NOTES for Dan 2:22

Daniel's words about God, in whom light begins, or with whom light dwells, for such a translation is also possible, can be understood in different ways. One can understand them allegorically, and then the matter will be God's omniscience, that nothing is hidden from Him, that He knows everything, even what is "in darkness," what man will never see. But one can also understand them literally, and then one must recall that Yahwistic spiritual and mystical experience which begins at least with Moses, and perhaps even earlier. It was to Moses that God's presence was revealed as light, as a shining cloud that descended on a desert plant resembling tumbleweed.

Moses did not immediately understand that before him was not physical fire, that the bush was not burning, otherwise it would have burned up in an instant, for such bushes burn like paper, but was shining. And afterward this presence accompanied the people throughout their historical path: during the Exodus, and afterward, when the shining cloud was seen at night above the Tabernacle and in the Holy of Holies of the Jerusalem Temple. In the priestly environment this shining Presence was called the glory of God or the glory of Yahweh, the glory of the Lord; in the rabbinic environment it was called the shekinah, a Hebrew word that literally means "presence."

Of course, the light is not God. It is only the outward, physical manifestation of God's presence. God marks the place on earth where one can meet Him; His power, His energy abides in that place, and the physical nature with which this energy comes into contact, air, stone, metal, begins to shine, to glow with mysterious light. A light for which darkness does not exist. Not because it itself penetrates everywhere, but because for the divine presence that generates it there are no barriers.

If God wants to mark His presence in absolute emptiness, where there is nothing physical to shine, emptiness itself will shine. And here it no longer matters whether the depths of the universe or the depths of the human soul are in view. Darkness is possible only where God's presence does not manifest itself. Where God hides Himself. But here the fault is no longer nature, but sin. It hides God from us, not God's creation. But the blame here is entirely ours, since we choose sin ourselves. With all the consequences that follow from such a choice.