December 4, 2011: Right Here, With Us – Michael Hidalgo

When God delivers the people of Israel from Egypt he is constantly in their midst. To remind them of his abiding presence he allows himself to be seen in the form of a pillar. During the day it appears as a cloud, and in the evening it appears as fire – a light. 

Then God told the people to construct the tabernacle. Inside it they were to place a lamp stand whose fire was never to go out. God asked the people to do this to remind them of his enduring presence with them. What is unique about the detail of the lamp is that unlike the scrutinizing detail of the other objects for the tabernacle there are no measurements given. The rabbis observing this asked, “Who can measure the light of God?”

The Psalmist states that God’s word is a lamp, a light. God wraps himself in light. God’s salvation is a light. Over and over we see that where God is there light is also. God’s presence is light. And it is by this light that we see and are rescued.