A Child of Darkness Walking in Light

Isaiah 50:11 — 'Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who compass yourselves about with sparks, walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks which you have kindled; this you shall have of my hand — you shall lie down in sorrow.'

Let us now come to the opposite state of wicked men, who are said here to walk in the light of their own fire.

All the difficulty lies in opening what is meant by their own fire and what is meant by walking in the light of it, which is opposed here to walking in darkness and to trusting on the name of the Lord — namely, Christ's righteousness, as I said before. To this purpose you must remember that his scope is to show the differing props and stays for justification and comfort which a godly man has and a natural man.

The stay and comfort of a godly man's soul lies in the light of God's countenance, which when he lacks, he is in darkness, though he has never so many outward comforts. The stay, comfort, and prop of his faith for justification in that estate — when he sees no righteousness in himself — is the name of the Lord Jesus Christ our righteousness.

Oppositely therefore, by the fire and the light of their fire which wicked men are said to walk in, two things must be meant.

First, their own natural righteousness which they have by nature and in the state of nature, and the sparks and acts thereof — this they trust to, neglecting the name of the Lord and the righteousness of justification and of the new creature.

Second, the light of outward comforts from the creatures which in this world they enjoy, and the sparkling pleasures thereof which they walk in and content themselves with, neglecting communion with God, being estranged from the life of God and living without him in the world. So the opposition carries it strongly that both these should be meant by their fire here.

First, how by the fire of their own kindling — their own righteousness without Christ, such as the Pharisees had and Paul had before conversion — this should be meant, we must consider that he, speaking here to the Jews, alludes to the types of the old law with which they were acquainted.

Fire, you know, was what they offered their sacrifices with, typifying, as in Mark 9, our inward habitual grace and righteousness, whereby we offer up ourselves and our service as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).

When they offered incense or sacrifice acceptable to God, they were not to offer it with common fire — ordinary fire kindled by themselves from sparks struck from stones — but it was to be fire from heaven, taken from the altar (Leviticus 9:24). This was kept continually burning, and when a new altar was made fire came from heaven (2 Kings 7:3). The high priest was to take fire from the altar whenever he offered incense (Leviticus 16:12). And therefore when Nadab and Abihu offered common fire of their own kindling (Leviticus 10:1), they were consumed for thinking to please God with it. Now all these things fell out in types. Correspondingly, by fire of their own kindling is meant the common righteousness of civility and natural devotion which was by nature in some of the heathen (Romans 2:14) — found even in their chimneys — which the Jews also performed, both by the common help of nature, custom, and education, by the strength of natural principles of conscience enlightened by the law, and self-love improved. All this, coming only from nature not renewed by grace, is said to be of their own kindling, whereby yet they thought to please God and rested in it as a sacrifice well-pleasing to him, as Nadab and Abihu did. Whereas the righteousness they should have offered to God should have been that from heaven — the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith, and a new work of grace — fire from off that altar, Christ, changing their hearts and making them new creatures, renewing them into the same image of holiness which was in him. This differs as much from the goodness of nature you bring into the world, or which has been worked in you by education, as the fire and light of the sun in heaven differs from common fire, or the light of a glow-worm from that of the sun.

Now because the Jews rested in such an outward conformity to the law of their own working, therefore they are said in Romans 10:3 to establish their own righteousness, being ignorant of both righteousnesses — Christ's righteousness which is the fire from heaven, and the righteousness of regeneration to change their natures which is the fire from the altar. Nicodemus was ignorant of both, and so would have lain down in sorrow as his forefathers did, had not Christ changed him and begotten him again.

To this end you may further consider that in men's hearts — though they be stony toward God — there are yet some sparks of fire which may be struck out by the word, by education, by the enlightening of conscience, and by working upon self-love in men. The sparks of this fire are those outward acts of righteousness which arise and spring from self-love and natural conscience — which die as sparks and do not remain, unlike the true righteousness of regeneration (2 Corinthians 9; 1 John 2:16). And the light of this fire, which carnal men not born again content themselves with, is that self-excusing which natural conscience has upon the performing of any outward act of just dealing, mentioned in Romans 2:15.

And the walking in the light of this fire is resting therein all their days, not endeavoring to have their hearts changed and to get a new principle of grace and of love to God drawn from Christ as the spring of all.

Isaiah 50:11 — 'Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who encircle yourselves with firebrands, walk in the light of your fire and among the brands you have set ablaze. This you will have from My hand: you will lie down in torment.'

Let us now turn to the opposite condition — that of wicked people, who are described here as walking in the light of their own fire.

The main challenge is understanding what is meant by their own fire and by walking in its light — which is set in contrast to walking in darkness and trusting in the name of the Lord, that is, Christ's righteousness, as I explained earlier. To understand this, keep in mind that the author's aim is to contrast the different foundations for justification and comfort that a godly person has versus a natural, unregenerate person.

The support and comfort of a godly person's soul rests in the light of God's face — and when that is missing, he is in darkness, however many outward comforts he may have. The support, comfort, and foundation of his faith for justification — when he sees no righteousness in himself — is the name of the Lord Jesus Christ our righteousness.

By contrast, the fire and light of their fire in which wicked people are said to walk refers to two things.

First, their own natural righteousness — what they possess and produce by nature, in the state of nature — and the sparks and acts of it. This is what they trust in, while neglecting the name of the Lord, the righteousness of justification, and the righteousness of the new creature.

Second, the light of outward comforts from created things — the pleasures they enjoy in this world, sparkling and bright — which they walk in and are satisfied with, while neglecting communion with God, estranged from the life of God and living without Him in the world. The contrast in the text strongly implies that both of these are meant by their fire.

First, to understand how their own kindled fire refers to their own righteousness apart from Christ — the kind the Pharisees had, and Paul had before his conversion — we must note that the author, speaking to Jewish hearers, draws on the imagery of the Old Testament types with which they were familiar.

Fire, as they knew, was what sacrifices were offered with — symbolizing, as in Mark 9, the inward and habitual grace and righteousness by which we offer ourselves and our service as a living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1).

When they offered incense or sacrifice acceptable to God, they were not to offer it with common fire — ordinary fire struck from stones by their own effort — but with fire from heaven, taken from the altar (Leviticus 9:24). This fire was kept burning continuously, and when a new altar was made, fire came from heaven (2 Kings 7:3). The high priest was to take fire from the altar whenever he offered incense (Leviticus 16:12). When Nadab and Abihu offered common fire of their own kindling (Leviticus 10:1), they were destroyed for thinking to please God with it. All of these were types pointing to something greater. Correspondingly, fire of their own kindling refers to the common righteousness of moral uprightness and natural devotion — found even in the nature of some pagans (Romans 2:14) — which the Jewish people also practiced through the common aid of nature, custom, and upbringing, and through the force of natural conscience enlightened by the law and sharpened by self-interest. All of this, coming from unrenewed nature rather than from grace, is called fire of their own kindling — and yet they thought it pleased God and rested in it as an acceptable sacrifice, just as Nadab and Abihu did. The righteousness they should have offered God was the one from heaven — the righteousness of Christ received by faith, and a new work of grace — fire from that altar, Christ Himself, changing their hearts and making them new creatures, renewing them into the same image of holiness that was in Him. This differs from the goodness of nature you bring into the world, or which education has shaped in you, as much as the fire and light of the sun in heaven differs from ordinary fire — or the light of a firefly from the light of the sun.

Because the Jewish people rested in this outward conformity to the law produced by their own effort, they are said in Romans 10:3 to seek to establish their own righteousness, being ignorant of both of the true righteousnesses — Christ's righteousness, which is the fire from heaven, and the righteousness of regeneration that changes their natures, which is the fire from the altar. Nicodemus was ignorant of both, and would have lain down in sorrow as his ancestors did, had not Christ changed him and born him again.

To develop this further: in human hearts — even stony ones toward God — there are still some sparks of fire that can be struck out by the Word, by education, by the awakening of conscience, and by appealing to self-interest. The sparks of this fire are those outward acts of righteousness that arise from self-love and natural conscience — which die like sparks and do not endure, unlike the true righteousness of regeneration (2 Corinthians 9; 1 John 2:16). And the light of this fire — in which unregenerate people satisfy themselves — is the self-justifying response of natural conscience when any outward act of moral behavior is performed, described in Romans 2:15.

Walking in the light of this fire means resting in it all their days — never striving to have their hearts changed, never seeking the new principle of grace and love toward God that flows from Christ as its source.