“The moon was gone. Stars were shining above; but over the ground there crept a darkness blacker than night.” Lord of the Rings, Pt. II. The Two Towers
Hanukkah celebrates supernatural light invading spiritual and physical darkness. For years, we sang at this time, “Banu Chosech legaresh” (We have come to drive out the darkness). But as Tolkien’s words allude, all darkness is not the same. The world struggled in blackness until God’s Spirit hovered over the waters, and said, “Let there be light”. For a moment, no one is sure how long, the light fused with darkness until they were separated. (Gen. 1.4) Scripture alludes to their mixture as creation’s first day began with evening.
“God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” Gen. 1. 5 ESV
The Hebrew word for evening, (erev) means mixture. Some physicists describe the “Big Bang” in strikingly similar language to Genesis, a time when light photons had yet to separate from free electrons, an energy of “black fire”.
“The photons were held in a confused soup of random collision with the masses of free electrons…The traditional description of this energy is that it was a “black fire.” …Only after the expansion of the universe had proceeded, did light separate from the dark (Gen. 1.3).”[1] Gerald Schroeder, Genesis and the Big Bang Theory
Creation began with an evening and Scripture tells us that the moment preceding the final “Day of the Lord” will be an evening of waning light and waxing darkness – a mixture that is neither day nor night. But when it seems darkness will prevail, suddenly the LIGHT will come.
“And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.” Zech. 7. 14 ESV
And so, on this Hanukkah we focus on that light of Yeshua, the Messiah, the “light of life”, and “light of men”. From Him darkness flees. In His brief ministry He forged a supernatural seven branched menorah, His congregation of “Called out Ones”. Though this world’s shadows of light and dark are again mixing into an erev in these last days, Messiah’s flame shines ever brighter.
I. The light in the Darkness
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1. 1 ESV
John’s Gospel parallels the light at creation with the light of Messiah with the phrase, “In the beginning”. Light entered our darkness in the form of the “Son of Man”. Some translate this as, “the darkness did not comprehend the light.” Others render it, “darkness has not overcome” the light. Here we see God’s uncontaminated, pure Light piercing the darkness, driving it back.
Matthew gives us insight into the condition of the world without Messiah. Humanity dwelled in darkness and were overcome by it. Such darkness resulted in blindness, but Messiah’s light gives us sight!
“The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” Mat. 4. 16 ESV
Dwelling in Darkness
Perhaps there is no worse picture of dwelling in darkness than the man from the region of the Gadarenes. His darkness drove him to the tombs far from those who loved him and stripped him of dignity. Though he broke the chains of the people of Gadara, he could not overcome the chains of darkness. The demons that possessed the man would not have released him, but one day the Light shone in the darkness. Yeshua stepped onto his shore and came to set him free. Unfortunately, many like him still dwell in darkness. But then we see that that there is also the darkness of the shadows.
Dwelling in the Shadow of Death
Shadow is darkness resulting from a figure blocking light. We all appreciate resting in the shadow of a tree on a hot day. But here our text tells us there is a shadow of death. Death has stepped in front of the Light of Life. Matthew quotes Isaiah to say that upon those dwelling in the shadow of death, a light has dawned. The only way that the light can break upon those people is if figure of death has been removed. Death no longer separates man from our Creator.
Yeshua rose from the dead, taking back the keys of death, hell, and the grave. (Rev. 1. 18) Is death still an enemy? Yes, for now. But Messiah’s Light is our life and resurrection. One day, death itself will be thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20. 14) Messiah’s light results in life.
II. The Light of Life
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8. 12 ESV
Multitudes in the shadow of death now walk the light of life! You were made for physical light. Light entering our eyes stimulates the hypothalamus of the brain. Body processes awaken in reaction to light, whether on our skin or eyes. How much more is our spirit awakened by the light of Messiah?
The story is told of a man who started to neglect going to congregation. One winter day his pastor knocked on his door. Being sure of the reason for the visit, he bid his pastor to sit beside him. Neither spoke. They simply watched the flickering flames in the fireplace. Part way through the visit, the pastor retrieved a glowing ember with tongs from the fire, setting it on the hearth. Both watched as the golden hues faded from red to orange, grey then black. Still, neither spoke. Finally, the pastor stood, and using the tongs, lifted the ember into the fire. As its red glow returned, he said, “I must be going now, thanks for allowing my visit.” “No’ thank you Pastor”, he replied. “And thanks for the fiery sermon; I will be at congregation on Sunday.”
III. The Light of the World
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest… and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” Rev. 1. 12, 16b ESV
The lampstand of Hanukkah, called a Hunukkiah, is designed as an illustrated sermon. Its eight branches symbolize the seven branched menorah which miraculously burned for eight nights. Elevated above its eight branches, is the shamash, or servant candle. Shamash, in Hebrew, is strikingly similar to shemesh, (the sun). The shamash, is lit first, and must be lowered from its position to light the others. The New Testament book of Revelation uses strikingly similar language to reveal Yeshua among the seven lamps of the Temple Menorah.
Why must the shamash (the servant of the Lord) on the Hanukkiah come down? Because it represents a heavenly source of light. Yeshua, is the servant (shamash) of the LORD, shining like the brilliance of the sun (shemesh) at full strength.
Yeshua drove back the darkness, bringing Heaven’s Light. His life and death fashioned the magnificent Menorah, His Kehillah, to show forth His light to the nations. But Scripture also warns that the end times will be a mixture of love growing cold, neither hot or cold, light or dark – day nor night. With that warning there is also a promise.
Conclusion
How can a lampstand go dark? Many today call themselves followers of Yeshua, yet attempt to live in the “erev” (mixture) of light and dark. They walk in the light yet inviting the darkness of sin. Yeshua warned such to repent lest he come and remove their lampstand. (Rev. 2. 5)
Be assured, God will separate light from darkness. We must also! It is said that the moment of late evening, when light and dark mix, is the most difficult time for people to see clearly. A kind of blindness sets. Zechariah described just such an evening to precede the coming of the LORD. Many seem blind to the sin around them but be encouraged. Those who stay connected to the supernatural oil of Heaven will burn bright, and when it seems evening’s shadow will give way to the night, Heaven’s LIGHT will fill this world!
“And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.” Zech. 14. 7 ESV
May the miracle of Hanukkah’s shamash reminds us of Messiah walking among the seven lampstands, tending the flames of his people. If you do not know Him, I invite you to bring His light to your life today.
Shavua Tov from Zion
[1] Gerald L. Schroeder, Genesis and the Big Bang: The Discovery of Harmony between Modern Science and the Bible (Bantam Books, 1992), 155.
