An Exegesis of Light

Chapter 3
(excerpt)

The Rule of Light
Within the Hearts of Men

“And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.”
GENESIS 1:17

Here we read that light is given for illumination and to govern their respective dominions. God purposes are also revealed in the division of the light from the darkness. The sun rules over the day while the moon is given to rule over the night. There are governing purposes in these distinctions. Within the whole spectrum of light, we see a picture of the division of rule. Those who are of the Day are governed and thus live by the light of the sun (Son); those who are of the night are governed by the rule of darkness (Satan). The Son is the ever-dawning true light whereas the devil masquerades as light that is merely a cold and dead reflection of the True Light. Satan is the ever-waning beacon leading men into darkness, sin and death. (The moon serves as a good illustration of this.) He is the father of lies because he is the most self-deceived. Jesus, in speaking to the self-deceived religious men in His time on earth called them the children of the devil! Why? Because of their deeds, not their beliefs.

“Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
John 8:43-44

Earlier in this discussion, Jesus acknowledged that they were of the “seed” of Abraham (John 8:37). The Greek word used here for seed is σπέρμα (sperma), referring to the natural seed of Abraham. As such, the light which had once been given unto them had now become dark; they were now ruled by the lusts of their (new) father rather than by the light of God. Herein is revealed the truth concerning light. The Jews whom Jesus was addressing had great “understanding” of the scriptures but they had no light. Light is a function of life, not knowledge. It is in what men do wherein they reveal who their father truly is. All men live according to the lusts (desires) of their hearts so inevitably their inward governing principle is revealed.

“For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other.”
Galatians 5:17

Regardless of words spoken the spiritual condition of a life is known by one governing principle; only one master can be served. Paul goes on to describe the two contrary lusts or desires at war in all of us (Galatians 5:16-22). As with the religious Jews of Jesus’ day it is our actions that reveal whose offspring we are.

“I speak that which I have seen with my Father:
and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.”
John 8:38

Fatherhood is revealed in the deeds of its corresponding offspring. Paul’s delineation of those who are of the flesh from those who are of the Spirit begins by setting before us the “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21). It is the light of God which which makes these things manifest…

(continued…)

Brian Troxel