p. 4 | Light of the Lord by William Covert

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 28, 1910

Light of the Lord

By William Covert

WM. COVERT

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1: 5. David in song proclaimed, “The Lord is my light,” and said, “In thy light shall we see light.” Ps. 27: 1; 36: 9. Viewing with enlightened eyes those things which have been illuminated by the light of God, we behold light in God’s light. And to those who submit their faculties unto the Lord, it is said, “He shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day.” Ps. 37: 6.

The man is a highly favored citizen who has the privilege of living by the side of a truly good man, because the shining of that good man’s life is a light so steady and so strong that often the

weak and the wavering are enabled to find their homeward way by its illumination.

David announced that his candle would be lighted by the Lord (Ps. 18: 28), and Job, when speaking of the early, favored days of his life, said it was when God’s candle shone upon his head that he walked by its light through the darkness. Job 29: 3.

A community of people with their candles lighted by the Lord and flames brightly burning is likened unto a well-lighted city built upon a hilltop. In such a case the light can not be hid. Matt. 5: 14. The light of God is concealed and eternal. Its power and its brightness are unapproachable by mortal man. 1 Tim. 6: 16. But a knowledge of the moral sum of this light and glory which emanates from the throne of God is manifested to Christian men through the gospel of Jesus Christ by making this glory to shine in the heart. See 2 Cor. 4: 1-7.

So literally and physically true did the Lord make the daylight of his presence to glow, that while the plague of midnight darkness prevailed in Egypt, there was the pleasant light of open day in the houses where Israel dwelt. Ex. 10: 22, 23. The plague of darkness in Egypt was a synonym of the awful sins of its people, and of the consequent mental darkness which enshrouded their minds. But the moral and mental condition of Israel was favorable to light,—they were willing to learn,—therefore God let darkness envelop the Egyptians, while sun, moon, and stars shone with their usual splendor for the people of Israel. In this instance God withheld the shining of the sun from the wicked Egyptians, because their mental and moral condition was better expressed by gloom and darkness than by joy and light.

But we change the view by looking forward to the day of triumph, when the light of God’s glory and the lamp of his life shall so fill the world that the people will need no sun to shine by day nor candle power at eventide, for there shall be no dark night then, because God’s glory will be the light of all men in that day.

Chicago, Ill.