Illuminating Truths: Exploring the Best Bible Verses about Light
What is the light according to the Bible? Is it merely physical light, or does it include a spiritual dimension? Bible verses about light convey that it is not only a physical phenomenon created by God on the first day. It is also a powerful symbol of the spiritual light, God himself.
Just as Jesus said,
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12)
The physical light that appeared after God said, “Let there be light,” represented and conveyed God’s very presence into the world. It wasn’t yet the light of the sun, which was created on the fourth day. It was the light emanating from God himself.
This light was the life of all creation, not just biologically but also spiritually. Eventually, this divine life – Jesus himself – became the light of men.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4)
This light represented truth, guidance, and divine presence. The Scriptures are replete with verses talking about light and its healing effect. As we explore the profound biblical teachings about light, let’s look at the best verses about light to expound spiritual and metaphorical aspects of God’s presence in the world.
The Light of Creation
The Bible opens with the famous words, “Let there be light.” This marks the beginning of the creation narrative (Genesis 1:3). This inaugural light that poured forth from the mouth of God at the dawn of time was the light of God himself. It may have had a physical aspect to it as well, but it was mainly spiritual light that illuminated all things with God’s presence.
It was the light that carried life to all living things that came after. And it was the light that predated the light of the sun, which would only come on the fourth day. The sun was created as a mighty symbol of God in the world, as David, referring to the Lord, says in Psalm 19,
“…he has set a tent for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. His going out is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends. There is nothing hidden from its heat.”
Since the fourth day of creation, the light of the sun serves as a powerful visible metaphor for the light of God – the light of purity and brilliance poured down from heaven on all God’s handiwork. Throughout the Bible, the theme of light is intertwined with God’s creative power, life, and harmony.
Walking in the Light
Many Bible verses admonish believers to walk in the light. What does it mean? The famous text of the Aaronic blessing reads,
Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)
To walk in the light means to seek the light of God’s face always. It’s in the light of God’s face that we see our light.
In your light we will see light. (Psalm 36:9)
To walk in the light means to seek God’s shining face always. We seek the face of the Lord in everything – in his creation, in brothers and sisters, in prayer, and in the Word of God.
Psalm 119:105 famously declares,
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”
God’s Word is the enlightening guidance from heaven. To be filled with divine light, we must consume the Word of God, who is the Light.
Jesus, the Light of the World
The life-giving light that poured out of the mouth of God on the first day of creation was the light of God’s Son, the second Person of the Trinity. In the New Testament, Jesus calls himself “the light of the world.”
In John 8:12, he says,
“I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”
God the Son, the eternal Logos, came out of the Father’s mouth as he spoke: “Let there be light.”
These profound words reinforce the transformative power of faith in Jesus, who is the eternal light that enlightens every person coming into the world.
Being the Light: A Call to Action
As we contemplate the shining face of God, we can’t help reflecting that light, even as the apostle Paul said,
But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
When the light of God enters our hearts, we become the source of light to others, just like Jesus’ heart was always filled with God’s light. That’s why He was the light of the world. The Bible talks about not only receiving the light but also becoming a source of light for others.
Matthew 5:14-16 says that believers must shine as lights in the world, reflecting God’s glory in all they do and say. The well-known verse “You are the light of the world” is not so much about our moral duty as our ability to mirror back the light received from God. Christians are beacons of hope and compassion in a world shrouded in darkness.
Light in Times of Darkness
Psalms 27:1 reassures,
Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?
When David was besieged by trials and tribulations, he felt fear. He wasn’t a superhero; he was a man just like us. He felt fear when threatened. He felt despair when overwhelmed. He felt anger when provoked. But he was a man after God’s own heart. He poured his heart out to God.
He never suppressed his emotions. He didn’t hold them down or look for a scapegoat. He turned to God – the Source of eternal light. As he did it, his fears alleviated, his anger subsided, his despair evaporated, and he felt renewed.
In times of darkness and trouble, we cannot save ourselves. But if we turn to God and rely on His provisions fully, we will see all our darkness dissipating regardless of our circumstances.
Overcoming Darkness With Light
Bible verses about light emphasize the idea of aligning ourselves with God moment by moment – which is the only way to overcome darkness, both spiritual and physical. For example, 1 John 1:5 says, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”
God’s presence drives out all darkness and dispels the shadows of sin and doubt. Just like the physical light drives out physical darkness, the light of God’s face drives out spiritual darkness. As Martin Luther King said,
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.”
This Bible verse helps us understand why God’s light is the source of transformative power in the life of a believer.
Light as a Symbol of Holiness
In the Bible, light is associated with God’s holiness and purity. God is holy and pure, which means that there’s no sin, evil, or darkness at all in Him. God is the Source of eternal light and delight because there’s nothing else but light in Him. He is pure light with nothing obstructing or blocking it.
In 1 Peter 2:9, the apostle states,
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
God’s light is marvelous. It draws us in. That’s why people flocked to Jesus when He lived on earth. He is the light of the world, and He draws crowds with his pure divine glory. The light of Jesus is the sanctifying power in the lives of those who follow Him.
The Metaphor of Light in Spiritual Growth
In the Bible, the light is a characteristic of God’s life and a metaphor for the process of spiritual transformation and maturity. In Ephesians 5:8, we are called to “walk as children of light.” It means that we are born of the light, and we live in it day by day. That’s why light has such a tremendous transformative power. It fills us with God.
Like little children need their parents’ presence to grow, we also need the light of God’s face to grow in maturity. We are children of light, and we cannot do well spiritually without it.
Still, what does it mean to walk in the light?
It means to be open, sincere, and honest before God. It means to be spiritually vigilant and confess your faults to God and other believers so you can be healed. Walking in the light is a journey of continual transformation and enlightenment. As the famous psychologist Carl Jung said,
“People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. One does not become enlightened by imagining figures of light, but by making the darkness conscious.”
Scriptures About Light: A Guiding Force
God’s light is the guiding force for the believer. The Bible abounds in scriptures about light because it’s the core reality in the lives of all God’s children. Psalm 119:105 beautifully encapsulates this sentiment, stating,
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.”
When we are in fear and doubt, we need enlightenment. We need God’s light to illuminate our paths. We can ask God for wisdom because he gives generously and without reproach. We can turn to brothers and sisters in Christ for advice and patiently devote ourselves to the study of the scriptures as we wait for the Holy Spirit to direct our paths.
Living in the Light of Eternity
As believers, we journey not only through green pastures but also through dark valleys of shadow and death. How do we navigate our journey when it gets pitch black around us, and we can’t see any light at the end of the tunnel?
Indeed, we can’t see much in darkness. Yet the Bible encourages us to look beyond the visible. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 urges believers to focus on the eternal rather than the temporal:
For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory, while we don’t look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The Bible calls us to look at things which are not seen. In other words, when we are overwhelmed by spiritual darkness and can’t see any hope, we should intentionally shift our focus to God’s light – the invisible reality that is always here with us.
How does it look in real life?
Remember Elisha’s servant in 2 Kings 6:17? When he walked out of his tent and looked around with his physical eyes, he saw the city surrounded by the enemy’s horses and chariots, and his heart sank.
“What shall we do?” he cried out to Elisha in dismay. Elisha prayed that God would open his eyes.
He answered, “Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Elisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the young man’s eyes; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. (2 Kings 6:16-17)
When the servants’ eyes were enlightened by God’s light, he saw that there was nothing to fear. In God’s light, he found hope. Just as David said in Psalm 36:9,
“In your light we will see light.”
To live without fear means to continually redirect our gaze to God. The Bible continually admonishes us to align our thoughts with God’s perfections. As we contemplate the enduring nature of God’s light, we transcend the challenges of the present.
God’s Light as the Source of Spiritual Healing
The Bible is full of verses that talk about light as the source of spiritual healing. We are part of a good creation that sprang forth when God said, “Let there be light.” We are nourished by the light and depend on it both physically and spiritually.
From the creation narrative to the teachings of Jesus and the epistles, the scriptures about light give us a profound insight into our spiritual nature. For example, David prays:
Oh, send out your light and your truth. Let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy hill, to your tents. Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my exceeding joy. (Psalm 43:3-4)
David wants to ascend the holy hill of God, which spiritually means becoming whole in body, mind, and spirit. He yearns for “exceeding joy” but knows that God alone can give it. He realizes that the wholeness he seeks can only be attained in God’s light.
It is similar to a mother looking at her baby with a smile. Her shining face gives life to the infant. Research confirms that an infant’s development is often stunted when the mother does not look her baby in the eyes. The longer she looks into her infant’s eyes, the quicker the child develops.
We are God’s children made to gaze at God’s face day and night. That’s what helps us develop spiritually and be whole in body, mind, and spirit. The Bible gives us many ways to contemplate the face of God.
The apostle Paul says,
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report: if there is any virtue and if there is any praise, think about these things. The things which you learned, received, heard, and saw in me: do these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)
As we reflect on these things, we are illuminated by the Spirit of God and see God’s light in all things. We become his light and reflect it back to the lost world. Even as it says,
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. The light has shined on those who lived in the land of the shadow of death. You have multiplied the nation. You have increased their joy. (Isaiah 9:2-3)
As we see the radiance of God’s love and grace in all of creation and in other people, we contemplate God’s face as if in a mirror and start illuminating the world around us with God’s glory. We become conduits of God’s light and glory. We receive it, are transformed by it, and share it with the watching world.
We receive the life of Jesus himself, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, of whom it is said,
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)
