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. 

SpiritLight

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading portion is Mikketz, which means, "at the end of." The title comes from the first verse of the reading in Genesis 41: "Then it came to pass, at the end of (qes/qasas - end, after, end of time or space, an extremity, utmost border/cut off, cut in pieces, cut asunder, chop off, amputate, cut away) two (sana - second time, again, repeat, do again, alter, change, to transmute, to be other, those who change, change oneself) full years, that Pharaoh had a dream..." (v. 1). Since this verse says that it is the end of two years, it must be at the door of the third year.

     If we look at the Hebrew meanings above, something important is about to happen. A great change has occurred, not only a change in circumstance but also a change in the people involved, including Joseph. After two years in Pharaoh's dungeon, Joseph's reputation for interpreting dreams will cause his release. He will be brought before Pharaoh to interpret Pharaoh's dreams. After two years in the dungeon (bor/bur/ba'ar - pit, cistern, dungeon, prison, sepulcher, fountain, well/examine, make clear, prove, bore into, declare, search out/make plain, make clear, distinct, letters on a tablet, engrave, declare), Joseph was filthy and had to be cleaned, shaved, and given appropriate clothes to wear for an audience before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. (v. 14-15). Pharaoh was so troubled by his dreams that he was willing to bring a Hebrew slave up from his dungeon and into his presence to ask for his help.

     From the Hebrew meaning for "dungeon," above, we can see that the place of the pit or the grave became a place of change for Joseph. Joseph was spiritually examined and proven in that place. The tomb of the dungeon then became a spiritual well or fountain for Joseph. Out of the pit or grave where he had been forgotten, Joseph would become a tablet written with letters (see bor/bur/ba'ar above) that will declare and exalt the LORD.

     As Joseph was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dreams, he answered: "It is not me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." (v. 16). After hearing Pharaoh's dreams and giving Pharaoh the interpretation that God had shown him, Joseph was viewed by Pharaoh and his court as "a man in whom is the Spirit of God....there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my (Pharaoh's) house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word..." (v. 37-40).

     A change in circumstances, and a change in apparel occurs again as Pharaoh appointed Joseph into leadership over the nation of Egypt: "Then Pharaoh took his (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) signet ring (taba'at/taba' - a seal, a seal-ring, signet ring/to sink, to press in, to impress a seal, to seal, to dip into, to immerse, plunged) off his hand; and he clothed him in garments of fine linen (ses/sayis - fine linen, bleached white, alabaster/to bleach, to whiten, alabaster, marble) and put a gold chain (collar) around his neck." (v. 42).

      The LORD not only used Joseph to prophesy through dream interpretations, but the pattern that I see here says to me that God also used Joseph to prophesy death and resurrection, not only the resurrection of His Son, Jesus from the pit of death, but also the resurrection of all of those who see and believe in Jesus: "And this is the will of Him who sent Me (Jesus), that everyone who sees (theoreo - look at and intensively acknowledge, behold, consider, perceive with the eyes, discern, ascertain) the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (Jn. 6:40). How can we "see" Jesus as mentioned in this verse? We "see" Him through the hearing of the Gospel, the revelation of Him through the Word of God, and our encounter with Him through the Holy Spirit. He is just as visible to us in this manner as if we could reach out and touch Him. We see Him with the eyes of our souls and our spirits.

     Joseph was changed or altered spiritually and in appearance (see sana above) after he was brought up from the pit early in the third year, and Jesus was altered physically and spiritually (see Phil. 2:5-11) after He rose from death early on the morning of the third day. He then appeared to His disciples in His changed body. We also will be changed or altered. (see Jn. 20:19-22, 1 Cor. 15:42-44 and 52-55).

     Pharaoh acknowledged the Spirit of God upon Joseph's life, and we also have the "sealing" by the signet ring, which includes the meaning (see taba'at/taba' above) of being immersed or dipped into, reminding us of baptism. When Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, a dove, which John identified as the Holy Spirit, descended from heaven and remained upon Jesus. John said, "This is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen (horao - see with the eyes, perceive, to know by experience, to look, pay heed to, discern clearly) ..." (see Jn. 1:32-34).

      As with Joseph, it is the Holy Spirit that not only raised Jesus from the dead, but raises us also. (see Rom. 8:11). It is the Holy Spirit that "seals" (see taba'at/taba' above) us in our resurrection inheritance: "In Him (Jesus) you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Rom. 1:13-14).

     Joseph was clothed by Pharaoh in fine linen, as Pharaoh perceived the Spirit of God in Joseph and elevated him in authority. Egyptian linen was and is still known as the finest, most luxurious linen in the world. The dressing of Joseph in fine linen is a prophetic shadow of how our King, the Lord, robes us His saints. The beautiful pure white linen with which He robes us represents the salvation covering of His righteousness upon us. These white linen garments are also associated with the marriage between the Bride and Bridegroom, which also reflects our relationship with Christ as His Bride. (see Isa. 61:10, Rev. 19:6-9).

     We see again the power and purpose of the Holy Spirit in another reading from this Sabbath's Mikketz, "at the end of" portion. The following is included in this Sabbath's reading because this Sabbath takes place while Hanukkah, the eight-day Festival of Lights (Dedication) is taking place. This feast remembers the miracle of God that extended the oil supply necessary to keep the Menorah Lamp in the temple burning for eight days instead of one day. The "eighth day" appears often in scripture and always carries the establishment of an important and powerful principle or event with God.

     This Sabbath reading portion is from Zech. 4:1-7. Zechariah received the vision from the LORD of a solid gold, seven-branched lampstand or menorah, with a continuous supply of olive oil flowing directly from two olive trees standing on each side of it. Zechariah is told that this vision, and the meaning of the vision is to be delivered to Zerubbabel, who was the governor and leader of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem after the Israelites were miraculously returned from captivity in Babylon, as was previously prophesied. The progress in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem had been torturously slow, with little progress made and opposition all around. This was the prophetic message to Zerubbabel: "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the capstone with shouts of 'Grace (hen - well-favored, grace, acceptance, good-will), grace to it!" 

     The Holy Spirit, represented by the gold lamp of the vision, would accomplish by His unlimited power what man had not been able to accomplish. The seven branches of the Lamp are the eyes of the LORD scanning the whole earth. (v. 10). The Holy Spirit is the voice of "grace" in the message to Zerubbabel. The Holy Spirit in the mouth of Zerubbabel would take the mountain of opposition and raise up the *Messiah/Christ capstone from it (see *note below). Transformation, change, alteration, transmutation (see sana above) - what once was, will be changed by the Holy Spirit into what is to be, according to the will of God. There is also the force of "grace" in this message to Zerubbabel.

     Have we limited our concept of "grace"? Our understanding of grace should also include the power to change what is an obstacle to God's will, the mountain, into what is approved and acceptable to God, in this case, the beloved Capstone that is His Son, Jesus. (see Ps. 118:22-24, Mt. 21:42, Acts 4:10-12, Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Pet. 2:4-10). Grace changed us from being unacceptable to accepted by God: "...that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace..." (see Eph. 1:3-8). Grace contains the glory and riches of God, as this verse reveals. If we truly believe that grace has the power to change the unacceptable into the accepted before God, then we should be believing, speaking and praying "Grace, grace" to all of creation, especially to that which stands in opposition to the will of God. Jesus came full of grace and truth. (Jn. 1:14). Speaking "Grace" is like speaking the name and essence of Jesus. 

     Do we only view the Holy Spirit as the Giver of spiritual gifts? Jesus said that the Holy Spirit glorifies Him, Jesus, and takes what is His and declares it to us. (see Jn. 16:13-14). We can believe for the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus Christ in the whole earth, and to declare the things of Christ to us, and to those being saved. Paul wrote that the Holy Spirit bears witness with our inner spirit that we are children of God, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. (see Rom. 8:16).  Paul again wrote that the Holy Spirit testifies to our inner spirit and hearts from which He cries out, "Abba, Father!" on our behalf, making us sons and heirs of God through Christ. (see Gal. 4:6). The Holy Spirit is part of the Three in heaven, Father, Son and Spirit, that bear witness of truth in heaven, and the Holy Spirit and the water and blood of Christ as one bear witness of the truth of Christ here on earth. (see 1 Jn. 5:6-12). All of the gifts, witnessing and testifying of the Holy Spirit in and through the believer in Jesus Christ (the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit of fire), serve the purpose, glory, and truth of Jesus Christ to all the earth. In the form of the Golden Lampstand of God as seen in the vision above, the Holy Spirit identified in the message to Zerubbabel, is the flame of the Light of the world, the unending oil that supplies the flame of the Light of the world, and the Lampstand which lifts up, elevates and exalts the Light of the world, which is Christ and Christ in us. That Light of the world is the Light that overcomes the darkness of a long, cold winter night. It is the Light of creation and life. It is the Light of hope that all things are possible with God, to be held up high for all to be able to see. (Ps. 18:27-28, Isa. 42:6-7, Mt. 4:16, Mt. 5:14-16, Rev. 21:23-24).

Joseph's gift, as a man with the Spirit of God, testified to Pharaoh and all Egypt that the LORD is the only God, and that he, Joseph, knew God, and the spiritual gift in Joseph, the filthy Hebrew slave brought up out of the pit by the grace/favor and Spirit of God, was used to testify of God, and not of any man. (Gen. 41:16). How much more can a called-out assembly of millions of believers in Jesus, both Jews and Gentiles, full of the Holy Spirit and as witnesses to the grace of God through Christ, be used by God for His purpose? The mind boggles! As we think of the miracles, especially the birth of our Savior, Jesus, of this time of year, let us bring new wonder and worship to the Lord for all that He has done.

     If you would like to learn more about the Spirit and grace of God, and the Light that shines through every darkness, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father and glorious King, especially in this season, help me to understand, speak, pray, and walk in a deeper understanding of Your Holy Spirit and Your grace, given to us through the sacrifice of Your own Son, Jesus. Help me to understand by Your Word and Spirit as a light to my eyes, how the Spirit's testimony that I am a child of God and a joint-heir with Christ is not meant to be consumed on myself, but is to be used to glorify You, Your Son, and Your Spirit. You assigned Hanukkah and Christmas to occur during a season of darkened days for a reason. Help me to walk in the gift of Your grace in a manner that shines Your Light into 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 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. 

     

Spirit

      This week's Sabbath reading portion is titled Mikketz, meaning "at the end of". This reading comes on the Sabbath after Hanukkah, and also after Christmas this year. 

     Have you ever been "at the end of " yourself where trying circumstances have wearied and discouraged you? When the promise of God seems to be out of reach? One of the people written about in this Sabbath portion might have been feeling that way. His name was Zerubbabel.

     Judah and Jerusalem had been held in captivity in Babylon for seventy years when they were released and allowed to return to Jerusalem, which is also what the prophet Jeremiah had prophesied would happen. The first returnees had come back to Jerusalem and had a huge re-building project ahead of them because Jerusalem had been left in ruins when the Babylonians had laid siege to it. Zerubbabel was in charge of building the (second) temple of the LORD.

     Zerubbabel was among the captives who first returned to Jerusalem. He was also the grandson of the nineteenth and last king of Judah, named Jehoiachin. Jehoiachin became king when he was eighteen years old, and three months into his reign, the Babylonians took Jerusalem, and the king along with many inhabitants of Jerusalem were taken into captivity to Babylon (2 Kings 24:8-12, 15). Jehoiachin was imprisoned there for thirty-seven years until it was discovered that he was a king, and he was not only released from prison, but exalted above all other kings who were held captive (2 Kings 25:27-30). Now, at the end of this time of captivity, this king's grandson, Zerubbabel, had returned to Jerusalem with the other miraculously freed captives.

     The building of the temple, of which Zerubbabel was in charge, was experiencing extremely slow progress. There was great opposition from the local population of adversaries outside of Jerusalem who did all that they could to halt the restoration work (see Ezra 4:1-5). Then there came a stunning prophecy from Zechariah that we read in this week's Mikketz Sabbath portion. This prophecy not only empowered Zerubbabel's building of the temple, but it will give us insight into Jesus' all-powerful anointing, as well as having an impact on end time events before the return of Christ.

     Perhaps Zerubbabel's struggle to build the temple in Jerusalem, and his eventual spiritual empowerment is reflected in the meaning of Zerubbabel's name. The general meaning is "sown in Babylon". However, if we break the name down into its parts, we find the word zarab, which means "to make narrow [like a stream that dries up], perish, pour out, flow off, dry up, flow away." The second half of his name is the word babel, which means "confusion, to mix, fade away." However, the root word, according to the Concordance, balal, means, "fresh oil, to overflow with oil, anoint." From his name, perhaps Zerubbabel was a man who was spiritually drained and overwhelmed, maybe even discouraged, but there is a root pointing to the anointing (of oil) of God. Isaiah wrote this about the anointing of God: "It shall come to pass in that day that his (the Assyrian's) burden will be taken away from your shoulder, and his yoke (ol - yoke, of servitude and calamity) from your neck, and the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil." (Isa. 10:27). The title given to Jesus of "Messiah/Christ", for example, refers to "the anointing, the anointed One", and He does indeed break the yoke of sin and death off of our lives. The anointing of God changes everything, even the whole world, as we will see.

     The prophecy of Zechariah, which would have an impact on Zerubbabel's work and the future, began with an unusual vision from the LORD: "Now the angel...wakened me...and he said to me, 'What do you see?' So I said, 'I am looking, and there is a lampstand of solid gold with a bowl on top of it, and on the stand seven lamps with seven pipes to the seven lamps. The two olive trees are by it (see also Ps. 52:8), one on the right of the bowl and the other at its left.' So I answered and spoke to the angel who talked to me, saying, 'What are these, my lord?' Then the angel...answered...'Do you not know what these are?' And I said, 'No, my lord.' So he answered and said to me: 'This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. 'Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain! And he shall bring forth the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega) capstone with shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!' Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying: 'The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you. For who has despised the day of small things?..." (Zech. 4:1-10, excerpt).

     According to the vision, there are two living olive trees that continually supply the seven lamps on the golden candlestand, or menorah, with oil. This Sabbath reading portion comes in the middle of the celebration of Hanukkah, or Festival of Lights, a miracle involving the multiplication of the oil for the menorah in the temple many generations previously. The seven lamps represent the seven eyes of the LORD which scan/run to and fro throughout the whole earth (v. 10). To us, the oil of the Lampstand represents the Holy Spirit who searches all things of God. Paul wrote: "But God has revealed them (the hidden wisdom) to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God...Even so, no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God...Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God." (1 Cor. 2:10-12, see also Jn. 14:26).

     This prophetic word from Zechariah to Zerubbabel is one of the prophecies credited in scripture as being the reason for the successful building of the temple no matter what rose up to try to block it: "So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo (meaning "His witness"). And they built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the command of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia." (Ezra 6:14).

      As we saw how the spiritual anointing (of oil) revived and empowered Zerubbabel to complete the building of the house of the LORD, scripture tells us that Jesus was this anointing and was filled with this anointing (and light) of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist said this about Jesus after he saw the Spirit rest upon Jesus in the form of a dove (see Mt. 3:16-17): "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God [proclaiming the Father’s own message]; for God gives the [gift of the] Spirit without measure [generously and boundlessly]!" (Jn. 3:34 Amplified Version).

 

     Paul also wrote of Jesus, warning the church not to be deceived by the philosophies of men: "For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily; and so you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power." (Col. 2:8-9). The Godhead spoken of here by Paul also includes with the Son, Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit. As Paul also indicated, this same fulness dwells in us as we are in Jesus. Jesus Himself gave to His disciples the Holy Spirit prophetically (Jn. 20:21-23), and then in manifestation in the Upper Room after His resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:1-4), and it wasn't just for the original twelve disciples but for every believer in Christ (Acts 19:1-7).

     .

     Do we understand what this gift received from Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, of the anointing of the Holy Spirit really means in our lives? Some believers are actually taught that the full anointing of the Holy Spirit is not for them, and that it is no longer needed. How sad and wasteful of the power of God! Some believers believe in the receiving of the Holy Spirit but limit the meaning of the receiving of the Holy Spirit's anointing to operating in spiritual gifts. However, it means even more than that. The anointing is the same anointing that destroys the yoke of which Isaiah prophesied. It is the same anointing and Holy Spirit that destroyed every obstacle standing in the way of the will of God, as it did for Zerubbabel, and created a headstone out of that same obstacle with joyful shouts of "Grace, grace!" to it. I believe that same "headstone" of the temple/house of God built by Zerubbabel with "grace" attached to it was a prophetic reference to the Messiah/Christ, Jesus, as Peter said (Acts 4:11-12 ), and is also named as the Head over all things, and over all things pertaining to His Church of believers (Eph. 1:22). Why would we want to limit the fulness of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Christ certainly did not limit the Spirit. It is even the same Spirit that raised Him from the dead! (see Rom. 8:9-11). I hope in the same resurrection for myself, don't you? Then we need to thank the Holy Spirit Who is to dwell in each of us, and the One Who baptizes us in the Holy Spirit, Jesus the Anointed One (Mt. 3:11-12).

     From this same prophecy of Zechariah's also comes a time-changing and world-changing event in the days before the return of Jesus, which, according to what we are seeing happening now, could be very soon.

     

       The prophet Zechariah received an explanation from the angel who brought him the vision regarding the two olive trees and the two olive branches that drip oil into the receptacle of the golden lampstand:  "Then he answered me and said, 'Do you not know what these are?'   And I said, 'No, my lord.' So he said, 'These are the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth."  (Zech. 4:"12-14).

     The Book of Revelation mentions the coming of two witnesses, who are also prophets, who are sent to testify in the last days before Christ's return: "And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy one thousand two hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.' These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands standing before the God of the earth." (Rev. 11:3-4).

     The purpose of these two witnesses, who are associated with the olive oil anointing, is so important that they are given great power and authority, and able to do signs and plagues. Although the beast of the bottomless pit will make war against them and kill them, after three and one-half days: "the Holy Spirit/breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them...And they ascended to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies saw them." (v. 7-12). 

     This anointing that destroys the yoke, as Isaiah described it, gave the two witnesses power and authority from heaven, and we see the power of resurrection from the Holy Spirit raise them up as well. The witness of these two prophets will be one of the last chances that dwellers on earth in those days will get to hear and receive the Gospel that will save them.

     The LORD is building His spiritual house of living souls redeemed by His Son (see Eph. 2:19-22, 1 Peter 2:5-8) and nothing will stand in the way of that, as Zerubbabel found out.

     If you would like to find out more about the anointing that destroys the yoke, and the work of the Holy Spirit in us, you can pray with me: "Our Father, You sent Your Son, Jesus the Anointed One, to save me and baptize me with Your Spirit. Help me, Lord, not to limit the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit, but to walk in that infilling according to Your Word. Remove any self-righteous spirit from me that takes pride in the humbling gift of Your Spirit in me. As David prayed, "Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Ps. 51:11). Help me not to grieve the Holy Spirit by walking in sin. Give me ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to me in order to teach and guide me in the Words of Jesus. I ask this in Jesus' name. 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.

Lampstand

Jesus spoke to those who believed in Him as the Messiah, the Son of God, and told them: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill..." (Mt. 5:14-17). Jesus said, "Let your light so shine...", which means let it shine in the same manner (as being placed on a lampstand). By placing ourselves as light upon the lampstand, we become a very effective light, even to the glorifying of God by men. Our "good works" are seen by men when our light is lifted up and placed on the lampstand. This week's sabbath reading, which includes Exodus 25, is titled T'rumah, which means "offering", and it will help us to understand the meaning and the importance of the lampstand. This is what the Law of Moses, as commanded by God, required in constructing the Lampstand, which would be placed in the first chamber of the Tabernacle, and also later in the Temple in Jerusalem, when it was constructed by the son of David, King Solomon. "You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold; the lampstand shall be of hammered/beaten work. Its shaft, its branches, its bowls, its ornamental knobs, and flowers shall be of one piece..." (Ex. 25:31). The description continues, but we will start here. The Lampstand is made of pure gold, or taor zahab in Hebrew, which means "clean, pure, purified, purged splendor or brilliance like the golden splendor of the heavens". The Lampstand must be of "hammered or beaten work", in Hebrew, miqsa/qasa. The Hebrew means that the work is beaten out of one piece. The root meaning includes "hardened, stiffnecked, grievous, make severe, ill-treated, be cruel, fierce, be harsh, a heavy yoke, a difficult burdensome thing, the heavy hand of God in punishment". We can already see a pattern of Christ and His sacrifice here in these meanings, and we can understand why the Lampstand is part of a Sabbath reading titled "Offering". Let's continue with the description from Ex. 25. The Lampstand has six branches, three out of one side of the Lampstand, and three out of the other side (v. 32). The Hebrew word and its root used for "branches" is qane/qana, which means "measuring rod, shoulder joint, reed, beam of a balance scale, purchased, redeemed, recover, create, of God originating, creating and redeeming His people. The branches therefore represent the measuring device for the redemption cost to be paid by Christ for God's people. There are to be three bowls shaped like almond blossoms attached to the three branches from one side of the Lampstand, and three bowls shaped like almond blossoms attached to the branches that come from the other side of the Lampstand. In the Hebrew word and its root used for the term "almond blossom", saqed/saqad, we can see the reference to resurrection. The Hebrew word means "early waking, the earliest or first in bloom out of winter's sleep". It makes sense that the almond blossom (resurrection) bowl holds the oil that fuels each individual lamp. Oil represents the Holy Spirit in scripture, and the Holy Spirit is the power that raised Jesus from the dead (Rom. 6:10-11). Also interesting is the fact that the root meaning of the Hebrew word for almond blossom is "watch, wake, hasten, be alert, sleepless, on the lookout". We are reminded of this "almond blossom" root meaning as Jesus instructed His disciples: "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming" (Mt. 25:13, 24:42), and also "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master...that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching...And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch (late in the night), and find them so, blessed are those servants." (Lk. 12:35-38). The Apostle Paul also wrote: "And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand..." (Rom. 13:11-12). Continuing our description of the Lampstand from Exodus 25, we find that the Lampstand is decorated with knobs and flowers (v. 34). The flowers are perah/parah in Hebrew, meaning "to flower, bud, sprout, to flourish, break forth, burst forth, abundantly, spreading, to fly (with wings)". We, the light of the world, when placed on the Lampstand of Christ, which is His offering in crucifixion and resurrection, cause the Gospel to break forth and spread abundantly, to fly as if it had wings. The Hebrew word used for the Lampstand is menora. The root words that make up the word menora mean "a beam of wood, a yoke used for plowing, the wooden frame of a loom used for weaving, to break up, to freshly plow, the gleam of a freshly plowed furrow". We can see in these meanings that the menora, or Lampstand, is like a tool used to change one thing into something else - into something that will produce a benefit. We often consider what it means for believers to be the light of the world, but we are only effective as that light when it is placed upon the Lampstand of Christ. This is what gives the light in us the ability to have our good works seen by men, and they, in turn, then glorify God. It is only when placed upon the Lampstand of Christ as our offering that the light in us can give light to all in the house. If you would like to experience the meaning of being the light of the world, and the importance of the Lampstand upon which we are to be placed, you can pray with me: "Heavenly Father, Jesus came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it. He fulfilled the Law as He became the Lampstand for the light that He placed in us. He gave Himself as an offering in order to become that Lampstand. By His resurrection, He becomes the almond blossom bowls of oil on the branches of the Lampstand that keep the light in us shining. When I place my light upon Him, as the Lampstand, I can bring light to all in the house, and bring glory to the Father. Father, let my light always be lifted up upon the Lampstand of Your Son, Jesus. I ask this in Jesus' name. AMEN."