The prophetic word is our lamp shining in the darkness.

[jidong xiao]

彼得说，我们留意申言者的话，直等到天发亮，晨星在我们心里出现，我们就作得好了。这也是隐喻，说明满了亮光的时候即将来到，如同晴天破晓，有晨星于黎明前在那些蒙光照的信徒心里出现，这些信徒藉着留意经上照亮人的豫言之话，得了光照而被照明。在背道的时期，信徒留意这事，就作得好，使申言者的话如同明灯，照透背道的黑暗，直等到天这样向他们发亮。这促使并鼓励他们切切寻求主的同在，并且儆醒，使他们当主在祂来临（巴路西亚）的隐密部分，像贼一样来到时，不至于见不到主。（太二四27，帖后二8。）因此这隐喻必是将来世，国度时代，比作那要在主显现（来临）时（彼后一16）发亮的天；那时主是公义的日头，（玛四2，）祂的光要照耀出来，冲破今世黑夜的幽暗。在这之前，主要在黑夜最深时，像晨星一样，（启二28，二二16，）向那些儆醒渴望祂可爱显现的人显现。（提后四8。）他们因着申言者之话的照耀蒙了光照，这话能把他们引到那要发亮的天。圣经如灯照在暗处的话，我们若留意，会叫我们在基督作晨星实际显出前，就得着祂在我们心里出现，照耀在我们所处之背道的黑暗中。

说彼后一章十九节的天发亮指主回来的时候，乃是正确的。在那日，主要作公义的日头照耀。非常接近主显现的时候可比作清晨，那时主耶稣对祂儆醒的信徒将是晨星。虽然这一切都是真实的，但彼得所说的还不只这些。事实上，在一章十九节彼得同时说到两件事。他说整个世界是暗处，这现今的世代是黑夜。我们若没有圣经的豫言，也会在黑暗里，因为我们没有灯。但申言者的话是我们照耀在黑暗里的灯。我们留意这申言者的话，就接受光的照耀。至终，这光会照耀，直到属灵的白昼在我们里面发亮，晨星在我们心里出现。所以，彼得首先说到属灵的白昼，在我们里面发亮的白昼。他也说到将来的日子，就是主回来的日子。

Peter says that we do well to give heed to the prophetic word until the day dawns and the morning star arises in our hearts. This also is a metaphor, illustrating a time coming which will be full of light, as a bright day dawning, with the morning star, before dawn, rising in the hearts of the believers, who are illuminated and enlightened by giving heed to the shining word of the prophecy of Scripture. In the time of apostasy the believers do well to give heed in this matter so that the prophetic word, as a lamp, may shine through the darkness of apostasy until such a day dawns upon them. This will cause and encourage them to seek earnestly the Lord's presence and be watchful that they not miss the Lord in the secret part of His parousia, when He comes as a thief (Matt. 24:27; 2 Thes. 2:8). Hence, this metaphor should allude to the coming age, the age of the kingdom, as a day that will dawn at the appearing (the coming) of the Lord (2 Pet. 1:16) as the Sun of righteousness (Mal. 4:2), whose light will shine to break through the gloom of the dark night of this age. Preceding this, the Lord will appear as the morning star (Rev. 2:28; 22:16) in the darkest hour of the night to those who are watchful and looking for His dear appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). They have been enlightened by the shining of the prophetic word, which is able to lead them to the dawning day.

It is correct to say that the dawning of the day in 1:19 refers to the time of the Lord's coming back. On that day, the Lord will shine as the Sun of righteousness. The time that is very close to the Lord's appearing may be likened to early morning, at which time the Lord Jesus will be the morning star to His watchful believers. Although all this is true, Peter is saying something even more. Actually, in 1:19 Peter covers two matters at the same time. He is saying that the entire world is a dark place and that this present age is a dark night. If we did not have the prophecies of the Bible, we also would be in darkness, for we would not have a lamp. But the prophetic word is our lamp shining in the darkness. As we give heed to this prophetic word, we receive the shining of the light. Eventually, this light will shine until a spiritual day dawns within us, and a morning star rises in our hearts. Therefore, Peter first is speaking of a spiritual day, a day that dawns within us. He also speaks of a future day, the day of the Lord's coming back.