God is LIGHT.
1 John1:5. This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is LIGHT, and in him is no darkness at all.
The first time we hear the word LIGHT is in Genesis 1:3.
In Hebrew the word Light is:
Or – אוֹר.
(Familiar to us too, as part of the English word orb meaning a ball of light.)
For most of us, Light is a thing. Some scientists regard LIGHT as having zero mass, (no physical substance), however one of the other basic meanings for light is lamp: a device [noun] that sheds light.
The word LIGHT is a singular, common noun and can be concrete or abstract, depending on use; for example: Concrete: Turn off the light before you go to bed.
Some origins of the word Light:
Old English lēoht, līht (noun and adjective), līhtan (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch licht and German Licht, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek: leukos- white and Latin: lux – light.
Light in physics, is visible electromagnetic radiation. The most well known and dramatic example is the Northern and Southern Lights the Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis.
The human eye can typically detect radiation (light) in the wavelength range of about 400 to 750 nanometers. Nearby shorter and longer wavelength ranges, although not visible, are commonly called ultraviolet and infrared light.
A definition of Light: something that makes things visible or affords illumination:
All colors depend on light.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/what-does-the-mysterious-roy-g-biv-reveal-about-ahavah/
The interesting thing about the Hebrew word for LIGHT – Or, is that it is a verb, meaning, it is an action word.
It is a word that does something and it is also a prime root, meaning:
to be, or become light.
In our thinking, Light is an element that aids sight, or a time of day, or describes a color tone, which is very different.
Strongs #216 Or/Ohr:
Phonetic Spelling: (ore)
Pronounced OAR
’ō·wr
Sometimes also written AR and AWR
As we are discovering everything is connected, so this is a follow on to the posts on Shofar and Jubilee Yovel/Yobel and the Keys of Light; because there is a further amazing connection between them all.
First, let’s look at Light, with reference to the ancient Paleo Hebrew Texts and their pictograph letters.
Genesis 1:3.
Vayomer Elokim yehi-or vayehi-or.
God said, Let there be light, and there was light.
let there – yehi/ yhi – יְהִ֣י – the letters Yod+Hey+Yod
Light Be – (yehi) – or. אוֹר – the letters Alef+Waw/Vav+Resh/Reysh
This was an action.
The first use of the Hebrew language is in Genesis in the creation account:
yehi or – Light Be!
Which can also be written:
yehiy or,
meaning:
light exist.
God also gave Hebrew names to the
sky (shamayim),
land (erets),
sun (shemesh),
moon (yerey’ach),
stars (kokhaviym)
and man (adam).
When God formed Adam he apparently gave him this spoken language and communicated with him (Genesis 1.28). The man also used this same language to give names to all of the birds (oph),
animals (behemah),
beasts (hayahsadeh)
and woman (iyshah).
Since God is the originator of the Hebrew language, He is also the originator of the alphabet. Over time all alphabets evolve. Therefore, it is possible for the writing system of Noah’s day to display changes from the alephbet given to Adam.
In the ancient Hebrew Paleo Pictograph language, the word light is very close to the Ancient Hebrew word for box. It would certainly have given us something to question if the people who translated the original text had put it in the word box instead of light! Genesis 1:3 would have read, Let there be box and box was!
However, there is a very interesting relationship between the two words.
The word LIGHT in Genesis 1:3 is translated as AWR (OR) and is pronounced oar.
There are several different spellings for the same word so they are included here so we don’t get confused and think it is a different word with a different meaning.
(OHR – OR – ORE – AR – AWR – OWR).
Remember to read from right to left in the pictograph below. Alef Waw Resh
So as not to be confused, note that the letters W, WAW is also known as = VAV for V
And the letter R for Resh also known as Reysh.
Numerical value of the letters:
A =1; V/W= 6; R=200.
The 3 pictographs are:
Resh/Reysh – Waw/Vav – Alef
Aleph – pronounced as AH or EH. Picture of the ox head, meaning: strength and power, yoked to.
Waw or vav – pronounced as W, O or U. Picture of the nail or hook, meaning: to add something, or secure a thing.
And Resh or Reysh pronounced as R. Picture of is the head of a person, meaning: Headship, chief, first.
The parent root word, (which means, where the basic meaning is found;) comes from AR.
AR in its basic definition is the verb meaning: ORDER, to order, to gather, to organize.
A further definition is shown by what is called the concrete noun, meaning the object or thing, and this is the word BOX. A BOX can be thought of as a kind of tool or helper, an aid; something that is used for organizing or creating order.
AR – Alef Resh
The A -Alef is a picture of an Ox, which in the west is more commonly called a cow.
The Alef speaks of the action to lead, leading, to be led by, to be put in the front.
The actual, or concrete meaning, is an Ox – one of a team yoked together. One of the two yoked oxen would be experienced, in order to help the other less experienced one. So the weaker would learn from the stronger by following.
(Note here of the meaning behind Jesus/Yeshua saying, that His Yoke was easy.
Why?
Because He is the more experienced of the 2 in the yoke. The 2 in the yoke being us and Him, as we are yoked together with Him in covenant. He also gives us the command: Follow Me. He leads us, as in Ps.23.)
Lastly the abstract concept in the Alef is one of strength.
The second letter R – Resh/Reysh is a picture of a persons head and speaks first of the action, the doing, to start, to begin. As well as concrete images, giving us an understanding of a top, or a summit, like that of a mountain; and also that of a human being as being the top, or highest, of all of Gods’ creation.
So from this we learn that R/resh, represents the concept of top, or source, strength from above and being led from above, from the top.
Returning to the image of boxes, with this meaning, order and organization would appear to have something to do with: being led from the top and strength from above.
In the middle East millennia ago, the idea of Boxes/containers, would have not been uncommon to a people whose nomadic lifestyle necessitated continually packing up and moving. No doubt they had something in which to place and carry their possessions.
When we move from one place to another, we too are familiar with boxes.
Placing items into containers is a natural action and we usually place items down into a box from above.
In Hebrew thought, it could be described as a strong action and also as having strength to function; whereas viewing an unorganized, disarrayed pile of items spread around everywhere, (not in a box), and not collected; could be weak when considered in comparison, and lacking the strength of order and organization.
Boxes in this ancient Hebraic thinking are examples of strength from above.
Next, looking at the Hebrew word AWR for light, the root coming from AR, in this word there is a letter W in the middle. This letter is a WAW or a VAV. It is a letter that is added in between the A and R. It is called an infix.
The Pictograph for the letter WAW or VAV is a nail, which gives the visual meaning of binding, or attaching, as in an action like adding a tent peg.
It also has an abstract concept of adding to, or, increase and is used as the connecting or conjunction word: AND.
When the letter WAW or VAV is added to words, it appears to give a greater emphasis to its’ meaning.
In this case it indicates that it is taking a single event of carefully placing items in order into a box and is turning it into a broader conceptual meaning; that of getting everything in order, as in overall organization and light.
Without light in a room, it would be almost impossible to get everything in order. To see what we are doing, we need light. To organize items, whether in a kitchen, garage or office, we also need containers or boxes because things get mixed up and chaotic without order.
With the addition of the letter waw/vav, the nail, we are given a word with an adjusted meaning of:
order that is more enduring in its existence, it is longer lasting and is attached to everything
and this is referring to
LIGHT – AWR/OR.
In Hebrew thought, Light has strength from above, having the same properties as the pictographs show for the box.
However, this strength is enduring and affects everything.
The thing that unites these is the common theme of ORDER that comes out of disorder, confusion and chaos.
The place we started was at Genesis/Beresheet/Beginning, where Darkness (hashak) was on the face of the deep before the account of the creation events.
There was a lot of organizing in the sequence recorded here. God came and it is stated that the waters were separated/organized; darkness and light were separated/organized;
sea and land were separated/organized and given boundaries.
Animals, fish, birds, etc., were told to multiply within their own kind; they were separated and organized into species, like being placed into a kind of box. None of this could take place without LIGHT. The scripture says God is LIGHT and He also spoke and said LIGHT BE and there was LIGHT.
LIGHT was the medium of transference, the WAY in which He caused ORDER to come forth from Himself, (as He IS LIGHT); and to in turn bring order out of Chaos in the creation of the earth. In a similar way we organize things in our thinking and then put it into practice by organizing, ordering and putting the things around us that we need in our lives. We invariably put things in boxes or one sort or another.
In John 8:12, He promises we shall have the LIGHT of life; this may be a reference to the order of our new born again life experience coming out of the chaos of our lost state. He came that we might have life (chaim/lifes) and He said He was the LIGHT and LIFE of men, so He was; in exactly the WAY that the Father sent order and LIGHT to humanity. When we follow Him, our walk will not be a walk of confusion and chaos but as we walk in the LIGHT as He is, we will have a walk of organized order, which is a reflection of our Heavenly Father and His Creation.
In previous posts we looked at the Shofar and the Hebrew word had a vav in it, as do other words we have looked at. In the same way some English words have different spellings (e.g. U.S. and U.K. use an s or a z in the word realise/realize) and in word endings like yesterdays or holidays, just an s is added to make a plural ending. There is also the plural ending of ies, for words like daisy into daisies. So variations are not uncommon.
Why is this important?
Because in the Hebrew language there is more of a reasoning and meaning by adding the letter vav/waw to a word.
And this will help us to see the connection between Light, Yovel, Shofar, Jubilee and Box.
The LIGHT of Gods’ throne/presence, rested on the mercy seat /kapporet between the cherubim/keruvim on the covering /lid of the ARK/BOX of the covenant.
https://www.minimannamoments.com/are-we-boxed-in/
This same LIGHT– OR, that was present at creation was the same Word that was also there.
The Hebrew word for ARK, ARON, has the same root letter AR as the word for a vessel/container, as does the vessel Noah built, both by Gods’ design for construction.
This was also an ARK of that covenant promise and would have looked more like a BOX than a boat shape that we think of today.
So A and R, Alef and Resh/Reysh,
are the root letters of both
BOX – ARON and LIGHT- AWR.
Recall that in the Ancient Hebrew mind, LIGHT is seen as ORDER, as without light we would be lost in the chaos of darkness.
So we see the Hebrew word for light is אור (or) and is derived from the parent root אר (ar). The word derived from this parent root is the word: ארון – aron, pronounced a-rone: formed by adding the ון to the end of the root letters A&R.
This word means a box and is also related to order, in the sense that items are placed within boxes as a way of bringing about some kind of order.
The Ark of the Covenant was a BOX that was used to place important items within it, including: the stone tablets with the 10 sayings inscribed on them, Aaron’s staff was in there and the pot of Manna, this was done by placing down into it from above, kept them in order.
Jesus/Yeshua, is not only the Word but also our ARK we get into Him for our salvation.
He was there at the beginning – Beresheet -Genesis – בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית
Colossians 1:16-17 “For by him [Jesus] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 1:1-5
He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. John 1:10
Jesus/Yeshua is the light that was there at the beginning.
Jesus/Yeshua is the fulfillment of prophecy and of the Jubilee/Yubel.
All words are made up of alphabet letters, from alef to tav.
Jesus/Yeshua said He was the alef tav.
He is the Word. He is the alefbet.
He is the fulfillment of every prophetic utterance and no word of God returns void. Is. 55:11.
That is the whole essence and reason for prophecy; it is the spoken Word. When we declare His Word, His power is in those words and must also be contained in the individual letters that make up the word; especially in the Hebrew and Aramaic language.
God always begins with the Word. John1, and the Word was before all things He has always existed. The Word brought forth the creation into existence. From nothingness, came the universe by means of the Word.
He spoke before it existed.
First the Word, then the reality.
This is the essence and order of prophecy, speaking forth the oracles of God.
Before He creates, He sends forth the Word; and so He sent His Word -Jesus/Yeshua. He sent an angel to speak the WORD to Miriam; and then the Word was made flesh. Before creation, He sends forth His word, and Jesus/Yeshua came. Then restoration was created, through His life, death and resurrection.
I am the resurrection and the life –
I am the alef and the tav. (alpha-omega. Gk.) Jesus/Yeshua is all the letters.
Tav tikomah = resurrection in Hebrew. Resurrection is the ultimate restoration, return and the fulfillment of the prophetic Jubilees.
It is our ultimate end and our victory. This is the victory that overcomes.
He is our Jubilee, the resurrection and the life.
As resurrection is supernatural, it’s a reversal of death, just as jubilee is a reversal of loss, resurrection brings back, restores and raises up what was dead, that which was lost. We were dead in sin and similarly Israel was ‘dead’ also, no longer existing as a nation until 1948 when it was reborn, restored and the people returned. Teshuvah = return.
With any birth in the natural, growth occurs into what has not yet been; going from childhood to maturity.
Resurrection is not the same process.
Resurrection does not begin from the beginning, from birth, but from the end; from the conclusion of what we had become and at death, what we once were.
In Resurrection, we become again what we were at the final point.
Example: at His resurrection, Jesus/Yeshua did not become a baby again but was seen as He was before death, however He was changed from glory to glory, better than before.
So resurrection and Jubilee are synonymous. At resurrection we will be restored and return to the father in a final Jubilee/Yubel for all. As the yubel/shofar sounds,
Lev. 25; you shall return – TASHUVU.
The law of Jubilees was commanded in Lev. 25 and had a fulfillment in Israel in 1948.
Jesus/Yeshua is the fulfillment of every prophetic word, of every covenant, becoming the agent of salvation, the agent of yubel/jubilee.
He was the perfect sacrificial lamb of God, the covenant keeper, the Light/awr, that was contained in the box/ark/aron. He is our ark/box as typified in Noah whose ark/aron/box saved His family. We are Messiahs family/משפחה /Mish-pa-KHa; and we are the people who lived in darkness who have seen a great light/or/awr. For He is the Light and His life is the light of men.
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Psalm 130:5 In His Word I Hope.
As Jesus/Yeshua said when on the earth, He was Light in this world; now we are the Light. So it’s time to let our lights shine.
Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Even if our light seems small … it is enough to disperse and dispel the darkness.
In Hebrew, HhaSHak = darkness.
In Greek:
σκοτίᾳ, skotia
darkness
φῶς phōs
light
The Word is Torah, God’s instruction/teaching.
The word Torah refers to the first five books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy – Torah, the instruction teaching of Moses. Hebrew is read from right to left;
Below are the Hebrew alphabet letters that make up the word TORAH, and each words’ meaning:
Torah comes from the word orah – light. Every time we see the word Light in the scripture, we could also read it as Torah. This is why His Word is a lamp to our feet and a Light to our pathWAY.
Torah gives teaching and instruction, direction and guidance. So by Thinking Outside The Box On The Lighter Side Of Life; and examining the ancient pictographs, in which it was possibly first written; there is an amazing connection between the letters A&R in the Hebrew words for Yovel/Shofar/Jubilee and Light, Box/Ark.
Jesus/Yeshua is Light, Torah, Lifes/Chaim, the Word, Yovel, Jubilee, Teshuvah, Covenant and Box/Ark, because everything points to Messiah where everything has its alef and tav!
