Jesus, the Light of the Nations

In light of expectation of the coming Messiah (a Greek / Latin: Messiah, Savior), the Lord will send his Messiah as the "light of nations". The term "nations" in Hebrew refers to nations other than Israel.

Therefore the word of Jesus Christ that anyone who follows him "do not walk in darkness, but will earn the Light of Life)", are carefully fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah 8: 23-9:1 that in the original reads: "... derek hayyam, 'aver hayyarden Gelil haggoyim. Ha' am haholekim behoshek ra'u 'or gadol, yosyevi be arets tsalmavet' or negah aleikhem"(... road to the sea, the region across the Jordan, Galilee: the territory of other nations. The nation who walk in darkness, have seen a great light, those who dwell in the land of thick darkness, the light has shone upon it).

So, 'Isa al-Masih is the Light of the world, that enlightens every person who walked in darkness so that they acquire the Light of Life. And since the coming of the Messiah, the walls of Jewish exclusivism, destroyed. Jesus is not only sent to the Children of Israel, but He became the Saviour of the World. Like a light that never restrict His light, shining in the courtyard of the kings or in the gutter trash.

Nations once considered low, a people who regarded the religious laity, all visited by His light brightly lit. Knows no distinction, no discrimination.

In Jewish terminology, the term "ha'am haholekim beheshek" (the nations who walked in darkness) and "arets tsalmavet" (domestic gloom or literally: "the country is overshadowed by the death"), meaning roughly close to the Arabic term "jahiliah" (ignorance). While the term 'goyim' (Gentiles, "non-Jewish") also contains the meaning of "heathen nations" who do not know God, who is worshiped by the people of Israel. So, its connotation is very humbling. Not only the religions of non-Jews, but also other nations.

Expectation of the Jews themselves, also called the Messiah who would come as "Light of the Gentiles"('or hagoyim). Jesus was more explicit expression again: Ani 'or ha' olam (I am the Light of the World). The interpretation of Jewish rabbis, 'or (light) is always associated with a conversation about the coming Messiah. For example, in Isaiah 49:6 God said to the Messiah, called the Servant of Yahweh ('Ebed Yahweh): "I will also give thee for a light of the nations, that My salvation may be unto the end of the earth." (Compare also: Isaiah 60:1 and Daniel 2:22).

It should be noted, statements of Jesus as the Light of the World is also fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 14:16-20) that His glory will be revealed in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles. Interpretations of pre-Christian Jews, especially those written in the Targums, also connects this verse with the glory of the coming Messiah.

Minorities in the era of democracy.

As was predicted earlier, the emergence of democratization in the Middle East region is difficult dammed or discontinued. In turn, one after the other Arab countries affected by outbreaks of Arab Spring. With the exception of the Libyan, another part of the fall of Arab rulers is the insistence of his own people with little indirect intervention of Western countries. Zine El Abidin Ben Ali, Hosni Mubarak, could not maintain his power. Ali Abdullah Saleh and Bashar Assad is facing severe pressure from the opposition who want them back. Moamar Khaddafi, was not overthrown by his own people but by the Western leaders who thirst of Libyan oil.

And also been predicted earlier, the process of democratization occurring in countries with Muslim majority also have a direct impact on the survival of the adherents of minority religions. What we see in Egypt today, where the Coptic people are fighting for their rights as fellow citizens of Egypt. Sectarian and religious conflicts like this are happening everywhere, because the decline of the powerful Arab rulers. The absence of a strong ruler who directly impact the loss of protection to minorities.

Of the countries that have a Muslim majority, Indonesia is a country that is relatively more free in expressing an opinion and religious expression. But the country also suffered a setback in terms of religious tolerance after the fall of the Suharto regime in 1998. Banning the establishment of houses of worship of minorities seems to be a common thing happening in western Indonesia. As was the case today is busy talking on the GKI Yasmin Bogor, West Java. Church building is sealed by the local government, arguing there was no building permit. Though Indonesia's Supreme Court has ruled that local governments have no right to seal the building of the church because the church GKI Yasmin already have an official building permits. Things like this continue to take place in many places in western Indonesia. So what is happening in Egypt against the Copts are the same thing that has been perceived first by the minorities in Indonesia.

May the Coptic people, can get their rights as full citizens of Egypt, not as second-class citizens. Greetings and prayers are always for the people of Copts, who have been able to survive in the faith for centuries in oppression.