On Monday the yearly celebration of Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles) came to an end as the eighth day was celebrated and observed (Lev. 23:33-36). The eighth day is part of the biblical appointed time of the Feast of Sukkot, however, Judaism has added the title of “Simchat Torah” The Joy of the Torah, to this eighth day celebration as well. To read more about the Eighth Day and Simchat Torah, click here: The Eighth Day 

Also on Monday of this past week (October 21, 2019), the yearly cycle of reading through the first five books of the Bible, the Torah, came to an end and began again. This Sabbath is the first Sabbath of the new yearly cycle as we begin again to read from Genesis chapter one. 

The Creation Of The World

There are many “firsts” in this week’s reading as we recount the six days of creation and the beginnings of the world as we know it:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. – Gen. 1:1-2

The creation of the heavens and earth were spoken into being, however, the earth is described at that time as being in a formless state. The Hebrew words תהו ובוהו – Tohu Vavohu are used to describe the “formless and void” condition of the earth. God had just started His creation process and the universe was a work in progress. 

Let There Be Light

The earth was covered with water and at first there was only darkness over the new creation. Light had not yet been created, therefore, darkness pervaded. It must have truly been a darkness that could have been felt without light in the entire universe. The first day was still in process as God continued to create: 

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. – Gen. 1:3-5

God brought the first day to completion with the creation of light (in Hebrew אור – Or) and further brought distinction to it by separating the light from the darkness. Light is the first aspect of creation that God Himself called good – טוב – Tov. 

God declared various aspects to His creation good and at the end of the creation week, God made the following statement: 

God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. – Gen. 1:31

The totality of God’s creation and the way that nature and human life interacted was exactly as God anticipated and it gave God great joy to see the fruit of His labors working and thriving as it was intended, and God said “… and behold, it was very good” – והנה טוב מאוד – VeHine Tov Meod! 

From Good To Wicked

Unfortunately, the creation account of Genesis chapters one and two leads us into chapter three where the perfect creation which God set in motion was infected by sin and disobedience. All that was good was now tainted with the knowledge of both good and evil, opening the door to spiritual darkness which quickly spread over the earth as man and woman fulfilled God’s command to be fruitful and multiply:

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. – Gen. 6:5-8

The wickedness of man left God with only one choice at that time, to completely destroy all life on this earth. Thankfully, Noah, along with his family, found favor in the eyes of the LORD and life on this earth continued after the great flood.

God’s Majestic Plan

Life on earth continued through Noah, his family, and all of the animals and birds that were on the ark, however, so did wickedness. God knows His creation and He knew that once sin entered into this world there was no turning back the wickedness of mankind.

In God’s sovereign and majestic plan, He alone would bring justice and righteousness to the peoples and nations of this world through His appointed Servant who is highlighted in this week’s reading from the prophets in the book of Isaiah. The regular prophets reading actually begins in verse five, however, the first four verses are vital for context: 

Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law. – Isaiah 42:1-4

This unique Servant who emerges from Isaiah chapters forty-one through fifty-three is clearly the Messiah. Although Israel is often named throughout these chapters as the “servant of the LORD” (Isaiah 41:8), there is only one unique Servant of the LORD who is sent to redeem both Israel and the nations. For more on this subject of the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, please read my article and video teaching by clicking this link: Who is the Servant of Isaiah 53?

The Torah Of The Servant

The Messiah, as the Servant of the LORD, is specifically referred to in these verses as “…My chosen one in whom My soul delights.” The Holy Spirit would be upon Him and He would bring justice to the nations and justice to the earth. The LORD goes on to explain how “coastlands” (literally איים – Eeyim – islands: describing people at the furtherest edges of this world) “…will wait expectantly for His law.” The word used for law in this verse is the Hebrew word תורה – Torah which can be translated in general as teaching and is often used specifically of the first five books of the Bible, The Torah.

This prophecy is loaded with meaning as we understand the teaching (Torah) that Yeshua the Messiah taught two thousands years ago and how this teaching (The New Testament) is still being disseminated today to the furtherest islands of the earth. The whole of the Bible is God’s Word but it is Yeshua’s Torah (teaching) that changes lives today!

As we continue to read the verses in Isaiah 42 we read how the LORD further explains His plans and intentions for His Servant:

Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread out the earth and its offspring, Who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it, I am the LORD, I have called You in righteousness, I will also hold You by the hand and watch over You, and I will appoint You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the dungeon and those who dwell in darkness from the prison. I am the LORD, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, now I declare new things; before they spring forth I proclaim them to you. – Isaiah 42:5-9

The Creator God has specifically appointed His Servant to become “a covenant to the people” and “a light to the nations”. This Servant would also display the works of God by opening the eyes of the blind and setting the prisoners free (Psalm 146:7-8).

God’s Appointed Light

Just as God saw the darkness which covered the earth and created the light to separate it from the darkness on the first day of creation, God has also seen the darkness and wickedness of mankind and appointed His Servant to come into this world in order to be a light to the nations. We read a very similar account of God appointing His Servant as a light to the nations in Isaiah 49, however, with some added information:

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” – Isaiah 49:6

God’s ultimate plan through His Servant is to bring His light of salvation to the ends of the earth. Just as God created physical light to reach and illumine all points on this earth, so God has appointed His servant to be a Light of His salvation to reach to the ends of the earth. 

We read of the fulfillment of God’s Appointed Light through His Servant the Messiah in the beginning of the gospel of John:

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 came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:1-13

The light of Yeshua is a spiritual light that shines through the darkness of this world. His light exposes sin and the wickedness of our hearts. His light shows us what is true and enables us to find the Light of Life by believing in His Name. 

This concept of Yeshua as the spiritual Light to Israel and the nations as prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures is confirmed by Yeshua’s own words:

Then Yeshua again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” – John 8:12

The spiritual darkness of this world is ultimately only countered by the truth of who Yeshua is as אור העולם – Or HaOlam – The Light of the world. In His light there is life because in Him there is no darkness (1 John 1:5).

Only God through Yeshua His Servant is the true spiritual Light in this world, however, we who believe in His Name are commanded to be light as well: 

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. – Matthew 5:14-16

As we follow in the teaching (Torah) of Yeshua and walk according to His indwelling Holy Spirit, we are to be shining lights in this world in order to bring glory to our Father in heaven. May each one of us take seriously the opportunity to be light in this world and to proclaim the true spiritual Light of the world (Yeshua) to those around us!

Shabbat Shalom!

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Torah Portion: Gen. 1:1-6:8

Haftara: Isaiah 42:5 – Isaiah 43:10

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