“GOD is Light,” and therefore our guilty first parents were driven from Eden, and cherubim, with a flaming sword, were placed at the east of the garden to keep the way of the tree of life.
“God is Love,” and therefore coats of skin were provided by Him for them, after their sin had proved their nakedness, ―type of a better covering for all who, like them, feel the shame of their spiritual nakedness.
“God is Light,” and therefore the flood swept away the world of the ungodly.
“God is Love,” and therefore an ark was provided by Him for the security of Noah and his family,—type of a fuller security for all who, like Noah, are “by faith moved with fear, when warned by God of things not seen as yet.”
“God is Light,” and therefore the carcases of the men of war fell in the wilderness, because all such, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, had sinned by “despising the pleasant land.”
“God is Love,” and therefore their children, who they feared would die in the desert, entered that land.
“God is Light,” and therefore, when on earth, He pronounced on that guilty people their awful doom: ― “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate!” (Matt. 23)
“God is Love,” and therefore, “even at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace,” out of that very people; whilst, as we read, “so all Israel shall be saved; as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (See Rom. 11)
“God is Light,” and therefore, “because of these things (fornication, all uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness, foolish talking, jesting), the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience.”
“God is Love,” and therefore “you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;... And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ.” (Eph. 2)
“God is Light,” and therefore “I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works ... And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Rev. 20)
“God is Love;” and therefore “the book of life.”
“God is Light,” and therefore “the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
“God is Love,” and therefore He “showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God:...And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations.... walk in the light of it ... There shall be no night there.” (Rev. 21)
“God is Light,” and therefore “without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
“God is Love,” and therefore “whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22)
“God is Light,” and therefore “He hath made him to be sin for us.” “It pleased the Lord to bruise him.” “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission.” “The Son of man must be lifted up.”
“God is Love,” and therefore “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” The cross was the meeting place of these two forces. Sin demanded punishment, and therefore Jesus died, “being made a curse for us,”― was once offered to bear the sins of many; and the light, intolerant of evil, caused then the cry of His sinless soul, “My God, my God, why halt thou forsaken me?” Why? Because he was then bearing the awful judgment of sin.
But at that very point, love reached her climax, was seen in her fullest beauty, and won her grandest victory.
Justice, being satisfied, her sword is returned to its sheath, and mercy stretches forth her hand,—her lovely hand of pardon, life eternal, and unchanging favor. “Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” And whoever of Adam’s guilty race grasps the hand of mercy, finds the antitype of the coats of skin and of the ark, ―he finds God’s salvation; he occupies no “debatable ground,” but one that has been cleared of every charge of sin by God Himself, one that takes its character from the work of the cross, absolutely unimpeachable, and infinitely perfect.
“Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect?” “What shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord?”
One word more, dear reader. Light is intolerant of evil, and the sinner, as such, cannot enter God’s kingdom, but must bear the consequences of his sin forever under judgment. Yet love yearns over such, and the prodigal is welcome, but welcome not without repentance. Light must operate first in the conscience, and then love opens her bosom. But if you desire to escape the eternal consequence of your guilt, ―that dread lake of fire, ―oh! in pity for yourself, act as did that prodigal. Own, in solemn truth, your guilt; pour out into the Father’s ear the whole dark tale of your misery; plead the substitution of the Son of God, His blood shed for the guilty, ―and there await you the kiss, the robe, the ring, the sandals, and, best of all, the fatted calf of blessed communion in spirit with the Father Himself. J. W. S.