Day 18: Night
We continue today to dig into Paul's theme of Christ's Second Coming and the concerns it stirred up for the Thessalonians. Yesterday we looked at the day of the Lord and Paul's continued call on God's people to be prepared for that day by living a holy life. We saw that one metaphor used in the Bible for God's holy and righteous people is that of light. Today we look at the opposite metaphor of night or darkness.
"You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him." 1 Thessalonians 5:5-10
Night or darkness are terms used in the Bible to refer to people who do not believe in God or in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. Again we see this in 1 Peter 2:9 as we did yesterday.
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
As God's holy people we have been called out of the darkness and into His wonderful light. Paul, in describing his first encounter with Jesus, shares the story of his own conversion, sharing the words Jesus gave him of God's call on Paul's life to be sent to the Gentiles, "to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:18
Darkness and night, light and day, are metaphors Paul uses often to describe unbelievers and believers. Those who live in darkness have not accepted God's gift of salvation found in His Son Jesus Christ. They instead live within the realm of darkness - the realm under the power of Satan - the realm in which the light of Christ does not shine.
But Jesus promised that sons of darkness can become sons of light. In Him, hope is not lost.
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he 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
"Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” John 12:36
We will have another new technique document with tomorrow's post. I encourage you to keep practicing the different study techniques found on the Bible Study Techniques page When we repeated practice something, it becomes easier, and can result in becoming a habit. There is no greater habit to develop then becoming a student of the Word of God!
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