The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. ~Proverbs 4.18-19
Solomon incentivizes his son to accept his words and walk in the path of wisdom with the promise of ever-growing light. Light is a great blessing in everyday life, but why would ever-growing light be an incentive to walk in the path of wisdom? Solomon’s promise is rooted in deep themes of Scripture that begin with the story of light and darkness in the opening scenes of history.
There was a time when there was nothing outside of God himself. You and I can’t imagine “nothing,” for when we try to imagine “nothing” we are imagining something. Nothing means that there wasn’t even darkness. On the opening day of history, God created heaven and earth and, with it, darkness (cf. Isa 45.7). Darkness was not evil in the broad sense of affliction or trouble or in the narrow sense of being sinful. In fact, God judges all of his creation “good” at the end of the week. Darkness was a part of each day and was, therefore, good with the rest of creation.
Darkness is not evil, but it is immature or incomplete. Since God is light and in him is no darkness at all (1Jn 1.5) but darkness can still be considered “good,” we must conclude that darkness is a beginning in search for a radiant ending. That is indeed what we see in the creation week. God creates light on the first day of the week and separates it from the darkness. Each day of creation repeats day one of creation so that darkness moves to light.
The order of creation has meaning. Paul makes this clear when he speaks about the order of the creation of the man and woman (cf. 1Cor 11.8-9; 1Tm 2.8-15). If God had desired it, he could have made everything initially in light. But he didn’t. Because he didn’t, his order of creation reveals his will and purpose for light and darkness. Each day not only retells the story of the first day of creation, but it also tells the story of creation from beginning to end: the world is moving from darkness to light, from incompleteness to fullness, from immaturity to maturity.
This story has been told throughout history. Your own origins begin in the darkness of a womb until the day of your birth when you see the light. The story is written in every individual. But it is also written in the story of humanity, especially embodied in Israel. Israel is a nighttime people, governed by the moon and stars. Passover was at a full moon. They feasted at the new moon each month. The Tabernacle was a relatively dark place, being adorned with a seven-star lampstand (cf. Ex 25.31ff.; cp. Rev 1). Solomon increased the light in the Temple to ten seven-star lampstands (2Chr 4.7), but they were still stars. The Sun was hidden behind the veil, waiting to overcome the darkness (cp. Mal 4.2).
The world is maturing to the point that its light is able to dwell with the one who dwells eternally in the light; the one in whom is no darkness at all. God, being complete in himself, doesn’t move from immaturity to maturity. Only we do that. His plan is to move his immature creation into his light, a light in which there is no darkness at all (see Rev 22.5).
Darkness-to-light is the movement of the entire created order to its destined purpose: union and communion with our God. In order to participate in this eschatological life of the world, you must share the light of God himself. You cannot dwell in darkness and be united to the one who is light.
Light is the future of creation. If you are to participate in that future, you must walk in the light as he is in the light. That light must continue to grow, driving back the darkness. Light is the future of the creation because God himself is the future. There is coming a time when he will be “all in all” (1Cor 15.28). “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (Rom 11.36). If you are to have a future of life, you must walk in the light.
There is innocent darkness. You are ignorant or immature. That is acceptable, non-sinful darkness. Darkness becomes an evil place when you refuse to come to the light or you revert to the darkness after having seen the light. Clinging to immaturity or reverting back to it is de-creation and death. Those who refuse to grow, those who cling to immature states, create idols. These things may have been good during a particular stage of life, but there comes a time when they must be left behind. When childhood moves into manhood, you must put away childish things (1Cor 13.11). Not to do so is to remain in darkness. You can’t do that and inherit the light that is coming.
