“And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.”
(Revelation 22:5)
One of the more magnificent truths about the heavenly Jerusalem is that there will be no need for the light from the sun nor the moon, nor any other source, for the glory of God Himself will be its light. And where He is present, darkness cannot abide. Night, which so often symbolizes fear, ignorance, and weariness, is entirely eliminated. The state described here is not simply brighter than earthly life, but wholly different in kind. It is a condition where every good flows directly and uninterruptedly from God Himself.[1]
One of the chief blessings of this eternal rest is that its joys come immediately from God. In this present life, even the richest comforts arrive through many hands and means. Blessings come mediated through creatures, ordinances, words, and instruments, each of which bears the marks of limitation and imperfection. Even when the truth is glorious and the promises are rich, the delivery is limited and the reception dulled by human frailties. Yet in the life to come, the saints shall be continually in the presence of God, receiving their comfort directly from Him.
There we shall behold God face to face and live under the immediate radiance of His presence. God Himself will be the light, the strength, the rest, and the life of His people. What is now tasted only in rare and fleeting moments will there be the settled and everlasting condition of the soul.
Here and now seasons of prayer, meditation, and contemplation can draw us nearer to the source of all life. But these joys fade, strength weakens, and understanding remains clouded. There, light will be without darkness, rest without weariness, health without disease and decay, peace without threat, joy without sorrow, and life without death.
There will be no need of sleep for refreshment, no need of coverings for protection, no need of medicine for healing, and no need of instruction for guidance. For God Himself will be the rest of His people, Christ their clothing, and the light of His countenance the health of our souls. The law of God will be perfectly written on our hearts, and we shall be taught of God in full clarity and delight. Faith and hope, which now sustain the believer, will give way to sight and reality.
All that now burdens and weakens will be removed when the Lord gives His people light forever, and night is no more. Then God will be all in all, and His people will finally be at home in their rest.
Contemplations:
- Thanksgiving for Your Uncreated Light. Lord, I thank You that You Yourself will be the light of Your people forever. I am tired of darkness within and without, of ignorance, fear, and fading strength. This promise lifts my heart beyond all created helps and fixes it upon You. Thank You that there is coming a day when I will live continually in the light of Your presence.
- Gratitude for Immediate Joy From You. Father, I am grateful that even now I taste how sweet it is to draw near to You in quiet prayer, yet I know how fleeting those moments can be. Thank You for the promise that one day all joy will flow directly from You without interruption or loss.
- Praise for the End of Night and Weariness. Lord, thank You that night will have no place in Your city. No fear, no confusion, no sorrow, no exhaustion can abide there. My life now is marked by weakness and weariness, yet You promise a rest that never fades. I praise You that You have prepared a state where Your people will never again struggle under the weight of darkness.
- Thanksgiving for Reigning With You Forever. Father God, I thank You that Your people shall reign with You forever and ever in peace, security, and joy under Your perfect rule. Thank You that this reign is holy and everlasting. Let this hope sustain me now as I wait for the day when Your kingdom is fully revealed.
Prayer (Thanksgiving)
Lord God, I give You thanks with a full heart for the promise of everlasting light that comes directly from You. Thank You for preparing a place where You Yourself will be our light, where night will be no more, and where every form of darkness, fear, confusion, and weariness will be finally eliminated.
Thank You for the way You even now give foretastes of this joy. In moments of quiet prayer, in seasons of nearness to You, You remind me that the greatest comforts are those that come most directly from Your hand. I am also grateful that these are only gracious hints of what You have prepared. You have promised fullness where I now know only portions.
Thank You, Lord, for bearing patiently with the weakness of Your servants in this life. You know how imperfect our worship is, how often Your truth is handled clumsily, and how slowly our hearts respond. Yet You continue to bless through frail means, sustaining us until the day when all mediation will give way to direct enjoyment of You.
Thank You that in Your presence there will be rest without sleep, strength without exhaustion, joy without sorrow, and life without death. I thank You that You Yourself will be our rest, our health, our light, and our peace. I praise You that Your people will no longer struggle with divided affections or failing understanding, but will delight in You with whole hearts forever.
Above all, I thank You that You have made this possible through the Lamb who is the light of the city. Because of Him, we will dwell in Your presence with joy and not with fear. Receive my thanksgiving now, imperfect though it is, and fix my hope firmly upon that day when thanksgiving will be complete and unending.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Rev. 22:5:
Dan. 7:27; Psalm 36:9; Rom. 5:17; Psalm 84:11
[1] Jeremy Taylor, The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living, (London: R. Norton for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1650), 57–58.
