The Moon as a Witness
by Jefferson David Tant
There is an interesting statement in the 89th Psalm that has a lesson for us some 3,000 years later. The theme of the psalm deals with God’s faithfulness to keep the promises he made to David. Notice the first two verses:
“I will sing of the lovingkindness of the LORD forever; To all generations I will make known Thy faithfulness with my mouth. For I have said, ‘Lovingkindness will be built up forever; In the heavens Thou wilt establish Thy faithfulness’" (Psalms 89:1-2)
Then as the psalm continues to note God’s faithfulness.
"My covenant I will not violate, Nor will I alter the utterance of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David. His descendants shall endure forever, And his throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established forever like the moon, And the witness in the sky is faithful. Selah." (Psalms 89:34-37).
There is an interesting thought given in that last sentence that I wish to expound upon. The text says that God’s throne “shall be established forever like the moon, and the witness in the sky is faithful.”
So, what does the moon have to do with anything? What was said about the moon? That it is a “faithful witness in the sky.” A faithful witness of what? The sun! So, what is the meaning of this?
When we look at the moon in the night sky, we are aware that the moon has no light of itself. The light we see is a reflection of the sun’s light. Suppose our job was a night-time job, and we never saw the sun in the daytime. We would still know that there was a sun, for the moon is a witness and gives credible and faithful testimony that the sun does exist. No one can say with any credibility that the sun does not exist. It has a faithful witness.
Now, let’s make an application to another kind of moon — us! The very fact that we exist is evidence that there is someone behind us — our Creator. But let’s go a step further and consider “light.” The moon’s light is a reflection of the sun’s light. In the same manner, the Christian’s light is to be a reflection of God’s light.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
In other words, when others see us, they should be able to, in a figurative way, see a reflection of our Father in heaven. The question. When people in the world see us, do they see Christ living in us? On one occasion Christ was talking with his disciples, and Philip made a request:
"Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:8-9). As we contemplate our lives as Christians, could we honestly say to someone, “If you have seen me, you have seen Christ”?
For over 30 years, my wife and I along with many others have been teaching the gospel in Jamaica. In the summer we may have a team of 20 or more, mostly young people, working with us. I remember one day when we were walking on the street in Montego Bay that we were approached and asked a question. “Are you Christians?” Why would they suspect that of us? The streets are filled with tourists. So why were we singled out for that question? Because we were modestly dressed. We stood out from the tourists, who would often be dressed in rather skimpy clothing, and walking on the street in their swimsuits. Others could clearly see that we were different.
There’s a song that we sometimes sing entitled “Christ Liveth in Me.” Does Christ live in you and me? Does our dress, our language, our behavior bear witness as does the moon?
A similar idea is expressed in Galatians 2:20: ”I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
If Christ truly lives in you and me, his light should be clearly seen radiating from us.