"And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19, ESV

It was one of those first-responder type of nights.  One of our kids cried out complaining of an earache, and although I was quick to attend to his needs, I was also cautious.  Cautious because 1) I don't always have the best balance when I awaken abruptly, and 2) I'm not always certain our kids have cleaned up their rooms from the previous day's play.  On this night, I decided to turn on a hall light outside the bedroom my sons share, and I safely navigated my way through a minimal mess of clothes and a few baseball trading cards.  A little while later, in response to a second moan of pain, I rushed to my son's bedside without turning on any lights, relying upon my memory of the lay of the land.  But sure enough, the darkness got the best of me as I stumbled over a mini pinball machine I hadn't noticed before laying in the shadows.  Lesson learned (or rather re-learned!) -- use the light!  We're better off with it until the sun comes up in order to safely navigate physical darkness.  Could the same be true in our efforts to safely navigate the spiritual darkness of this world?

GOD'S LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

Absolutely.  And I'm so thankful that God has given us His Word "as a lamp to my feet and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105).  The Bible dispels the darkness of this world like nothing else can.  The apostle Peter expresses the same reality in the opening chapter of his second epistle, but with a significant emphasis twist.  In an effort to remind believers of things they already know but must not become negligent of (2 Pet. 1:12-13), Peter affirms the value of the apostles' first-hand account of Jesus, but more urgently points us to the light of God's "prophetic word" (v. 19).  While the psalmist testifies of the illuminating impact of God's Word in general, Peter urges us to pay close attention to the prophecies of Scripture as a lamp that empowers us to safely navigate the spiritual darkness of this world not just in ancient times but "until the day dawns" at the return of Christ (2 Pet. 1:19).

A LIGHT THEN AND NOW

Think for a moment and recall just a few of those instances in the Bible when God's people found strength in the light of God's prophetic word:

• Through their centuries-long darkness of Egyptian slavery, the descendants of Jacob found hope in the prophecies of deliverance given first to Abraham (Gen. 15:13) and then affirmed by Joseph (Gen. 50:25).
•  Much later, when the nation of Israel had been taken captive to Babylon for their incorrigible idolatry and rebellion against God, the prophetic word spoken through Jeremiah lit up the darkness of Israel's captivity with assurance of God's good plans and a return to their homeland (Jer. 29:10-11).
• Just after their Rabbi's crucifixion, the disciples grieved in a dark pit of doubt and devastation, until their Risen Lord opened their understanding and explained all the prophecies concerning Himself (Lk. 24:44-45).  Only in light of the prophetic word could the apostles grasp the necessity of Jesus' suffering, the power of His resurrection, and the gospel message of repentance and forgiveness they were called to take to the world (vv. 46-48)!

Now as we await the return of Jesus, we can turn to God's prophetic word to shine light and hope upon whatever spiritual darkness, doubt, or bondage we endure today.  

It may be our tendency to feel overconfident and neglect to turn on the light, so to speak, but let's heed Paul's counsel to "not treat prophecies with contempt" (1 Thes. 5:20, NET) as if their relevance is outdated or unwelcome in the 21st century.  God has shown us His plan to raise up a people who will "prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings" (Rev. 10:8), and by doing so they will actually co-labor with heaven to proclaim "the everlasting gospel...to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people" (Rev. 14:6) to prepare the world for Jesus' 2nd advent!   If the prophetic word truly does shine as a lamp "until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts" (2 Pet. 1:19), then by all means, let's pay attention to it.  And as we receive the light of God's prophetic word for ourselves, may God use us to share the prophetic word to help others find light in their darkness.