Tag Zohar

Rabbinic Messianic Quotations

The following quotations are an amazing collection of statements from the Rabbis over the years confirming that the many passages which speak of the Messiah point to Yeshua (Jesus). See Jewish Messianic Texts and The Zohar, Three in One and Exodus Rabbah

RASH MISHLE [10:21]:   Rab Huna counted amongst the seven Names of Messiah also:   haShem Zidkenu [Referring to Jer. 23:6].

R. JOSEPH ALBO OF TOLEDO [SEPHER IKKARIM 28:54]:   The Scripture calleth the Names of Messiah also:   L-rd Zidkenu, because He is the Mediator through Whom we shall get the righteousness of the L-rd.

R. ELIJAH DE VIDAS:   The meaning of He was wounded for our transgressions bruised for our iniquities is that since Messiah bears our iniquities, which produce the effect of His being bruised, it follows that whoso will not admit that the Messiah thus suffers for our iniquities must endure and suffer for them himself [on Isa. 53].

SANHEDRIN [93B]:   Messiah…What is His name?   The disciples of the school of the Rabbi [Yehudah Hanassi, the author of the Mishnah] said:   Cholaja [the sickly] for it says [Isa. 53:4]:   Surely He hath borne our sicknesses and carried our pains; and we did regard him stricken, smitten of G-d and afflicted.

ZOHAR [To Deut. 6:4]:   Hear O Israel:   HaShem our G-d, HaShem is One.   Why is there a need of mentioning the Name of G-d three times in this verse?   The First HaShem is the Father above.   The Second is the Stem of Jesse, the Messiah Who is to come from the family of Jesse through David.   And the Third One is the Way which is below [meaning the Holy Spirit Who shows us the way] and These Three are One   (Zohar quotes from Amsterdam Version).

Rabbi Moshe el Sheikh, Chief Rabbi of Safed…

“I will do yet a third thing, and that is, that ‘they shall look unto Me,’ for they shall lift up their eyes unto Me in perfect repentance, when they see Him Whom they pierced, that is Messiah, the Son of Joseph; for our Rabbis, of blessed memory, have said that He will take upon himself all the guilt of Israel, and then shall be slain in the war to make an atonement in such manner that it shall be accounted as if Israel had pierced Him for on account of their sin He has died; and therefore, in order that it may be reckoned to them as perfect atonement, they will repent and look to the Blessed One, saying that there is none beside Him to forgive those that mourn on account of Him who died for their sin; this is the meaning of ‘They shall look upon Me….’”

G-d will set His own crown upon the head of King Messiah, and clothe Him with honor and majesty…Midrash Tehillim on Ps. 21:3….   Rabbi Hann, in the name of Rabbi Aha, continues the thought…G-d will bestow a portion of His supernatural glory on Messiah….   The Midrash then continues with two designations of Messiah; HaShem, a man of war and HaShem, is our righteousness.

[On Isa.9:6:   R. Aben Ezra:]…There are some interpreters who say that “Wonderful, Everlasting Father” are Names of G-d and only “Prince of Peace” is the Name of the Child.   But according to my view, the interpretation is right (which says):   all are the Names of the child.

[Midrash Echa (1:51)]:   …What is the Name of King Messiah:   To this answered Rabbi Abba bar Kahana:   HaShemis His Name, for it is written:   “This is the Name whereby He shall be called:   HaShem Kidkenu.”

[See also, Midrash Rabbah [999:8), (Ps. 45:6), (Prov. 30:4), (Ps. 2:7), (Sukkah [52a]), (Zohar [part III, fo. 307, Amsterdam edition]), (Ps. 2:12 Leesor’s trans.)…{etc.…also, verses in Tanach may be one or two verses difference depending upon your translation}… [Zohar vol. III]…The Ancient and Holy One is revealed and described as being Three; it is because the Other Lights are Two complete Ones, yet is the Ancient and Holy One described and complete as One, and He is One, positively One; thus are the Other Lights united and glorified in One, because They are One…[Rabbi Simeon further states]…Thus are the Three Lights united in One.   The Spirit which is downward, Who is called the Holy Spirit, the Spirit which is the Middle Pillar, Who is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, also called the Spirit below.   The Upper Spirit is hidden in secret; in Him are existing all the Holy Spirits [the Holy Spirit and the Spirit that is the middle pillar], and all that is light.

{see also, (Bereshis rabba 2), (R. Simeon on Song of Songs 2:6, Zohar Tanchuma), (R. Tzvi Nassi’s book, The Great Mystery), (Burt Yellin’s book, Messiah, A Rabbinic & Scriptural Viewpoint) (Sukkah 52a; Rabbi Dosa), (Rabbi B’rekhyah:   From the Suffering Servant of Isaiah, S. Driver & A. Neubauer, Hermon Press, New York.

Our Rabbis have a tradition that in the week in which Messiah will be born, there will be a bright star in the east, which is the “star of the Messiah.” – Pesikta Sortarta.   (fo. 58c.1).

The thought of Torah changing in the “Age to Come” is again made perfectly clear in the rendering of Deuteronomy 17:18, in Sifra.   Here it is stated that the L-rd wrote a copy of Mishna-Torah for Himself, and that He would not be content with the Mishna-Torah of the father.   The question is asked… “Why does He say Mishna-Torah?   Because it is destined to be changed.”

“The Torah which a man learns in this world is but vanity compared with the Torah of Messiah” Midrash Qohelet on Eccl. 11:8.

And I will put enmity between thee and the WOMAN and between thy seed and her SEED; He shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise His heel.   Gen. 3:15 Leesor’s.

It is not written that we may preserve [sic] a son from our father, but SEED from our father.   This is the SEED that is coming from another place.   And Who is this?   This is the King Messiah.

Ber. Rabbah (51, ed. Warsh. p. 95a, on Genesis 19:32)…This is that SEED that is coming from another place, and Who is this?   This is the King Messiah.   – Ber.   Rabbah 51,ed.   Wars.   P.95,a, on Gen.   19:23).

My Son art Thou; I have indeed this day begotten Thee.   *Do homage to the Son, lest He be angry, and ye be lost on the way; for His wrath is so speedily kindled.   Happy are all they that put their trust in Him.   – Psalm 2:7-12 Leesor’s

*[Ps. 2:12, Heb. ‘Bar’ = 202]…Thou art the Son, the faithful shepherd; of Thee it is said, “Kiss the Son.”   {note:   this has been removed in English in many new Jewish Tanach translations, but it is there in the Hebrew!}   Thou art the Governor of the Universe, the Head of Israel, the Lord of ministering angels, the Son of the Highest, the Son of the Holy and Blessed One, yea the very Shechinah.   {note:   The Schechinah is the VERY HOLY SPIRIT OF HA-SHEM!}

Our doctors expound the Psalm of the Messiah – (Jarchi (mass) [ref. Ps. 2])

Whosoever is not willing to praise This Son, his sins shall be brought before the Holy King.   – Zohar (Dent. fol. 109) [ref. Ps. 2]

It is a tradition of the Rabbis that Messiah, The Son of David, Who is to be revealed speedily…the Holy One said unto Him, Ask of Me anything and I will give it thee, for it is said, “I will declare the decree, etc.   Today have I begotten thee.” – Talmud Bab.   (Succah, fol. 52) [ref. Ps. 2]

*This is the faithful Shepherd; Of Thee it is said, “Kiss the Son,” Thou art the Prince of the Israelites, the L-rd of the earth…The Son of the Most High, the Son of the Holy G-d …and the gracious Shekinah.   – Zohar (Gen. fol. 88, c. 348) [ref. Ps. 2]

They He [My Servant Messiah] will become despised, and will cut off the glory of all the Kingdoms; they will be prostrate and mourning, like a man of pains, and like One destined for sickness; and as though the Presence of the Shekinah had been withdrawn from us, they will be despised, and esteemed not.   – Targum Jonathan Isaiah 53:3.

Our Rabbis with one voice accept and affirm the opinion that the prophet is here speaking of the Messiah.   – R. Mosheh El-Sheikh [ref. Isa. 53:3]

The L-rd is the King Messiah; He is also the Angel of the Covenant.   – Kimchi

The L-rd is both the Divine Majesty, and the Angel of the Covenant, for the sentence is doubled.   – Aben Ezra

The L-rd may be explained of the King Messiah.   – Mashmiah Jeshua, fol. 76

For to us a Son is born, to us a Son is given:   and He shall receive the Law upon Him to keep it; and His Name is called from of old, Wonderful, Counselor, ELOHA, The Mighty, Abiding to Eternity, The Messiah, because peace shall be multiplied on us in His days.   – Isaiah 9:6 Targum Jonathan

Rabbi Samuel, the son of Nachman, said, “When Esau met Jacob he said unto him, ‘My brother Jacob, let us walk together in this world.’   Jacob replied:   ‘Let my L-rd, I pray thee, pass over before his servant’” (Genesis 3:14).   What is the meaning of, “I pray thee, pass over”?   Jacob said to him:   I have yet to supply the Messiah, of Whom it is said: “Unto us a Child is born.”   – Midrash (Deuteronomy 2:4)

But the wise man, R. Abraham Ben Ezra, has interpreted this prophecy of the great wars which shall be in all the world in the days of the Messiah, the Son of Joseph… The Messiah therefore is the Person to be smitten before the scattering of the sheep. – R. Kimchi [ref. Zech. 13:7]

While He bore the sins of many and for the transgressors He let (evil) befall Him.   – Isaiah 53:12.b Leesor’s

And when Israel is sinful, the Messiah seeks for mercy upon them, as it is written, “By His stripes we were healed, and He carried the sins of many; and made intercession for the transgressors.” – B’reshith Rabbah (pp. 430, 671)

…And they will look up toward Me (for every one) Whom they have thrust through, and they will lament for Him as one lamenteth for an Only Son, and weepeth bitterly for the Firstborn. – Zechariah 12:10 Leesor’s.

And the heathen will look unto Me to see what I will do to those who have pierced Messiah, the Son of Joseph. – Aben Ezra

It must be granted him that says, for Messiah the Son of Joseph that shall be slain as it is written, And they shall look upon Me Whom they have pierced.   – Talmud Bab.   (Succah 52, 1)

He will revive us after two days; on the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His Presence.   – Hosea 6:2 Leesor’s

This passage is applied to the resurrection and to the Messiah by R. Moses Hadarshan in Genesis 22:4.   – Ber Rabbah (Frey)

R. Alexander said R. Joshua ben Levi objects to what is written, “And behold one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven; and it is written, “Poor and riding upon an ass”; if they {Israel} are worthy, He {Messiah} comes with the clouds of heaven; but if they are not worthy, He comes poor and riding on an ass. – Talmud Babl. (Sanh., fol. 98, 1)

Therefore will the Lord Himself give you a sign; behold this almah/young woman [in LXX trans.   done by 70 Rabbis, it is the Greek word for virgin] shall conceive, and bear a Son and she shall call His Name Immanuel (G-d with us).   – Isaiah 7:14 Leesor’s

R. Huni, in the name of R. Ide and R. Joshua, said that this man is the King of Messiah of Whom it is said, Psalm 2:7, “This day have I begotten Thee.” – Talmud Bab

Out of thee Bethlehem shall Messiah go forth before me, to exercise dominion over Israel.   Whose Name has been spoken from of old from the day of eternity.   – Micah 5:2 Targum Jonathan

Out of thee ( Bethlehem) shall come forth unto me Messiah, the Son of David.   – R. Jarcdhi

Behold, I will send my messenger, and He shall clear out the way before me: and suddenly will come to His Temple the L-rd Whom ye seek; and the Messenger of the Covenant Whom ye desire, for behold He is coming saith the L-rd of hosts.   – Malachi 3:1 Leesor’s

DAVID FLUSSER, PROFESSOR OF RELIGIOUS HISTORY AT HEBREW UNIVERSITY, JERUSALEM:   I do not think that many Jews would object if the Messiah – when He came – was the Jew Jesus.

We may all feel thankful that the Jewish race was so prolific in great men, that even so late in history, it produced one {Jesus} Who deserves to be compared with Moses, Isaiah and Hillel.   – Rabbi Adolph Moses in Courier-Journal 1885

Many ancient rabbinic sources understood Isaiah 53 as referring to the Messiah.   Here are quotations from some of them:

Midrash Ruth Rabbah:   Another explanation (of Ruth ii.14): – He is speaking of king Messiah; “Come hither,” draw near to the throne; and “eat of the bread,” that is, the bread of the kingdom; “and dip thy morsel in the vinegar,” this refers to his chastisements, as it is said, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities.”

Zohar:   “He was wounded for our transgressions,” etc…There is in the Garden of Eden a palace called the Palace of the Sons of Sickness; this palace the Messiah then enters, and summons every sickness, every pain, and every chastisement of Israel; they all come and rest upon him.   And were it not that he had thus lightened them off Israel and taken them upon himself, there had been no man able to bear Israel’s chastisements for the transgression of the law:   and this is that which is written, “Surely our sicknesses he hath carried.”

Rabbi Moses Maimonides:   What is the manner of Messiah’s advent…there shall rise up one of whom none have known before, and signs and wonders which they shall see performed by him will be the proofs of his true origin; for the Almighty, where he declares to us his mind upon this matter, says, “Behold a man whose name is the Branch, and he shall branch forth out of his place” (Zech. 6:12).   And Isaiah speaks similarly of the time when he shall appear, without father or mother or family being known, He came up as a sucker before him, and as a root out of dry earth, etc …in the words of Isaiah, when describing the manner in which kings will harken to him, At him kings will shut their mouth; for that which had not been told them have they seen, and that which they had not heard they have perceived. (From the Letter to the South (Yemen), quoted in The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters, Ktav Publishing House, 1969, Volume 2, pages 374-5.)

Rabbi Mosheh   Kohn Ibn Crispin:   This rabbi described those who interpret Isaiah 53 as referring to Israel as those:   “having forsaken the knowledge of our Teachers, and inclined after the stubbornness of their own hearts,” and of their own opinion, I am pleased to interpret it, in accordance with the teaching of our Rabbis, of the King Messiah… This prophecy was delivered by Isaiah at the divine command for the purpose of making known to us something about the nature of the future Messiah, who is to come and deliver Israel, and his life from the day when he arrives at discretion until his advent as a redeemer, in order that if anyone should arise claiming to be himself the Messiah, we may reflect, and look to see whether we can observe in him any resemblance to the traits described here; if there is any such resemblance, then we may believe that he is the Messiah our righteousness; but if not, we cannot do so. (From his commentary on Isaiah, quoted in The Fifty-third Chapter of Isaiah According to the Jewish Interpreters, Ktav Publishing House, 1969, Volume 2, pages 99-114.)

ZOHAR THREE IN ONE HASHEM’S KEDUSHAH HAMESHULLESHET IN THE ZOHAR

The Ancient Holy One is revealed (found) with three Heads, which are united in One,and that Head is threefold exalted. The Ancient Holy One is described as being Three; it is because the other Lights (i.e.,two Lights) emanating from Him are included in the Three. Yet the Ancient One is described as being two (Daniel 7:13).The Ancient One includes these two (i.e.the two are found in Him). He is the Crown of all that is exalted; the Chief of the chief, so exalted, that He cannot be known to perfection. Thus the other Lights (Shining Ones) are two complete ones, yet is the Ancient Holy One described and complete as One, and He is One, positively One; thus are the other Lights united and glorified in One; because they are One.

האי עתיקא סבא דסבין . כתרא עלאה לעילאדמתעטרין ביה כל עטרין וכתרין . מתנהרין כלבוצינין מניה ומתלהטין  ומתנהרן) והוא הואבוצינא עלאה טמירא דלא אתידע . ( וכל שארבוצינין מניה מתלהטן ומתנהרן) . האי עתיקאאשתכח בתלת רישין וכלילן בחד רישא . והוא (נ” א והוא) רישא עלאה לעילא לעילא . ובגיןדעתיקא קדישא אתרשים בתלת אוף הכי כלשאר בוצינין דנהרין מיניה כלילן בתלת . עודעתיקא אתרשים בתרין . כללא דעתיקא בתריןהוא. כתרא עלאה דכל עלאין רישא דכל רישי .וההוא דהוי לעילא מן דא דלא אתידע . כך כלשאר בוצינין סתימין בתרין . עוד עתיקא קדישאאתרשים ואסתים בחד והוא חד וכלא הוא חדכך כל שאר בוצינין מתקדשין מתקשריןומתהדרין בחד ואינון חד

A friend of mine, who lives in Israel, recently got an email from some one claiming that there are “myriads of errors” in the New Testament Hebrew translation which “relate to Jesus and His deity and His relationship with the Father.” Though the specific issue has to do with the Hebrew text, the larger issue has to do with the nature of Greek syntax and especially the nominative predicate. This of course is an issue that one must deal with when speaking with Jehovah’s Witnesses. The other email is quoted below (in red).
“And the God was the Word.” By adding the Greek article to “God” this teaches the identity of the Father with the Son as the same Person, confusing the persons of the Godhead. It expresses an ancient heresy known as Sabellianism.

“And the word was a god.” This ordering of the Greek words expresses the ancient heresy known as Aryanism—Jesus is merely an inferior deity not equal with God the Father. This heresy has been revived by many cults such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses. The word “God” without the article put at the end of the sentence causes it to lose its emphatic nature and makes it simply indefinite=”a god.”

The exact order of the words found here in John 1:1 is the only way John could have expressed the truth that Jesus is full deity, yet not the same identical person as God the Father. By putting “God” first John stresses the nature of the divine attributes characteristic of God—“All that God is, the Word is.” The Word possess all the fullness of the divine attributes. Adding the article to “God” would change the meaning to identity of God with the Word. (an email received by my friend in Israel)

Here is my response:

The issue has to do with the order of the words as they appear in Greek.

בראשית היה הדבר והדבר היה את האלהים ואלהים היה הדבר׃ (John 1:1)

The Greek is very clear that the Logos is the subject – it is the subject all the way throughout the verse. The word God  has the article in front of it (in both Greek and Hebrew. Notice that in the last phrase the Greek has “God” first without an article and “word” has the article just  like it has throughout the verse. The subject of the verse is clearly “Logos”. “God” is being used in the predicate position (that is it is saying something about the subject). The last phrase is called a predicate nominative – where one noun is describing the other and both of the nouns are in the nominative case. Thus, in order to make clear which of the two nouns is the subject (case endings determine the role of a noun, not word order like in English), the article will go with the subject, and the one that has the (nominative article) is the subject and the other is relegated to the predicate position. Therefore, the Greek is extremely clear that “Logos” is the subject not because of word order but because it has the article and “God” is what we call anarthrous (no article). The translators of the Hebrew of John 1:1 followed the syntax of the Greek very closely. Notice that  היה את האלהים the word Elohim has an article. In the next phrase (the one your friend claims is wrong), Elohim does not have an article whereas hadavar does.  Thus, the translators were trying capture the style of the Greek as closely as possible. I believe that they are justified in doing so because normal usage of Elohim (generally) does not have an article – that is when it is being used  as a proper noun. However, they note the predicate use (when it is used accusatively) by using the article and when it is in the predicate nominative the word “Elohim” does not have the article.  So, the translation is actually quite accurate and I don’t believe that your friend is justified in wanting to redo it. Nor is he justified in saying that no article signifies “a god”.

The New Age and Alien Channelers often speak of bodies of light that the other-worldly beings possess.  The truth is, however, that bodies of light were first spoken of in the Bible. In this post we will examine the many places Scripture speaks of bodies of light and how our DNA emits light. Understanding the truth will again help us to spot the demonic deception that is coming in these last days.

We have seen that Adam was created in God’s image and likeness which includes the appearance of God. We can deduce more of how Adam was before the Fall and also how we shall be upon resurrection from the teaching of the Lord Jesus. We first note that while up by Cesarea Philippi Jesus took the disciples Peter, James and John to the top of Mount Hermon. [i] “And He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light [phos φως],” (Matthew 17:2). Jesus’ clothes were not only white, but they were

literally white as light, which is the Greek word φως phos from which we get the word photo or photon. In other words, the light of Jesus, Who is the source of that light, emanated through His clothing. When the end of the tribulation draws to a close the Lord Jesus will return to earth on a horse and those who have trusted in Him will return with Him. Speaking of the called out ones (believers in Jesus) John notes in Revelation: “And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright [lampron λαμπρον], for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints,” (Revelation 19:8).

We see from this verse that the covering will be bright or luminous. The Greek word λαμπρον lampron signifies bright or shining. The Liddell, Scott and Jones Classical Greek Lexicon defines it as “bright, radiant, of the sun and stars”. Thus, when we occupy our heavenly or celestial bodies we will also be enveloped in or clothed in garments of light. Jesus confirmed this reality when he said concerning the righteous in the world to come: “Then the righteous will shine forth [eklampo ἐκλάμπω] as the sun in the kingdom of their Father,” (Matthew 13:43). The same was revealed to Daniel concerning the resurrection of the righteous. The Septuagint (LXX) version uses the same word as is found in Matthew 13 above, which is also related to the garments in Revelation 19:8.

Those who are wise shall shine [LXX: eklampo ἐκλάμπω, Heb. יַזְהִ֖רוּ] like the brightness [LXX: lamprotes λαμπρότης] of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever, (Daniel 12:3).

This truth was revealed as far back as the time of Judges when Deborah, Barak and Abinoam sang: “Thus let all Your enemies perish, O LORD! But let those who love Him be like the sun when it comes out in full strength.” (Judges 5:31a). This is further evidenced in the book of Proverbs “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day,” (Proverbs 4:18). If we recall that Jesus said that in the resurrection we will be like the angels, then taking a look at them and how they are radiant beings shows us that we too shall be like that. This is also the conclusion of Bible commentator Arthur Pink when he states in his book The Doctrine of Revelation:

So far from regarding his soul as a mysterious, nebulous and indefinable thing, the believer looks upon it as a living, intelligent, sentient being—his real self. We should view a disembodied soul as one which has cast off its earthly clothing and is now appareled in a garment of light, or, to use the language of Scripture, “clothed in white raiment” (Revelation 3:5; 4:4). At death the soul of the saint is freed from all the limitations which sin had imposed upon it, and its faculties are then not only purified, but elevated and enlarged. [ii]

There are many verses that reference the angels’ glorious appearance. We of course recall that the angels shone in the night sky at the announcement of the birth of the awaited Messiah in Luke 2:9. The root word in that passage is perilampo (περιλάμπω), meaning “to shine around”, which is simply a derivative of lampo, “to shine”. In Luke 24:4 we read that there were two men (or angels) who stood by the tomb in “shining garments” (astrapto ἀστράπτω, like what a star does). This same word for shining is used to describe lightning as it shines from one part of heaven to the other according to Luke 17:24.

Perhaps the most telling examples of what angels look like and how we will look are found in Daniel and Revelation. In Daniel chapter ten, Daniel tells us of a vision in which he saw an angel (who was detained by the prince of Persia and thus could not be Jesus) and how he had a shining appearance.

I lifted my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes like torches of fire, his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude, (Daniel 10:5, 6).

John also saw shining angels in the book of Revelation. The angels were clothed in linen that was shining (lampron λαμπρον). “And out of the temple came the seven angels having the seven plagues, clothed in pure bright [lampron λαμπρον] linen, and having their chests girded with golden bands,” (Revelation 15:6). We can therefore conclude that our future “clothing” is in the likeness of how God is clothed in light according to Psalm 104:1-2 and because Adam was created in His image then Adam must have lost the light at the fall. “You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent,” (Psalm 104:1-2).

Supported by Ancient Jewish Interpretation

What is fascinating is that Jewish interpretation held that Adam and Eve were at first clothed in garments of light and then later clothed in garments of skin. The Midrash Rabbah (Rabbinic literature from the first or second century AD) of Genesis 3:21 reads,

AND THE LORD GOD MADE FOR ADAM AND HIS WIFE GARMENTS OF SKIN [‘or עֹור], AND CLOTHED THEM (III, 21). In R. Meir’s Torah it was found written, ‘Garments of light (or)’ this refers to Adam’s garments, which were like a torch, broad at the bottom and narrow at the top.

The Soncino Zohar of Bereshith, though a medieval (Jewish) writing, describes in even greater detail how the rabbis interpreted the original garments of Adam and Eve:

AND THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED. R. Hiya says, their eyes were opened to the evil of the world, which they had not known hitherto. Then they knew that they were naked, since they had lost the celestial lustre which had formerly enveloped them, and of which they were now divested. AND THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES. They strove to cover themselves with the (delusive) images from the tree of which they had eaten, the so-called “leaves of the tree”. AND THEY MADE THEMSELVES GIRDLES. […] Afterwards God clothed Adam and Eve in garments soothing to the skin, as it is written, HE MADE THEM COATS OF SKIN [‘or עֹור]. At first they had had coats of light [‘or אֹור], which procured them the service of the highest of the high, for the celestial angels used to come to enjoy that light; so it is written, “For thou hast made him but little lower than the angels, and crownest him with glory and honour” (Ps. VIII, 6). Now after their sins they had only coats of skin [‘or עֹור], good for the body but not for the soul, (emphasis mine). [iii]

The (Soncino) Zohar, chapter Shemoth (Exodus) further comments on how Adam was originally clothed with light [‘or אֹור] so that he could be in the garden; if he had not had that, the text suggests that he could not have been in God’s presence.

Adam in the Garden of Eden was attired in supernal raiment, of celestial radiancy. As soon as he was driven from the Garden of Eden and had need of forms suited to this world, “the Lord God”, Scripture says, “made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin [‘or עֹור] and clothed them” (Gen. III, 21). Formerly they were garments of light [‘or אֹור], to wit, of the celestial light in which Adam ministered in the Garden of Eden. For, inasmuch as it is the resplendency of the celestial light that ministers in the Garden of Eden, when first man entered into the Garden, the Holy One, blessed be He, clothed him first in the raiment of that light. Otherwise he could not have entered there. When driven out, however, he had need of other garments; hence “garments of skin, (emphasis mine). [iv]

The Jewish apocryphal work of the Life of Adam and Eve, written sometime between the third and fifth century A.D. records the belief many held concerning the original state of Adam and Eve before their fall.

But as they [Adam and Eve] were going in the way, and before they reached that place, Satan, the wicked one, had heard the Word of God communing with Adam respecting his covering. […] Then came the Word of God to Adam and Eve, and said to them, “This is he who was hidden in the serpent, and who deceived you, and stripped you of the garment of light and glory in which you were. This is he who promised you majesty and divinity. Where, then, is the beauty that was on him? Where is his divinity? Where is his light? Where is the glory that rested on him? Now his figure is hideous; he is become abominable among angels; and he has come to be called Satan. [v]

Confirmed by Ancient Christian Interpretation

The understanding that Adam and Eve were once clothed in light before their fall is not only confirmed by the ancient Jews but also hinted at by the ancient Christians in what they have to say concerning the celestial bodies that are awaiting the believer. Church Father Arnobius, in his work Against Heathens writes in the notes the following about what believers have to look forward to:

But let us not reason from things terrestrial as regards things celestial: our coarse material fabrics are “shadows of the true.” The robes of light are realities, and are conformed to spiritual bodies, as even here a mist may envelop a tree. [vi]

Methodius, another church father says the following concerning the light that we shall be clothed with. He derives his comments from Isaiah 60 which speaks of the future messianic kingdom in which Israel will be in the center. He envisions what a body completely free from sin and corruption will be like. He writes:

Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. […] It is the Church whose children shall come to her with all speed after the resurrection, running to her from all quarters. She rejoices receiving the light which never goes down, and clothed with the brightness of the Word as with a robe. For with what other more precious or honourable ornament was it becoming that the queen should be adorned, to be led as a Bride to the Lord, when she had received a garment of light, and therefore was called by the Father? Come, then, let us go forward in our discourse, and look upon this marvelous woman as upon virgins prepared for a marriage, pure and undefiled, perfect and radiating a permanent beauty, wanting nothing of the brightness of light; and instead of a dress, clothed with light itself; and instead of precious stones, her head adorned with shining stars. For instead of the clothing which we have, she had light; and for gold and brilliant stones, she had stars; but stars not such as those which are set in the invisible heaven, but better and more resplendent, so that those may rather be considered as their images and likenesses, (emphasis mine). [vii]

The second century Christian document, the Revelation of Peter, written after 135 AD affords us a wonderful commentary as to what undoubtedly many Christians believed had happened and would come to pass. Again, we do not look at such texts as inspired of God, but as early Christian commentary on the Scriptures. Concerning the resurrected believers, the text states:

There appeared two men standing before the Lord […] upon whom we were not able to look. For there issued from their countenance a ray as of the sun, and their raiment was shining so as the eye of man never saw the like: for no mouth is able to declare nor heart to conceive the glory wherewith they were clad and the beauty of their countenance. Whom when we saw we were astonished, for their bodies were whiter than any snow and redder than any rose. And the redness of them was mingled with the whiteness, and, in a word, I am not able to declare their beauty. […]These are your (our) righteous brethren whose appearance ye did desire to see. […] the dwellers in that place were clad with the raiment of shining angels, and their raiment was like unto their land, (emphasis mine). [viii]

Note that the writer of this document believed that the resurrected saints would literally emit light from their bodies just as we have seen from numerous Scriptures. The writer identifies the two saints as Moses and Elias (Elijah). He also sees the shining analogous to the colors of a rainbow just like the colors that surround God in Ezekiel 1:28.

‘The Son at his coming will raise the dead . . . and will make my righteous ones shine seven times more than the sun, and will make their crowns shine like crystal and like the rainbow in the time of rain (crowns) which are perfumed with nard and cannot be contemplated (adorned) with rubies, with the colour of emeralds shining brightly, with topazes, gems, and yellow pearls that shine like the stars of heaven, and like the rays of the sun, sparkling which cannot be gazed upon.’ Again, of the angels: ‘ Their faces shine more than the sun; their crowns are as the rainbow in the time of rain. […] Their eyes shine like the morning star. […] Their raiment is not woven, but white as that of the fuller, according as I saw on the mountain where Moses and Elias were. [ix]

There seems to be little doubt that the early Church interpreted the resurrected bodies of the believers to be such that they would emit light and shine like the sun. Given that Jesus came as the second Adam and that we are in the corrupted image of the first Adam, we can infer that when God made the first Adam (in an uncorrupted state), that Adam must have radiated light in a manner similar to our resurrection bodies.

Biophotons

Remembering that man is in the image of God will serve as a clue to answer our question as to the origin of the light and with a bit of logic we will see that the light must come from God’s essence. Returning to Ezekiel 1 we recall that the prophet saw: “a whirlwind was coming out of the north, a great cloud with raging fire engulfing itself; and brightness was all around it and radiating out of its midst like the color of amber [khashmal חַשְׁמַ֖ל], out of the midst of the fire,” (Ezekiel 1:4).

We learn in verse 28 that this was the entourage of the Lord Himself, a man of fire, as it were and thus, the light must radiate out from the Lord Himself (and not from His robes, per se). In fact, we are told that specifically “The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light,” (Revelation 21:23). Isaiah describes the light coming from God as well:

The sun shall no longer be your light by day, Nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory. Your sun shall no longer go down, Nor shall your moon withdraw itself; For the LORD will be your everlasting light, And the days of your mourning shall be ended, (Isaiah 60:19-20).

Paul affords us this insight into what we shall become: “to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth,” (Ephesians 4:24 NET).

Our new man has been created in God’s image – imagine that! We, as new creations are in the image of the One who made us! Paul states that Jesus is the image of God: “He is the image [eicon εικον (icon)] of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,” (Colossians 1:15 NET). Then he states that we are in that image using the same Greek word eicon (εικον) “and have been clothed with the new man that is being renewed in knowledge according to the image [eicon εικον] of the one who created it,” (Colossians 3:10 NET). We must not forget, however, that Adam was originally created in the image of God. Thus if in our new man we will be like God (not be God in all of his glory, but like Him!), then we must conclude that when God made Adam in His image (the Septuagint translates the Hebrew tselem צֶ֥לֶם as eicon εικον) and likeness, Adam emitted light in a way similar to God. Since we will have bodies of light once our image is fully restored, so too Adam must have had that covering of light before his fall into corruption. There appears to be no difference between Adam in his pre-fall state and we in our heavenly state as far as our bodies are concerned. Nevertheless, there will be one enormous difference: Adam could have refrained from sinning and so have enjoyed the bliss of the Lord’s presence. However, he never would have known the depths to which God was willing to humble Himself to buy back his creation. As redeemed sons of God, we and Adam will now enjoy the bliss of heaven and know full well that we are there because of the mighty sacrifice of our Lord Jesus.

The ultimate deception that Satan so cleverly concocted for the first couple was to entice them to eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in order to become like God when they already were! They looked like God (Exodus 24:9-10, Daniel 7:9, Isaiah 6:1-6, Ezekiel 1:26-28, Revelation 4), they had the Spirit of God and they emanated light like God. Lastly, they were already wise (or prudent) and were not ashamed. Thus, they were perfectly suited to have fellowship with God. When Satan deceived them he suggested things that they already had – the real deception was that they already were like God.

We have seen that Adam being “clothed” with light is a very likely biblical possibility. Now let’s consider just how Adam might have radiated light.

DNA Emits light

Around 1923 Ukrainian Biologist Alexander Gurwitsh discovered that living things such as onions and yeast produced an ultra-weak photon emission according to the Fritz-Albert Popp Institute. [xvi] This discovery was then confirmed independently by Russian scientists around 1950 when they discovered an “ultraweak photon emission” from living organisms. Again, the discovery of photon emission was confirmed independently of the previous finding by Italian nuclear physicists L. Colli, U. Facchini, G. Guidotti and R. Dugnani-Lonati, M Orsenigo in 1955 who “by chance discovered a ‘bioluminescence’ of seedlings,”. They published their finding in an article. Further Measurements on the Bioluminescence of the Seedlings [xvii] even though they did not believe it to be of great consequence.

The fact that DNA emits light is now a well established fact, even if it is relatively unknown to the general public. The Fritz-Albert Popp

Institut discusses the work going on in the field around the world. Independently from each other and driven by different motivations scientific groups in Australia (Quickenden), Germany (Fritz-Albert Popp), Japan (Inaba), and Poland (Slawinski) showed evidence of ultraweak photon emission from biological systems by use of modern single-photon counting systems. [xviii]

Just what is a biophoton? A biophoton is the emission of light from DNA. Dr. Popp and the Marburg group discovered that the “essential source of non-equilibrium biophoton emission is the DNA.” [xix] They define biophotons in the following way:

Biophotons are single quanta being permanently and continuously emitted by all living systems. They are a subject of quantum physics and they display a universal phenomenon attributed to all living systems. [xx]

Researchers from the School of Medicine at Kanazawa University, in Kanazawa, Japan confirm the universality of DNA emitting light. They add that light is not only emitted but also absorbed by living things.

All organic life absorbs, emits and processes light. Biophoton emission or spontaneous ultraweak light emission has been observed from almost all living organisms, with intensities ranging from 10^-19 to 10^-16 W/cm². [xxi]

A recent article published by researcher Daniel Fels discusses the possibility that light appears to be the mode of communication with cells. Fels states the following:

Cells can influence each other without using a molecular signal for the purpose: this means that not all cellular processes are necessarily based on a molecule-receptor recognition. The nonmolecular signals are most probably photons. If so, cells use more than one frequency for information transfer and mutual influence. The effects are manifold, acting positively or negatively on cell growth, correlated growth and energy uptake […] it might be that many cell processes are triggered by photons, (emphasis mine). [xxii]

Adam’s Biophotons

Could biophotons have anything to do with the covering that Adam once had? The answer is arguably yes. From all that we have seen, Adam was covered with light as with a garment, similar to his Creator. We also have seen that the Holy Spirit was indwelling Adam when he was created (see appendix two). Given all of the evidence so far, we can create a picture of what life was like before and after the fall. What life was like before the fall is especially exciting as we will be going back to those Edenic conditions in the age to come. A summary of the points will help us create the composite image of just what Adam was like back then.

• God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5, Revelation 21:23).
• Jesus transfigured and emitted light (Matthew 17:2).
• Angels emit light (Daniel 10).
• Angels look very similar to God (Dan 7, 10, Ezekiel 1, Matthew 28:3, Revelation 10:1; 22) and can be mistaken for God.
• We will be like the angels in the world to come (Matthew 22:30, Luke 20:36).
• Our bodies will be like God’s (1 John 3:2, Psalm 17:15, Ephesians 4:24, Philippians 3:21, Colossians 3:4, 10; 2 Peter 1:4).
• Sons of God have the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14).
• Adam was a Son of God (who fell) (Luke 3:38).
• We will be given shining garments (Revelation 19:8).

Thus God created Adam in His image and likeness concerning his general shape (head, shoulders, hands, and feet) plus Adam was emitting light in a manner similar to God and he was also inbreathed with the Spirit of God. We have learned that our DNA not only emits light, but absorbs light as well. It would seem that our DNA is like an electric capacitor which can store tiny amounts of electricity and then discharge it (capacitors do not produce their own energy like a battery). In a similar way, we can speculate that the light that was coming from Adam was not being produced from his own self, but was first absorbed from God and then reemitted, very much like how things glow in the dark.“Glow-in-the-dark objects need to be exposed to light, or charged, in order to glow. The light energizes the phosphors and excites their electrons. As the electrons lose this extra energy, they release it as a light of their own.” [xxiii]

When Adam sinned the Holy Spirit left him and the direct connection to the light source was broken. Thus, the light that is now emitted from living things is not coming from the ultimate light source which is God himself but presumably from the sun. Before his fall, Adam therefore must have emitted large quantities of light, very similar to the angels who have access to God’s light and energy. Thus we are left with the picture that as this light came out of Adam’s very DNA, it would have covered his body in a way similar to the shining of the angels and he was therefore covered with a garment of light.

Moses’ Shining Face

We have apparent evidence of God energizing our DNA with His light when Moses was on the mountain with God for forty days. The Bible says:

Now it was so, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai […] that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone [פָּנָ֖יו עֹ֥ור קָרַ֛ן] while he talked with Him. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face. But whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with Him, he would take the veil off until he came out; and he would come out and speak to the children of Israel whatever he had been commanded. And whenever the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face shone, then Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him, (Exodus 34:29-30, 33-35).

Moses didn’t realize it, but in his talking with God he had received the light from God. In a manner similar to material that glows after being exposed to a light source, so too did Moses glow after being exposed to the light of God. As we have seen, God is a “man of fire” if you will. Tremendous energy and electricity [xxiv] are radiating out of His being. Light is coming out of the Lord and as Moses spoke face to face with God, that light was absorbed by Moses and then reemitted causing Moses to shine. Moses was apparently in very close proximity to the Lord as the Scriptures say “So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend (Exodus 33:11). However, Numbers 12:8 adds another level of closeness between the LORD and Moses. While the English translation reads “face to face”, the Hebrew actually says “mouth to mouth”: I speak with him face to face [pe el pe אֶל־פֶּ֞ה פֶּ֣ה], Even plainly, and not in dark sayings; And he sees the form of the LORD [t’munat YHWH תְמֻנַ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה] (Numbers 12:8 ).

Just how close they were we do not truly know, but the description is sufficient to give us the picture that Moses was in fairly close proximity to God’s face. Nevertheless, God must certainly have remained somewhat veiled, since God Himself said that no one could see his face and live. He must have indicated a complete unveiling of His glory was impossible, but a partial unveiling was possible.

We conclude, therefore, that Adam must have emitted large amounts of light or photons from his DNA. When he sinned, the light that he received from God, the source of the light, was presumably extinguished and the small traces of light that are emitting from our bodies are due to the light of the sun and not from God. Proverbs 13:9 says: “The light of the righteous rejoices, But the lamp of the wicked will be put out,” (see also: Proverbs 20:20, 24:20; Job 18:5, 21:17). I would like to suggest that when a non-believer dies the little bit of internal light that he had (due to the sun) is lost and being completely disconnected from God, his light is extinguished. However, the believer, just like Adam, will have light emitting from his spiritual body (hence “clothed in light”) which is not his own light, but is the absorption and reemission of the Lord’s light and so we will be restored to the true image of our Creator. Let’s see next how the Scriptures demonstrate that Jesus would come as the second Adam to restore in us the uncorrupted image of God.

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