Eternal Light
Physical death – the separation of the body, for a short time, from the spirit, is a reality all of us have to face. Yet death is not final! Isaiah reminds us of a fact repeated in the New Testament –
“But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!”
Isaiah 26:19
Resurrection is firmly linked with light! And that light is life giving! Then, as in the completion of a circle, John records, in terminology identical in places to that of Isaiah’s, –
“And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds follow them!”
Revelation 14:12-14
Could it be that it is the ”good deeds” (which, as we noted earlier, are the evidence, in our earthly lives, of The Light at work in and through us) that witness to the “life giving light” that will “fall like dew” upon our human bodies on resurrection morning, causing them to “rise up and sing for joy”? Whether or not that is the case it is “life giving light” that will empower resurrection!
It is at that time, as the Apostle Paul indicates – “we shall also bear the image of the heavenly”. (1 Corinthians 15:49)
As we have seen again and again this “image” is light infused and light empowered. We shall, on that day, be children of light in the complete understanding of the term.
In one of his majestic Psalms, David describes God as – “dressed in a robe of light.” (Psalm 104:1)
Again, as we have noted previously, the imagery of white, bright, illuminated clothing is one that is used to describe all heavenly beings. It is also interesting to note that Jesus, in the book of Revelation, speaks of some Christians today who soil– “their clothes with evil” – but states of those who walk in a manner worthy of their God – “They will walk with me (Jesus) in white, for they are worthy” … All who are victorious will be clothed in white”. (Revelation 3:3-5)
I personally find all of this sobering and heart searching, for as Jesus indicated –
“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter”.
Matthew 7:21
But the day will come – for those walking in the light today – when they will see the New Jerusalem, the Bride of the Lamb, descending from God out of this dimension of Light we call Heaven. We will be clothed in His Light – dwell in His City of Light – and he himself will be our Light –
“No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him. And they will see his face, and his name will be written on their foreheads. And there will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.”
Revelation 22:3 – 5
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