People are drawn to light. Think of an inviting campfire or a cosy fireplace giving that homely feeling. The glow of garden lights I find particularly delightful because it creates the perfect ambiance. I also love it when a dining table is beautifully decorated with candles or fairy lights. It draws one’s attention and is so inviting, setting the stage for a pleasant evening. As Hanukkah is approaching and you look forward to lighting your own candles be mindful to focus on your Saviour. One can easily get caught up in the holiday season activities and all the social media frenzy. May the Holy Spirit draw you near to the only true Source of Light.
God said, "Let there be light, and there was light" Gen. 1:3 "God saw that the light was good and He separated the light from the darkness." Gen. 1:4
The Light was good!
On the first day God created light. There is natural light that you can see with your eyes and there is the deeper spiritual message where light refers to Yeshua, to God's presence in this world. The Light of the Word gives wisdom, instruction and guidance.
Prov. 6:23 "For the commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light."
Ecclesiastes 2:13 "I saw that wisdom is better than folly, just as light is better than darkness."
John 1:4-5 and 9 "In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 9 The true Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world." In Jesus, Yeshua our Messiah there is clarity, not confusion.
God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but save the world through Him. This is the verdict; light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
In three consecutive Psalms one can also see the beautiful message of the Gospel. Psalm 22 is a Messianic Psalm prophesying about our Lord as the suffering servant Saviour. In Ps. 23 Yeshua is our Shepherd followed by the King of glory, as stated in Ps. 24. Please read Ps. 22 and take note of references to the crucifixion of Jesus. Fellow believers, this is the heart of our Father, who wants all people to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. When we fellowship with family and friends during the holidays, let us proclaim a message of hope. Discuss these Psalms with one another. As days become more difficult and distress and pressure increases, we must be "plugged" into the Word so we can walk according to His Light.
In John 10:22-23 we see that it was winter and Jesus was in the temple area at the time of the Feast of Dedication – Hanukkah. The cold and long winter nights are also a picture of increased spiritual darkness and dark forces coming against believers of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel. During Hanukkah we call to remembrance the courageous Maccabees and what they did when evil permeated their society. As you see your candles on your Hanukkiah candelabra shining brighter with each passing day, remember, as the light increases so must your spiritual understanding increase! Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will give us more revelation and discernment for times ahead.
God is still on the Throne and in control. We will do well to hear and obey Him, because He makes a way where there is no way. Do not fear but persevere in faith.
Is your own lamp filled with oil? Are you obedient to the guidance of the Holy Spirit? Are you "plugged" into the correct Source of Light? Is it the world or the Word? Olive Oil is produced when the olive is pressed. We accumulate our own oil when we go through pressing times and then overcome these hardships and sufferings. Your test becomes your testimony as you experience the Refiner's fire. That becomes your message when you can humbly reflect His Light in your life. You overcame by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony.
1 John 1:5-7 "This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."
2 Cor. 4:6 "For God who said, let light shine out of darkness, made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
This is an eternal hope all believers are looking forward to, as stated in Revelation 21:23-24 "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp."
Dan. 12:3 "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever."
As we reflect on the Feast of Dedication, rededicate your own life to Christ, for you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. Be in right standing with your Creator so that you can walk by His supernatural Light. Jesus is the beacon of light in this dark world.
Psalm 36:9 "For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light."
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