John 8:12-20 (ESV)

¹² Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” ¹³ So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” ¹⁴ Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. ¹⁶ Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. ¹⁷ In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. ¹⁸ I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” ¹⁹ They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” ²⁰ These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus made a profound statement about himself. He made the second of his seven “I am” statements found in the book of John when he proclaimed, “I am the light of the world.” Verse 20 says that Jesus was in the treasury of the temple when he spoke these words. The treasury was the busiest place during the Feast of Tabernacles. It was located in the Court of Women and housed thirteen large “treasure chests” into which the people put their monetary offerings. Now every night during this feast, they held what was called the Illumination Ceremony. In this ceremony, the Levites, priests, and musicians with all sorts of instruments moved through the temple and sang from the psalms. Four giant candelabra in the Court of Women stood almost 75 feet high, equipped with four golden bowls, one on top of each stand. The priests made wicks from worn out garments, and during the ceremony, young men who carried ten-gallon pitchers of oil would climb ladders to fill the bowls. When the oil in those bowls was ignited, it produced beautiful fires that leapt toward the sky. One ancient book says every courtyard in Jerusalem was illuminated. Jesus stood in front of these massive candelabra and declared, “I am the light of the world.” Can you imagine? Jesus declared himself to be the light of the world against the backdrop of this massive candelabra.

The giant candelabra lights in the temple were to remind the people of God’s presence with them. As he was with them during their wilderness wanderings under Moses in the form of a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, he was with them still. No matter how difficult times were, they could rejoice, knowing that God was there. And just as God was present with his people in the days of Moses, during the time of Christ, and at all other points in history, he is present with believers right now. Even if you are feeling forgotten or left out, know that as a Christian, Jesus is with you. He is the light of the world. It is his light that has illuminated your soul. And his light will take you by the hand and guide you all the way into the next life. Christians never walk alone.