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Ephesians 5:8-10 … For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. As we continue our reading through the Hebrew Texts, we are told of Aaron, the High-Priest at the time, being given instructions concerning the lighting of the menorah, the seven branch candelabrum placed in the first chamber of the tabernacle. This menorah is positioned facing the twelve loaves called ‘The Bread of Presence’, which speak of the twelve tribes which form the Hebrew nation. Ancient texts concerning the seven lights of the menorah read, "The seven lamps of the menorah correspond to the constellations of the seven stars"; What this says in in essence is that the lights above are represented by the lights below. The first chapter of the letter which cradles the endtime revelation which the Father gave Yeshua to give John through an angel tells us more about the seven lights of the menorah. In the text, Yeshua is described walking in the midst of seven menorahs and holding seven stars in His hands (Revelations 1). The text explains the imagery of the vision in the following words, the seven stars are the angels of the seven Messianic communities, and the seven menorahs are the seven Messianic communities (Revelations 1:20). In essence, just as the Tabernacle menorah represented Israel, the menorahs in Revelations one represent the congregations. We are told also that Yeshua holds in His hands the lights of these congregations, the leaders of these congregations which He calls ‘stars’. In Talmudic texts, a star can be a leader or a king. Yeshua Himself is defined as ‘a Star out of Jacob’ (Numbers 24:17). Yeshua had a message to communicate with these leaders to communicate to their congregations. The Menorah of the tabernacle lit the darkness of the Tabernacle chamber. Just like stars, we can see a candle from far away when it is dark, but in the daytime we see neither candle nor stars. In the text of Numbers, the congregational Menorah of Israel is to shine perpetually lighting the darkness around it. It tells us that Israel is to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 49:6). So is the role of each of the communities in John’s letter, and so it is with the congregations today. The communications from Yeshua to these communities were for the most part rebukes for inconsistencies and disobediences. This would be similar to ‘trimming the wick’ of a lamp so it burns clean and clear without giving suit and smoke. So must we today allow Messiah to ‘trim our wicks’ from inconsistencies, hypocrisy, and disobedience. "Avinu shebashamayim (Father which is in Heaven): trim our wicks that we may shine and be the light you mean for us to be in the world (Matthew 5:14). www.yedideiadonai.weebly.com
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