The Bible is a Lamp or a Light
The Bible uses the illustration of itself being a Lamp or a Light.
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Try walking in the dark and you will find it is not easy. You are full of doubt and you are unsure of where you are and where you are going. I did some walking and even cross country skiing in the dark when I was young and foolish. High in the Rocky Mountains with no towns nearby it is dark. It can be really dark. And walking only barely being able to see the path not only causes you to be unsure about that step you are taking but it can be dangerous. There could be a hole in the trail, or a root sticking up or some other obstacle. More than once I got hurt or in trouble because I could not see where I was going.
God does not want our spiritual lives to be like that. He wants us to be able to see clearly so that we can know where to go and so we can see the dangers ahead. Walking in the light helps us avoid a whole lot of hurt, troubles and dangers.
Psa 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The Bible is a lamp unto my feet. That refers to where I am right now. My immediate surroundings. His word gives us light to where we are in life right now. And it is a light unto my path. That refers to where I am going. What is ahead of me. God’s Word gives us direction both for the right now and for what is ahead. There are many paths you can take in life. In fact there are more paths out there than we can name or identify. They are without number. Which one should I take in life. Which path will lead me to have a better life. Which path is more pleasing to God.
The answer is the path that God’s Word lights for us.
Psa 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
We will go into that verse deeper another week. I really love this one. It starts out, The entrance. If you let it in, the Bible will give light, it will give understanding unto the simple. No PHD. Required. God loves everyone and wants everyone to benefit from His light.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
The Bible was given to us by a loving God for our benefit. We do well when we take heed to what it says. When we see it as a light that shines for us to illuminate the dark that is all around us. We have darkness all around and sometimes we have darkness in our own hearts.
Jer_17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
We need the light of God’s word, and we need to allow it to show us our way and yes we need it to illuminate the dark places in our hearts when we get off track.
Since the Bible is so important for our walk with God. In this teaching time we are often going to be looking at promises, instructions, and wisdom from the Bible to help light our way in life.