(12.) Jesus Messiah is the Living Menorah

(12.) Jesus Messiah is the Living Menorah. (in process; article is incomplete)

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world!” (John 9:5).

The Main Point. Jesus Christ is the Menorah with flesh on, the living Lampstand. The Menorah lights in the Hebrew Bible were a symbol waiting for fulfillment, a physical picture that was finally completed by its Artist with the coming of the Light of the World. The Menorah is a tangible metaphor that anticipates the real thing, an earthly object pointing to something beyond itself. The Lampstand represents the true meaning of Jesus. The Menorah pointed to the fact that God is light, only to eventually have God Himself point directly to Jesus, sent to be the world’s light.

“I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in me shouldn’t abide in darkness.” (John 12:46).

The Qualities of Light. If the Lampstand’s natural light has qualities that would point us to God’s supernatural light, what would some of those qualities be?

1. Natural light reveals reality, it uncovers the truth of what has been in the darkness. Jesus fits the bill here, because He not only reveals what is true, He is Truth incarnate. He is literally and spiritually the Truth;
2. Natural light dispels the darkness, it chases away the shadows. Jesus whole life and ministry was intended to expose the world’s darkness to God’s radiant light. And the darkness has never overcome His light.
3. Natural light guides the way, it shows where to go. Jesus loves to lead people down the right path away from the traps and pitfalls to discover life purpose and meaning. In fact, Jesus called Himself The Way.
4. Natural light sustains life on earth, it brings what is needed for creation to grow. Jesus is the perfect sustainer of spiritual life, providing whatever is needed to be healthy and fruitful.
5. Natural light heals wounds, it burns away impurities. Jesus is the soul’s purifier, who eliminates any harmful contaminants and pollutants and whatever is dirtying up His people purely made in His image.
6. Natural light allows us to read and see, it provides the clarity needed to learn and gain insight for our own well-being. Jesus is Wisdom itself, helping us to grow in understanding, enlightening us to what we need to know, loving us enough to remove our ignorance.

“I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

“You who spend your days shrouded in darkness can now say, ‘We have seen a brilliant light.’ And those who live in the dark shadowland of death can now say, ‘The dawning light arises on us.” (Matt. 4:16, Isaiah 9:2).

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light which gives light to everyone.” (John 1:1-5, 9).

Messiah and Shekinah Light. Joy and light were not the only themes during the Feast of the Tabernacles. The other main theme was Messiah. During the Light Ceremony the people were dramatically reminded of the prophesied return of the Shekinah light during the days of the promised Messiah (Ezek. 43:1-6).  So in the Jewish mind light and Messiah were intimately connected. The people would know about the rabbinic insight that light was often used in Scripture as a reference to the Messiah… Star out of Jacob, Sun of Righteousness, the Light of the Nations, the Light of Israel, the Refiner’s Fire, the Burning Lamp.