God is Light and Light Dwells with God

Years ago, I knew a woman who frequently joyfully exclaimed, Shon-da-la, being interpreted: shine the light. This one word reminds us God is Light and light dwells with God. He can shine a light on and change any dark situation.

In Daniel 2, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah found themselves in a life-threatening situation.

The king of Babylon had a troubling dream he did not understand.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled his spirit and kept him awake.

The king called his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers, and the Chaldeans to come and tell the king his dream – the dream and its interpretation, no less. Say what?

“The Chaldeans answered the king and said, ‘There is not a man on earth who can tell the king’s matter. Therefore, no king, lord, or ruler has ever asked such things of any magician, astrologer, or Chaldean. It is a difficult thing that the king requests. And there is no other who can tell it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh’.” (Dan 2:10)

Here we see the king’s top advisers were stargazers, spellbinders, diviners, and professional predictors of the future. Worthless! These people had no insight at all or any source to reveal the king’s dream and interpretation.

The king decrees his advisors be killed.

The king was furious. He commanded that his soldiers execute all the wise men.

Daniel heard of the king’s decree from Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, after which Daniel went in and asked the king for some time that he might tell the king his dream and what it meant. Because Daniel knew light dwells with God.

Daniel and his friends prayed.

Daniel then went home and discussed the situation with Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Together, they sought the Lord about the king’s dream. (Dan 2:14-18)

God of Light reveals the king’s dream to Daniel

Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So, Daniel blessed the God of Heaven.

‘Blessed be the Name of God forever and ever,

for wisdom and might are His.

And He changes the times and the seasons.

He removes kings and raises up kings,

He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

God reveals deep and secret things.

He knows what is in the darkness.

And light dwells with God.’ (Dan 2:19-22)

Daniel tells the king’s dream and gives the meaning.

In the dream, the king saw a great image:

• The head was fine gold.
• The breast and arms were silver.
• Belly and thighs were bronze.
• Its legs were iron.
• Its feet was partly iron and partly clay.

This image and the metals represented four successive gentile empires.

• Babylon (gold)
• Medes-Persia (silver)
• Greece (bronze)
• Rome (iron)
• Empire yet to arise (ten toes partly iron and partly clay)

In short, the king’s dream was a prophecy of the rise and fall of four successive empires beginning with Babylon that ruled over the Israelites through the time of Jesus the Messiah. Then there is a gap of time before the fifth and final earthly empire arises.

The end of the dream:

a stone cut out without hands struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, and the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors, the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. (Dan 2:34-35)

One day, maybe sooner than we think, the Lord will return to set up His indestructible kingdom, bringing an end to all earthly empires. (Dan 2:44)

God is Light and Light Dwells with God.

Thanks to the God of Light, Daniel and his friends survived many life-threatening situations and thrived.

Indeed, light dwells with God ―the Creator of the universe, the Giver, and Sustainer of all life, the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, He alone knows the universe’s secrets, secrets of people’s hearts, and the future. He can shine a light on any dark situation and show the way out.

Ask Him to shine the light on dark situations you (or others) face and expect answers.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears attentive to their prayers. (1 Pet 3:12a)