One of the dominant themes of Hanukkah is light. The lighting of the hanukkiah comes from the menorah which was in the Tabernacle and the Temple of Isra’el. The purpose of the menorah and everything about it had something to so with light. Our study today will help us gain better knowledge of light as it relates to God’s Word and our relationship with Him. There are 216 verses in the CJB using the word light, so let’s get started. (We are just going to do some of them, relax)

Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. So there was evening, and there was morning, one day. [B’resheet/Genesis 1:3-5]

What is the nature of this light, and where does it come from? (Note that the sun and moon and stars have not been made yet, and Thomas Edison was not born yet)

Incidentally, since we are here, when does the day start? (Notice when the day ends)

Think about this. God works all day, then rests in the evening (as most working people do). The following morning marks the end of the first 24 hour period of Creation and God starts work for the second day. Following this logic, the day actually is marked from sunrise to sunrise, not sunset to sunset, or midnight to midnight.

Moshe reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. People couldn't see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Isra'el had light in their homes. [Sh’mot/Exodus 10:22-23]

What does this say about our homes today?

The contribution you are to take from them is to consist of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn; fine linen, goat's hair, tanned ram skins and fine leather; acacia-wood; oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; onyx stones and other stones to be set, for the ritual vest and breastplate. [Sh’mot/Exodus 25:3-7]

"You are to order the people of Isra'el to bring you pure oil of pounded olives for the light, and to keep a lamp burning continually. [Sh’mot/Exodus 27:20]

What created the light of the menorah?

What does the oil represent in Scripture?

"Make seven lamps for the menorah, and mount them so as to give light to the space in front of it. [Sh’mot/Exodus 25:37]

What was the purpose of the menorah?

“The purpose of the sun is not so you can look at it, but by it you can see everything else” [Soren Kierkegaard]

When Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, he didn't realize that the skin of his face was sending out rays of light as a result of his talking with [Adonai]. [Sh’mot/Exodus 34:29]

What should be the result of spending time with God?

He discloses the deepest recesses of darkness and brings light into shadows dark as death. [Job 12:22]

Consider the darkest areas of your life and realize that God brings light even to those areas.

Are there any times in your life when life seemed very dark, and God’s light penetrated that darkness to completely change that situation?

"There are those who rebel against the light — they don't know its ways or stay in its paths. [Job 24:13]

And this is the message which we have heard from him and proclaim to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him — none! If we claim to have fellowship with him while we are walking in the darkness, we are lying and not living out the truth. But if we are walking in the light, as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of his Son Yeshua purifies us from all sin. [1Yochanan/1John 1:5-7]

How do we stay in the light?

Your word is a lamp for my foot and light on my path. [Tehellim/Psalms 119:105]

To David what is the Word that He is referring to?

Yeshua spoke to them again: "I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life." [Yochanan/John 8:12]

While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." [Yochanan/John 9:5]

Incidentally while I at it, I will point out this verse in the next chapter:

Then came Hanukkah in Yerushalayim. It was winter, and Yeshua was walking around inside the Temple area, in Shlomo's Colonnade. [Yochanan/John 10:22-23]

Could there be any correlation to Yeshua saying that He is the light of the world, shortly before, if not during the time of Hanukkah?

"You are light for the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Likewise, when people light a lamp, they don't cover it with a bowl but put it on a lampstand, so that it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. [Mattityahu/Matthew 5:14-16]

As the light of Messiah is lived out through the light of Torah, we become lights in a dark world. At Hanukkah, we see that the light of the Shamash gives light to all the other branches (I am the Vine, you are the branches) and in turn they all give light in the midst of darkness.

Our parashah this week starts the story of Yosef. He was despised by his brothers for the favor he had, represented by the coat of many colors. He was despised also for his dreams which put himself above his family. He was sold into slavery into the darkest nation of his time. He was falsely accused and put into prison.

How was Yosef a light?

What can we learn from his story?

           
     Prayer:

    Thank God for what He has taught you in this study.  Ask God help be a light in your world the way Yosef was in his. Ask God to fill you with the oil of the Holy Spirit to enable you to better see and do His will. Thank God for sending His Light into the world to save you and all mankind from sin.