We are moving into Numbers chapter eight with our word for today. אוֹר dawn, become light, shine, illuminate, ignite, emit light, be bright. Our word is used 43 times in the Old Testament. We find our word used in the sense to show favor, to do good, bless, conceived of as shining one’s face towards something. Psalm 31:16 Make your face הָאִ֣ירָה shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! Psalm 119:135 Make your face הָאֵ֣ר shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. Our word is used the most in the sense to shine, to emit light, be bright, as of the sun or a light. Genesis 1:15, 17 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens לְהָאִ֖יר to give light upon the earth.” And it was so … And God set them in the expanse of the heavens לְהָאִ֖יר to give light on the earth. Genesis 44:3 As soon as the morning א֑וֹר was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. Exodus 13:21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire לְהָאִ֣יר to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. This is how our word is used in our chapter today. Numbers 8:1-3 Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and say to him, When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps יָאִ֖ירוּ shall give light in front of the lampstand.” And Aaron did so: he set up its lamps in front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. This light was necessary for the priests to be able to see so they could do their service to God in the tabernacle worship. As we have seen on many occasions the whole idea of the tabernacle worship is to connect people to God. God himself is identified as the light that helps people see who God is and be able to connect back to him. This idea of illumination is seen throughout the Bible. Psalm 18:28 For it is you who תָּאִ֣יר light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness. Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of your words יָאִ֗יר gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, וָ֝א֗וֹר which shines brighter and brighter until full day. God being our light that makes it possible to connect back to him is in itself a blessing. I’ll close with the priestly blessing we looked at a few days ago that uses our word to describe God’s favor toward His people. Numbers 6:24-26 The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face יָאֵ֨ר to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
