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John 9:5
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Adonai said to Moses, "You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. …. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel (Exodus 27:20-21). This lamp was a seven branch candelabrum called: the Menorah. This Menorah was to be perpetually lit in the first chamber of the Tabernacle usually called the holy place. In the letter to the Hebrews, this chamber was also called the ‘first’ (In Hebrews 8:13, the word ‘covenant’ was added in the text by KJV editors thus changing the context of Hebrews 9; that is why it is italicized in KJV Bibles) in front of the ‘second’, the Ark’s chamber (Hebrews 9:7) which represented the very presence of God. When the Temple was built, this lamp was again placed in the ‘first’, right in front of the ‘second’. The Aaronic priesthood alone had the charge to care for it, to make sure it was perpetually lit, but all of the people had the charge to provide the oil; in this way, all of Israel was represented before God and had a part in being the 'light of the world' in Jerusalem. Now, without a temple the command cannot be performed, but in the days of the Third Temple the practice will again resume since it is a ‘forever’ commandment given to Israel (Exodus 27:21). In the mean time, the Menorah is charged with messianic symbolism. Several prophets and servants of God were privy to enter the Father’s throne room. The first one we know of is Moses who was asked to reproduce what he saw and therefore to put this seven-branch candelabrum in the room in front of the Ark (Exodus 25:40). The last one we know of is John who wrote what he saw in the following words, And between the throne and the four living creatures … I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God … (Revelations 5:6). Yeshua well proclaimed ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5) Yeshua is now with the Father, and He also told to His disciples, "You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are on a mission. We who proclaim the Name of the Messiah, the Almighty’s Agent of redemption, have a role to perform, a duty to be the Menorah or the ‘Light of the world’. When He was on earth, the Light of Messiah shone for all to see. He did not hold back no matter how dangerous it was. Now the staff (the baton) is passed on to us and we must also perpetually let our light (the Light of Messiah in us) shine before others, so that they may see our 'mitzvot' (good works of obedience to Torah) and give glory to our Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). As the light of Messiah, we stand as His representative to the world. When the day of reckoning comes, may we not be found to have hid our light under a bushel (to have been a believer in secret for fear of man), but through obedience, to have set it on a candlestick for all to see (Matthew 5:15).
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John 1:4-5, 9
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. The first creation mentioned in the first chapter of the Book of Genesis is the primeval light. The Hebrew gives two different words for ‘light’ in the Book of Genesis: the ‘or’ in verse three referring to the primeval Light of the beginning of creation, and the ‘ma’or’ referring to the two lights in the firmament in verse fourteen. The primeval Light was the beginning of God’s creation. Without it nothing was created that was created. The Hebrew word translated as ‘beginning’ comes from the word ‘rosh’, or ‘head’. In Hebraic understanding, the beginning is the head like the engine is the beginning/head of a train. It leads the rest and without it nothing goes anywhere. It works also with the idea of the head of a snake that pulls the rest of his body. Yeshua introduced Himself to the Laodicean congregation as the ‘Beginning of God’s creation’ Revelations 3:14), the ‘Head’ without which nothing else moves nor exists. John’s introduction of Yeshua mirrors the Genesis’ account of creation. Whereas the ‘Word’ referred to by the Aramaic ‘Memrah’ in Jewish literature, existed with the Almighty as His Executive Agent, It revealed itself at the beginning, or the ‘head’ of creation as the Light, the Light by which everything else would be done. How fitting this is with the account of John who from His studies under the sages of Israel had understood what they said by the Talmudic statement, “God said ‘let there be Light,’ to reveal that God will ultimately illuminate Israel with the Light of Messiah”. This was John’s hinted message embedded in the format of his introduction. He was mirroring the text of the first chapter of Genesis. John wanted to reveal that Yeshua was the incarnation of that Messianic primeval Light. God revealed the Light in the very beginning of creation; He revealed a light provoked phenomenon at another beginning through Noah’s rainbow, and finally revealed It as a human 2,000 years ago fulfilling the promise made in Mt. Sinai that God will come live among His people (Exodus 25:8). As we try to do things in our own effort, as we attempt to lift ourselves up by our own boot straps by trying to change our environment, may we learn to realize that nothing is done without the Light of Messiah; He is the ‘Beginning’, the ‘Head’ without which nothing else is done; by Him and Him only can anything be done. He pulls and as we yield to His command we let ourselves be pulled. May we learn to be fully satisfied simply basking in the Light of His greatness and beauty, solely obeying His commands. Who knows if we do, it may actually change the world to the better! James 2:18
Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works Yeshua said, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16)”. The words spoken by the Master should be understood within the Judaic matrix in which they were spoken. In the mouth of a Jewish Rabbi, to ‘shine your light’ means to practice Torah commandments (Psalms 119:105), and the expression ‘good works’ often employed by the Master and other apostles comes from the Hebrew original ‘mitsvot’, referring to ‘ commandments’. It is the plural of ‘mitsvah’ found the in the term ‘bar-mitsvah’: ‘son of the commandment’. In essence, Yeshua is telling us is to practice Torah in front of men that it may cause them to glorify the Father which is Heaven. This amounts to the same statement made by Moses, “Keep them (the commandments) and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples … all this law that I set before you today Deuteronomy 4:6-8)? Practicing Torah commandments therefore is God’s evangelism program. When we show love, forgiveness, compassion, generosity and care, which are all Torah commands, we show God’s true nature to the world. When we observe the Sabbath, He gives us rest form our labor so we can spend time with Him in the company of family and friends. When we eat according to His diet it shows that He cares that we feed ourselves properly; it also show a disciplined mind as we must remember that the first sin was all about disobedience to a certain ‘food’ (Genesis 3:6). Celebrating the festivals reminds us of His goodness for us, past, present and future, and managing our finances according to the Word benefits the whole community. Today, whenever we talk about obedience to God’s commandments many start screaming ‘legalism’. The question is “What is the difference between obedience and legalism?” The price of our redemption may have been paid by someone else, but it doesn’t absolve from obeying the rules of the Kingdom outlined in the Torah. Attempting to express the gratitude of the redeemed towards their Redeemer, the apostle Paul said that the works of Torah obedience should be practiced, but out of love, not out of duty (Galatians 5:6). We are His Bride. As we enter His household and Kingdom it behooves to start behaving like it. This reminds me of a queen who when she publicly disobeyed her husband, for the sake of the people present he had to banish her from the kingdom, cause if the queen herself did not obey her husband neither will the common folks (Esther 1). Unlike worldly kings, God is a covenant-keeping God and he does not retract from His covenant with His people. Therefore in regards toward His everlasting and gracious compassion towards us we should learn to do His will and obey His commandments out of love. May we learn to live in a manner that the world will glorify our God! John 9:5
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Adonai said to Moses, "You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn. In the tent of meeting, outside the veil that is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel (Exodus 27:20-21). This lamp was a seven branch candelabrum to be perpetually lit in first chamber of the Tabernacle usually called the holy place. It was called: the Menorah. This chamber was also called the ‘first’ in the letter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 9:1; the word ‘covenant’ was added in the text by King James’ editors, that is why it is italicized in KJV Bibles) in front of the ‘second’, the Ark’s chamber (Hebrews 9:7) which represented the very presence of God. When the Temple was built, this lamp was again placed in the ‘first’, right in front of the ‘second’. The Aaronic priesthood alone had the charge to care for it, to make sure it was perpetually lit, but all of the people had the charge to provide the oil; in this way, all of Israel was represented before God and had a part in being the light of the world in Jerusalem. Now, without a temple the command cannot be performed, but in the days of the third Temple the practice will again resume since it is a ‘forever’ commandment for Israel (Exodus 27:21). In the mean time, this lamp is charged with messianic symbolism. Several prophets and servants of God were privy to enter the Father’s throne room. The first one we know of is Moses who was asked to reproduce what he saw and therefore to put this seven-branch candelabrum in the room in front of the Ark (Exodus 25:40). The last one we know of is John who wrote what he saw in the following words, And between the throne and the four living creatures … I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God … (Revelations 5:6). Yeshua well proclaimed ‘As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5) Yeshua is now with the Father, and He also told to His disciples, "You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). We are on a mission. We who proclaim the Name of the Messiah, the Almighty’s Agent of redemption, have a role to perform, a duty to be the ‘Light of the world’. When He was on earth, the Light of Messiah shone for all to see. He did not hold back no matter how dangerous it was. Now the staff (the baton) is passed on to us and we must also perpetually let our light (the Light of Messiah in us) shine before others, so that they may see our good works (our obedience to God’s commands) and give glory to our Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). As the light of Messiah, we stand as His representative to the world. When the day of reckoning comes, may we not be found to have hid our light under a bushel (to have been a believer in secret for fear of man), but to have set it on a candlestick for all to see (Matthew 5:15). |
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