BIBLICAL TERMS AND THEIR MEANINGS—PART 3

ILLUMINATION

Illumination comes from the verb "illumine" which means to light up. Illumination in the spiritual sense is "turning on the light" of understanding in some area of the word of God. Illumination concerns understanding and applying knowledge of the truth of God's word. 

Biblical illumination is the process by which the Holy Spirit helps a believer to understand the truth of God's word. The Spirit dwells in you and works within you to help you understand the truth of God's word.

The Spirit dwells in you, and lights up the word of God for you to clearly see, know and understand the truth so that you will practicalise it in your living. 

Illumination involves how the Spirit of God helps you to understand the truth of God's word. John 16:13-14 points it out clearly, "But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you." Here in these texts, the word tells us two things that the Holy Spirit does within the believer: he guides us to understand all the truth, and he tells us what is yet to come. The Spirit guides us to understand all the truth that has been revealed by means of lighting up every darkness in the word (illumination); he also tells us what is yet to come (revelation). 

At the time that Jesus made this statement, the Spirit had not yet come, and when he finally came, apart from helping the Apostles to recollect and guiding them to pen down, all the truth that Jesus taught them, as well as all the truth that God wanted all generations to know, the Spirit also gave revelation of what is yet to come, through Apostle John. The book of Revelation is the revelation of what is yet to come, and we must pray for the Holy Spirit to light up God's will in the book, so that we will understand it and practicalise it in our living. 

God's word does not teach that in our generation, the Spirit gives us entirely new knowledge in the same manner that he gave entirely new knowledge to the Apostles for doctrinal purposes. Revelation comes to us by way of God's Spirit lighting up every darkness in the word so that we will clearly see and understand the truth. Do not be enticed by new knowledge believed to be additional revelation from God, rather, be enthused by the understanding of the truth of God's word already revealed. 

The Spirit himself helps us to really know God, and he teaches us to understand the truth of God's word. According to 1John 2:20, 27, "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth...As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him."

The Holy Spirit also uses people who are gifted in preaching or teaching to help us understand the truth of God's word. Ephesians 4:11-12 puts it so clear that "Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

God, the Spirit, enlightens every darkness in the word to make you clearly see and understand the truth. Psalms 18:28 says, "You, Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light." Apostle Paul, after he discovered the faith and the love of the Ephesian church, kept praying for them as follows: "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people." (Eph 1:17‭-‬18). 

The illuminating and leading work of the Holy Spirit is a confirmation that we are the children of God. "For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. (Rom 8:14)


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