The Light of the World

Light. Science and nature will not deny that every living thing depends on light either directly or indirectly to maintain life. This picture in the natural world has a mighty lesson to teach us about the immense spiritual world around us. So, what is light? I hope to show you through the scientific exploration of natural light and the Scriptures that our Elohim (God) is truly the “Light of the World[1].

What is Light?

Ask any scientist and you’re likely to get varied answers. The truth is that even with the many technological advantages that we have today, light remains a scientific mystery[2]. As soon as scientists think they’ve figured out this mystery, light surprises them yet again. Perhaps this is what provoked Albert Einstein to say:

“For the rest of my life I want to reflect on what light is”

Quantum physics and the theory of Relativity, two of modern physics great paradigm shifts , started from anomalies in the behavior of light. Both thoughts led to radical new understandings of the nature of light. It seems that light occupies a very special place in the universe. In some ways, it is more fundamental than space, time or matter.

The biggest question of light is whether it is a wave, a particle, or both. The classical description of light defines it as an electromagnetic wave. This means that it is a varying electric and magnetic field, which spreads out from one place to another. Light doesn’t have physical mass; instead it is “energy”. The modern quantum mechanical description says that light can also be considered to be particles called photons. These photons carry energy and momentum but they also have no mass.

Science defines light as having no physical substance or no mass, yet it is carried by a very real and observable means. YHWH describes Himself as “Light” thousands of years before modern science. Like light He has no physical substance; He is a Spirit[4]. Yet, He has given us an “observable” substance: His Word. It is the Word that took upon flesh to show us the Light[5].

Ps. 27:1 YHWH is my light and my salvation…

Jn. 8:12  Then spake Yeshua (Jesus) again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world…

1Jn. 1:5  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.

Jn. 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Quantum mechanics tells us that no matter can exist without light and all matter exists of invisible particles. Thus, light is necessary not only for life, but for any form of matter. The first recorded speech of Elohim (God) in our Bible’s is “Let there be Light”. This is the Hebrew word אור “ohr”. It shares the root with the Hebrew word for order and box. In Hebrew thought, a box helps keep things in order. Therefore, light is also necessary to maintain order[6]. Even the English word order begins with this same sound “ohr”. Thus, light is a sort of containment for the structure of our universe. As good science teaches us, light is what “holds” quanta particles together and all matter consists of invisible particles. Thus, light literally holds our universe together.

Rom. 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Col. 1:17  And he (Yeshua) is before all things, and by him all things consist[7] [are held together].

According to Wikipedia, “Light is electromagnetic radiation of a wavelength that is visible to the human eye (in a range from about 380 or 400 nanometers to about 760 or 780 nm). In physics, the term light sometimes refers to electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength, whether visible or not”. [8]

Light is a form of what we call radiation. The electromagnetic waves produced by light move in a manner similar to the waves produced by a stone dropped in a pool of water. The transverse waves of light from a light source spread out in expanding circles much like the waves in a pool. However, the waves in the pool are very slow and awkward in comparison with light, which travels approximately 186,000 miles per second.

Scientists have come to the conclusion that the speed of light is not only observed to be constant, but that it does not even make any sense to say that it varies[9]. The speed of light is constant or eternal, because it never stops traveling[10]. Thus, our God of Light is also constant or eternal and does not vary. Natural light teaches us about the spiritual reality of YHWH.

Dt. 33:27  The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.

Mic. 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Einstein’s theories of Special and General Relativity also teaches us about light in respect to time and space. Time is relative to the observer. As an object accelerates, time slows down relative to that object. In other words, time and speed come together at the speed of light. We can imagine this if we think of a person riding a beam of light. Relative to everyone else, he would appear to be frozen in time. He could travel for several million years without aging a single second. However, to himself, time appears normal; it’s just that the rest of the universe seems to be aging infinitely quickly. Like God, anything traveling at the speed of light does not change. Just as God exists outside of the laws of time and space, time as we know it does not exist at the speed of light.

Ps. 90:1-4 [[A Prayer of Moses the man of God.]] Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou [art] God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. For a thousand years in thy sight [are but] as yesterday when it is past, and [as] a watch in the night.

Mal.  3:6 For I [am] the LORD (Yahweh), I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

2 Pt. 3:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

Dan. 2:22 He revealeth the deep and secret things: he knoweth what [is] in the darkness, and the light dwelleth with him.

Jas. 1:17-18 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

I am not a scientist by any means, so those of you that are more scientifically minded may find my post very elementary — sorry. My husband is highly intrigued by the scientific world and it is my understandings of his studies that I offer here. As he digs deeper into the natural things, we are always amazed by the accuracy of Scripture. The heavens and creation never fail to declare the glory of YHWH! Moreover, the natural things really do give us glimpses and sometimes far more accurate pictures of spiritual matters.

Conclusions

• Natural light still mystifies scientist —- so does YHWH/Yeshua
• Natural light is energy that can become mass (E=MC²) — YHWH/Yeshua is Spirit (energy) and can take upon flesh (mass)
• Natural light holds matter together — Yeshua holds all things together
• Natural light is eternal and constant — so is YHWH/Yeshua
• Natural light operates outside of time and space —- so does YHWH/Yeshua

There is still much more to come on Light! In future posts, I hope to cover the electromagnetic spectrum, the menorah, rainbows, and much more.

Read more in Part II.