50. SYMBOLS OF LIGHT AS LITERARY CONVENTIONS

50. Symbols of Light as Literary Conventions

There are several ways in which symbols of light are used in the Book of Revelation to reveal Christ. These symbols are used according to the literary conventions already established in the canonical literature including both Old and New Testaments. The Book of Beginnings, Genesis, starts with the revelation of the Secret of Light:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; And darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be Light: and there was Light, (Genesis 1:1-3).

The Gospel of John starts from this same beginning point:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was Life: and the Life was the Light of men. And the Light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe.He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 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. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us, (And we beheld His glory, [beautiful Light], the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth, (John 1:1-14).

Then Jesus said unto them. Yet a little while is the Light with you. Walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have Light, believe in the Light, that ye may be the children of Light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them," (John 12:35-6).

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of Life;(For the Life was manifested, [revealed, brought to light], and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that Eternal Life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us:)...This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all."  (1John 1:1, 2, 5)

Until the appearing [revelation] of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in His times He shall shew [reveal], Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see; to Whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen. (1Tim. 6:14b-16)

Every 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. (James 1:17)

This lesson is an edited excerpt from my book Revelation In Context.

My Book is available at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma and is also available online at www.amazon.com  or www.xulonpress.com.

 Free downloads are available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net .