Shine

DEVOTION

EXODUS

SHINE

Ex 10:21-29

21 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt — darkness that can be felt." 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. 23 No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. 24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind." 25 But Moses said, "You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God. 26 Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD." 27 But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go. 28 Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die." 29 "Just as you say," Moses replied, "I will never appear before you again."

NIV

Certainly this was a demonstration of the power of God against one of the prominent gods of the Egyptians, Ra, god of the sun. When you consider how dark the darkness was that no one could see anyone else, that is real true darkness, they type of darkness in which no light exists at all. Not a sliver of light to be seen anywhere. It was a darkness that could be felt. Although we are not told in the exact words, when Moses was summoned by the Pharaoh it was still in this darkness in which no one could see anyone else yet Pharaoh tells Moses, “Get out of my sight!”, it would appear Moses brought light with him. We are told there was light wherever the Israelites lived and Moses was an Israelite. We can just imagine in this complete darkness with the absence of any light at all, not the darkness of night, with the light of the stars and moon, but with no light at all, here comes Moses shining brightly as he walks into the palace to stand before the presence of Pharaoh. What a sight that most have been. He must have appeared as a god, a beacon of light in the darkness. Surely there is a lesson here. But before we get to that lesson we should also note the lasts exchange in this narrative. When Pharaoh tells Moses to get of his sight, to make sure that he does not appear before him again, because if he does he will die, Moses tells him, “Just as you say, I will never appear before you again”. Isn’t that a warning for mankind? If a person tells God never appear before them again, or they will consider him dead, what does that mean? There are some who yell, “God is dead” Others have written, “God is not dead”. If a person refuses to acknowledge God, he might just say, “Just as you say, I will never appear before you again”. They will surely not ever see God, never experience his presence, ever again, for their fate is to perish, to cease to exist, not just in the physical sense, but in the spiritual as well. But let us go back to the lesson for today. As Moses must have been a beacon of light in the darkness, we too can be that same beacon. Sure, we do not, nor may never experience that type of darkness, but there is a darkness that shrouds over the world. There is a spiritual darkness that penetrates the hearts and minds of people. It is so dark they cannot see themselves or anyone else. Although the sun rises each day, the veil of darkness in their hearts is not affected. It is only Jesus, the light of the world who can pierce that kind of darkness.

John 8:12

12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 

NIV

 Yet we are told we should be the light of the world as well.

Matt 5:14-16

14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

NIV

Even in the midst of all the darkness, we carry the light of God within us. Like Moses must have appeared as a shining light, we too should appear as a shining light in this dark filled world. With the Spirit dwelling in us, we can shine brightly showing the world the light of Jesus Christ, so they never have to walk in the darkness again. What a scary sight Moses must have been to Pharaoh. He must have been a threat to everything Pharaoh believed, to the gods Pharaoh believed in, even in himself, as he sat in total darkness for three days until Moses appears bringing light with him. It is possible some who sit in the darkness, who live in refusal to God, are also threatened by the light we bring with us when we encounter them. They may well tell us to “Get out of my sight”. But nevertheless we have an obligation to walk in the light, to be the light, to shine that light into the darkest of places. We cannot do this if we only visit with others who live in the light. We cannot do this if we only show our light in church. We must go where we are summoned, into the darkness to appear before those who are in the darkness, so we can shine.