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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
"God is light," says 1 John 1:5. Light is a common metaphor in the Bible. Proverbs 4:18 symbolizes righteousness as the "morning sun." Philippians 2:15 likens God's children who are "blameless and ...
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STANLEY S. DRANE
Supporter
I'm glad you asked. We see in 1st John 1:5-6 (Life Application Bible Notes) to say, "God is light," means that God is perfectly holy and true, and that he alone can guide us out of the darkness of sin. Light is also related to truth, in that it exposes whatever exists, whether it is good or bad.
Mike Dumais
Supporter
The Bible is written on many levels, or with many levels of understanding. The idea of perspicuity, that the plain meaning of the written Bible could be understood as written, drove much of the reformation. It seems GOD is more than simply the metaphorical Light. Calculating this word problem: (Psalm 90:4 & 2 Peter 3:8) a day with The Lord is as a thousand years. 1000 years = 1 day / square root of (1-v2 / c2). V solves to 299,792,457 m/s or the speed of light. Psalm 90:4 & 2 Peter 3:8 seem to confirm Einstein's formula for Special Theory of Relativity is proof that the Bible is divinely inspired and that God's time is the universal standard of time set by the velocity of light.
Al Mark
Supporter
In the Old Testament, God appeared to the Israelites in the form of light. The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people. (Ex 13:21-22) Coming down from the mountain after meeting with God, Moses’ face shone with the reflection of God’s light: When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the LORD. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. (Ex 34:29-30) At the transfiguration, Jesus gave the three apostles a glimpse of his full glory: “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. “ (Matt 17:2) What is the divine light? For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. (Psalms 36:9) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) In the Psalm, light and life are equated. God is light in the sense that he is life, and he is the source and sustainer of physical and spiritual life. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:4) When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12) Light represents the truth of God, embodied in his Word – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psa 119:105) Light is also linked with virtue and moral conduct – "You were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)" (Eph 5:8-9)
Jack Gutknecht
Supporter
I always like to thnk of the threefold essence of His being God is Life (ζωή -- zoe) (Jn 5:26; 6:57); God is Love (ἀγάπη -- agape) (1 Jn 4:8); God is Light (φῶς -- phos) (1 Jn 1:5). Thus Christ, the logos, manifesting the three aspects of the Divine Nature, is Life, Love and Light, and these three are inseparable and constitute the glory. Which the disciples beheld in Him, "glory as of the only begotten from the Father" (Jn 1:14). In revealing and giving life, Christ becomes "the light of men" (Jn 1:4). God gives "the light of the knowledge of (his) glory in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor 4:6), and this salvation is called "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ" (2 Cor 4:4). Christ is thus the Teacher, Enlightener ("Christ shall give thee light," Eph 5:14 the King James Version), Guide, Savior of men.
Light, as I see it, is an attribute of holiness, of the holiness of God.
"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all" (1 Jn 1:5). Darkness is the universal symbol and condition of sin and death; light the symbol and expression of holiness. Dwight M. Pratt
“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5). When we were saved, God called us out of darkness into His light (1 Peter 2:9). We are children of light (1 Thess. 5:5). Those who do wrong hate light (John 3:19-21). When light shines in on us, it reveals our true nature (Eph. 5:8-13). https://bethelchurchmuncie.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/wiersbe-commentary-new-testament.pdf
The free Bible study software app, Logos, says about God is light: It is a common metaphor in the OT and Jewish literature for God’s perfection (e.g., Psa 4:6; Isa 60:1-2). God’s light serves as a beacon for the righteous and leads others to Him (see Psa 27:1).
Do you know the hymn, "Heavenly Sunlight" by Henry J. Zelley (1899)?
Stanza 2 says this:
Shadows around me, shadows above me,
Never conceal my Savior and Guide;
He is the Light, in Him is no darkness;
Ever I’m walking close to His side.
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