In the last blog, I introduced the concept of Biblical typology as one hermeneutical approach to studying the scriptures.
As a brief review: Biblical Typology is a method of Biblical interpretations whereby an element found in the Old Testament is seen to prefigure one found in the New Testament; something in the Old shadows, prefigures, something in the New. (Theopedia)
For the sake of our current topic – and more simply stated – when the Old Testament scriptures describe light, a deeper layer in these same scriptures may be found, revealing that light represents / foreshadows the person of Jesus.
Jesus told the disciples when He appeared to them after His resurrection that “all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets, and the Psalms concerning Me.” (Luke 24:44-45)
So, let’s embark on this adventure!
Genesis 1:2 says, “the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” (NASB) The earth was without structure or purpose. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are present.
So why did God chose to create the heavens and the earth? One foundational reason is that God desires to be known. Therefore, in Genesis 1:3, “God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”
There is much to say about God’s first declaration, “Let there be light.” For now, I want to draw attention to / make a distinction that this light is not the sun, moon or stars. “Let there be light was declared on day #1. It is not until the 4th day of creation that He speaks the celestial bodies into existence:
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to distinguish between the day and the night, and let them be signs to mark the seasons and days and years. And let them serve as lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well. God set these lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the earth, to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. (BSB Genesis 1:14-16)
Therefore, the light created on day one is not the sun, moon and stars. Genesis 1:3 light is illumination. From the very beginning, He is declaring His intent to reveal Himself.
A word study in the old Testament of the word “light” from Genesis 1:3 reveals that this specific word (Strong’s #216), occurs 126 times in the Old Testament. I recommend to each of you the joy of exploring this word in its context through these scriptures.
I want to share a few of these verses as we consider “Light” as a foreshadowing of Jesus:
Psalm 27:1, David makes this declaration: “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?”
Psalm 36:9: “For the fountain of life is with You; In Your light we see light.”
Psalm 43:3: “Send out Your light and Your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to Your holy mountain, and to the place where You dwell.”
Psalm 119:105, 130: “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. . . . The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
Proverbs 6:23: “For this commandment is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way to life…”
Isaiah 2:5: “Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD!”
Isaiah 9:2: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
Isaiah 10:17: “And the Light of Israel will become a fire and Israel’s Holy One a flame, And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.”
Isaiah 42:6: “I, the LORD, have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations…”
Isaiah 49:6: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
Isaiah 60:1,3: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. . . . Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
Isaiah 60:19,20: “No longer will the sun be your light by day nor the brightness of the moon shine on your night for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your splendor. Your sun will no longer set, and your moon will not wane; for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and the days of your sorrow will cease.”
Micah 7:8: “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.”
This is by no means intended to be an exhaustive / complete list; but rather a select number of verses regarding the use of “light,” Strong’s #216 in the Old Testament. At this point, if you see anything in me at all, I hope it is my value for and priority of looking at Scriptures in their context.
I reiterate and encourage you to read these scriptures and the chapters in which they are contained. Ask the Lord for wisdom and understanding; petition Him to reveal Himself to you as you consider the typology of light as representing / foreshadowing Jesus’ coming to the earth.
Let’s consider another typology used by Jesus to describe Himself (Matthew 9:15, Mark 2:19, and Luke 5:35). People came and asked Jesus why His disciples didn’t fast, because John’s disciples and the pharisees often fasted. In Jesus’ response to them, He refers to Himself as the bridegroom. In this, He is referencing / connecting Himself to the scriptures in Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Joel in which God uses the bridegroom metaphor in prophesying to His people.
In Psalm 19:1-6, David is describing what he observes as he ponders the heavens. In v6, he sees the sun as a metaphor for the bridegroom: “In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun. Like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course, it rises at one end of the heavens and runs its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.”
We see here another connection of OT as foreshadowing of Jesus; and the NT scriptures referring back to the OT. Jesus is the light (revelation). Jesus is the bridegroom (the nature of relationship/intimacy that God desires to have with those who choose Him – the church is referred to as His bride, His body …. a whole other typological study).
Each day when the sun rises in the east, journeys across the sky providing warmth to us all, we are reminded that Jesus is the light.
Isaiah chapter 9:6 is the well known and often quoted verse, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
It is widely accepted and believed this verse is prophesying the birth of Jesus. This is referred to as messianic prophesy. If we look at Isaiah chapter nine for broader context, we find in verse two the reference / typology of Jesus as the light: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
Approximately seven hundred years later, Matthew records in his gospel the fulfillment of this prophesy: (Matthew 4:12-17)
When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
“Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
From Genesis to Revelation, God is telling a story. He desires to be known and longs for relationship with His chosen creation (that’s us!). He is is unwavering and relentless in His pursuit of His chosen.
The Old Testament scriptures are the “treasures of the old,” (Matthew 13:52), rich and multi-layered with the greatest story ever told. This blog, looking at light as typology, is but one of a vast number of typologies woven in and through the scriptures with God’s intent of revealing Himself / desiring to be known.
Proverbs 25:2: “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out.”
Let us pursue the One Who yearns to be found in His living and active Word!
