RaisingLight

      

     The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is B'ha'alot'cha, which means, "When you step up/go up." The source of this title is found in the beginning of the reading in Numbers 8: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to Aaron, and say to him, 'When you arrange/light ('ala - come up, go up, ascend, bring, offer, offering, to light, raised, arose, to meet, spring up, be taken up, brought up, taken away, carried away, exalted, cause to go up, mount up, raise, perfect', recover, restore, shoot forth, go from a lower region to a higher) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand.' And Aaron did so; he arranged/lighted (see 'ala above) the lamps to face toward the front of the lampstand, as the LORD commanded Moses. Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold; from its shaft to its flowers it was hammered work. According to the pattern which the LORD had shown (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-Moses, so he made (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-lampstand." (Num. 8:1-4).

     Although translated as "to light" or "to arrange" in English, the Hebrew word 'ala means much more than that, including a meaning of going up or ascending, as well as to restore or recover, or to perfect something/someone. The lamps being lighted here in the tabernacle are preceded by the *aleph-tav in written Hebrew by which Messiah/Christ identified Himself in scripture (see *note at the bottom of the entry). The priest would light the seven lamps of the lampstand (menora) by stepping up to it or ascending to it. The number "seven" always makes a connection to the Sabbath for me. There are other mentions of "seven" in scripture, especially in the Book of Revelation, but for this entry, I am looking at the connection between the light (of the lamps/lampstand) and ascendency from a lower place to a higher, and resurrection.

     In the creation account from the Book of Genesis, we discover that there is a connection between God's voice and light: "Then God said, 'Let there be (haya/hava/'ava - to be, exist, be established, to arise/to breathe, to become/long for, desire, sigh, wait longingly, crave) light'; and there was light. And God saw (ra'a - see, consider, perceive, foresee, have visions, discern, distinguish, joyful) (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-light, that it was good; and God divided (badal - severed, utterly separated, difference, set apart) the light from the darkness." (Gen. 1:3-4). "The light" is preceded by *aleph-tav in the written Hebrew, connecting it to the Messiah/Christ (see *note at the bottom of the entry). This is also confirmed in John's Gospel as the (spoken) Word (logos/lego - of speech, uttered by a living voice, language, the sayings of God, the act of speaking/to say, to speak, call by name, to teach, to affirm, tell, utter) of God, which is Jesus, is described as being the life and the light of men, a light that cannot be overcome by darkness (see Jn. 1:1-5, 9), as we also saw above in Genesis 1. Jesus also referred to Himself and to those who follow Him as "the light of the world". Being "light" is very important to our walk, especially if we understand the 'ala ascendancy that is connected to its meaning.

     There is a connection between "voice" and "light" in both the Hebrew and Greek language of the scriptures. In Hebrew, "voice" is the word qol, which includes the meaning "spark". In Greek, the connection between "voice" and "light" is even more striking. The Greek word and roots for "voice" as used in the New Testament scriptures are phone/phaino/phos, which means: tone, voice, instrument/appear, shine, shed light, bring forth into the light, be bright/light (of lamp, of angels, of God), brightness.

     Scripture says this about the (spoken) Word of God in Psalm 119:105, recorded under the Hebrew letter Nun in the Psalm, which letter means 'descendant, Son, Heir to the Throne': "Your word (dabar - word, saying, commandment, speech, speaking, utterance, discourse, talk, say, spoken, declare, arrange in order, to lead, to guide) is a lamp (nir - lamp, light, candle, glisten) to my feet and a light ('or - light, bright, clear, morning, light of life-instruction-prosperity, shine, glorious, fire, enlighten, luminous, become light) to my path (natib - path, way, trodden with feet, raised pathway)." The spoken Word of God is and becomes light.

     Many believe that God does not speak or have a voice, but scripture clearly declares that He does. Often the LORD tells His people to hear and obey His voice. (see Ex. 3:3-4, Ps. 95:7-9/Heb. 3:14-16, Jer. 33:1-3, Jer. 7:23, Isa. 55:3, Jn. 10:27-28, Jn. 8:47, Rev. 3:20). Jesus repeatedly tells His churches in Revelation to have ears to hear what the Spirit (of God) is saying to the churches. (see Revelation Ch. 2 and 3). Both before and after there was a written law as given to Moses, there was the spoken Word of God to be heard and obeyed. The spoken and written Word are in agreement with each other and confirm each other.

       As we saw above, light has a voice, and the voice (of God) is light. We know from Numbers 8, that the lighting of the lamps of the tabernacle is the word 'ala, which includes the meaning "to come up, go up, ascend, raised, arose, etc.". We can find several scriptures that connect the "voice" (see phone/phaino/phos as light above) with raising up and ascending (see 'ala above):

     Jesus Himself ascended or was taken up "after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen...being seen by them during forty days and speaking (see lego above) of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God...Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up and a cloud received Him out of their sight." (Acts 1:2-3, 9). Immediately after speaking the Word, He ascended.

     Jesus also said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear it will live...all who are in the graves will hear His voice (see phone/phaino/phos as "light" above) and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (Jn. 5:25-29, excerpt). The voice of the Son of God is what causes the dead to hear and be raised. It is a voice so powerful that dead ears are able to hear it. Shouldn't living ears hear His raising voice of light even more?

     Paul wrote: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." (1 Thess. 4:16-17). Again, hearing the voice of light (see phone/phaino/phos above) in our ears raises the living and the dead to ascend to the Lord.

     John's testimony of his vision in the Book of Revelation (of Jesus Christ) includes the following: "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice (see phone/phaino/phos [of light] above) which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up (Greek: anabaino - go up, come up, ascend up, climb up, arise, rise up, mount up - see similarity to 'ala above) here, and I will show you things which must take place after this." (Rev. 4:1). The voice of light caused John to be raised up, to mount up, to ascend (from a lower region to a higher), as we see in the Hebrew word 'ala above as it is used in Num. 8 in connection to the lighting of the lamps of the tabernacle.

     Those called to be the light of the world by faith in Messiah/Christ Jesus are to both hear and speak the ascendant Word of light of the Lord. They are to 'ala rise up and light the lamps set on the lampstand (see Mt. 5:14-16) that shine the same light of life that darkness can never overcome.

     If you would like to learn more about the ascending light, you can join my prayer: "Dear Father of Lights, Your voice, Your Son's voice, and the voice of the Holy Spirit reaches our ears and raises us up. Father, by Your Spirit, give me ears to hear Your voice of light and ascendency.  By Your Spirit, let me speak Your Words of light that causes others to be raised up as well. By Your Spirit, let me light the lamps of Your holy lampstand and speak Your Words of light that darkness cannot overcome. I will listen for Your voice, Lord, that lights my path and guides me in Your ways of life. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

ArmyofLight

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is B'ha'alot'cha, meaning "When you step up" or "When you go up." Last week's Sabbath portion, Naso, also dealt with lifting up and elevating. The beginning verses of this week's reading are: "And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to Aaron, and say to him, 'When you arrange (ala - come up, ascend, light, offerings, burn, raised, arose, exalted) the lamps, the seven (seba/saba - to swear an oath seven times) lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand." (Num. 8:1-2). The Hebrew word ala used in these verses also gives us the B'ha'alot'cha title for this week's Sabbath reading portion.

     Further instruction given to Moses from the LORD regarding the lampstand: "Now this workmanship of the lampstand was hammered gold (zahab - gold, to shimmer, the golden splendor of the heavens); from its shaft to its flowers it was hammered work. According to the pattern which the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) lampstand." (v. 4).

     The rabbis have written that the lampstand of the Holy Place in the tabernacle was quite tall. In order to reach the wicks to light the lamp, the high priest or his sons would have to climb up three steps placed in front of the lampstand. These also were made of gold. Aaron would have to "step up" or "go up" (see our Sabbath reading title B'ha'alot'cha and its translation above) in order to light the seven lamps daily. The lighting of the lamps of the lampstand is a spiritual work of ascendency. 

      Previously, we also learned that the Hebrew words saba/seba used here to mean "seven," also have the meaning, "warfare, battle, war, appointed time, soldiers, company, go out to war, a mass of persons organized for warfare, army/go forth as soldiers to war, as a soldier against an enemy, wage war, fight, serve, mustered, assemble, wait upon." There is always a battle for the ascended position. It is recorded that Satan desires to ascend to God's heavenly place: "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!...For you said in your heart: I will ascend (ala - see above) into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God...I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High!" (Isa. 14:12-14, excerpt). Satan's attempts will always fail, and the LORD promised that Lucifer would be brought down (yarad - go down, descend, sink down, sent down, fall) to the lowest depths of the Pit. (v. 15). Lucifer is named for light, and he covets light, but because of his prideful desire for the position of God, his appointed destiny is the eternal darkness of the Pit.

     There is a struggle or warfare between darkness and light, although we are assured that the darkness will never overcome/comprehend (katalambano - lay hold of to make one's own, attain to, take possession of, to seize upon, of evil overtaking something, perceive) the light. (Jn. 1:5). The Greek meaning definitely alludes to a power struggle between the light and the darkness, although it is a futile one. The darkness can never hope to overcome the light because Jesus IS the Light (Jn. 1:6-9). Every person coming into this world is given light by The Light, Jesus. That light became life in every man, yet there continues to be a challenge from the darkness for the souls of men. David also wrote of the connection between light and life that we read of in John 1: "For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light." (Ps. 36:9).

     David also wrote about the warfare struggle between darkness and light: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked come against me to eat up (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident...And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me..." (Ps. 27:1-6, excerpt).

     Let us look more deeply into the divine quality of the golden lampstand constructed for the tabernacle in Numbers Ch. 8, as mentioned above. The lampstand was to have seven (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) lights/lamps (nir - lamp, to glisten, a light, progeny that continues forever, a family line that remains on the throne, the guidance of God's Word [ref. Prov. 6:23, Ps. 119:105], to shine or gleam like a freshly plowed furrow of soil).

     The lamps of the lampstand were to give light in front of the lampstand. The Hebrew word for the phrase "in front of" is mul/mol, meaning "circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut in pieces, cut off, destroy, to purge/forefront, before it, in the presence of."

     Circumcision is not just meaningful in the flesh, but it is spiritually meaningful. We have seen that the LORD connects His lampstand of light with ascendency. In this verse above, He also connects His light with not only an outward circumcision, but more importantly, with an inward circumcision. Moses wrote about this inward circumcision: "Indeed, heaven and the highest heavens belong to the LORD your God, also the earth with all that is in it...Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart (lebab - heart, mind, will, soul, understanding, thinking, inner man, inclination, conscience), and be stiff-necked (qasa - hard, severe, fierce, harsh, make difficulty, make burdensome, make grievous, dense, stubbornness) no longer. For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe." (Deut. 10:14-17, excerpt).

     Jeremiah, the prophet, wrote the word of the LORD: "Circumcise (mul, see above) yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart (lebab, see above), you men of Judah and Jerusalem, lest My fury come forth like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings." (Jer. 4:4).

     Paul, a Jew, a Pharisee, trained under the great teacher, Gamaliel (Acts 22:1-3, Phil. 3:3-8), understood the truth of these scriptures and wrote: "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God." (Rom. 2:28-29, see also Col. 2:11-12). What was commanded by God to be observed in the flesh was a foreshadow, that separated and designated one flesh in covenant from all of the other flesh on the earth, so that an even deeper spiritual understanding could later be revealed.

     The Light represented by the lampstand of the tabernacle pre-dated the Patriarchs and also the Law, having been the first work of creation, and as a result, God declared the separation warfare between darkness (hosek - darkness, obscurity, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness, Hades, underground prison, adversity, sadness) and light (or - light, shine, give, glorious, kindle, light of lamp, light of life, light of prosperity, light of instruction, bright, illumination in every sense.) (see Gen. 1:1-5). That Light is the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians: "For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (2 Cor. 4:6, and see Prov. 16:15).

     Evil plans, intentions and acts that are hidden in darkness, even the evil in the hearts and lives of His own people, are exposed in the light of God. (Ps. 90:8, Eph. 5:13-14). Paul wrote of our former spiritual condition: "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." (Eph. 5:8).

     So great is the power of the light of God that it is the power of resurrection: "Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, the darkness (hosek, see above) shall cover the earth, and deep darkness (arapel - heavy thick cloud of darkness or gloom drooping down) the people; but the LORD will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles/nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising." (Isa. 60:1-3).

     We can see in the above verses that darkness continues to try to overstep the bounds that the LORD set for it. However, it cannot overtake, overpower, or overset the light of God, and in fact, shrinks away before it. That same light is within us as Isaiah wrote above, and as Jesus commanded, saying, "You are the light of the world..." (Mt. 5:14-16). Jesus said of Himself: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (see meaning of or above)."

     Also in this Sabbath's reading portion, the LORD commanded the construction of two silver trumpets. (Num. 10:1-2). The purpose of these trumpets, which were different from shofars made from rams' horns, was for the calling of the congregation of Israel together, and for the directing of the movement of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) camps of Israel. The silver trumpets were also to be used "...when you go to war in your land against the enemy who oppresses you..." and "in the day of your gladness..."(v. 9-10). Rabbis have written that the silver trumpets are symbols of God's guidance as a light illuminating the path in the journey of faith.

     Even the shofar ram's horn trumpets, the rabbis write, are compared to the light of God's presence, influence and holiness, and the light associated with divine revelation as occurred from Mount Sinai, when the Torah Word of God, also described as light, was delivered to His people.

     One event told in scripture involved a strange army of three hundred Israelites assembled to go into battle against the unjust oppression of the Midianites (midyan - strife, contention, brawling, discord, quarrel). These three hundred men were armed with a trumpet in one hand and a lamp (lapid - lamp, firebrand, flame, torch, lightning, burning, to shine) in the other hand. Considering what we read above about the trumpets, they were then, in effect, an army of light. The enemy destroyed itself by killing each other with swords as they panicked and fled. (Judges 7:19-23). Darkness must flee before light.

      We also have been called into God's army of light: "Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God's holy people) in the Light. [The Father] has delivered and drawn us to Himself out of the control and the dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, [which means] the forgiveness of our sins." Col. 1:12-14 AMPC, and also see 1 Pet. 2:9)

     If you would like to know more about God's army of Light, you can join me in prayer: "Lord, You are Light and You are the Father of Lights. You sent Your Son as the Light of the world, and He called me to join Him in being the same kind of Light. It is the Light of Christ that overcomes darkness. It is that Light of Christ that draws men out of darkness. As darkness tries once again to flood the earth and its people, help me to "arise and shine" and be the Light that You have called me to be. Your Word is the Lamp that lights my path, and Your Spirit is the Light of Truth with which You have baptized me. I give You all praise and glory because You did not leave me in the darkness. In the name of Jesus I pray. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

     

Light

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is B'ha'alot'cha, which means "When you step up/go up" or "In your making go up". Last week we learned about ascension through the Hebrew word Naso/nasa, but this week, we will see another type of "going up", and it is amazing. The titles of the Sabbath portions are taken from the beginning of the reading for the week. Our reading begins in Numbers 8: "And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron (aharon - "Light Bringer"), and say unto him, When thou lightest the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) lamps, the seven (seba/saba - seven, seven-fold, seventy, sacred fulness/to swear, adjure, oath, swear seven times, to swear of Jehovah by Himself) lamps (nir/nur - lamp, candle, light, break up soil, gleam or glisten of broken up soil/fire, to shine) shall give light over against (mol/mul + panim/pana - before, God-ward/circumcised, cut off, cut down + the face, presence, person countenance/regard, look at) the candlestick. And Aaron did so; he lighted the lamps thereof over against the candlestick (menora/manor - lamp stand/beam, yoke, carrying the heddles (looped cords) of a loom, the frame of a weaving loom), as the LORD commanded (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Moses." (Num. 8:1-3 KJV). In these verses, we don't see an immediate connection to this Sabbath's title B'ha'alot'cha, or "When you step up/go up"/"In your making go up", but it is there hidden by our English translation. Let's see where it is. 

     When the LORD commanded Aaron to "light" the lamps of the candlestick, the Hebrew word used is ala, meaning "come up, go up, ascend, exalted, offering, light, burn, to be taken up into, be inserted in, in going from a lower place to a higher, to be high and lifted up, come up before God, climb." Ala is also a root part of the title of this Sabbath reading portion from which it gets its meaning. The word ala is most often used to mean a "going up" rather than "to light." Considering the position that Aaron must place the lamps and himself according to the Hebrew words used, Aaron must "go up" "before/in front of" the lamp in order to "look at/regard" the Face/Countenance/Presence/Person of the "cut off"/covenant God. It is also interesting that the Hebrew root meaning of the menora lamp stand is associated with the parts of a weaving loom. The purpose of a loom is to knit together or join many different strands. The meaning of "Levite" is also "to be joined to". 

     What is the nature of the light as used here and associated with the menora candlestick? It is the Hebrew word or, meaning: "light, shine, enlighten, fire, glorious, kindle, break of day, to be or become light, to become lighted up, to make shine of the face, to enlighten the eyes of understanding regarding the law, to lighten that which was in darkness (see also Eph. 5:8-10, 1 Pet. 2:9)."

     For those who know Messiah/Christ, this brings to mind the fact that Jesus said that He is the Light of the world (Jn. 8:12), and His purpose is to join us or reconcile us back to God by redeeming us from our debt of sin and its penalty of death. He "wove" us back into God. Jesus called us to this same ministry in His name (Mt. 5:14-16, 2 Cor. 5:18-21), even as we are changed by facing and regarding His glory (light) in the same way that Aaron went up and positioned himself before the light of the Face of God (see 2 Cor. 3:17-18). Proverbs 16:15 says: "In the light of the king's face is life, and his favor is like a cloud of the latter rain." Are we looking into the face of glory? Have we been woven together with God through Jesus Messiah/Christ? In the seba/saba seven lamps of the candle stick, we also see the beautiful seven-fold oath that the LORD made by and on Himself. Within the meanings above, this oath is regarding the sacred fulness/perfection/stature of Himself provided in our salvation (see Eph. 4:12-13). At the same time, we are "joined and knit together" as a whole body in Him (see Eph. 4:11-16).

     Leviticus 24:2 says this about the golden lamp in the tabernacle: "Command the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) children of Israel that they bring (laqah - take, receive, fetch, bring, carry away, married, buy, take hold of, seize, acquire, procure, be taken in marriage -see also Mt. 25:1-10) to you pure (zak/zakak/zaka - clean, pure, righteous/be clean, be pure, be bright/justified) oil of pressed/beaten (katat - to beat, crush, break in pieces, bruise, violently strike, a sacrificial victim) olives for the light, to make the lamps burn continually." Like the olive oil of the Lamp, the Levites will also be made pure and clean for their service to the LORD.

     After Aaron has been commanded by the LORD through Moses regarding the lighting (ala - see above) of the lamps on the lampstand, the LORD then begins to command Moses regarding the cleansing (see zak/zakak/zaka above) of the Levites who will serve in the tabernacle: "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: Take the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Levites from among the children of Israel and cleanse them ceremonially. Thus you shall do to them to cleanse (taher - to make clean, pure, purge, to shine, be bright) them: Sprinkle water of purification (see Ezek. 36:25-27) on them and let them... so make themselves clean...And you shall bring the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Levites before the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall gather together the whole (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) congregation of the children of Israel. So you shall bring the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Levites before the LORD, and the children of Israel shall lay their (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) hands (yad - hand, power, consecrate, sign, monument, wrists, the hand of God, communicate the Spirit of God through the hand) on the Levites; and Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD like a wave offering (tenupa/nup - offering, wave offering/move to and fro, lift up, shake, sprinkle, swing in a sieve, to scatter or shake forth as rain or seed) from the children of Israel, that they may perform the work of the LORD....And you shall stand the Levites before Aaron ("Light Bringer") and his sons, and then offer them like a wave offering to the LORD. Thus you shall separate the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine...So you shall cleanse them and offer them like a wave offering. For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of Israel." (Num. 8:5-16).

    The beaten olive oil used for the Lamp must be pure, as Aaron ascended before the Lamp to light it. The Levites set apart for the service of the LORD in the tabernacle must be cleansed and purified also so that they may shine and be bright (see taher above). They are to be offered before the LORD as a wave offering, which is an offering lifted up and waved back and forth. Light is also placed in a lifted up position in order to spread its illumination further. Jesus also told us, as light, to show our light lifted up and placed on a lampstand (Mt. 5:14-16).

     Paul also wrote of the connection between being sanctified, cleansed and washed, and the lifted up light of God: "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify (hagiazo/agios - purify internally by renewing of the soul, separate from profane things, purify by expiation (blood) in order to free from the guilt of sin, to make holy/ and cleanse (katharizo - make clean, purge, purify, free from guilt of sin, to pronounce clean in a Levitical sense) her with the washing (loutron/louo - bathing, bath, baptism/to bathe the whole person rather than a part) of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious (endoxos/doxa - glory, splendor, brightness, magnificence, kingly majesty of the Messiah, exterior brightness (of angels), exalted state) church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." Eph. 5:25-27). Paul described marriage as a prophetic picture as well as the spiritual actuality of Christ's relationship with us as His church. It is a relationship that creates purity, glorious brightness and light. Are we, who claim to know Messiah/Christ, proclaiming/prophesying through our marriages this revelation about Him and His saving relationship with us?

     To me, the nature of a wave offering, with which the Levites were set apart for the LORD, has a prophetic significance imbedded in the Hebrew meaning of its word tenupa/nup. Part of that meaning includes "to scatter or shake forth as rain or seed". I believe that something prophetic is being scattered or dispersed as the wave offering is lifted overhead and moved from side to side. Let us look at the prophetic importance of being the lifted light associated with the golden lampstand, and the wave offering of the Levites to the LORD. In another portion from this Sabbath's reading in Zech. chapters two through 4, we see the golden lampstand again. However, first, Zechariah relates the vision that the LORD gave him. (Zech. 3:1-5). As (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) Joshua stood before (panim - the face, countenance, presence of) the Angel of the LORD, he was clothed in filthy garments with Satan standing there to oppose him. The LORD rebuked Satan and affirmed His covenant oath to Jerusalem. The Angel of the LORD commanded regarding Joshua: "Take away the filthy garments from him." And to Joshua He said, "See I have removed your iniquity from you and I will clothe you in rich robes...Let them put a clean (taor/taher -see above also) - pure, clean, clear/to be clean, pure, to be bright, to shine) turban on his head." Then the LORD prophesies to Joshua: "For behold, I am bringing forth My (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) servant the BRANCH (semah/samah -shoot, sprout, also referring to the Messiah as a shoot of David)....and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day." (v. 8-9). The cleansing of Joshua also brings the prophetic/revelation light to Joshua and to us.

     After this vision, an angel woke Zechariah with another vision of "a lampstand of solid gold...Two olive trees are by it" that stood by the bowl at the top of the lamp and supplied its oil. Zechariah asked the angel for the meaning of the vision. (Zech. 4:1-4). The prophetic vision had an immediate application regarding the removal of seemingly unmovable obstacles and the finishing of the building of the temple by Zerubbabel by the grace of Spirit of the LORD. (v. 6-7, 9). Then Zechariah asked what the two olive trees/branches of the vision represented "that drip into the receptacles of the two gold pipes from which the golden oil drains?" The angel answered: "These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the LORD of the whole earth." (v. 11-14). We read of a very similar prophetic occurrence in the Book of Revelation.

     In Rev. 11, the Lord will give power to His two witnesses (martys - one who avers, or can aver, what he himself has seen or heard or knows by any other means) before the return of the Messiah/Christ. They will prophesy clothed in sackcloth. If any try to harm them, fire goes out from their mouths and destroys them. They have miraculous power to bring plagues and drought. When their prophetic witness is finished, they will be killed and the world will rejoice in their deaths. After three days, they will be raised from the dead and ascend into heaven. Their prophetic witness will be one of the last warnings before the return of Christ who will come with judgment against the enemies of God. These witnesses are described as "the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before (enopion - before, in the presence of, in the sight of, in the face of, to look at (see also panim/pana above) the God of the earth." (Rev. 11:3-13).

     If we want to fulfill our calling to shine, to be light, then we will have to "ala" in the Spirit, and go up before the face of God, which we have in Jesus, as He said: "He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me?..." (Jn. 8-10).

     If you would like to learn more about going up before the face of God, you can join me in my prayer:

"Heavenly Father, Father of Lights, You sent Your Son, Jesus, to be the Light of the World. You sent Him to cleanse me of my sins, and to wash me and clothe me in the shining glory of His righteousness. You have called me to be light as He is light, in His sacred fulness, and in His stature. Fill me with the pure oil of Your Holy Spirit and enlighten my understanding by Your Word so that I also can be the light of Your Face in the darkness. I ask these things in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as Α Ω , the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.

Sanctification

This week's Sabbath reading titled B'ha'alot'cha, meaning "When you step up or go up", sent me on a journey into sanctification, and what it means in my walk as a believer in Christ. Although this reading begins in Numbers 8, the story of sanctification begins earlier. When the LORD was about to release the tenth plague upon the Egyptians, death of the firstborn in every household, He also had to set apart the firstborn of the children of Israel: "For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast...Now the blood (of the lamb, see Ex. 12:7) shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt." (Ex. 12:12-13). The LORD set apart from the plague, or sanctified, the firstborn of Israel by the sign of the blood of the Passover Lamb. All other firstborn in Egypt were destroyed. This plague broke the stubborn will of Pharaoh, and he let the Hebrews leave Egypt. The concept of protection through sanctification was also revealed by David in praying to the LORD concerning his enemies: "But know that the LORD has set apart (pala - sever, separated, put a difference, marked out, be distinguished from) for Himself him who is godly; the LORD will hear when I call to Him...For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." (Ps. 4:3, 8). We can also see the meaning of sanctification as protection in the new covenant as well: "...To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved (tereo -to guard from loss or injury, hold fast, keep) in Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:1). The word "sanctified" above, is the Greek word hagiazo meaning "to separate from profane things and dedicate to God, to purify by expiation, to free from the guilt of sin, to purify internally by renewing of the soul". At its root meaning, "sanctified" has to do with celebrating, dancing, making a holiday, and keeping a feast. So we also see that keeping the feasts of the LORD is part of the sanctification, or setting apart, of His people. As we turn to Numbers 8, we will see the LORD do a new work concerning those of the firstborn of Israel who had been set apart or sanctified in Egypt. In this Sabbath reading portion, the LORD will redeem or replace with the Levites those firstborn of Israel who had been set apart in Egypt. The Levites were to be like a wave offering (v. 11) before the LORD in order to set them apart: "For they are wholly given to Me from among the children of Israel; I have taken them for Myself instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the children of israel. For all the firstborn...are Mine...on the day that I struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them to Myself. I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn of the children of Israel." (Num. 8:16-18). The LORD connected the original setting apart, or sanctification, of the firstborn of Israel with the time of the plague of death in Egypt. Another important point to learn about sanctification is that we are set apart, like the Levites (see v. 15), for service unto the LORD. Regarding this sanctification and service connection, Paul wrote, "Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter (dishonor), he will be a vessel of honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work." (2 Tim. 2:20-21). Good works unto the LORD come out of our sanctification. Like the Levites we have been offered unto the Lord in sanctification according to Paul: "...that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the Gospel of God, that the offering (consisting) of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:16, see also the prophecy in Isa. 66:20). Here is another point to learn about my sanctification - according to Isaiah's prophetic word, and Paul's fulfilling ministry, I was sanctified or set apart by the Holy Spirit in order to be an offering to God, as the Levites were. This holds an important meaning which we may not have considered. Paul wrote of this again in Rom. 12:1 when he told us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (logikos latrreia - pertaining to the soul: perform sacred services and worship to God according to the sayings of God; to officiate and discharge the priest's sacred office)". As we look further into the sanctification found in this Sabbath's reading, we are told Zechariah's vision of Joshua the High Priest in Zech. 3: "...Joshua (Yehoshua - "Jehovah is Salvation") the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan (satan - adversary, withstand, resist, oppose, attack, accuse, lie in wait) was standing at his right hand to oppose (satan) him." (v. 1). The Hebrew word satan appears several times in scripture describing a lying, cursing, speaker of words of hatred without cause, rendering evil for good, not showing mercy (see Ps. 38, Ps. 109, Ps. 71, Ps. 109). Ps. 109:18-20, a Psalm of David, says, using the word satan: "As he clothed himself as cursing as with his garment, so let it enter his body like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be to him like the garment which covers him...Let this be the LORD's reward to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against my person." So Satan is standing on Joshua the high priest's right side, and Joshua is covered in excrement-filled filthy garments (Zech. 3:3). He is wearing the garments of lying accusation and cursing that has been put upon him by Satan, as he opposed Joshua before the LORD. However, Joshua is standing before the Angel (malak - king, representative) of the LORD. This upper case title is used in reference to the pre-incarnate Messiah, Jesus Christ, who appeared throughout scripture before His physical birth. And the LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke (ga'ar - restrain and deter from wicked efforts) you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?" (v. 2). Joshua had been set apart from those who were meant for the fire. He had been plucked out (nasal - deliver, recover, escape, take out, snatch away, rescue, preserve, deliver from sin and guilt) of it. The LORD then orders to have the filthy garments removed from Joshua, and to be clothed instead "with rich robes (mahalasot/halas - robes of state, splendid or costly garments, a garment for a special occasion/armed, army, prepared, to be equipped (for war), make strong, despoil an enemy, plunder)". (v. 4). "...and they put the clothes on him. And the Angel of the LORD stood by." (v. 5). The Angel began to admonish (ud - relieve, restore, bear witness, surround, go round and round, say again and again, testify, invoke, affirm solemnly) Joshua: "Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'If you will walk in My ways, and if you will keep My command, then you shall also judge My house, and likewise have charge of My courts; I will give you places to walk among these who stand here." (v. 6-7). Then the Angel of the LORD prophesied the coming of the Messiah to Joshua: "...For behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH (semah - sprout, shoot (of Messiah from Davidic tree)." (v. 8). No wonder Satan had tried to oppose Joshua the high priest! He was to stand before the Angel of the LORD and receive a prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Joshua and his companions were to be "a wondrous sign" of this prophecy (v. 8). As a high priest, Joshua would have been one who was set apart, sanctified, for his office. He stood before his Sanctifier, as the lies of Satan were rebuked from off of him. We also have been sanctified in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:2). The Book of Hebrews teaches us more about our sanctification: "By that we will have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all...For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren...For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." (Heb. 10:10, 2:11, 10:14). If you would like to know and experience more of or sanctification through Christ, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, You have given Your Son as a sacrifice of sanctification for me. You have set me apart from out of the people to serve You in Your spiritual house. You have rebuked Satan, removed my filthy garments, and clothed me in rich robes of office. You, the LORD who chooses Jerusalem, have sanctified me for a wondrous sign of the appearance of Your Servant, the BRANCH of David, Jesus. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and Your Word, so that I can learn to walk in Your sanctification. I ask these things in the name of my Sanctifier, Jesus, AMEN."