The Season of Light

Celebrating the light shining in darkness

One of my favorite things about the Christmas season is the lights. When my family moved into a new house eight years ago, one of the things I was most excited about was the tall ceilings and numerous outlets so we could put Christmas trees full of lights all over the main floor. I am still trying to convince my husband we need a few more trees; three isn’t quite enough. But that is a story for another day, lol.

Today, I want to share with you about light. The birth of Jesus was foretold when Isaiah writes,

The people who walk in [spiritual] darkness

Will see a great Light;

Those who live in the dark land,

The Light will shine on them.

Isaiah 9:2, AMP

The great Light is our Messiah— the child born to us, on whose shoulders rest the government. His name is Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6, NASB). Jesus is our Light, and in Him, we also become light to a world covered in darkness (Isaiah 60:1–2). Jesus tells us, you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). But what does it mean to be light? Let’s dig into Greek and Hebrew to find out more!

The Greek word for light in Matthew 5:14 is phōs (G5457). It means light, light emitted by a lamp or firelight. Figuratively, it means moral and spiritual light and knowledge that enlightens the mind, soul, or conscience, including the idea of moral goodness, purity, and holiness. This word can also mean someone who is a dispenser of moral and spiritual light, a disciple.

The Hebrew equivalent for phōs (G5457) is the word for light found in Isaiah 60:1, Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you (NASB). Light is the Hebrew word ʼôwr (H216). What Hebraic picture is hidden in ʼôwr (H216) that gives us instructions from God on how to be light? Let’s look at this word in the Hebrew letters:

Light is formed from the Hebrew letters aleph, vav, and resh. The aleph means strong, power, leader, to teach, discipline, and train. The vav is a picture of a nail and means to join together, to hook, and man’s own efforts. The resh is a picture of a person and the head of man and means what is supreme or first. Together, these letters point immediately to Jesus. Jesus is the powerful (aleph) Man (resh) with the nail-scarred (vav) hands. To be light, we must join ourselves with Him (vav). We must surrender our own efforts (vav) and submit to His discipline and teaching (aleph). Ultimately, everything is about Jesus.

After Isaiah tells us to arise and shine, he says that deep darkness has covered the people (Isaiah 60:2). Deep darkness is a picture of misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, and wickedness that can be felt. People are in the same state as the earth became in Genesis 1:2. That is what sin and separation from God’s Holy Spirit do—it creates a people who live in ignorance, sorrow, wickedness, death, and misery, which leads to being formless (H8414) and void (H922). Formless and void is a picture of the earth being empty, full of chaos and confusion, and a vacuum waiting to be filled by something. People are the same when in deep darkness. But God spoke, “Let light be!” (Genesis 1:3), and what was formless and void was put in order. God was applying the Man with the nail-scarred hands to what had become formless and void! Jesus, our Messiah, is the Light (John 8:12). When He enters the picture, confusion must go. Emptiness must be filled. Chaos must cease. The empty spaces will be filled. As His light fills us, we can walk in holiness and purity, shining as children of light in a dark world (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

As we are surrounded by lights this holiday season, let’s take time to reflect on what it means to be the light. As we head into a new year, are there changes we need to make to shine more brightly? As you reflect on this, I encourage you to sit still, be quiet, and let God speak. He never asks us to do something that He does not equip us to do. For too long, the church has looked like the darkness surrounding us, but God is now calling forth a remnant that will shine like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden (Matthew 5:14). Jesus, the Messiah, and His light are being born again to give hope to people living in a dark land.

I pray you have a blessed Christmas with your family and friends,

Brandee