light, not only as flowing from him and kindled by him, but specially
it comes. But it is only in a very poor and feeble way that it can make us to "know that which passeth knowledge," or reveal to us the fulness of a glory proceeding from no earthly sun. For, like the twilight sky of morning, we draw all our brightness from a sun which has not yet risen; and this reflected lustre, though it is the earnest of day's coming splendour, yet gives but a faint idea of what heaven and earth shall be when lighted up by the risen sun itself.
Of this coming light, for which we are waiting amid shadows and conflicts, much is spoken. Our eye is pointed forward to it, as a hope most fitted to cheer us in the hour of grief, and terror, and faintness.
1. It is called "the light of the Lord" (Is. 2:5).—It is Jehovah's own light, not only as flowing from him and kindled by him, but specially in the way of contrast to man's light—"that light of its own fire, those sparks of its own kindling," in which the world has so long been walking (Is. 50:11). In that light of Jehovah we shall walk ere long, when the world's fires and meteors have all gone out, and nothing remains but the light which is unchanging and divine. And how blessed to be done with man and man's light—man's wisdom, man's systems, man's devices—which, at the best, are all but clouded moonshine, and to go forth into a new region where Jehovah himself, in the fulness of his light, and love, and glory, is all in all! With mistakes, and misleadings, and uncertainties, and doubtings, and stumblings, as truly as with sorrows, we shall then have done. The "light of Jehovah" will make these impossible. The day has not yet broken, of which we can say, "If any man walk in the day he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world" (John 11:9). For men everywhere are "walking in the night, and stumbling because there is no light in them." But that long day is at hand, when that which is written shall be fully verified regarding him who "abideth in the light"—that there is "none occasion of stumbling in him" (1 John 2:10). We cannot indeed, even now, excuse our stumblings, or sins, or unbelief, by pleading the want of light; there is enough of light to prevent these, else the Son of God has come in