The background:
The text in focus comes up after John 7:40–52 (where the Pharisees and Sadducees are doubting Jesus words and him as the Messiah) and John 7:53-8:12 the account of the woman caught in adultery. Because most texts do not have this account originally in the text, does not discredit this account but helps build the context of the Jesus speaking after the Feast of Tabernacles in the synagogue. Therefore the possible understanding is this teaching of Jesus is further done to explain even more of who He is the one from God to deliver the Israelites that would come after Moses as the true Light.
The Feast of Tabernacles, or Booths, or Ingathering (Lev 23:33-43) began five days after the Day of Atonement (Lev 23:34; Deut 16:13) and lasted seven days. It marked the completion of the harvest and historically commemorated the wanderings in the wilderness. During this festival people lived in booths and tents (tabernacles) in Jerusalem to remind them of how their forefathers wandered in the wilderness and lived in booths.
When in the wilderness the Israelites were in total darkness in the light they did not know the way to go. They had to follow the Lord to the promise land. The Lord was their light so that they would no walk in darkness. When night did come God lead them in a pillar of fire then during the day God lead them being a cloud by day. "The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night" (Exodus 13:21 NAS95).
(Jesus says who he is and what our response should be to the reality of who he is.)
First Jesus says :I am the Light (His Revelation)
Jesus Second metaphorical I am Statement. Each of the "I Am" statements followed by nominative implies that Jesus provides eternal life and a life fulfilled only through him.
Jesus says, "I am the Light." This is a very profound saying in the symbolic use of the light and the relations the light has with the Lord of Israel!
When God is revealing how he created the heavens and the earth he speaks of how he created light and called light good. Take note that nowhere is it recorded that he called the darkness good, but he called the separation of light from darkness good. "God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness." (Gen 1:4 NAS95) This shows that from the beginning light dwelling with darkness is not good. Or as we see in 1 John "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 1 John 1:7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:6–7 NAS95). Or How Paul points out that this kind of fellowship is not of God when he says "Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness" (2 Cor 6:14 NAS95)?
This shows that God from the beginning dwells in light and does not fellowship with darkness because he is light. Psalm 104:2 talks how God is covered with light like a cloak. The Psalmist says of the word of God in Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."
In this dark world there is a great promise of walking in this great light. Isaiah 9:2 says, "The people who walk in darkness, will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." Therefore as children who "...were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light" (Eph. 5:8). This is because "But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;" (1 Pet 2:9 NAS95). Therefore one has to make a decision on the message that is given. "This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all" (1 John1:5). The light gives direction to those who follow and therefore are not lost. As it says in 1 Thess. 5:4-6 those in darkness do not know what is to come because they are lost and not enlightened to the will of the Lord.
(Respond to the call of Jesus will provide change.)
Second Jesus call us to follow him (Our Response is to follow)
1. Our Response to who he is will lead us to follows Him -
Following Christ implies surrender of your will and desires to do exactly what the leader does. Jesus says follow me I will make you fishers of men (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17), follow me he says in calling other disciples (John 1:43; Luke 9:23, 59) be my disciples he states if you serve him you will follow him (John 12:26), to list a few examples of Jesus calling us to follow him. Jesus as a leader goes before his followers as their light to fight off all that will come against them and protects them as the Lord of light.
Third Our Reaction to the Response - We Will not walk in darkness
To walk in darkness is to reject the light and embrace sin and wickedness. Jesus says "He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. John 12:26 "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him" (John 12:25–26 NAS95).
The Father honors us when we reject the darkness of the world and choose living in the light. The revelation of Jesus is the Light shows the direction we shall go. Walking in the light following after Jesus brings shows the change that is happening in our life.
Jesus calls us to be transformed and live in him to accept the light and reject the darkness. The darkness does not comprehend the light (John1:5). The loving of darkness because the deeds are evil (John 3:19). The shift from darkness can only happen with the shedding of light.
(Which leads to our new reality and understanding of our life in Christ)
Fourth Our New Reality - We will have the Light of life
Following the Light leads to having the Light of life. In other words Jesus will show us how to have life by following the Light. The giver of life does what he can do best and give us life.
The light of the world is not a universal statement for being the Light to all but to those who follow him is walking in the Light. Jesus is the True Light to those who follow him and who receive the light of life by believing in him. If you are not following him then you are in the dark left open for the devourer to attack and destroy with no protection and no life.
Walking in pitch darkness is embracing the darkness (sin and death) and rejecting the Light of Life who is Jesus the Christ. Ephesians 5:8 instructs us to walk in the Light who is Jesus our light as children of the light.
Following Christ leads us to not walking in darkness but having life and light. When we have this we are able to say
The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread (Ps 27:1 NAS95)?
Then you are able to understand when the Lord spoke the prophet Isaiah saying:
""No longer will you have the sun for light by day, Nor for brightness will the moon give you light; But you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And your God for your glory. Isa 60:20 "Your sun will no longer set, Nor will your moon wane; For you will have the LORD for an everlasting light, And the days of your mourning will be over. Isa 60:21 "Then all your people will be righteous; They will possess the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified. Isa 60:22 "The smallest one will become a clan, And the least one a mighty nation. I, the LORD, will hasten it in its time"" (Isa 60:19–22 NAS95).
You will face life knowing you are following the Light whom shall you fear. You will be at peace with yourself knowing you live in the light not in darkness. Not concern with sin guilt weighing you down to be open for the enemy's attacks. You will instead be walking in the promise that God has given you in Jesus who is leading us to the promise land. This is because you are Walking in the Light of God!
