We continue our topic of Jesus referring to Himself as the Great I AM, who revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush. When Moses asked God about His name, the LORD told Moses to tell the children of Israel that I AM that I AM was sending him to them. God was saying that He is all we need Him to be.
During the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, there were two grand ceremonies. The first was the Water Libation Ceremony, where the priest poured water from a chalice at the Altar of Burnt Offering. At that moment, just before the water was poured, Jesus stood above all those present and shouted for everyone to hear, “If any man is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him" (John 7:37-38). The apostle John clarifies that the Lord was speaking of the pouring out of the Holy Spirit.
The second ceremony was called the Illumination of the Temple and in the Court of the Women stood four large candelabras or candlesticks. The Mishnah (Sukkah 5:2-3) tells us that each candlestick had four great golden bowls, with a ladder at each, allowing the younger priests to climb up, fill the bowls with oil, and set them alight when darkness fell. Since the Temple Mount was the highest point in the city, the blaze from the candlesticks illuminated most of Jerusalem. During the Feast of Tabernacles, the Jewish people were commanded by God to celebrate for seven days (Numbers 29:12); therefore, all night, there was dancing and rejoicing before the Lord. It is possible that at twilight, as the young priests were lighting the lamps, Jesus said the words,
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
In the above Scripture, Jesus again claims that He is God in the flesh. The "I Am" part of His statement was the Greek form of the Hebrew revelation of when God said to Moses,
God told Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).
Jesus didn't say, "I am a light" or even "one of the lights." The statement is exclusive: "I am the light of the world.” The Pharisees and rulers heard His words, which again say a lot about the character of Jesus—He didn't say these things only to His disciples. He spoke to everyone about His identity, whether they were for or against Him. Christ did not whisper these truths to just a few but courageously proclaimed the truth and let the chips fall where they may. He was not at all fearful of telling the truth. The Pharisees immediately challenged Him because they understood that it was a claim to divinity. God had spoken to them several times, affirming that He was their light: “The Lord is my light” (Psalm 27:1). “The Lord will be your everlasting light” (Isaiah 60:19). “By His light I walked through darkness” (Job 29:3).
Jesus is the Light of the World, the God who wants to come alongside us and lead the way through the darkness you may encounter. Whatever trials you are going through, Christ is the Light that led the children of Israel out of the darkness of their lives in Egypt, and if you ask Him, He will be your light in the middle of the nighttime today. Keith Thomas
Taken from the study in the Gospel of John, click study 18. Jesus, the Light of the World
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