On the day after Sukkot, or Feast of Tabernacles, Jewish people all over the world join together to celebrate Simchat Torah. On this day every year, the last words from the book of Deuteronomy are read, and then the Torah scroll is rolled all the way back to Genesis. Once the Torah is rolled back to the beginning, the first section of Genesis is read.
The purpose for reading the end of Deuteronomy and then immediately reading Genesis is to remind G-D’s people that G-D’s Word is living and never ends. Biblical life is not linear; it is cyclical. The entire Bible is one large circle, which contains circles, which contains circles, and so on.
If this is true—and it is—then every verse and every narrative that we read are individual circles that exist within a larger circle, which is inside another even larger circle.
This is why when we are reading the Bible while studying a theme or topic, we may see a verse as supporting whatever topic or subject we are studying at the time, and then when studying a totally different and unrelated theme or topic, the same verse is seen to support that topic or thought also. This is because every verse in the Bible is a circle within a circle, and because they are, one circle can also be not only present within more than one circle but they can actually be an intricate part of many different circles.
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These circles demonstrate the truth that G-D’s ways and thoughts are so much higher than our thoughts. Because while we may be able to see how some of these circles were placed inside other circles, G-D not only sees those circles, but He also sees every verse of the Bible and how each verse perfectly fits within each smaller circle, while also fitting inside the greater circle, all while being part of the greater circle.
Let me provide an example. The entire Bible is one circle that begins in a place with water and light in Genesis and ends in a place with water and light in Revelation. The last chapter of Revelation, in a real way, returns us to the first chapter of Genesis. It is the largest circle of redemption and restoration. Inside that circle, we are constantly reading smaller circles of redemption and restoration, and every verse we read is a circle within those circles, large and small. No matter how large or small the verse or narrative, each one is a circle within the larger circle, and not one is irrelevant or unimportant. In order for the largest circle to be complete, each smaller circle must be in its place, or places.
Let me show you what I mean by this. If the first chapter of Genesis and the last chapter of Deuteronomy form the outer circle, that not only tells the redemption story but also contains within it the redemption story, then we should be able to look at the first few verses of Genesis and see a circle within the circle. So, let’s look at Genesis 1:1-3 and see if we find a circle.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was chaos and waste, darkness was on the surface of the deep, and the Ruach Elohim was hovering upon the surface of the water. Then God said, ‘Let there be light!’ and there was light” (Gen. 1:1-3, TLV).
- In the beginning G-D created the heavens and the earth.
- The earth was chaos, waste and darkness.
- The Ruach Elohim (Spirit of G-D) hovered over the water.
- “Let there be light.”
This is a redemption circle. First, G-D created the heavens and the earth. Notice it is only the earth that is described as chaos, waste and dark, not the heavens. Then G-D’s Spirit entered His creation, and then came light.
Let’s look at the story this way. G-D created the earth, in this case representing mankind. The earth, or mankind, became chaos, waste and dark (sin entered creation). Then, G-D entered His creation and turned darkness into light. This is a redemption circle.
As we read the Bible, we should read it understanding that the circles within the circles are for our benefit. The redemption story is told over and over in many many different ways so the evidence of G-D’s redemption plan would be so overwhelming that it is undeniable. I hope as you study this year, you will make an effort to look for these circles and share them with your friends and family—because these circles are the Good News being told in thousands of different ways.
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Eric Tokajer is the author of “Overcoming Fearlessness,” “What If Everything You Were Taught About the Ten Commandments Was Wrong?”, “With Me in Paradise,” “Transient Singularity,” “OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry,” “#ManWisdom: With Eric Tokajer,” “Jesus Is to Christianity as Pasta Is to Italians” and “Galatians in Context.” Visit his website at rabbierict.com.
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