The “Light Commission” was first given to Adam and Eve to teach their descendants the ways of the Lord. Their failure to fulfil that commission postponed His plan until Noah came along. Noah fulfilled his commission to be a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Pet. 2:5) in the midst of a Satan-worshiping world. However, he was rejected totally by those who refused to see the light of God in him. Their deaths by drowning reveals the Lord’s attitude toward anyone who rejects those whom He sends as His witnesses.   Later, God raised up the nation of Israel to be His light to the nations (Gentiles–heathen) who would “come to your (their) light” when they saw God manifested in the children of Abraham. Heathenization of the nation of Israel caused the Lord to alter His plan drastically, but only temporarily. Many generations later He would send the Word to earth as a man–Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus–the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13)–spoke His Father’s Words of life to the Israelites who had returned to the Promised Land from Babylonian captivity. He came not only to shed His light upon them, but to arrange for a few of their brethren to go into all the world where they would take that light (God’s word) to the scattered Israelites by word and example. Those Israelites who embraced His light would then serve as His lights to the Gentiles among whom they lived.

Jesus spent 3 1/2 years teaching the Jews (tribes of Judah, Benjamin and Levi) the ways of the Father. Knowing that His light-giving ministry would be of short duration, the “light of the world” (Jn. 8:12)chose and trained a group of men whom He would later send to the Lost Sheep of the House (nation) Israel as His witnesses/light-bearers who would tell them that their promised Messiah had come. To these apostles (sent ones) He said: “You are the light of the world” (Mat. 5:14-14) whom He would set as a “city on a hill” for all the world to see. Knowing the mind of man, He warned that only a few of their brethren would follow their light through the strait gate and along the narrow way that leads to eternal life. The God-seeking masses, He warned, would follow Satan’s false prophets through his wide gate and along his broad way that leads to eternal death. Those few God-appointed ministers who have followed the original apostles over the past 2000 years have found this to be the case as the Institutional Church has grown to great size (Mat. 13:31)–2,000,000,000+ at present. This religious conglomerate stands out in stark contrast to the Lord’s church comprised of only a “few” dedicated souls who, through diligent searching, having managed to “find” it, are willing to “strive” (endure persecution from Satan’s church) to enter it (Mat. 7:13,14) where they “endure (persecution) to the end” in order to inherit eternal life (Mat. 10:22). This is the Lord’s “little flock” (Lk. 12:32) who have come out of the world’s darkness and into God’s light. To be continued. L.J.