our sins, but God’s light will expose our actions. And it goes even deeper than that. His light exposes even the motives of our heart.
1 Corinthians 4:5: Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.
In fact, all of our works will be tested by God’s light.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13: 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.
The good news is that we have a choice to voluntarily live in the light rather than the darkness.
John 3:19-21: 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
Romans 13:12: The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
We can choose to live by the truth and have our deeds exposed to the light. This choice raises our integrity because we know that what we do is visible to others—and most importantly, to God.
God Turns Darkness to Light
On our own, we are incapable of choosing the light. We are blind, stumbling around in the darkness. Thankfully, God uses his light to bring us out of the darkness.
2 Samuel 22:29: You, Lord, are my lamp;
the Lord turns my darkness into light.
Isaiah 42:16: I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
Micah 7:8-9: 8 Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.
9 Because I have sinned against him,
I will bear the Lord’s wrath,
until he pleads my case
and upholds my cause.
He will bring me out into the light;
I will see his righteousness.
2 Corinthians 4:4-6: 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.
Before Jesus, the whole world was living in darkness. But Jesus came as a light so that we no longer have to live in darkness.
Matthew 4:16: “the people living in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death
a light has dawned.”
John 12:46: I [Jesus] have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
When we choose to believe in Jesus, we trade our life in the dark for life in God’s light.
Ephesians 5:8-9: 8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10 and find out what pleases the Lord.
1 Peter 2:9: But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Conclusion
What a marvelous promise! I’m so glad that God chose to call me out of darkness and into his wonderful light. He is calling to you as well. Do you want to stay trapped in darkness, wandering around lost with no visible means of escape? Let God shine his light to show you the way. Trust in him to lead you out of the darkness.
Premium Resources
Each individual characteristic of God study will come with two resources: a word search just for fun (including an answer key), and a list of verses for if you want to investigate that individual characteristic of God more completely.
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