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The Holy Spirit Is The Light

Before batteries, people would burn oil lamps. The Bible speaks of a very well known lamp called the Menorah. In Jewish observance, only pure  olive oil was allowed to be used in the seven-branched Menorah in the Mishkan, otherwise known as the Tent of Meeting, and later in the permanent Temple in Jerusalem.

We know this to be true, because in the days of the Maccabees when they went to restore the Temple, and relight the Menorah, they only had one day’s worth of pure olive oil. And as the story goes, God caused that one day’s oil to last eight days, until they could produce more oil. Thus, this is why there is a nine branch menorah that is used for Hanukkah.  So, why only olive oil? Let’s look at what it takes to make olive oil. To make olive oil in Biblical times, you had to grind the olives on a milestone till the oil came out.  To get the pure olive oil or kosher oil, one could only use the first drop from a squeezed olive and then it was consecrated for the use of the Temple by the priests and stored in special containers. 

It’s this crushing that we see in Isaiah 53: 5 where God crushes the Messiah like the olives to produce our healing. “But He was pierced for our offenses, He was crushed for our wrongdoings; the punishment for our well-being was laid upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”

Olive oil has been used for healing for all kinds of things, even wounds for  centuries. Moses did not design the Tent of Meeting to his liking and thought that he would need a lamp so he built one. 

Hebrews 8:5b tells us this, Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for,  He says, ‘See that you make all things by the pattern which was shown to you on the mountain.”’

You see the heavenly sanctuary also has a lamp. 

Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” 

There are three things in the inner sanctuary, also called the Holy Place, the Table of Showbread, also called the Table of His Presence, the Menorah, also called the Light of the World, and the Table of Incense, which was placed before the Ark of the Covenant on which the Mercy Seat was place. 

 Revelation 5:8 says this, “When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.”

The Bible tells us to pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:16. 

 James 5:16b says, “The effective prayer of a righteous person accomplishes much.”

When we read Ephesians 6: 13-18, speaking about spiritual warfare it speaks about the Holy Spirit being part of the armor. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.”

We see the Holy Spirit and the Word make up the sword, and we are to pray in the Spirit as we fight the good fight using the Word of God, 1 Timothy 6:12a.

The Menorah represents Yeshua who is the Light of the World, John 8:12.

The Table of Showbread represents Yeshua, the Bread of Life, John 6:35.

And when we come before God at the Mercy Seat, we are to pray  in the Name of Yeshua, John 14:13, drawing near to God with the shed blood of His sacrifice, Ephesians 2:13.

Hebrews 9:13-14 says,  “For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

We see by this Scripture that it was through the Holy Spirit that Yeshua offered Himself. That is because Yeshua, and the Holy Spirit are one, Isaiah 11:2, Romans 8:9,Galatians 4:6, 1 Peter 1:10-11.

If Yeshua is the Light, then He must be the Menorah and the flame on top has to be the light of the Holy Spirit because they are one. We know that the anointing comes from the Holy Spirit, 1 Samuel 6:13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.” 

1 John 2:27 tells us,  “As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.”

 On the day of Pentecost Acts 2:1-4 tells us this, “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And tongues that looked like fire appeared to them, distributing themselves, and a tongue rested on each one of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.”

It was like the people made a living Menorah and the Holy Spirit was the flame as it rested upon them. 

Yeshua tells us in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

So we must keep our light burning and to do that we need the oil .

We see in Matthew 25:1-13 this well known parable. “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.  Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.  For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take extra oil with them;  but the prudent ones took oil in flasks with their lamps. Now while the groom was delaying, they all became drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there finally was a shout: ‘Behold, the groom! Come out to meet him.’  Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.  But the foolish virgins said to the prudent ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’  However, the prudent ones answered, ‘No, there most certainly would not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.’  But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the groom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.  Yet later, the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’  But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’  Be on the alert then, because you do not know the day nor the hour.”

When you put together these two Scriptures from Matthew we can plainly see that the lamps of the ten virgins represent their acts done to glorify God.

We are waiting for the return of the Bridegroom Yeshua. We are His people who are to be the light in this world. We are supposed to shine in the darkness by what we say and what we do. The Menorah was a seven branch lamp. Seven is the number of completion. To have the oil of the Holy Spirit and our light  shining in the midst of the darkness, we need to live by the Holy Spirit and walk by the Spirit as Galatians 5:16-25 tells us, “ But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.  For the desire of the flesh is against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law.  Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior,  idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions,  envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Messiah Yeshua crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let’s follow the Spirit as well.”

This was the difference between the five virgins with oil and the five who did not.

Let’s look at those branches on the Menorah. There are seven beatitudes dealing with virtues and seven dealing with faith. These are not works, but a lifestyle in the Holy Spirit. But first He must do a work in you.

Romans 12:2 tells us this, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Titus 3:4-6a, “But when that bountifulness and that love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by the works of righteousness, which we had done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of the new birth, and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, which He shed on us abundantly, through Messiah Yeshua our Savior”

Matthew 5:3-9 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

2 Peter 1:5-7 also speaks of  seven things to add to your faith. “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence (virtues), and in your moral excellence, knowledge,  and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness,  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.”

What kind of light are you? Maybe your light is shining bright and you are doing God’s work in God’s fields, harvesting souls as you wait for the Bridegroom. Maybe your light isn’t as bright as it should be. You do some things for the kingdom, but not as much as you should. Maybe your light went out a long time ago and you need to renew your lamp with oil.  No one knows when the Bridegroom will return. No one even knows if they will have tomorrow. So, today why not be filled with the Holy Spirit, let Him do His work in you, so you will shine brighter in this dark world.