In The News

THE LIGHT OF LIFE

by Morris Inch
05/25/16
Free to Share

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

THE LIGHT OF LIFE

@

It was recently observed that at inception there is a flash of light. It triggers a serge of calcium, which in turn releases zinc. The zinc then binds to small molecules which emit a flourescent glare or spark This strange phenomenon marks the beginning of life.

Moreover, it brings to mind the Shekinah glory of God, as associated with the exodus. For instance, "By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night" (Exod. 13:21). The term Shekinah is not found in the text, but means to establish God’s presence.

Prior to this event, the creation narrative allows: "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 ‘night’ ( Gen. 1:3-5). This was in keeping with his intent to establish a situation where life could be initiated and sustained.

Subsequent to the exodus narrative, "When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw that Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him" (Exod. 34:29-30). But he summoned them, and gave them the instructions God had entrusted to him.

Fast forward. "After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up on a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transformed before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus" (Mark 9:2-3). The term transform means to change appearance. As if to radiate the presence of God.

Light and life are coupled together with reference to Jesus. "In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it" (John 1:4-5). Consequently, he was the light of life, as recalled by the apostle.

With such in mind, we return to the recent discovery concerning a flash of light that accompanies inception. Has this anything in common with the Shekinah tradition? There are several alternatives. Initially, they are unrelated. As such, interesting but meaningless.

Secondly, they testify to the limits of our understanding. As expressed in one of my favorite sayings, "The more we know, the more we realize that we do not know." In addition, not all that is said to be true is in fact true.

Finally, there is the implication that God is involved in procreation. If so, the precedent was set in the beginning. In this regard, "So God created man in his image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them" (Gen. 1:27). After which, he blessed them, admonished them to reproduce, and function as stewards of all he had created.

This line of reasoning incited Jewish tradition to conclude that there are three involved in giving birth: God and the parents. All three have invested interests, and should be given due consideration. While God is deserving of the final word.

Accordingly, William Watkins contrasts a former absolute with its more current alternative. As for the former, "Human life from conception to natural death is sacred and worthy of protection" (The New Absolutes, p. 65). As for the latter, "Human life, which begins and ends when certain individuals or groups decide it does, is valuable as long as it is wanted." While in doing so, to substitute for child sacrifice in antiquity. All things considered, this new discovery may cause us to rethink our options, with preference for a life rather than a death culture.