The hype surrounding Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens has reminded me of an important Gospel truth: Lightsabers. Yes. Careful reading of the scriptures teaches us that lightsabers are divine.
Image via mrbrown.com
We’ll begin our scriptural exploration with a passage describing one of the most famous swords in scripture:
Genesis 3:24 “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”
If that’s not a flaming sword, I’m not sure what is. Look at it. Some have been critical of this new lightsaber design (belonging to Kylo Ren), but I think this is just another moment of continued revelation. We do believe that there are yet many great and important things to be revealed and I believe the scriptural reality of lightsabers may be one of them.
After all, light and flames seem to be closely linked and used somewhat interchangeably. In the famous Sermon on the Mount, Christ teaches:
Matthew 5:15-16 “Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
The light referenced throughout these verses is the flame of the candle. Flames and light were inextricably linked throughout much of the early world. So, how else would you describe a lightsaber than a flaming sword?
Would you touch a tree guarded with such a sword? (Image via Lucasfilm.)
But, let’s look at some more scriptural evidence. Another famous sword is found in the armor of God description:
Ephesians 6:17 “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”
This may not sound like much on its own, but if we look at another verse, found in the Doctrine and Covenants, things begin to be a little more clear:
D&C 84:45 “For the word of the Lord is truth, and whatsoever is truth is light, and whatsoever is light is Spirit, even the Spirit of Jesus Christ.”
That’s right. The sword of the Spirit is the sword of Light because Light=Spirit, so Spirit=Light. And what is a lightsaber, if not a sword of light?
But wait, you say, the sword of the Spirit is the word of God, not an actual sword…Oh really? Let us turn to the Book of Revelation.
Revelation 1:16 “And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”
Out of the mouth of Jesus comes a sword. Rather than the sword of the Spirit be a metaphor for the word of God, it appears that the word of God is a metaphor for a sword of light. A sharp two-edged sword. Lightsabers may not have distinct edges, but can be used in either direction, much like you would be able to swing a two-edged sword, so John was clearly describing a lightsaber here. Not to mention that Christ’s countenance is like the sun. A lightsaber produces a glow that shines on the user’s face, creating an effect much like the sun shining.
Later in Revelation this same image is used:
Revelation 19:15 “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”
Again, a sword is coming out of the mouth of Christ. A sword used to smite nations. Sure, this could be Excalibur or Narsil or Glamdring or some other mythical sword, but isn’t it much more likely that it’s a lightsaber? A more elegant weapon for a more civilized age, as it were.
Mind blown.
Now, this might all seem a bit much to take in. And that’s understandable, I mean, what kid hasn’t wanted a lightsaber practically his or her entire life? But as Levar Burton always said, “You don’t have to take my word for it.”
Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses…
Image via Memegen.com