POSTED 20 JUNE, 2004

The Light of the World

by Mark Huey
mhuey@outreachisrael.net

Have you ever considered that the Jewish Moses, the American Jesus, and the Arab Mohammed are all cut from the same bolt of cloth and just weaved into different cultural fabrics? Is it possible that the religious aspect of humanity that desires to worship “a god,” has simply concocted a wide variety of options that seek their roots in the faith exhibited by Abraham? Is it possible that the different religious systems that look to Moses, Jesus, and Mohammed for inspiration are simply “works-based creeds,” which due to the fallen nature of man, form a codependent set of rules designed to achieve self-righteousness? These questions, and a host of other thoughts, flooded my mind as two contravening propositions collided after recent conversations with some people.

The first proposition, which I did not take too much time to contemplate, was simply a reference to the possibility that Judaism and Christianity were just religious means designed to enable people in need of co-dependency. Since I did not want to invest any time in the discussion about a variety of psychological theories, I simply tucked the thought into the deep recess of my mind for further consideration.

Then out of the blue, another conversation erupted with enthusiastic palpitations that focused on the concept of light versus darkness. Since I knew those principles had substantial Biblical references, my curiosity was stimulated. So rather than discount the message, I took the time to meditate upon some of the rapid-fire theories that were proposed.

Upon further reflection, the similarities of the three religions that claim a single, all-powerful God came into focus. At that point, the concept of codependency emerged as one of the fundamental threads that keep these three systems solvent. What is it about man and his innate desire to please the Creator—which has allowed these three monotheistic approaches to survive and thrive? Is it possible that they have all been hijacked by unseen powers that have usurped the initial intent of the Almighty when He first called out Abraham? After all, Abraham was raised in a polytheistic society that worshipped a plethora of gods, but for His Divine purposes, the One God selected him to be the person through whom the entire world would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). But what is that blessing? In categorical terms, it is the ability for all people to establish communion with their Creator. However, the challenge is multifaceted, because by His eternal laws a major hurdle has to be crossed. His holiness is so pure that He has great difficulty communing with those plagued with the byproduct of the fall into sin and darkness.

We are told that He is the Father of lights in whom there is no variation or shifting shadow (James 1:17). Co-existence with those in darkness is impossible, because a single spark of light will remove the blindness of its absence. From the very beginning of the revelation of the Holy Scriptures, we are told that darkness was over the surface of the deep (Genesis 1:2-3). Then in His first recorded utterance, God said “Let there be light,” and light came into being. In His mercy to Creation, God actually made light so that there would be the illumination required to sustain life on Earth. But this light, generally considered to be the celestial orbs that radiate light and heat, should not be confused with Him who is the Eternal Light. Certainly, He did not have to recreate Himself! We know later from the testimony of the Apostolic Scriptures that the Light is our Messiah Yeshua:

“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him” (John 1:4-10).

Our Creator did have to devise a plan that would permit Him to have fellowship with His Creation, and ultimately some kind of union with the pinnacle of that Creation: humanity. It is this plan that required Him to sacrifice His Son before the foundation of the world was laid (Hebrews 9:26). Since God is outside of the time He created, as He viewed His Creation, He had to observe the activities on Earth through the atoning blood of His Son sacrificed to make atonement for those trapped in the darkness of despair.

Lamentably, He had the foreknowledge that a significant number of His creatures would never come to a revelation of the Light. How a loving, all-knowing God could allow this has had people debating over right Biblical interpretation for many millennia. But nevertheless, this was His plan—and who are we to question His design? Instead, for those who have been made privy to His thoughts, we should simply exclaim “Hallelujah!” and be thankful for even a small glimpse of His Light.

At this point, you might be asking yourself: What does light have to do with codependency? Is there any correlation? Or is this just another banal attempt to waste my time?

Rather than try to elucidate and wax eloquent on new theories that have been expounded by far more profound thinkers throughout the ages, let us turn to one who encountered the Light almost two millennia ago on a fateful trip to Damascus. Prior to his conversion, Paul was certainly—by his own testimony—a man passionate about his beliefs to the point of participating in the executions of those who believed in another way to God than what he perceived. Once he was blinded by the presence of the Light of the world, Yeshua HaMashiach, his life and comprehension of the truth were never the same. He went on through the balance of his days directing his listeners and readers to the revelation that he received from the Master Himself.

His previous training was certainly not wasted, though. Note that Paul himself indicates that he was more zealous than most of his contemporaries (Galatians 1:14), indicating that prior to his encounter with the Lord, he represented an extreme Judaism that most did not embrace. His own teacher, Gamaliel, recommended a much more lenient stance toward the early Jewish Believers, than Paul himself embraced:

“And he said to them, ‘Men of Israel, take care what you propose to do with these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a group of about four hundred men joined up with him. But he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing. After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census and drew away some people after him; he too perished, and all those who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown;but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God’” (Acts 5:35-39).

At the time before his Damascus Road encounter, Paul clearly saw things differently. But once convinced of Yeshua’s Lordship and Messiahship, he became one of His biggest promoters!

Satan, in spite of being the prince of the power of air (Ephesians 2:2), has one significant disadvantage. He operates in the darkness, devoid of the power of the Light. So what does the great imposter do in his lust to rob, steal, and destroy? He masquerades around as an angel of light. Paul, who served the Light, expresses it best when writing to the saints in Corinth:

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Messiah. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Here, we get a peek into how the enemy of our souls operates. He often uses individuals who disguise themselves as apostles and workers of the Messiah. Note that Paul specifically remarks, “it is not strange if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (RSV).

Now here is the connection!

The emphasis in Paul’s description is directed primarily toward Believers, to warn them about various false apostles and teachers who come in among them. While specifically directed toward the Corinthians, I would submit that some of those very same types of people have also had the opportunity to infect and influence others down through the centuries to today. Certainly, we know that whether you are a devout follower of Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, there is always the possibility that certain individuals have come in unaware—and have taken advantage of their positions to steer these religious systems into practices that often enslave their adherents.

Is it possible that Satan, aware that humanity is infected with the Garden-induced disease of knowing the difference between good and evil, uses this innate predilection to manipulate unenlightened masses snared in these religions? If someone has not had a genuine personal encounter with the Light, Yeshua—yet has still “tasted” of the Tree of Life—it is highly likely that he will be susceptible to following moral and religious codes that allow a person to think that he is good, as opposed to evil. In so doing, the propensity to earn one’s acceptance before the Eternal Creator will drive people to great lengths to justify their actions.

We need not deviate to discuss all of the wars, disputes, and persecutions that have littered the trail of time with death and destruction—as a direct result of human religion. I will simply concede that good and evil are both relative, and that no matter what your perspective, the attempt to prove moral superiority over the ages has brought millions into the Adversary’s lair.

If human beings, inspired and indeed empowered by the prince of air—whether knowingly or not—are devoid of the Light, the only understanding they have received is either from other human beings or the fallen angelic host subservient to the Father of Lies. Even though the inspired Word is preserved for the remnant of the Light, the misuse and abuse of it can enslave people and cultures. We can note that when the Light appeared, Yeshua spent some significant time attempting to show the religious leaders of the day how far they had missed the mark. While the basic Pharisee was a relatively good, moral, God-fearing person, his leaders were often those who did not take to serious heart the things that they should have. Too many of them let their positions of authority go to their head, and forgot the matters of social justice and righteous living that they claimed to uphold. Consider the following encounter between Yeshua and some Pharisees:

“Then Yeshua again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.’ So the Pharisees said to Him, ‘You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.’ Yeshua answered and said to them, ‘Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.’ So they were saying to Him, ‘Where is Your Father?’ Yeshua answered, ‘You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.’ These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come. Then He said again to them, ‘I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.’ So the Jews were saying, ‘Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, “Where I am going, you cannot come”?’ And He was saying to them, ‘You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.’ So they were saying to Him, ‘Who are You?’ Yeshua said to them, ‘What have I been saying to you from the beginning? I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.’ They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. So Yeshua said, ‘When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.’ As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. So Yeshua was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, “You will become free”?’ Yeshua answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.’ They answered and said to Him, ‘Abraham is our father.’ Yeshua said to them, ‘If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. You are doing the deeds of your father.’ They said to Him, ‘We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.’ Yeshua said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.’ The Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Yeshua answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.’ The Jews said to Him, ‘Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, “If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.” Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?’ Yeshua answered, ‘If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, “He is our God”; and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.’ So the Jews said to Him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?’ Yeshua said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.’ Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Yeshua hid Himself and went out of the temple” (John 8:12-59).

If you take the time to read the passage above, you should see that it summarizes much of the dilemma the children of Light now face. It demonstrates much of the conflict that can occur between those who are operating properly via the power of God, and those who are operating improperly—usually with fleshly or self-serving motives. However, I would be remiss not to say that whether it is modern-day Judaism or Christianity, these two faith systems do outwardly recognize the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Judaism and Christianity have both developed a code of ethics and rules that are universally accepted, and both religions have assisted greatly with the advancement of Western civilization.

Any religion, however, is limited because all it can provide a person is a basic framework by which to experience God. The religion itself cannot provide a person spirituality, but instead only provide a forum or a place for one to express spirituality. Understanding this is crucial because many believe that membership in a synagogue or church is all that is required for communion with God. It is not! If you have not yet encountered the Chief Cornerstone, and been broken to pieces rather than scattered like dust, you have not yet been exposed to the Light:

“Yeshua said to them, ‘Did you never read in the Scriptures, “The stone which the builders rejected, this became the chief corner stone; this came about from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes”? Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust’” (Matthew 21:42-44).

Yeshua was again almost seized by these statements, but His time had not come.

So what does this all mean? It can mean that if you are caught up in any religious system that does not recognize the true Light, our Messiah Yeshua, then you are in desperate need of illumination. Secondly, even if you already know Yeshua, you need to make sure that you are truly seeking Him and His righteousness, not simply complying with a religious system that has been developed in His name.

Yeshua warns us Himself, in His address to His Disciples concerning the end-times, that many will come in His name and be mislead:

“And Yeshua answered and said to them, ‘See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Messiah,” and will mislead many’” (Matthew 24:4-5).

These same usurpers will arise when lawlessness is multiplied and hearts have grown cold:

“Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:11-12).

These servants of unrighteousness will use false signs and wonders to mislead, if possible, God’s own elect:

“For false Messiahs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have told you in advance” (Matthew 24:24-25).

These are sobering words coming from the Light of the world. Our Lord is trying desperately to give the faithful fair warning as to what negative things should be expected and anticipated.

What are we to do when we consider these warnings? How about crying out to Him for deliverance? It has worked in the past—and based on the overwhelming testimony of the Scriptures—prayer and supplication are things that will reach the ears of our Creator. He will certainly hear our cries for salvation and deliverance no matter what limits are imposed. Great men and women of the Holy Writ have discovered that prayer, praise, and worship are all things that the Holy One of Israel desires to hear. He even has a special golden censor in Heaven to capture and contain the prayers of the saints, so that He can also smell them as they are offered up before Him:

“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel's hand” (Revelation 8:3-4).

When you read the opening verses of the Book of Genesis, you see that when God saw the light He declared it was good. This is a pattern that King David understood to be the principle of declaring His goodness. In Psalm 145, he dedicates his praise to extolling the goodness of God’s work. As you read and meditate upon this psalm you find that David praises God for all His works, and gives thanks. His mercy, lovingkindness, and sustenance are praised. And finally, you see that He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him. As God will hear their cries and will save His people, the impetus to cry out to Him for mercy and grace should overwhelm the reader:

“The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them. The Lord keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:18-21).

These are comforting words to all who truly desire to know the Living God. He does not desire a people who are entrapped in religious systems that incarcerate their souls with spiritual do’s and don’ts that only develops codependency. Instead, He wants a people who want to depend upon Him for all things. He wants a people He can nurture and love, for whom His Son is returning to rule over.

Let me leave you with these final questions: Do you love Him? Do you depend upon Him for all things? Do you know Him who is life eternal? Have you seen the Light?

If the answer to any of these questions is no or maybe, I would suggest that you fall on your face and beseech Him for more of Himself. He hears our prayers and He promises to respond, for out of our darkness He brings to us the Light. For Yeshua is the Light of the world!

Mark Huey (B.A., Vanderbilt University in History and Graduate Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) is the Director of Outreach Israel Ministries (www.outreachisrael.net). He is the author of several books, including: TorahScope, Volumes I & II, and Counting the Omer: A Daily Devotional Toward Shavuot. He is also co-author of Hebraic Roots: An Introductory Study.