Wisdom's Corner: Lamp to My Feet

Back when the Bible was written, there were no electric lights or flashlights. Instead, people used lanterns. These were usually made of clay, with a candle or piece of cloth dipped in oil. These are the "lamps" and "lights" of the Bible.

The Bible lands had many areas that were dry and rocky. It was hard to travel at night because of the narrow, rock-strewn paths. Without a light, you could stumble and fall. If you were on a narrow path next to a cliff, you could stumble and fall to your death.

So, the people would have a lamp with them. Sometimes it would be tied on the end of a rope, and the traveler would swing it out in front of him as he walked. The light would shine on the path, and he could see where to step.

Sometimes travelers would tie a smaller lamp to their ankles. As their foot went out for a step, the light would shine on the path so that they could see exactly where to place their foot. In this way, a traveler could have his hands free to carry a load, and yet still see where he was going.

God's Word, the Bible, is our spiritual ''lamp." Without His Word, we cannot see the rocks on the road of life. We might not under­ stand that there are things we should not do. When we do them, we stumble and fall into sin. If we do not study the Bible and obey God, we will fall to our death at the Judgment Day.

The psalmist wrote: ''Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (119:105). In the book of Proverbs we read: "For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light" (6:23).

It is very important that you study the Bible and obey God. He wants you to be safe while traveling on the road of life. He wants you to reach the end of the road safely, which means getting to heaven. He does not want you to stumble or fall to your spiritual death.