Light and symbol people of God

Psalm 97:11

Psalm 97:11 NKJV

11 Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.

Scripture often uses light as a symbol of the people of God, and especially the way believers are able and required to reflect the glory of God in a dark world of sin.

The people of God as the light of the world

Matthew 5:14–16 NKJV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Psalm 37:5–6 NKJV

5 Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. 6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.

Proverbs 4:18 NKJV

18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.

Isaiah 58:8–10 NKJV

8 Then your light shall break forth like the morning, Your healing shall spring forth speedily, And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. 9 Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ “If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

Isaiah 60:1–5 NKJV

1 Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising. 4 “Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side. 5 Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy; Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.

Luke 2:32 NKJV

32 A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Acts 13:47 NKJV

47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Examples of believers acting as light to the world

Moses on Mount Sinai:

Exodus 34:29–30 NKJV

29 Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai (and the two tablets of the Testimony were in Moses’ hand when he came down from the mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone while he talked with Him. 30 So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.

John 5:35 NKJV

35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light.

Philippians 2:15 NKJV

15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

God is the source of the light of his people

God and his law as the source of light

Psalm 27:1 NKJV

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 118:27 NKJV

27 God is the Lord, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.

Isaiah 60:19–20 NKJV

19 “The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. 20 Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the Lord will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended.

John 1:5 NKJV

5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

The gospel of forgiveness as a source of light

Acts 26:17–18 NKJV

17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

Matthew 4:16 NKJV

16 The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

Hebrews 6:4 NKJV

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,

Hebrews 10:32 NKJV

32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

In Conclusion:

The people of God are called to live in his light

Ephesians 5:8–14 NKJV

8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), 10 finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret. 13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light. 14 Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.”

1 John 1:7 NKJV

7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Psalm 89:15 NKJV

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance.

Luke 16:8 NKJV

8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

John 9:4 NKJV

4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.

John 12:35–36 NKJV

35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

1 Thessalonians 5:5–6 NKJV

5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

1 John 2:8–10 NKJV

8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. 9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.