Matthew 6:23 But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
In the early 1700s, the western world including the United States, was being swept under the influence of a philosophical and cultural movement known as the Age of Enlightenment, also called the Age of Reason. At this critical time in history, the First Great Awakening was birthed by the Lord in the American colonies of the “New World”. Led by preachers such as Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield, a spiritual renewal took place which became a unifiying cultural foundation for the American Revolutionary War, which began in the late 1770s.
While the church had been stagnant, institutional, bound by tradition and formality, the First Great Awakening dramatically revivified the spiritual landscape with Holy Spirit inspired Biblical preaching, and it swept thousands of nominal churchgoers and atheists alike into vital and personal relationship with God. The preaching of the era ministered the light of the true Gospel of Christ, with deep conviction of human sinfulness, the need for repentance demonstrated by contrition and resolution to forsake sin, and the opportunity to receive God’s forgiveness and salvation by grace alone.
So just at a point in history, when the enemy was offering the false light of rationalism as his remedy for the Dark Ages, our God expressed His sovereignty over history and sent forth a revival, renewing the knowledge of His true Light to the world.
We are now at another critical point in history as it seems the enemy is launching a two-pronged attack, either to persecute and extinguish the true Light of Yeshua (Jesus), or to counterfeit it with his false light… we must recognize, expose, and oppose his evil work.
There is false light, a “light that is darkness”; [Matthew 6:23] and a ministry of “righteousness” that is not authentic; [2 Corinthians 11:14-15]. We must recognize them. This is not our Light or our Righteousness. We are awake to the true Light of the world who gives light to every man. Now, more than ever, don’t hide it under a bushel, sleeper….Awake! Perhaps, here and there, even before the Lord comes, you also, may inspire a great Awakening.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy Devotions. This devotional was originally published on Worthy Devotions and was reproduced with permission.
How to display the above article within the Worthy Suite WordPress Plugin.
[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]This unique passage in Revelation has a warning and a blessing.
The first part of this verse was a warning about the suddenness of the Lord’s return as He is coming as a thief to the world not anticipating His return.
The Hebrew language contains numerous words that have the same root yet vast differences in meaning. On deeper examination however, these words can be related in illuminating ways. For example, the three Hebrew letters --"Lamed", "Chet", and "Mem"-- which spell, "lechem", or "bread" in English, are also the root letters for "fight" (lehilachem) and "war" (milchama). For centuries Rabbis have discussed and debated the connection between these three words.
When the twelve spies were sent out by Moses into the land of Canaan, ten came back with a bad report. Joshua and Caleb, however, returned with a good report, saying in essence, “If God is for us — then who can be against us?” The two courageous spies expressed their confidence in a way that was quite cool: “Do not fear the people of the land, for they are bread for us.” [Numbers 14:9]
In Israel, the celebration of Shavuot took place yesterday. Most Christians would recognize this as the celebration of Pentecost in Acts 2. However, the very first Shavuot took place fifty days after the Israel crossed the Red Sea. It was on this day according to Jewish tradition that the law was given on tablets of stone.
An ancient Hebrew commentator wrote of this verse, "In the words of our teachers of blessed memory and in the Midrash [ancient Hebrew commentaries of the O.T.], it is taught that the 'breaker' is Elijah and 'their King' is the branch of the son of David."
In the Greek olympic games of old, a unique race was run. The winner was not the runner who finished first --- it was the runner who finished with his torch still lit!
“One that sows discord among brothers” is an abomination to God. It’s an amazing passage that is often overlooked when considering offenses which God hates.