Discipleship Articles
A Light Shining in the Darkness


This Roman arch is located in Israel,
in an area known as the Herod's Gate Tunnel


A Light of Comfort, Security, and Hope

The place was the land of Egypt where eight plagues had been executed by the hand of God in judgment against Pharaoh who would not release the Hebrew slaves from their bondage. On this particular day God commanded Moses:

"'Reach out your hand toward the sky, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness so thick it can be felt!' Moses reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. People could not see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Israel had light in their homes." Exodus 10:21-23

A light shone in the darkness offering comfort, security, and hope.

Then, as the last plague was about to descend, God, through Moses, commanded His people to slaughter a lamb without blemish, one per household, and to apply the blood to the doorposts and to the lintel of their homes. He told them exactly how to roast it and exactly how to eat it. For:

"Adonai will pass through to kill the Egyptians, but when He sees the blood on the top and on the two sides [lintel and doorposts], Adonai will pass over the door and will not allow the Slaughterer to enter your houses and kill you." Exodus 12:23

“At midnight Adonai killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. Pharaoh got up in the night, he, all his servants and all the Egyptians; and there was horrendous wailing in Egypt; for there wasn't a single house without someone dead in it.” Exodus 12:29, 30

For the Egyptians there was the darkness of death. But, for the people of God there was the light of freedom – freedom from fear and freedom from bondage under the hand of His protection.

Shortly thereafter, multitudes gathered at the brink of the Red Sea as Moses led the children of Israel out of Pharaoh's grasp. But, once again Pharaoh's heart had been hardened. He assembled his mighty army in hot pursuit, threatening to overtake them.

“As Pharaoh approached, the people of Israel looked up and saw the Egyptians right there coming after them. In great fear the people of Israel cried out to Adonai...Next, the angel of God, who was going ahead of the camp of Israel moved away and went behind them; and the column of cloud moved away from in front of them and stood behind them. It stationed itself between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel – there was cloud and darkness here, but light by night there; so that one did not come near the other all night long. Moses reached his hand out over the sea, and Adonai caused the sea to go back before a strong east wind all night. He made the sea become dry land, and its water was divided in two. Then the people of Israel went into the sea on the dry ground, with the water walled up for them on their right and on their left. The Egyptians continued their pursuit, going after them into the sea – all Pharaoh's horses, chariots and cavalry. Just before dawn, Adonai looked out on the Egyptian army through the column of fire and cloud and threw them into a panic. He caused the wheels of their chariots to break off, so that they could move only with difficulty. The Egyptians said, 'Adonai is fighting for Israel against the Egyptians! Let's get away from them!'...On that day, Adonai saved Israel from the Egyptians; Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore.” Exodus 14:10, 19-25, 30

And yet again, the light of Adonai shone through the darkness to deliver His people.

So, what exactly was this light? Consider the word of God to the prophets:

“Arise, shine for your light has come, the glory of Adonai has risen over you. For although darkness covers the earth and thick darkness the peoples; on you Adonai will rise; over you will be seen His glory.” Psalms 60:1

"The people living in darkness have seen a great light; upon those living in the land that lies in the shadow of death light has dawned." Isaiah 9:2

"Pay attention to me, my people! My nation, listen to me! For Torah will go out from me; I will calm them with my justice as a light for the peoples..." Isaiah 51:4

Torah? But, the written Torah had not yet been given by God to His people on Mt. Sinai. So what does God mean by the light of Torah in this passage?

Consider the words recorded by John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things came to be through Him, and without Him nothing made had being. In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it." John 1:1-5

“The Word became a human being and lived with us, and we saw his Sh'khinah, the Sh'khinah of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth." John 1:14

What was – is – the light? The Torah. Who is the Torah? Yeshua. Therefore, who is the light? Yeshua. As He said Himself:

"I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life." John 8:12

Yeshua was the light in the darkness and despair of Egypt. He was the light in the homes at Passover. He was the light shining through the darkness of fear on the shores of the Red Sea. He was, and is, the light prophesied as the coming Messiah. And He continues to be our light.

In light of this, Peter recorded for us an exhortation which in these days we would do well to embrace:

“For when we made known to you the power and the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, we did not rely on cunningly contrived myths. On the contrary, we saw His majesty with our own eyes. For we were there when He received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice came to Him from the grandeur of the Sh'khinah saying, 'This is my son, whom I love; I am well pleased with Him!' We heard this voice come out of heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. Yes, we have the prophetic Word made very certain. You would do well to pay attention to it as to a light shining in a dark, murky place, until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts.” 2 Peter 1:16-19

The Lord is telling us that the prophetic Word is that same light of protection, security, and hope spoken of in the story of the Exodus and throughout the Scriptures. Peter was assured of this due to his direct experience with Yeshua.

Also, with the coming of Yeshua – His first coming – came the fulfillment of many words of the prophets. Because of this Peter could be certain that at the time of His second coming the prophecies concerning Him would be completely fulfilled. Like Peter we can rest assured that no matter what we see in this world with our eyes, no matter who pursues us, attempts to dominate us, or even to annihilate us, Yeshua, our prophetic Word, our Torah stands strong for us.

"Blessed are the reader and the hearers of the words of this prophecy, provided they obey the things written in it! For the time is near!" Revelation 1:13

Therefore, we must rest in Yeshua. And we must live out lives as He did—fully embracing and adhering to the precepts of the Torah – living a Torah observant life. And, as we do, we will be blessed with freedom from fear and we will find hope in the light of Messiah Yeshua shining in the dark and murky places of this world.

Kehilat Sar Shalom

This website is updated weekly with new articles and features.
All articles on this site were written by current or former members of Kehilat Sar Shalom and Beth Yeshua.
RabbiYeshua.com Copyright 2001-2008 by Kehilat Sar Shalom. All Rights Reserved.
Unauthorized duplication is strictly prohibited.