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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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Romans 11:12, 18
Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!? Do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. “You find that as long as Sarah lived, a cloud hung over her tent … her doors were wide open … there was a blessing on her dough, and the lamp used to burn from the evening of the Sabbath until the evening of the following Sabbath …" In this scrap of tradition, Sarah’s tent is homiletically compared to Jerusalem typified by the Temple. The cloud is symbolic of the Shekinah of God’s presence, the doors of the temple being wide opened is an invitation to the world to the house of prayer (as Yeshua called it); the blessed dough is the showbread which miraculously never spoiled, and the lamp is the seven-branches candelabrum which burned continuously in the Holy Place. In the Book of Galatians Paul builds on this illustration. Using the concept that Judaism views Sarah as the great matriarch he says, But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. Then, using Isaiah’s allegory and adding the fact that that Sarah was barren (not Hagar) He quotes, "Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor! Though Paul doesn’t quote it, the rest of the oracle says, Enlarge the place of your tent, and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes (Isaiah 54:1-2; Galatians 4:26).This is an illustration that Jerusalem, (the center of Jewish religion) is one day to open its doors to all nations. The next chapter of Isaiah goes on to call all nations to drink and be fed from the fountain of Jerusalem (Isaiah 55; Zechariah 14:16). Referring to modern history, I now will build on this concept. In their impatience while waiting on God to fulfill the messianic promise of the birth of Isaac, Abraham and Sarah brought Hagar into the picture. As Hagar bore fruit she despised and boasted against Sarah who was still barren and dry. In His own time, Hashem miraculously caused Sarah to bear the fruit of the messianic promise. In the end, though blessed by God because of beloved Abraham, Hagar paid for her attitude having to leave Sarah’s presence. For 2,000 years while waiting for the 19th century when Jerusalem would miraculously birth the present-day world-wide Messianic movement, the nations of the world, who did bear fruit unto Yeshua have done so while ‘boasting’ against the ‘natural branches’ in a doctrine called ‘Replacement Theology’, and even subjecting these ‘natural branches’ to horrible persecutions (or were silent in the face of it). Will the nations suffer the same fate as Hagar? The Text tells us that not, but that in the end Jerusalem will return to its rightful original owners, and that the nations will come and serve and worship God in Jerusalem, bringing in their glory (Isaiah 66; Haggai 2:7). For what it’s worth, there is an ancient Jewish teaching which suggests that Keturah, Abraham’s second wife after Sarah died, is actually Hagar returned (Genesis 25:1-6). Revelations 5:6
And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. As we read into Moses’ Tabernacle assignments, we must never forget that he was told to make an earthly replica of what he saw on the Mount (Exodus 26:30). Looking at the tabernacle tells us what God’s throne room looks like. It actually does correspond to the throne room vision of all the prophets including that of John in the Book of Revelation. We read in the Text of Aaron being in charge of the seven lights shining before the Almighty (Numbers 8:2; Exodus 25:37; 37:18-19, 23; 40:25). We are not directly told very much about the function and property of these lights, but studying Scriptures in a thematic manner sheds some lights (pun unintended) on the matter. These lamps are to burn continually before God (Leviticus 24:1-2) so In the Tabernacle, they are placed in the ante-room before the Holy of Holies. The apocryphal Book of Tobit tells us of the seven holy angels, which present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One (Tobit 12:15). In Enoch, another apocryphal book early believers were familiar with, we are even given the names and functions of these angels (Enoch 20:1-8). These go in and go out Tobit says just like the seven eyes in Zechariah’s vision which run to and fro through the whole earth (Zechariah 4;10). In the Book of Hebrews it is revealed to us that He (The Creator) makes His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire (Hebrews 1:7). Finally, Zechariah tells us that these were like seven eyes in a stone (Zechariah 3:9). The stone, is Yeshua (Psalms 118:22), the heavenly High-Priest who tends to (has authority over) those light, function shadowed by Aaron in Leviticus (Hebrews 8-9; Leviticus 8:2). These angels/spirits/lights do roam the earth and bring our prayers to God. An ancient traditions tells us that on Friday evenings, angels enter the home of God’s people and see how much priority they have given to the Sabbath, thereby we sing the famous Sabbath song ‘Shalom Aleichem’ welcoming these angels. Whether that really happen or not I do not know, but I do know that these seven angels go in and out before the glory of the Holy One roaming the earth. They are like God’s little ‘spies’. They come and look upon us and tell God what they saw, how we react to each other, how we carry our responsibilities as members of His Kingdom, as husbands, and wives, and parents. They also report to Him on the priority that we give to the Study of His Word. Does this scare you? It shouldn’t unless you know in your heart that you have failed to prioritize your life according to God’s commandments. Maybe it is time to take stock of things and start living a life God can brag about even to the devil like He did Job (Job 1:8). We all could be older than we think; anyone of us could die tomorrow and miss a good chance at repentance in this realm! 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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