The Logos and the Light

If you find yourself in a dark place, an empty place, seek Jesus because He is the Logos, the Word that created and filled the world, and the light that broke through the darkness. He is the One who can fill your empty and light the darkness around you. The apostle John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word (Logos) was with God, and the Word (Logos) was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4).

Logos Created everything

 When the 1st Century believers read John’s words, Logos, meant more to them than our simple translation. Logos was the name they gave to the “governing power over everything.” They understood John’s words as: “In the beginning was The Governing Power, and The Governing Power was with God . . . . the Word (The Governing Power) became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1: 1,14).

Let that sink in. The baby whose birth we celebrate at Christmas, that baby, John says was The Governing Power poured into skin. But this ancient word contains even more  meaning. According to Spiros Zodhiates, Logos also means intelligence or the expression of that intelligence.

So Christ was the expression of God’s divine intelligence. He was tangible, eternal wisdom like no other. Wisdom wearing hands and feet that created the world.

He created with his word

The simplest translation of Logos is “word,” so it may seem confusing that, to the ancient Greeks, this name also stood for The Governing Power, but remember how the world was created in Genesis. It all began with spoken commands–words spoken by the Word.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,’ and there was light” (Genesis 1:1-3 NIV).

The Governing Power (Logos) spoke everything into existence including man and woman.

When God created human beings, his words let us know he was not alone: “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground'” (Genesis 1:26).

Elohim

Genesis 1:26 and the first chapter of John teach us God wasn’t alone when he created the world and humanity. Actually, the Hebrew name for God in Genesis, Elohim, proves the idea of the Trinity’s presence at creation. Elohim is a plural noun, but it’s always used as a single noun. In the Hebrew language Elohim falls into the category of “majestic nouns.” How beautiful is this? Elohim holds power, majesty, and Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They created together. And the first thing they brought to the formless and empty darkness was light.

In the beginning God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  God saw that the light was good, and he 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—the first day (Genesis 1: 1-5 addition mine).

I’m so thankful for light. As a solar powered girl, I cannot imagine a world without the sun. Can you? I’m also thankful for the night time. I love to climb in my comfy bed at night and get a good night’s rest. Yet, we know that light and darkness hold symbolic meanings also. We know the light represents good and the darkness often represents evil. But John wrote that in Jesus was life that was the “light of men.” What could this mean?

Jesus was the light

To fully understand what John wrote, we must go back to the Old Testament again. Though John’s gospel was translated from Greek manuscripts, John is referring to a Hebrew term, B-ohr ha-khayim. Sarah E. Fisher explains on her website, Hebrew Word Lessons, that this phrase means “light of the living” or “light of life” and is found in Psalms and Job. I am so thankful for this article. I had never known this connection to John’s gospel. I recommend reading her article for yourself and checking out her website.

Look at the wording in these passages:

“For you have delivered me from death
    and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.” Psalm 56:13

“God has delivered me from going down to the pit,
    and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’” Job 33: 28

Now remember John’s words, “In him was life, and this life was the light of men.” His life would make the way for eternal life.

Scriptures of Logos and Light

As we continue to study the names and titles of Jesus, we’re going to spend all of September soaking in the scriptures about Jesus as the Logos and the Light. I hope you can join me. Simply print the printable below. Each day only has a verse or two. You can simply read this tiny bite of bread, but it’s my hope you’ll also read around each daily scripture.

The Logos, the Creator of life and light became the light of life, the giver of eternal life. Though this may be my favorite reading plan because of the alliteration in the title (two L’s–Logos and Life), I have been amazed by the relationship of these two names for Jesus. They go together. Psalm 119 connects them beautifully. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” And that path leads us to eternal life. I feel a prayer coming on. Hold my hands.

Prayer to the logos and the light

” Logos, you are amazing. Your Word spoke life and light into a dark void. Thank you for your goodness and wisdom, the beauty of a waking sky, and the light of each day. I pray as we study these scriptures, your life-giving Word will fill us with life and light. Make us shiny. Let us be light in this dark world that so desperately needs the light of life. We love you. Amen and amen.”

If you want more . . .

If you would like to study these scriptures more going a little deeper, join us on Fridays on Instagram for “Faith Friday.” It’s at 9:00 AM ET. Just follow me @wordsbyandylee. If you aren’t on Instagram, subscribe to my YouTube channel to watch the weekly video also based on our reading plan. That link is: https://www.youtube.com/c/andyleebible .

Blessings,

Andy

P.S.

New Freebies Available!

Last year we studied the Names of God. I’ve had many requests to put all of the printables together, so I did! Due to the size of the file, I had to divide the year into two different files. It’s my prayer these reading plans will draw you closer to the heart of God.

This printable contains the reading plans for El Elyon (God Most High), El Roi (The God Who Sees), Yahweh Yireh (The LORD Provides), Yahweh Rophe (The LORD Who Heals), and El Emet (The Faithful God). Grow closer to God reading a daily scripture on one of His names. God’s names reveal His heart, His power, and His love for you. Get the reading plan.

Spend five months reading scriptures about the names: El Shaddai (God Almighty), YHWH (LORD), Yahweh Shalom (LORD of Peace), El Rachum (God of Compassion), and YHWH Sidkenu (Righteous LORD). He wants us to know Him, because He knows us. Get Part 2.