Rebels Against the Light

"There are those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways nor abide in its paths."

Job 24:13

During Job's discussion with his friends, he spoke of murderers, adulterers and thieves who operated under the cover of darkness.  Their sin was premeditated and meticulously planned, for they made disguises to avoid detection and scoped out properties during the day to return to plunder after dark.  These are those who "rebel against the light," who know what they are doing (and are planning to do) is wrong, but they choose to do it anyway.

God who created the sun to shine by day and the moon to shine by night has given every man the light of his own conscience, the ability to reason and make judgments and provided the light of God's word.  Even young children have a sense of morality built into them and express their displeasure over what seems unfair.  This concept of fairness is not cast off in our adulthood but further refined according to our worldview.  No other beast or creature God made on earth possesses this capacity for convictions we can declare, promote and live by.  Human beings by God's design can override the mindless reactions of instinct, follow our convictions and walk guided the light of our conscience when others walk in darkness.

It is a grave thing indeed to rebel against the light, for it is willful departure from what we know is right.  People wrongly paint God as a cruel ogre who punishes people for what they are ignorant of, but the truth is He will hold all accountable for the light they have been given, what they know and have chosen to intentionally violate.  Sin against the light is a sin is blatant hypocrisy and rebellion God will certainly hold to account.  God did not only cause the light of the sun to shine or the light of His Scripture the Bible, but He sent Jesus Christ as the Light of the World to plainly speak and demonstrate what righteousness looks like:  love from a pure heart.  It is by knowing Christ by faith and abiding in Him we can walk in the light.

Jesus revealed Himself to be the true Light that shines in the darkness, and He said in John 3:19:  "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."  John 8:12 says plainly, "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."  Seeing light shine is one thing, but walking in the light by following Jesus in submission and obedience and having the light is another.  Those who rebel against the light rush to ruin though they reign on earth, for God will bring such down to the dust in death and to hell forever for their folly.  Let us choose to walk and abide in the Light rather than rebelling against light we have received and know.