Monday: Light and Life
Read Proverbs 6:23. How is the law related to light
?
Image © Erik Stenbakken from GoodSalt.com
In the Bible, the word of God or His law has been compared to light: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path
(Ps. 119:105, NKJV). In the Hebrew mind there is a connection between the idea of law
and of light.
Just as the lamp illuminates the path where we walk, the law will help us stay on track; that is, when we face moral choices it will help us to know what the right choice is, even if at times reason or personal expedience would tempt us to disregard the law.
What examples can you find in the Bible of those who chose to follow God’s law despite powerful reasons not to? What can we learn from their obedience? In what cases, if any, did their choice to be faithful seem to be the wrong one at least from a human perspective?
Along with Proverbs 6:23, read Proverbs 7:2. Why is the law related to life
?
Since the Fall, our hope for eternal life cannot be found in the law, but only through faith in Christ. However, obedience to the law and the principles it represents continues to play a central part in the life of faith (see Matt. 19:17, Rev. 14:12). We obey because, as the Lord said to Israel thousands of years ago, I am the LORD your God
(Lev. 18:4). The law of God is related to life,
simply because of who God is — the source of our life. This principle represents true spirituality: we trust God and His promises for our present life, just as we trust His promises for eternal life.
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As a lamp provides the light which we use in order to choose our steps, but never to replace our feet or the walking, so does the word. It guides in our conduct but does not replace it.
For the fact that we still have to "work", we need guidance to prevent us from doing harmful acts which will destroy us. The Word being protection from danger and death, is pro life; source of life.
No wonder Prov 7:2 implores us to keep His law as the apple of our eye. The apple of the eye being the port thru which light enters for us to see, yet delicate, must be kept diligently for if damaged or lost, the whole body suffers. We must regard the Word as that delicate and important in our lives
Like I said on Monday, you may have the lamp and have not put in on. You will still be in the dark and you fall into the pit and die because there is no light. You need a lamp and you should put the lamp on to give you light.
The commandments in the bible are the lamps. Most people have bibles but when there is a problem or an issue they do not use the bible to find counseling or wisdom. They rather go for worldly wisdom from friends. Instead of asking oneself what the bible says on a particular issue (I have a sister who wants to marry a 2 time divorcee and was asking for my advice. we decided to look for bible counsel and she came to her senses).
Lets put on the light of the lamps to guide us. Lets use the laws to direct our footsteps (our day to day activities)
This is the voice of God speaking!!!
You may have the lamp and have not put in on. You will still be in the dark and you fall into the pit and die because there is no light. You need a lamp and you should put the lamp on to give you light.
The commandments in the bible are the lamps. Most people have bibles but when there is a problem or an issue they do not use the bible to find counseling or wisdom. They rather go for worldly wisdom from friends. Instead of asking oneself what the bible says on a particular issue (I have a sister who wants to marry a 2 time divorcee and was asking for my advice. we decided to look for bible counsel and she came to her senses).
Lets put on the light of the lamps to guide us. Lets use the laws to direct our footsteps (our day to day activities)
Inspired thoughts. I am truely blessed
When people walk in darkness, it is not a simple thing to do. They stagger here and there and rarely do they reach their destinations without harm. Sometimes one may break his/her limbs and become incapacitated somehow. The Word of God is a lamp unto our feet. We should make use of it lest we stagger spiritually and even loose our way. We can even get incapacitated and become spiritually useless. To ensure that our lives are well furnished with this vital element, we should carry the Word everywhere with us. This is only possible if we keep it in our hearts.
AMEN to John's remarks. We depend too much on electronic devices to find our
lamps!
When Palms 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path" (NKJV) it is not separating the lamp from the light. They both represent God's word.
In the sanctuary both the lamps on the lampstand and the coals in the censors were to be lit by fire from the altar of burnt offering out in the courtyard of the sanctuary enclosure. That fire was considered holy because it was started by God Himself and God commanded that that fire be exclusively used in the sanctuary and was never to be allowed to go out.
The fire of the sanctuary is symbolic of the true light that comes from God and that of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Because Aaron's two sons got drunk and put "profane fire" (Lev. 10:1 NKJV) in their censors they were destroyed for mixing the profane with the holy and thereby confusing the teaching of those symbols. All of this is essentially the same teaching that the two olive branches of Zech 4 and the lamps of the parable of the ten virgins involve themselves with where the oil of the Holy Spirit furnishes the fuel to the lamps that give the light of God's word.
The Holy Spirit revealed this to you!,I am blessed.
When Abraham chose to sacrifice his only son, even after waiting for that son for a long long time, he had chosen to obey God, he chose to follow the law. Had he not done that, the consequences of his disobedience and lack of faith would have been detrimental! And so, we call him the father of faith, partly acknowledging what he did, that we couldn't even attempt. And by his following of the law, not only was life granted to his son, but to generations and generations, benefiting the whole human race!
The "apple of the eye" is literally the "man in the eye"- the reflection that you see on the shiny surface of the cornea. Who is reflected in your eye? Do others see Jesus there?