'Brightness' in the Bible

“Out of the brightness before HimCoals of fire were set aflame.

“Behold, even the moon has no brightness [compared to God’s majesty and glory]And the stars are not pure in His sight,

If I beheld the sun [as an object of worship] when it shoneOr the moon going in its splendor,

“Out of the north comes golden splendor [and people can hardly look on it];Around God is awesome splendor and majesty [far too glorious for man’s eyes].

Out of the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,Hailstones and coals of fire.

Therefore justice is far from us,And righteousness does not overtake us.We [expectantly] hope for light, but only see darkness;We hope for gleam of light, but we walk in darkness and gloom.

“Nations will come to your light,And kings to the brightness of your rising.

“The sun will no longer be your light by day,Nor shall the bright glow of the moon give light to you,But the Lord will be an everlasting light for you;And your God will be your glory and splendor.

For Zion’s sake I (Isaiah) will not be silent,And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,Until her righteousness and vindication go forth as brightness,And her salvation goes forth like a burning torch.

That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,That you may drink deeply and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

As I looked, I saw a stormy wind coming out of the north, a great cloud with fire flashing continually from it; and a brightness was around it, and in its core [there was] something like glowing [amber-colored] metal in the midst of the fire.

Now upward, from that which appeared to be His waist, I saw something like glowing metal that looked like it was filled with fire all around it; and downward, from that which appeared to be His waist, I saw something like fire; and there was a brightness and a remarkable radiance [like a halo] around Him.

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory and brilliance of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell face downward and I heard a voice of One speaking.

Then I looked, and behold, a likeness [of a man] with the appearance of fire; from His loins downward He was like fire, and from His loins upward He had the appearance of brightness, like gleaming metal (bronze).

Then the glory and brilliance of the Lord moved upward from the cherubim to [rest over] the threshold of the temple; and the temple was filled with the cloud and the courtyard was filled with the brightness of the Lord’s glory.

“You, O king, were looking, and behold, [there was] a single great statue; this image, which was large and of unsurpassed splendor, stood before you, and its appearance was awesome and terrifying.

Then the king’s face grew pale, and his thoughts alarmed him; the joints and muscles of his hips and back weakened and his knees began knocking together.

Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, [will shine] like the stars forever and ever.

Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, instead of light,Even very dark with no brightness in it?

His brightness is like the sunlight;He has [bright] rays flashing from His hand,And there [in the sunlike splendor] is the hiding place of His power.

Six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured (changed in form) before them [and began to shine brightly with divine and regal glory];

who appeared in glory, and were speaking of His departure [from earthly life], which He was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.

Now Peter and those who were with him had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and splendor and majesty, and the two men who were standing with Him.

But since I could not see because of the [glorious intensity and dazzling] brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me and came into Damascus.

at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven surpassing the brightness of the sun, shining all around me and those who were traveling with me.

And He who sat there appeared like [the crystalline sparkle of] a jasper stone and [the fiery redness of] a sardius stone, and encircling the throne there was a rainbow that looked like [the color of an] emerald.