This week, the big news has been about the tragic massacre on Bondi Beach in Australia during a Hanukkah celebration. God’s people were simply out celebrating their faith and being a light in this dark world when two evil and worldly people started gunning people down like they were animals.
The irony of the tragedy is that the shooters were stopped by a Muslim civilian who also understood the need for us to be the light in this dark, fallen kingdom. Despite what many conservatives want to believe, Muslims aren’t our enemy; Satan and the rulers of this dark world are.
As God’s people, we are called to be the light in this dark and fallen kingdom, regardless of our religious beliefs. The Bible also warns us that the darkness of this world does not understand or overcome God’s glorious light (Isaiah 9:2; 60:1-2, John 1:5):
- Love
- Forgiveness
- Humility
- Compassion
- Truth
God’s people are forbidden to follow the dark ways of this temporary kingdom (Psalm 119:105, John 11:10). We cannot pursue the same garbage this world does, no matter how many evil false teachers claim we can have it both ways (Joshua 1:6-9, Matthew 6:24).
Hanukkah reminds God’s people to be a light in this dark kingdom. Scripture warns us that the world will hate us for being the light (Matthew 5:14, John 15:18-19).
What Is Light
Light is much more than a physical concept or ideology; it is a spiritual force that God Himself created (Genesis 1:3, 2 Corinthians 4:6). Light is defined as “Something that makes vision possible; a celestial body.”
It often represents what is good and true, because light reveals truth and overcomes darkness. Light and darkness cannot coexist at the same time in the same place because they counteract each other. This applies both physically and spiritually.
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about light and where it comes from (Psalm 33:6, John 1:5, 1 Peter 2:9). The natural man walks in darkness, but the spiritual man lives in the light (Romans 1:21-22, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Ephesians 4:17-19; 5:8, Colossians 1:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:5). The Apostle Paul remembered his Jewish education about the light and the importance of being a light in the dark world.
‘Ôr
The Torah tells us in the beginning, God created the light and separated it from the darkness, and God called the light good (Genesis 1:1-5). The light was good because it overcame the darkness of this world.
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for light is ôr, and it can also mean “Day, flood, morning, or herbs,” depending on the context it is used in.
The light preceded all life on the planet because that is God’s divine order (Genesis 1:5-30). It was through the first Adam’s sin that death and darkness entered back into this world and corrupted it (Genesis 2:16-17; 3: 6-19).
The spiritual darkness of sin separated the creation from the light and goodness of God. That is why God set His people apart from the darkness of this fallen world to be His representatives of light and to help restore the relationship and the goodness of God to this fallen kingdom (Leviticus 20:26, Deuteronomy 7:6).
Judaism emphasizes the need to be light because it understands the symbolism of being the light in this dark kingdom (Exodus 13:21, Psalm 43:3, Isaiah 60:1-3, Micah 7:8, Zachariah 8:23):
- Divine Creator
- Godliness
- Torah
- Mitzvot
- Humanity
When Jesus the Messiah entered into the world, the light returned to the world to overcome the darkness according to Jewish prophecy (Isaiah 42:6; 49:6, Matthew 4: number 16, John 8:12; 9:5).
The Second Adam restored what the first Adam lost in the garden when he pursued earthly greatness (Genesis 3:4-5). Our Lord taught His followers to be the light in this dark kingdom also (Matthew 5:14-16).
Jesus taught His followers not to let the darkness of this world overcome them (John 12:35-36). Our Rabbi rebuked the Pharisees, religious leaders, for doing the evil and dark works of their father, the devil (John 8:38-44). We cannot claim to be God’s people and do the deeds of darkness like this world.
Rob Reiner
In other sad news this week, Hollywood legend Rob Reiner and his wife were murdered by their adult son. It was public knowledge that Nick Reiner battled his own demons of alcohol and drugs, yet the Reiners forgave and had compassion for their son over the years. They even allowed him to live on their property.
The Bible warns us that in the last days, family will betray family and even children will murder their parents (Micah 7:6, Matthew 10:21, Luke 12:53, 2 Timothy 3:1-5).
Yet, Rob Reiner was committed to his Jewish faith of loving his children and doing good works to be a light in this dark and fallen world:
- Loving
- Forgiving
- Compassionate
- Helping those in need
On the flipside of this tragedy, before anyone could be arrested for the Reiner’s murder, Pres. Trump ran a public smear campaign to disrespect a dead man. The vengeful president declared the writers were murdered because they were anti-Trump.
Even members of his own party and MAGA conservatives rebuked the president for his careless, uncompassionate, and disrespectful words about a dead man and his wife. The president continues to show that he wants nothing to do with God and being the light, except for using them both for political gain.
President Trump and his supporters are focused on an earthly kingdom of darkness, not the kingdom of God and being the light in this fallen world (Matthew 5:14-16, 6:33). Neither realizes that they cannot be in the light and in the dark at the same time (Matthew 6:24).
Our Lord reminded us that His kingdom is not of this dark world (John 18:36). If we are in the light, we will store up treasures for ourselves in heaven, not put our hope into this temporary kingdom (Matthew 6:19-21). God’s people cannot walk in the dark and be in God’s ‘ôr!
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