The Light of Darkness

 An online Bible study/marking group that I'm in has been giving us prayer prompts lately stemming from a word thread post we used earlier on the word darkness. Each day the moderator will post a verse from that thread to prompt us to use in order to pray Scripture. Today the verse was Luke 11:35,

"Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness." 

I have meditated on this verse most of the day. I even took a nap and dusted a few trinkets I keep in my windowsill, before the Spirit brought to mind something I had learned earlier this year and that is the idea of Satan in the ancient near east mindset, as the Shining One. Paul, a Hebrew of Hebrews, wrote in 2 Corinthians 11:14,

"Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light". 

What's interesting is the verses surrounding my prompt verse in Luke 11 speak of vision, and the importance of having a "good eye" vs a "bad eye" or that your vision be "healthy" vs "unhealthy". And whenever we look at Revelation 12:9 there is a list of words the apostle John uses describing Satan, 

 "And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

Two things of note here: first the second descriptor used is "ancient serpent" which in the Greek is the word ophis (ὄφις). According to Strong's Exhaustive Concordance it comes from the word optanomai (ὀπτάνομαι) which refers to "sharpness of vision". The Topical Lexicon on Bible Hub says, "Although the verb carries the simple idea of “being seen” or “appearing,” it consistently conveys more than mere visibility. It is used of a self-revelation intended to confirm reality to the observer."

Second this verse in Revelation seems to refer back to Isaiah 14:12 which says, 

 "Look how you have fallen from the sky, O shining one, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O conqueror of the nations!" NET Bible

It seems to me that Satan is consistently depicted as the counterfeit Light. Desperately trying to catch our gaze.  Other versions of this verse in Isaiah refer to him as "the morning star", which is what Jesus proclaims as His rightful title in Rev 22:16, 

  “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright Morning Star.”

When we reflect back to whenever Satan first crept into the scene, he was described as cunning, or arum (עָרוּם) in Hebrew. This word is used eleven times in the OT and the context in which it's used creates a literary thread that contrasts deceptive self-reliance with discerning reliance on the LORD. 

Notice that the Greek word for serpent speaks of self-revelation and this descriptor of him speaks to our self-reliance. This makes me reflect on a question I posed once during Bible study at my church. I asked, "If God is the only omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent One, is the inner negative and condemning voice in my head me and not Satan?" And a wise woman responded by asking "Does it matter?" 

Something I learned today from a book I'm reading by Chaim Bentorah, is that the Talmud admonishes one never to study the Torah alone. The Talmud is a written compilation of Jewish oral law. Pirkei Avot 3:2 says, 

“If two sit together and words of Torah are spoken between them, the Divine Presence rests between them.”

This is a teaching to safeguard against self-deception. And it reveals one misunderstanding we might have when we read Jesus' words recorded in Matthew 18:19-20, 

"Again, I tell you truly that if two of you on the earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven. For where two or three gather together in My name, there am I with them.”

When understood through the lens of the oral law taught in that day, we see that these verses aren't meant as a magic formula in order to get your prayers answered. But rather, a way for us to understand if our requests are the will of the Father, or maybe, the will of our flesh. 

Especially if we back up and read the preceding verses, which speak of benefit of witnesses in understanding offense and truth.  

On my last trip to the doctor, my husband and I stopped at Barnes and Noble and while I was there, I ran across The Lectio Bible which doesn't include headings, chapters or verse markings, allowing you to read more fluidly and contextually, without someone else's framework dictating and separating Scripture for you.

For instance, today's verse in Luke falls into a section under the heading "Jesus Teaches about Light Within" and it consists of Luke 11:33-36. But what if I back up and read these three verses in context with the preceding verses about prayer and the gift of the Holy Spirit as an answer to that prayer, for avoiding temptation. And then we read the story of Jesus casting out demons, being accused of wielding the power of Satan. He then teaches us that division is a weakness that leads to destruction. 

If biblical understanding of light is about wisdom, understanding and Spiritual insight wouldn't that place these verses in context, cautioning us about the importance of assessing whether our interpretations and perceptions of life stem from dark selfish desires or for the betterment of others in accordance with the wisdom given by the Spirit. Do we twist and manipulate God's word to benefit ourselves or do accept the truth as the whole truth and let it change us. And how readily available access to His light is! It's a gift from above that our father will not withhold or give us false counterfeit light, "Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be open. You faithers--if your children ask for a fish do you give them a snake instead?" 

The word Jesus uses to describe the good, healthy eye in the Greek is the antonym for the word meaning "double". Which reminds me of the teaching found in James 1:5-8

"Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways."

This verse was explained by Michael Defazio, a professor of New Testament and Hermeneutics at Ozark Christian College, as asking for God's wisdom/advice and then not following it. Which is precisely what Jesus says in Luke 11:28 when He says,

“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Another teaching found in 1 John 2:16 says, 

"For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world."

Or as James puts it, 

"Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away."  

When Jesus speaks of the unhealthy, bad or "evil eye" -- that was a common phrase linked to a teaching on selfishness and having a lack of compassion. Because the concept is so equated with envy and greed, its easily missed when reading most translations. But the KJV mentions it in several verses because in the original Greek it actually says "ophthalmos ponēros" which translates to "evil eye"

We read in Deuteronomy 15:9 "Beware lest there be a base thought in your heart… and your eye be evil against your poor brother… and in chapter 28:54-56 we read about a what life will be like without the blessings of the Lord, but under a curse when famine will be so bad vs 54 it says "So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother," In 1 Samuel whenever we read about Saul's envy of David it says "So Saul eyed David from that day on." Proverbs 23:6 "Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats" and in Proverbs 28:22 "He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him." In the New Testament when reading in Matt 20:15 at the end of the parable about workers of the vineyard, this phrase is used to describe the workers who had worked all day and complained about the workers who showed up towards the end yet received the same pay, "Is your eye evil because I am good." And Jesus gives a list of the things that defile from within a person in Mark 7:22 "Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness"

James 3 teaches us that true wisdom that comes from God does not include jealousy and selfishness. Those things are...

"earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere."

Heavenly Father, Your Word promises that you happily and willingly give us, in abundance, wisdom from Your Spirit in order to live this life in a way that builds up your Kingdom. We are to take this wisdom and apply it to our lives in a way that lights the way for others. Please keep and guard me from the sin that so easily entangles and deliver me from the cunning lies of Satan and any self-deception lurking in the corners of my heart. Please continually fill me with Your light, exposing every dark corner so that I may live a life that pleases you and willingly helps those around me. I ask these things and praise you for your good gifts, in Jesus' name. Amen.