Genesis 1:1-3 (NKJV)
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.”
Notice verse three starts with “Then God SAID let there be light”! But wait, God didn’t create the sun, moon or stars until the fourth day??? So what is this light He created on the first day? It's a light of far greater intensity. According to the original Rabbis this light is set aside for the future fulfillment of the Messiah.
We must have a clear understanding that God uses numbers, and does speak and bring revelation through them. The original Hebrew alphabet has not only a letter reference, but also a pictograph and a numeric value.
Example:
First Hebrew letter is Alef, and has a numerical value of one. Pictographic meaning strength, ox, chief, prince, leader, first.
Light enables us to see with clear vision. The 613 commandments of the Word of God provide a clear vision of the original instructions from God to His people. These laws, if followed, would keep them in righteousness and not following evil. A means to keep them in line until the full plan of His redemption was to be fulfilled.
Why does the Word of God begin with the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet (bet), and not with the first (alef)? Because the first letter (alef) was granted a far nobler and important task. It would begin the Ten Commandments as the opening letter of the word “anokhi”, translated as “I am the Lord, your God”. The letter bet is 2. Creation is secondary to the giving of the Word of God. If ever there were to be a moment that the Word was not studied on the earth, God would turn the universe back again into “tohu va-vohu”, the primordial chaos, or void, that preceded the creation of the world!
Although in English they are commonly referred to as the “Ten Commandments,” in Hebrew they are called the Aseret Hadibrot, the “Ten Statements.” Thus, the less common English name "Decalogue," derived from the Greek words meaning “ten sayings,” is more accurate. At Mount Sinai, contrary to common misconception, the Jews received the entire Torah, including all of its 613 mitzvahs, not just the Ten Commandments. The Midrash and classic commentators of the Torah explain how each of the Ten Commandments is really a general mitzvah, and they describe how each of the 613 mitzvahs is included in one of the ten statements.
Furthermore, as the Midrash points out, there are 620 letters that make up the Aseret Hadibrot. This corresponds to the 613 mitzvahs plus the seven days of creation, seven Noahide Laws or the seven rabbinic mitzvahs.
The 613 are summed up to the 10 and the 10 are summed up to the 2 that Jesus gave, and in looking closer they are all summed up under 1 “LOVE”.
John 1:1 (NKJV)
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:2 (NKJV)
“He was in the beginning with God.”
John 1:14 (NKJV)
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 8:12 (NKJV)
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Colossians 1:15-16 (NKJV)
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”
Who or what is the Word? We see verse two begins with “He”, so it appears to be a person. Then verse 14 says “And the Word became flesh…” Now Colossians 1:15-16 really brings it home, and it should be clear. The Word is Jesus, yes Jesus is the Word!
The triune God has always been and will always be, and the end of verse one says the Word was God. So there should be no denying that Jesus is God in the flesh. He came for the redemption of His own creation. To restore a means of relationship back to Himself. Jesus says, "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” (Matt. 5:17)
Jesus walked this Earth, lived as we live, yet He lived the sinless life to fulfill the written Law. He came and proved Himself as the spotless Lamb that would be the final sacrifice for All sin of man. The work was finished on the Cross, there is nothing more God needs to do. The rest is up to us! We are the other side of the relationship, and we have a part to play. We must repent and choose to forsake our lives, ideas, and selfish ways and put our faith in Christ Jesus and His sacrifice. Jesus says, “deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me.” (Matt. 16:24)
How do we follow Jesus today? We spend time in His Word. We read it, pray it, meditate upon it, learn it, allow it to sanctify us (John 17:17), and obey it (John 8:31; John 8:51; John 14:15; 1 John 3:24).
Anyone who says they believe in Jesus yet spend no time in His Word, have no evidence of sanctification, and show no desire for either is not born again. Jesus is clear in His conversation with Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)
Our purpose is to come under the Word, to refine ourselves and the world around us by using the physical world to serve God, thereby uplifting the mundane and transforming it into something holy!
1 Peter 1:16 (NKJV)
“because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."
Hebrews 12:14 (NKJV)
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:”