Light in Darkness: A Picture of Hope

Light in the Old Testament: Creation and Covenant

In the Old Testament, light first appears as an act of divine creation in Genesis 1:3-5.

God commands, 'Let there be light,' separating it from darkness to establish order over chaos (Genesis 1:3-5). This act underscores light as a symbol of God’s sovereign authority, where darkness represents formlessness and void. The covenant with Israel later reinforces this symbolism, as God’s presence among His people is likened to a guiding light, such as the pillar of fire in Exodus 13:21-22.

By contrast, darkness in the Hebrew Bible often signifies spiritual alienation or divine judgment, while light embodies God’s life-giving presence. This duality shapes Israel’s understanding of covenantal relationship, where light becomes both a promise and a test of faithfulness.

Jesus as the Light Entering the World

In John 1:5, the Johannine prologue reinterprets the OT motif of light as divine presence by identifying Jesus as the incarnate Logos who transcends and fulfills earlier covenantal imagery.

John 1:5 declares, 'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,' reworking Genesis 1:3-5 and Exodus 13:21-22 to affirm Jesus as the definitive revelation of God. While OT light symbolized creation’s order and covenantal guidance, John’s 'light' personifies divine truth and life, actively confronting the 'darkness' of spiritual alienation and unbelief. This darkness, unlike cosmic chaos or temporary judgment, represents humanity’s systemic resistance to God’s self-disclosure. Yet the assertion that darkness 'has not overcome' the light underscores Jesus’ redemptive power to penetrate even the most entrenched spiritual obscurity through his incarnation.

The phrase 'shines in the darkness' defines Jesus’ mission as one of radical illumination, offering sight to the spiritually blind (Isaiah 6:9-10) and life to those ensnared by moral and existential void. By embodying the light that 'was with God and was God' (John 1:1), Jesus transforms OT symbols into a living reality that both reveals and redeems.

John’s symbolism thus reconfigures the OT duality: where earlier light was a gift contingent on covenantal faithfulness, Jesus’ light now confronts the root of human alienation directly. This bridges to later Johannine themes of belief versus unbelief, setting the stage for examining how this 'light' interacts with the structures of resistance it encounters in the world.

Walking in the Light Today

For believers today, the symbol of light emerging in darkness calls us to embody Jesus’ redemptive mission in our world.

John 1:5 declares, 'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it,' challenging Christians to reflect this truth through moral clarity and hope amid suffering. Ephesians 5:8-10 urges believers to 'walk as children of light,' actively pursuing goodness and discerning what pleases God even in a morally ambiguous world. Matthew 5:14-16 positions followers of Christ as 'the light of the world,' inviting us to let our lives illuminate the path for others through acts of mercy and truth. This call to reflect Christ’s light demands both personal integrity and a communal witness, resisting the spiritual darkness of apathy or unbelief.

Yet this mission is not passive. As 1 John 1:5-7 reminds us, walking in the light requires ongoing repentance and fellowship with one another, ensuring our lives continually mirror the transformative power of God’s presence.

Exploring Further

To deepen your understanding of light overcoming darkness, consider key biblical texts that expand this theme.

Isaiah 9:2 foretells the Messiah’s arrival as a dawn breaking in on a people walking in darkness, while 1 John 1:5 affirms God’s nature as light, calling believers to walk in His truth and fellowship.