This isn’t an article about Henry Matisse, the artist credited with the quote above. But it is about the light. And although Matisse was speaking on the play of light and shadow when creating a work of art…there is a light intrinsic to the walk of a believer…a light brilliant and heavy…the light that is the Truth. And we, as believers, should take this quote to heart. Work…while you have the light.
It is wonderful to fellowship with each other. It’s edifying; a shot of rejuvenation. But there is no work in fellowship (volunteers are servants, which is a privilege… not work). Fellowship is just a rest stop on the road. The work is the road.
We’ve covered the race in a previous article…and we’ve touched on ‘light’…but is HIS LIGHT emanating from us while we navigate the course? This special light is revealed to us in the very beginning.
“And G-d said, ‘Let there be light: and there was light.” Gen. 1:3
Contrary to some false assumptions out there…this ‘light’ is NOT the sun and not a star. No, this is the light of Adonai’s Glory; the light that separates functional from dysfunctional (good from bad). The Hebrew word translated into ‘light’ found here in the Beginning is or.
The word or appears throughout the Scriptures…but sometimes, in the Hebrew, it is spelled with the letter ‘vav’ in the middle. It’s important to remember that “every jot and tittle,” that is, the smallest of letters and markings, are significant in Scripture (Matthew 5: 18). Each letter has a purpose and each offers a unique understanding and revelation.
Vav is the sixth letter in the Hebrew Alefbet and the letter represents a hook; a connection. When it appears before a word, it usually means ‘and’; a conjunction in grammar… a connection between the first thing that was said and the second thing. It can also represent a change in tense.
So after Ha’Shem connected the Heavens with the Earth (Gen. 1:1); and after His Spirit gently shook across the waters (Gen. 1: 2); He spoke Light into this world. In the original Hebrew text, it’s not ‘let there be light’….it is more accurately “Let Light Be.”
And this light, within the text, reveals a connection. Alef-Vav-Resh…or.
What was being connected? The first letter in the word or is alef, which is recognized in Judaism as representing G-d. The third letter in the word is Resh, which is recognized as representing man. Alef-vav-resh….Adonai connected to man.
What is the connection between GOD and man?
“For G-d, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Yeshua Ha’Maschiach (Jesus the Christ).” 2 Cor. 4: 6. Or.
Yeshua said, “I am the Light of the world; the one following Me will in no way walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
The light of life…the Light of the world…the light of the knowledge of the glory of GOD. Yeshua. Yeshua. Yeshua.
King David wrote to Elohim (the same name for GOD appearing in the first verse of Genesis…the magnified name of GOD… the plural of GOD in One::
“For with You is the fountain of life; in Your Light, we see Light.” Psalm 36:9
In this Psalm, King David paints the picture of the darkness in comparison to the light. He begins with a summation of the wicked man (darkness) who plots evil, speaks deceit and chooses a way (road) that is not functional…that is not good…that is against GOD.
Then he continues… praising Elohim for His mercy, righteousness, judgment and faithfulness…pleading “do not let the foot of pride come to me; and let not the hand of the wicked move me.” And for anyone who doubts that a ‘hell-like’ place existed in the Tanakh (Old Testament), King David closes with a chilling fact:
“There the workers of evil have fallen; they are cast down and are not able to rise”
If you have accepted Yeshua as your Savior and King…if you have accepted the Light of GOD’s Glory into your heart…you should be shining. You should be radiating with that knowledge, with that hope, with that promise. And your actions…all your actions… should be testifying to that very fact.
That is why He gave us Torah. He gave us the instructions to live a life of Light. Torah gives us the way to complete the connection! And if we make that connection, He reveals Himself to us and expects us to reveal His Light to others. It’s hard. It’s a battle every day. That is why our Loving Father gave us Torah. He knows it’s hard to fight our flesh and to fight this world.
As King Solomon writes in Proverbs 6:23:
“For the commandment is a lamp; and Torah a light; and the way of life is reproofs of instruction.”
A Godly woman that I met just recently spoke of it as a road of light filled with obstacles that we must battle. What a beautiful and simple picture. And what we must never lose sight of is that GOD is in control. Stand firm in that. And as you walk through the darkness, be that light in all that you do and say. Be that light that is alive inside of you. Let people know who your GOD is; the Living GOD; the GOD of Israel. And represent Him in Truth.
If you do this, they will see the difference, they will see the Light. They might not know what it is, but they’ll know it’s something. Let the Light do the talking through your actions and ground your actions in Torah. When they ask, then you share Truth with them and help them get connected.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Rom 13:12
Author: Jennifer Ross