Who is the “Light of the World”?

[First posted in 2012 — the answer to the title’s question is  from the Sinaite’s perspective and understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures.—Admin1]

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Let us be absolutely clear about what Sinaites believe:

• First of all, the Light of the World is YHWH.
• Secondly, Israel has been called by YHWH Himself as His “light to the Gentiles.”  

It is to Israel that the TORAH, instructions for living, guidelines, a Way of life was given for the enlightenment of all humankind as to righteousness and justice and interpersonal relationships.

Israel as a nation and as a people continue to be the light-bearer today as they have always been through the ages.  Their Scriptures have been preserved and made available to all who wish to learn the Way of YHWH.

• There is no other source of physical light, spiritual Light, the light of Divine Revelation, Absolute Truth, Illumination but YHWH.
• if there are theophanies of YHWH as described in the Hebrew Scriptures, He is usually associated with Light — among others, 
  • the burning bush that does not get extinguished, 
  • the pillar of fire,
  • the Shekinah Glory, 
  • the Consuming Fire.

• Sample the following verses from the book of Isaiah/Yeshayahu and determine for yourself the answer to the question:  Who is the “Light of the World”?

While we are featuring only the verses that specify who the “light” is, taking them out of their context from the whole book of Isaiah does not properly introduce nor indicate ‘who’ is the ‘servant’ of YHWH.  

When you read chapters prior to or leading to these verses, you will discover and know unmistakably that the ‘servant’,  as well as the ‘chosen’,  is none other than Israel.  With that established, these verses simply elaborate on what this ‘servant’ will do and be, so please keep that in mind as you read.  

Any author does not suddenly change what he has consistently built up and surprise a reader with a sudden change in the identity of the ‘character’ or person or entity he has clearly defined and in fact named!  There is no mystery in the identity of this ‘servant’ in Isaiah IF one reads the WHOLE book and not verses in isolation, divorced from their book context. In fact, the identity of that servant and that light is constantly validated in the Hebrew scriptures.

Notice as well that in the Hebrew translation [AST/Artscroll Tanach], when YHWH is speaking the pronoun referring to Him is the one capitalized, not the ‘servant’ and properly so!  Notice as well that the ‘servant’ is referred to in the singular, collective Israel as a people as a nation is often referred to as one. 

[AST] Isaiah 42:1-6

Behold My servant, whom I shall uphold, My chosen one, whom My soul desired; I have placed My spirit upon him so he can bring forth justice to the nations.

 He will not shout nor raise his voice, nor make his voice heard in the street.  He will not break [even] a bruised reed nor extinguish even flickering flax, but he will administer justice in truth.  He will not slacken nor tire until he sets justice in the land and islands will long for his teaching.  

Thus said the God, HaShem [YHWH], Who created the heavens and stretched them forth; Who firmed the earth and its produce, Who gave a soul to the people upon it, and a spirit to those who walk on it.  

I am Hashem [YHWH]; I have called you with righteousness; I will strengthen your hand; I will protect you; I will set you for a covenant to the people, for a light to the nations; to open blind eyes; to remove a prisoner from confinement, dwellers in darkness from a dungeon.

 I am HaShem; that is My Name; I shall not give My glory to another, not My praise to graven idols.  

Behold the early [prophecies] have come about; now I relate new ones; before they sprout I shall let you hear [them].

[AST] Isaiah 49:6-7

He said:  It is insufficient that you be a servant for Me [only] to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the ruins of Israel; I will make you a light for the nations, so that My salvation may extend to the ends of the earth.  

Thus said HaShem [YHWH]  the Redeemer of Israel and their Holy One, to the despised soul, to the one loathed by nations, to the servant of rulers: Kings will see [you] and arise; officers will prostrate themselves, because of HaShem [YHWH] Who is faithful and the Holy One of Israel, Who has chosen you.

AST note: According to most commentators, this verse begins a new prophecy.  

When God redeems Israel, which has been “despised . . . loathed . . . a servant,” its disgrace will be ended and it will be honored by kings and rulers, who will recognize that the redemption came about “because of HASHEM [YHWH].”  Alternatively, The prophet is still speaking of himself and the contempt with which his prophecies have been treated (Ibn Ezra).

[AST] Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise! Shine! for your light has arrived, and the glory of HaShem [YHWH] shines upon you.  

For, behold, darkness may cover the earth and a thick cloud [may cover] the kingdoms, but upon you, HaShem [YHWH] will shine, and His glory will be seen upon you.  

Nations will walk by your light and kings by the brilliance of your shine.  

Lift up your eyes all around and see, they are all assembling and coming to you; your sons will arrive from afar and your daughters will be raised at [their] side.  

Then you will see and be radiant, your heart will be startled and broadened, for the affluence of the West will be turned over to you, and the wealth of the nations will come to you. 

Sinaite Comment:  

In past holiday seasons (Christmas, Easter), several of our former Christian/Messianic colleagues sent us “reminders” of what we had been taught in Christian/Messianic theology, seriously concerned that we have lost our salvation, hopeful that we would turn around from this ‘apostasy’, this ‘falling away’, to borrow NT terminology for believers who were once ‘in Christ’ but have left the fold.

 In fact, the harsh sounding term is ‘anti-christ’ which, if you think about it in its Hebrew context of ‘anti-messiah’, it aptly applies to us, for we have come to recognize that Jesus of Nazareth is not the long-awaited Messiah of Israel and that he is not YHWH.  We have long moved on from these teachings; yet we will feature one article sent by the Gethsemane Olivet Fellowship, a messianic congregation whose ministry is to educate secular Jews of their unique heritage.  Their ministry appears to be a worthy endeavor except that presumably their ultimate goal is to evangelize Jews to accept the Christian messiah who they consider is the true “light of the world” and the only Savior of mankind.    

It is one thing for one religion to make claims based on its own canon of scriptures (in the case of Christianity, their New Testament); but it is quite another thing—-

• to attach the scriptures of another people (Israel’s Hebrew Scriptures) yet,   yet reject most of its foundational teachings and worse,
  • consider it irrelevant or passe by calling it “Old” 
  • and use it as mere “prophecy” to their final “fulfillment” 
  • and make all kinds of connections between the two; 
• change the very nature of the God Who spoke as Creator as well as Revelator on Sinai.

Still, in the interest of balance, we feature their teaching here:

“Light of the World” 

By [source/name redacted]

1. This is the week between Hanukah and Christmas. We Messianic Jews are somewhat “caught” spiritually and culturally between the two. At our congregation in Jerusalem, Ahavat Yeshua, I taught on Yeshua as the light of the world and the connection with the lampstand of the Temple.

2. We do not know the date of Messiah’s birth. (Some calculate the date as Sukkot (Tabernacles) by the months from Aviyah’s priestly order (Luke 1:5, I Chronicles 24:19) to Elizabeth’s pregnancy to Miriam’s pregnancy (Luke 1:24). This date has the added benefit of seeing Yeshua as “tabernacling” among us. However, with so many other international and local elements of Sukkot in Jerusalem, it is difficult to celebrate Messiah’s birth at that time.)

3. Hanukah starts the 25th of Kislev. Christmas is the 25th of December. The 25th word of Genesis in Hebrew is “Light.” If Yeshua was born on the 25th of December, then He was circumcised on January 1st (Luke 2:21). The 8th day of Hanukah, when all the lights are lit, occurs during the new moon of Tevat, making it the darkest night of the darkest month in the Hebrew calendar.

4. God created light in Genesis 1:3 on the first day. Yet the sun and stars were not created until the fourth day. The light of the first day has spiritual significance beyond physical creation.

5. This spiritual light was prophesied to come into the world to be seen by men living in spiritual darkness (Isaiah 9:1). This light was to come in the form of a “child to be born, a son to be given” (Isaiah 9:5). The light of that child will spread to a group of people who will shine with glory in the end times in the midst of great spiritual darkness over all the nations (Isaiah 60:1-3).

6. The Child-Light was to be born to the house of David, destined to be the king of Israel and the head of the Church – this is Yeshua! He is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5). God spoke at creation to release the light; the word was the light; the word was with God at the beginning; the word and the light and God are all one. Yeshua is the word and the light of God coming into this world. Through Him we receive grace and truth and life (John 1:1-18).

7. The Menorah lampstand is described in the Torah (Exodus 25:31-40) – how it is to be built and how it is to be lit. In Zechariah 4:2-3, the lampstand is given further prophetic symbolism, pointing toward the Messiah. (The lampstand and olive branches form the basis of the logo of the modern state of Israel.) The priestly symbolism is given in the Torah; its spiritual meaning is revealed in the New Covenant.

8. In Revelation 1:12-20 the glorified Messiah stands in the midst of 7 golden lampstands. The lampstands represent a group of people, glorified together with the Messiah. They are the ecclesia (Church), the community of saints, and the greater commonwealth of Israel. The symbols of the Torah, the visions of the Prophets, and the revelations of the New Covenant are all part of the same biblical tapestry.

9. Hanukah tells the history of the Maccabees. They fought against the pagan emperor Antiochus in order to restore a Davidic kingdom in Israel and priestly worship in a purified Temple. The story of the miraculous oil for the lampstand is recorded only in later rabbinic writings. While the themes of kingdom and light have major importance in the New Covenant, the holiday of Hanukah is mentioned only briefly (John 10:22).

10. The birth of Messiah is a turning point in world history, not to mention a peak moment of Jewish history. Yeshua is the light of the world.  When flames of fire came down upon the heads of the early disciples (Acts 2:3), they became the first fulfillment of the Temple lampstand. Let us follow in their footsteps so that the world may see the light of Messiah through us.

Dear reader, it is up to each of us, given two sides to ponder, to decide what to believe or not.  The purpose of this website is to make you think beyond the confines and limitations of religious orientation and to encourage you to expand your horizons in terms of biblical knowledge and interpretation.  Ultimately, each of us decides for ourself what path to take — the same pathway we have been on, or another.

The Light of God shines brightly and has done so since His revelation . . . . have you ‘seen’ that Light?

NSB@S6K