But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:7, ESV

 

Isn’t there something about light that is appealing, both literally and figuratively? As beautiful as a sunrise, it brings joy to the heart and lights up dark spaces with truth and warmth; no-one can see what’s happening in the dark before the light, but when the light breaks through, it chases darkness away revealing life and hope.

 

There is absolutely nothing dark about God; He “lives in unapproachable light” (1Timothy 6:16, NIV) in such brightness that even darkness is light to Him (Psalm139:12) and so brilliant that no person could look at it. But the brilliance of His being is also radiated because of the purity of His character. He is the epitome of holiness, righteousness, faithfulness, and grace; He is love.

 

When Moses asks to see His glory, God answers,”I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you ... but … you cannot see my face … and live.” (Exodus 33:19-20, NIV) God, Himself, compares His glory with His goodness.

 

When Moses met with God on Mt Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, he stayed there “forty days and forty nights” (Exodus 34:28, NIV) and on his return to the people “he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.” (Exodus 34:29, NIV) Interestingly, instead of being drawn to him, everyone feared Moses because of it.

 

When we spend time with God, our faith and understanding flourish as God enlightens us through Moses, and the prophets, that this is the same Truth and Salvation that Jesus “the true light, which gives light to everyone,” (John 1:9) embodies, in perfect connection. Jesus confirms He has not, “come to abolish the Law or the Prophets … but to fulfil them.” (Matthew 5:17) Moses gave the Law, but Jesus shows how to live it.

 

Jesus summed up the Ten Commandments in, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mark 12:30-31, NIV) Jesus died to show His love for us, to connect us to what love truly means, and open the way to eternal life.

 

When we love God, we walk with Him in His light as we revere and serve Him with every fibre of our being; when we love our neighbour, we honour them by treating them as we would like to be treated. There is no space to disgrace, or disrespect, our parents; to kill anyone; to cheat on our spouse; steal from anyone, anywhere; to lie or cheat; or even want what belongs to our neighbour. (Exodus 20:3-17)

 

Upholding this law of love brings harmony between God and us, and us and our neighbour; we receive peace that the world cannot give.

 

God is the same today as He was then; His commandments never change. The law He gave Moses to provide a system of moral and ethical living in the desert, instructed them on how to relate to Him and to one another then; how much more does our dark world need His commandments, for the good of all, today?

 

Prayer: Precious Light of the world, shine Your love and righteousness into my heart, I pray. Amen

 

 

Daar is iets so bekoorlik aan lig, beide letterlik en figuurlik. Soos 'n pragtige sonsopkoms bring lig blydskap in ons harte wanneer dit met waarheid en warmte ons donker siele verlig. Sonder lig weet niemand wat in die donker gebeur nie, maar wanneer die lig deurbreek, verdring dit die duisternis en bring dit lewe en hoop.

 

Daar is absoluut geen donkerte in God nie. Vir Hom, wat " ontoeganklike lig bewoon" (1 Timoteus 6:16) "is die duisternis soos die lig" (Psalm 139:12) en dit skyn so helder dat niemand daarna kan kyk nie. Sy wese straal helderheid uit want sy karakter is rein. Hy is die absolute toonbeeld van heiligheid, geregtigheid, getrouheid en genade. Hy is liefde.

 

Toe Moses God vra om sy heerlikheid aan hom te wys, het God geantwoord: "Ek sal al my goedheid reg voor jou laat verbygaan ... Jy kan nie my gesig sien nie, want 'n mens kan My nie sien en bly leef nie." (Eksodus 33:19-20) God self, vergelyk sy heerlikheid met sy goedheid.

 

Toe Moses op die berg Sinai was om die Tien Gebooie van God te ontvang, "was [hy] daar by die Here veertig dae en veertig nagte lank" (Eksodus 34:28), maar met sy terugkeer na die volk, het hy "nie geweet dat die vel van sy gesig stralend was omdat hy met God gepraat het nie." (Eksodus 34:29) Interessant genoeg, in plaas van om tot Moses met sy stralende gesig aangetrokke te wees, was die mense te bang om naby hom te kom.

 

Wanneer ons tyd met God spandeer en Hy ons deur Moses en die profete verlig, groei ons geloof en begrip en ontdek ons dat dieselfde waarheid en verlossing deur Jesus, "die ware lig wat elke mens verlig" (Johannes 1:9), volkome beliggaam is. Jesus bevestig dat Hy nie "gekom het om die Wet of die Profete af te skaf nie ... maar om te vervul." (Matteus 5:17) Moses het die Wet gegee, maar Jesus het gekom om ons te wys hoe om dit te leef.

 

Jesus som die Tien Gebooie soos volg op: "Jy moet die Here jou God liefhê met jou hele hart en met jou hele siel en met jou hele verstand en met al jou krag’. Die tweede is dit, ‘Jy moet jou naaste liefhê soos jouself." (Markus 12:30-31) Jesus het gesterf om sy liefde aan ons te bewys, om ons te verbind aan wat liefde werklik beteken en om die pad na die ewige lewe oop te maak.

 

Wanneer ons God liefhet, stap ons saam met Hom in sy lig en eer en dien Hom met alles in ons; wanneer ons ons naaste liefhet, eer ons hulle deur hulle te behandel soos ons behandel wil word. Daar is geen ruimte om skande oor ons ouers te bring of oneerbiedig teenoor hulle op te tree nie; om enigiemand te vermoor nie; ons lewensmaats te bedrieg nie; van enigiemand te steel nie, te lieg of bedrieg, of selfs dit wat aan ons naaste behoort te begeer nie. (Eksodus 20:3-17)

 

Wanneer ons hierdie gebod van liefde onderhou, lei dit tot harmonie tussen God en ons, en tussen ons en ons naaste. Ons ontvang vrede wat die wêreld nie kan bied nie.

 

God is dieselfde vandag as wat Hy toe was, sy gebooie verander nooit nie. Die Wet wat Hy aan Moses gegee het, was om 'n stelsel van moraliteit en etiese leefwyse vir die volk in die woestyn daar te stel en hulle te leer hoe om met Hom, en met mekaar, 'n verhouding te hê. Hoeveel te meer benodig ons donker wêreld nie vandag sy gebooie ten goede van almal nie?

Gebed: Wonderlike Lig van die wêreld, laat u liefde en geregtigheid in my hart skyn. Ek bid dit in u Naam. Amen