Christ is that light that shines out on the darkness (John i. 5).
Light 155 are neither clear nor dark, not day nor night. It is so with the Church of God in this world: where the sun of righteousness is risen it cannot be dark night, and, yet, short of heaven, it will not be clear day. It is so with particular saints. They are not darkness, but light in the Lord; and, yet, while there is so much error and corruption in them, it is not perfect day. So it is as to the providences of God that are concerning His Church.
In general the affairs of the Church are neither good nor bad in any extremity, but there is a mixture of both. We are singing both of mercy and judgment, and are uncertain which will prevail—whether it will be an evening or morning twilight. We are between hope and fear, not knowing what to make of things.
Here is an intimation of comfort. "It shall be one day which shall be known to the Lord." This intimates:
(a) The beauty and harmony of such mixed events. There is one and the same tendency in all. All the wheels make but one wheel, all the revolutions but one day.
(5) The brevity of them. It is as it were but for one day, for a little moment. The cloud that darkens the light will soon blow over.
(c) The eye God has upon all these events, and the hand He has in them all. They are known to the Lord. He takes notice of them, and orders and disposes of all for the best, according to the council of His will.
Here is an assurance that the end is certain. "At evening time it shall be light. It shall be clear light and no longer dark. We are sure of it in the other world, and we hope for it in this world. At evening time, when our hopes are quite spent with waiting all day to no purpose, nay, when we fear it will go to be quite dark, when things are at their worst, and the condition of the Church is most deplorable. As to the Church's enemies the sun goes down at noon, so to the Church it rises at night. Unto the upright springs light out of darkness (Ps. cxii. 4). Deliverance comes when the tale of bricks is doubled, and when God's people have done looking for it, and so it comes with pleasing surprise."
5. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Christ is that light that shines out on the darkness (John i. 5). "In him was life and the life was the light of men"' (Fohn 7. 4).
The "'spirit of man is the candle of the Lord", and it was the eternal Word that lighted this candle. The light of the reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from Him and depends upon Him. This proves Him fit to undertake our salvation. For life and light, spiritual and eternal life and light, are the two great things that fallen man, who lies so much under the powers of death and darkness, has need of. From who may we better expect the light of divine revelation than from Him who gave us the light of human reason? And if, when God gave us natural life, that life was in His Son, how readily should we receive the Gospel record, that He has given us eternal life, and that life too is in His Son.
It might be objected, If this eternal word was all in all then in the creation of the world, whence is it He has been so little taken notice of and regarded? To this He answers, "The light shines, but the darkness comprehends not."
Light is self-evidencing and will make itself known. This Light, from whence the light of men comes, has shined, and does shine.
(a) The eternal Word, as God, shines in the darkness of natural conscience. 'Though men, by the fall, are become darkness, yet that which may be known of God is manifested in them (see Rom. i. 19). The light of nature is this Light shining in darkness. Something of the power of the divine Word, both as creating and as commanding, all mankind has an innate sense of. Were it not for that, this earth would be a hell, a place of utter darkness. Blessed by God, it is not so yet.
(6) The eternal Word, as mediator, shone in the darkness of the Old Testament types and figures and the prophecies and promises which were of the Messiah from the beginning. He that had commanded the light of this world to shine out of darkness was Himself long a light shining in darkness. There was a veil upon this light (2 Cor. iii. 13).
6. "THE DARKNESS COMPREHENDED IT Not'?
(a) The world of mankind comprehended not the natural light that was in their understandings, "but became vain in their imaginations" concerning the eternal God and the eternal Word (Rom. i. 21, 27). The darkness of error and sin overpowered and quite eclipsed this light. God spoke once, yea twice, but man perceived it not (Job xxxiii. 14).