Lightened With His Glory
Rev. 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
This angel, or messenger, is said to have come down from heaven. Who could that possibly represent, but the Lord Jesus Christ? John 3:13 states, And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. For Christ alone, the eternal Son of God, was authorized by the Father to convey the gospel to mankind! John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
Secondly, it states that he came down having great power. This has previously been attributed to Christ as well! Rev. 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
Now we read that the earth was lightened with his glory. This is the strongest evidence that this angel represents the very Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God! For is not this what he begin to do from the beginning of creation? For the scriptures instruct us that the “S-U-N” was not created until the fourth day! (Gen. 1:14-19). So what was that light that appeared when God said, Let there be light?
Our Lord reveals that to us in John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. He instructs us the light that shown brightly for those days before creation of the “S-U-N” was the glory of the “S-O-N”! 2Cor. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Lighteth Every Man
He is the light of intelligence and reason in every man. John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
And in Colossians 2:3 we read of Christ as he, In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This makes us more fully understand that failure at faith and submission to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, is the cause of one being cast into outer darkness!
Being cast from Christ, who sustains all things by his own personal glory, (Col. 1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist – are held together. Heb. 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,…), is to be cast away from all light and all that light provides! Listen at the description of a completely rebate community even before it is cast into outer darkness – Rev. 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. I wouldn’t want to even imagine what this community would be like when the inner darkness of their souls meets with the outer darkness of their eternal Christlessness!
For all men have a knowledge of God within, that they must kill out in order to go to hell. Roman 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
And, strange as it may seem, it is the relationship of the unbeliever to the gospel that helps them destroy all light within. 2Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. 21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
Exclusive Light to the Church
2 Timothy 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, 10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
The word lightened, in Revelation 18:1, is the exact same Greek word as listed in 1Cor. 4:5. There it appears in English as, “will bring to light”. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Therefore we see that the Light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ is not only the believer’s present salvation, but it is the source of his future hope!
Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. 2 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross
Pastor Gene Breed May 14, 2006
