But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light... - 1 Peter 2:9
Have you ever visited a cave at a state or national park like Carlsbad Cavern where they take to you the deepest part of the cave and then turn off the lights? The darkness is thick, consuming, and seemingly impenetrable. It is so intense you can feel the darkness. And, then the park ranger strikes a match – just one small match – and the room becomes alive again. It is truly an amazing experience. The experience serves as a perfect illusion for 1 Peter 2: 9. Let’s examine being called out darkness.
Peter begins 1 Peter chapter 2 by continuing his thoughts from the first chapter (not overly surprising – it is a letter after all which he wrote without chapter breaks). Since we have accepted the Gospel and been born again into God (1:22 – 24), we ought to live without hate, deceit, envy, or any evil speaking but instead strive to grow in the word of God. Because of our decision to accept the Gospel and grow with the Lord, Peter tells us we come to God as living stones who like Jesus will be rejected by mankind. Yet, that doesn’t matter to God because He will use us to build His spiritual house (vs. 4 – 5). Peter tells us we also serve as God’s holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices to Him. We are God’s construction material. We are God’s workers. We are worshippers of God. This are our roles once we take on the moniker of Christian.
Using the Old Testament, Peter reminds his Christian readers that the David and Isaiah foretold of the Chief Cornerstone who would be rejected by the builders but who nevertheless would serve as the foundation for Zion. Jesus was and is that cornerstone. Rejected by his own people and by the world. Seen as a rock of offense to those who chose not to believe in Him; but, to those who believe in Him – He is precious (vs.7). According to the Apostle Peter, those who chose not to accept the chief cornerstone are disobedient and stumble as they walk through this world. Then, who are those that accept the cornerstone?
Those who accept Jesus and His Gospel – we are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. Peter labels us as Jesus’ own special people who proclaim the praises due to Jesus. Why do we proclaim His praises? Because Jesus called us out of darkness into HIS marvelous light. The dichotomy between light and darkness is found throughout the Scriptures. Here are just a few instances it appears:
- The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:5
- For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light – Ephesians 5:8
- And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. – John 3:19
- To open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ – Acts 26:18
- Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. – Psalm 119:105
- For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. – 1 Thessalonians 5:5
- You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden…In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:16
- For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. – Psalm 18:28
- And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. – Isaiah 42:16
- The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. – Proverbs 4:19
- This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. – 1 John 1:15
- Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” – John 8:12
The distinction between light and darkness is a common literary tool used throughout the Bible. It is easy to understand and physically demonstrate. Like in Carlsbad Cavern, we stumbled around looking for each other until the ranger lit the match. Even the smallest match lit the whole cave. So, the comparison is easy for those who read and study the Bible to understand. The Bible very clear from start to finish who is the light and who lives in the darkness. Evil, wickedness, death, and destruction live in the dark. Those who walk in the darkness stumble and that don’t even realize it. Satan power resides in the dark. He traps and ensnares souls there. Darkness is the domain of Satan (Colossians 1:13). Jesus even describes hell as a place of “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12). Darkness is a place we do not want to be – either in this life or the next – because it is the place where God does not dwell. Light cannot dwell with darkness.
The Apostle John tells us that God is light and in Him no darkness is found. In fact, heaven is described as a place with no darkness because the glory God shines eternally (Revelation 22:5). God turns the darkness into the light. His words serve as a lamp to our feet to help illuminate the path before us. So, no matter how dark it is around us – God’s light will show us the way through the darkness. God’s light will never forsake us – it will always shine.
Jesus identifies himself as the light of the world. He clearly and plainly says Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Those who decide to follow Jesus will no longer walk in the darkness of this world but walk in His light which give His followers life. Paul describes us as children of light who are no longer of the night. But because we have answered His call, those who live in the darkness will hate us. Jesus tells us simply those who are wicked hate the light because it exposes their evil. The darkness hates light because it shows what is truly going on in the dark. Even a little light, like at Carlsbad Cavern, can shine through immense darkness. So, the darkness seeks to snuff it out at all turns but it doesn’t matter – the light will always shine because God is the light and we serve as His light-bearers in this world.
1 Peter 2:9 makes it clear that once we too walked in that darkness. We stumbled around and perhaps even at times try to destroy the light. But, we have now answered the call of God. The illustration reminds me of a moth. Moths flutter aimless around in darkness but once you flip on the light, they fly and hoover as close to the light source as they can get. Jesus is the source of light and those who respond to Him immediately head toward the light. Like moths, we don’t try to leave the light but instead move in as close as we can get. We are not the people we once were but instead we are now God’s people. We are not those who have no mercy but are now those who have obtained mercy (1 Peter. 2:10) because we have flown to the Marvelous Light of Jesus.
Don’t stumble in the dark but walk uprightly in Jesus’ Light.
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