Let There Be Light and There Was Light

[Ben Masada]

Let There Be Light and There Was Light

"The Lord said, 'Let there be light and there was light.'" If we read about the Essenes Theology, the world is divided between the children of light and the children of darkness.

First, there was darkness and the Lord said, "Let there be light, and there was light." Genesis 1:3 was the very first prophecy about the rise of Israel from the loins of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But, till then, spiritual darkness was all over the earth. Hence, the Flood was necessary as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had not risen yet.

Soon after the Flood the Lord promised Noah that He would never strike Mankind again with another universal catastrophe of the size of the Flood as long as the laws of Nature functioned properly. (Genesis 8:21,22)

The "Let there be light" of Genesis 1:3 was in fulfillment with the rise of Israel. Jeremiah must have read that text and connected it with Israel by saying that the natural laws would function properly as long as Israel remained as a People before the Lord forever. (Jeremiah 31:35-37) Isaiah must also have read that text of Genesis 1:3 and said that Israel had been assigned as light unto the nations. (Isaiah 42:6) Last but not least, Jesus also must have read that text when he said that the Jews are the light of the world in Mat. 5:14 and that salvation comes from the Jews. Universal salvation there is. John 4:22. That's how Genesis 1:3 is made more sensible and scientific.

 

[ttruscott]

First, there was darkness and the Lord said, "Let there be light, and there was light."

GOD is light and GOD was first so darkness was not first.

Consider:
If we apply what we know of physical light to Gen 1:3 and following we get mired pretty fast...so I suggest we understand it as allusions to something else.

Genesis 1:3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

WoW - light with no darkness... IF this light is the visible light our eyes can see, then by making it, it creates its own darkness...How can light be not separated from darkness or how can it be so separated if it wasn't already separated by its creation? Can this really apply to visible light? Doesn't sound like light we know, does it? So, was GOD doing tricks with visible light or does this point to something else?

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

Does "GOD is light" refer to a visible glow or shine like a star or sun? This is weird stuff right? Does “Let there be light,” mean HE self created HIMself? Well of course not, so light is a characteristic of GOD, a divine attribute:

http://bible.cc/1_john/1-5.htm
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
That God is light - Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem of purity, truth, knowledge, prosperity, and happiness - as darkness is of the opposite. John here says that "God is light" - φῶς phōs - not the light, or a light, but light itself; that is, he is himself all light, and is the source and fountain of light in all worlds. He is perfectly pure, without any admixture of sin. He has all knowledge, with no admixture of ignorance on any subject. He is infinitely happy, with nothing to make him miserable. He is infinitely true, never stating or countenancing error; he is blessed in all his ways, never knowing the darkness of disappointment and adversity.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
...that is, as light is opposed to the darkness of sin; he is pure and holy in his nature and works, and of such pure eyes as not to behold iniquity; and so perfectly holy, that angels cover their times before him, when they speak of his holiness:

Vincent's Word Studies
God is Light (Θεὸς φῶς ἐστὶν)
A statement of the absolute nature of God. Not a light, nor the light, with reference to created beings, as the light of men, the light of the world, but simply and absolutely God is light, in His very nature. Compare God is spirit, and see on John 4:24 : God is love, 1 John 4:8, 1 John 4:16. The expression is not a metaphor. "All that we are accustomed to term light in the domain of the creature, whether with a physical or metaphysical meaning, is only an effluence of that one and only primitive Light which appears in the nature of God" (Ebrard). Light is immaterial, diffusive, pure, and glorious. It is the condition of life.

People's New Testament
John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him. The message heard from Christ, now declared, is that God is light. The source whence all light, whether it be physical, or moral, or spiritual, comes ; the Enlightener of the universe. The term denotes luminous clearness, the free and benevolent source from whence flow light, intelligence, purity and blessing, absolutely free from alien intermixture, since in him there is no darkness at all. Light represents truth, knowledge and holiness. Darkness represents ignorance, error, falsehood and sin.

In terms used by the Scripture to define LIGHT in other places, this would mean that GOD created goodness and separated it from evil…

LIGHT IS FAITH:
LIGHT is the moral attribute of goodness and life by faith unto righteousness and darkness is evil, rejecting GOD by faith, and death. And in Gen 1:4 GOD separated between them: Genesis 1:4 God saw that the light was good, and HE separated the light from the darkness.

This suggests that ALL people created in HIS image already existed by the end of verse 2 or between the verses and speaks to the free will decision that was the separation between all those who accepted YHWH as their GOD and those who rejected HIM as a false god.

So might not Genesis 1:3 read: And God said, “Let there be light,” [ie faith unto righteousness] and there was light [faith]. 4 God saw that the light [faith] was good, and he separated the light from the darkness [evil, rejecters, antagonists to HIS will].

FAITH BY FREE WILL:
Pre-conception existence theology contends that HE did this by asking for our true free will decisions to either accept HIS purpose for our creation or by rejecting that purpose because we thought HE was a false god, unable to fulfill his warnings of the consequences, and we did not have to bow to anyone. The separation was finalized by the election of the sons of light to HIS eternal church while He left the dark to their chosen perdition.

To ensure that none of HIS newly elected church would be destroyed by sin, HE gave us all the promise of election that if any of HIS elect should rebel against HIS will will and chose to become evil in HIS sight that though that would put them outside of HIS will, it would not put them outside of HIS grace nor love and that HE would always do what was necessary to bring them back to HIM in accord with their first true free will decision. This is the salvation of the Gospel promise.

 

[Ben Masada]

According to Essene Theology, before the children of light were caused to exist, the children of darkness were on earth for many years. That's what I meant when I said that first was darkness as light came later.

 

[beameup]

Genesis 1:3 was in fulfillment with the rise of Israel. Jeremiah must have read that text and connected it with Israel by saying that the natural laws would function properly as long as Israel remained as a People before the Lord forever.

Israel ceased to exist in 70 A.D. and was renamed Palestine by the Romans in 135 A.D.
Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina by the Romans and Jews were forbidden to be there.
I don't know what the "rabbis" are smoking, but it must put them in a opium-like dream-state.

 

[Ben Masada]

Israel ceased to exist in 70 A.D. and was renamed Palestine by the Romans in 135 A.D.
Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina by the Romans and Jews were forbidden to be there. I don't know what the "rabbis" are smoking, but it must put them in a opium-like dream-state.

Beameup, your anti-Jewish attitude won't help you. If you are doing this because you need someone to spend your time discussing a subject, okay but if you continue with anti-Jewish attitude, I would like to remind you of Numbers 24:5,9. "The Lord blesses those who bless Israel but He, by the same token, curses those who curse Israel. Yes, the Romans did erase Israel and even changed its name into Palestine. Today, that Rome who did this got erased from the map of the world and Israel is alive and kicking.

 

[beameup]

Beameup, your anti-Jewish attitude won't help you. If you are doing this because you need someone to spend your time discussing a subject, okay but if you continue with anti-Jewish attitude, I would like to remind you of Numbers 24:5,9. "The Lord blesses those who bless Israel but He, by the same token, curses those who curse Israel. Yes, the Romans did erase Israel and even changed its name into Palestine. Today, that Rome who did this got erased from the map of the world and Israel is alive and kicking.

Israel will fulfill Exodus 19:5-6 in the future, following the RESURRECTION.
David will be the Prince described in Ezekiel 40-43 and will have offspring.
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob will be resurrected and serve Messiah ETERNALLY
All Twelve Tribes will be serving Messiah in his Eternal Kingdom.
Where will you be?

 

[Ben Masada]

Israel will fulfill Exodus 19:5-6 in the future, following the RESURRECTION. David will be the Prince described in Ezekiel 40-43 and will have offspring. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob will be resurrected and serve Messiah ETERNALLY. All Twelve Tribes will be serving Messiah in his Eternal Kingdom. Where will you be?

Every thing you have said above is not true. Israel is fulfilling Exodus 19:5,6 now. The only problem is that all God's promises are conditional to our observance of His Law. No resurrection is necessary. The Tanach is clear enough that once dead, no one will ever rise again. (Psalm 49:12,20; II Samuel 12:23; Isaiah 26:14; Job 7:9) David himself said that once dead, no one will ever return from the grave. (2 Samuel 12:23). Nothing is eternal about man; that's why the Lord banished Adam & Eve from the Garden of Eden, to prevent them from eating of the tree of life and live forever. Why? Because nothing is eternal about man. Only God is Eternal.

 

[Rivers]

Every thing you have said above is not true. Israel is fulfilling Exodus 19:5,6 now.

Even most Jewish people today understand that they are not the descendants of the Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of the Bible. The people who migrated to Palestine and eventually established the modern state of Israel were not born in the Middle East and don't have ancestors from the Middle East. Anybody can "adopt" the religion of Judaism and call himself a "Jew."

 

[Ben Masada]

Even most Jewish people today understand that they are not the descendants of the Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of the Bible. The people who migrated to Palestine and eventually established the modern state of Israel were not born in the Middle East and don't have ancestors from the Middle East. Anybody can "adopt" the religion of Judaism and call himself a "Jew."

True! It is called conversion. We have a few of them here in Israel. They become Jewish with all the rights to the title; and even a name better than sons and daughters if you read Isaiah 56:1-8. I am of Sephardic tradition.

 

[beameup]

Every thing you have said above is not true. Israel is fulfilling Exodus 19:5,6 now. The only problem is that all God's promises are conditional to our observance of His Law. No resurrection is necessary. The Tanach is clear enough that once dead, no one will ever rise again. (Psalm 49:12,20; II Samuel 12:23; Isaiah 26:14; Job 7:9) David himself said that once dead, no one will ever return from the grave. (2 Samuel 12:23). Nothing is eternal about man; that's why the Lord banished Adam & Eve from the Garden of Eden, to prevent them from eating of the tree of life and live forever. Why? Because nothing is eternal about man. Only God is Eternal.

Ezekiel 37:25
And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children forever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever.

Isaiah 9:5-6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting [אָב ʼâb], The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

 

[Ben Masada]

Ezekiel 37:25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children forever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever.

Isaiah 9:5-6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting [אָב ʼâb], The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

The reference to David here is to his Tribe promised by the Lord to remain as a Lamp in Jerusalem forever according to I Kings 11:36. David himself will never rise from the grave. He himself said that once dead, one will never return. (II Samuel 12:23)

 

[beameup]

The reference to David here is to his Tribe promised by the Lord to remain as a Lamp in Jerusalem forever according to I Kings 11:36. David himself will never rise from the grave. He himself said that once dead, one will never return. (II Samuel 12:23)

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting [אָב ʼâb], The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
Messiah

 

[Rivers]

True! It is called conversion. We have a few of them here in Israel. They become Jewish with all the rights to the title; and even a name better than sons and daughters if you read Isaiah 56:1-8. I am of Sephardic tradition.

The people you refer to are converting to the religion of modern Judaism. There is no such thing as a "conversion" to a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob anywhere in scripture.

 

[Ben Masada]

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting [אָב ʼâb], The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the Throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this. Messiah

Yes, Messiah Israel according to the collective concept, not the individual.

 

[Ben Masada]

The people you refer to are converting to the religion of modern Judaism. There is no such thing as a "conversion" to a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob anywhere in scripture.

Rivers! Halo! Are you sleeping! Please, wake up and smell the coffee! Modern Judaism accepts conversions from the Gentiles and teach them Judaism in collective classes for eight months. After the course they all come collectively for an interview with the chief Rabbi to give the okay for the Mikveh and the welcome home into the Covenant with God's People. (Isaiah 56:1-8)

 

[Rivers]

Rivers! Halo! Are you sleeping! Please, wake up and smell the coffee! Modern Judaism accepts conversions from the Gentiles and teach them Judaism in collective classes for eight months. After the course they all come collectively for an interview with the chief Rabbi to give the okay for the Mikveh and the welcome home into the Covenant with God's People. (Isaiah 56:1-8)

Isaiah 56 isn't referring to the "conversion" of non-Abrahamic people. The book of Isaiah is about the restoration of the scattered people of Israel. At the time, some were living in Jerusalem (Isaiah 5:3), while others were the "banished of Israel" and "dispersed of Judah" who were to be gathered to them at a later time (Isaiah 11:12). This is what Isaiah 56:8 is referring to.

 

[beameup]

Yes, Messiah Israel according to the collective concept, not the individual.

The characteristics are of a single individual. Most Jewish rabbis would instantly recognize this as Messianic.

 

[Ben Masada]

Isaiah 56 isn't referring to the "conversion" of non-Abrahamic people. The book of Isaiah is about the restoration of the scattered people of Israel. At the time, some were living in Jerusalem (Isaiah 5:3), while others were the "banished of Israel" and "dispersed of Judah" who were to be gathered to them at a later time (Isaiah 11:12). This is what Isaiah 56:8 is referring to.

Isaiah 56:1-8 is about the conversion of Gentiles wishing to join God's Covenant with His People. They call themselves the foreigners or eunuchs who want to join God's Covenant with His People and are afraid not to be accepted or accepted as less than a Jew. That's when the Prophet guarantees that they will get a name better than sons and daughters. In fact, they are wonderful people much easier to deal with than Jews by birth.