'O GOD SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT'

"Send out your light and your truth.  May these themselves lead me." -PSALM 43:3.



JEHOVAH is very considerate in the way he makes his purposes known to  his servants.  Instead of revealing the truth all at once in one blinding flash of light he enlightens us progressively.  Our trek along life's pathway might be compared to a walk that a hiker takes down a long trail.  He starts out early in the morning and sees little.  As the sun begins to rise slowly over the horizon, the hiker is able to distinguish a few features of his surroundings.  The rest he sees in a  hazy outline.  But as the sun continues its ascent, he can see farther and  farther into the distance.  So it is with  the spiritual light that God provides.  He allows  us  to discern a few things at a time.  God's Son, Jesus Christ, provided spiritual enlightenment in a similar manner.  Let us consider how Jehovah enlightened his people in ancient times and how he does so today.

The composers of the 43 Psalm likely were the sons of Korah.  As Levites, they were privileged  to teach God's law to the people.  (Malachi 2:7) Of course, Jehovah was their Grand Instructor, and they looked to him as the Source of all wisdom.  (Isaiah 30:20) "O God, . . .send out your light and your truth,"  the psalmist prayed.  "May these themselves lead me."  (Psalm 43:1, 3) As long as the Israelites were faithful to him, Jehovah taught them his ways.  Centuries later, Jehovah favored them with light and truth of a most remarkable kind.  God did so when he sent his Son to the earth.

As the man Jesus Christ, God's Son was "the light of the world."  (John 8:12)  He taught the people "many things with illustrations" -new things.  (Mark 4:2)  He told Pontius Pilate:  "My kingdom is no part of this world."  (John 18:36)  That was a new idea for a  Roman and surely for nationalistic Jews, for they thought that  the Messiah would bring the Roman Empire to its knees and restore Israel to its former glory.  Jesus was reflecting light from Jehovah, but  his words did not please Jewish rulers, who "loved the glory of men more than even the glory of God."  (John 12:42, 43)  Many of the people chose to cling to their human tradition rather than to accept spiritual light and truth from God. -Psalm 43:3,;  Matthew 13:15.

However, a few honesthearted men and women joyfully embraced the truth that Jesus taught.  They made steady progress in their understanding of God's purposes.  As the end of their Teacher's earthly life drew near, though, they still had much to learn.  Jesus told them: "I have many  things yet to say to you, but you are not able to bear them at present."  (John 16:12) Yes, the disciples would continue to grow in understanding of God's truth.

Next time: The Light Continues to Shine

Watchtower, 2000