No More Night

There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. (Revelation 22:5a, NIV 1984).

My Musings – This image that the Glory of God is the source of the city’s light, rather than the sun or moon, is taken directly from Isaiah. “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. 20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more; the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.” (Isaiah 60:19–20, NIV 1984). This is not plagiarism, for God is the author from Genesis through Revelation. Isaiah and John were merely two of His scribes. (see also Isaiah 24:23 and 30:26). Many Jewish teachers stressed that God’s light would fill the world to come. 

These texts suggest that while there may still be a sun and a moon (part of the new heavens), their light just isn’t needed, being overwhelmed by the glory of God. This is somewhat analogous to the way that the brilliance of our sun’s light makes it impossible for us to see the lights of the stars that lie beyond.  There was light from the Lord before the creation of the various light sources of the universe (Genesis 1:3, 14–15), so there will be no need for other sources of light in the New Jerusalem.

My Advice – The world walks in spiritual darkness, seeking enlightenment in all the wrong places. “Jesus said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.'” (John 8:12, NIV 1984). We must come into the light in the here and now in order to walk in the light there and then. Far too many prefer to walk in darkness, or “light” that is really darkness. If that light “is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matthew 6:23, NIV 1984). Don’t be one of the many.

Resources:

Keener, C. S. (1993). The IVP Bible background commentary: New Testament (Re 21:23). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Cabal, T., Brand, C. O., Clendenen, E. R., Copan, P., Moreland, J. P., & Powell, D. (2007). The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (p. 1916). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.