Jan 20
The Light and the Spirit (II)
“For You will light my lamp;
The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.”
Psalms 18:28
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “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
TRANSITIONING TOWARD THE SMOKE AND GLORY
It is important that you continue envisioning yourself walking through the smoky atmosphere of this, the first room of the covered Sanctuary. It is also important to remember that the Sanctuary is also know as the Tent of Meeting, because this is where you come to meet with God. This is where He helps you to change so that His nature become your nature, His mind becomes your mind, and His ways become your ways. This is Transformation and it takes Transition to make it happen. It is not an instant event. In the Kingdom of God, only salvation is instant. Everything else involves varying levels of Transition.
You will find that this smoke filled room holds many surprises. Even the smoke from the incense on the Table of Showbread, mingling with the smoke from the burning olive oil in the Lampstand, as well as the two of those mingling with the smoke from the Altar of incense speaks enormous quantities of Spiritual Truth.
The thickness of this smoke becomes a reminder of the dense cloud of God’s Spirit and Glory. This is the cloud that was so thick the day Solomon dedicated the Temple that the priest could not stand to minister.
Now that you have experienced the Table of Showbread, and by breaking and eating the Bread thereon received the healing of your soul and body – you are now ready to move on in your journey to the Golden Lampstand. Here, the inspection begins.
No matter what way you may look at the Lampstand, it is the Light that reveals the presence of the smoke (glory). The Glory of God will change you, but it is the light from the Lampstand that will reveal more of God to you. This Light will also reveal more of you - to you, and to the degree you allow - it will “enlighten” you. Many believe that “enlightenment” means you will ‘see’ or understand more, and it does. However, enlightenment has a second aspect and that is the aspect of “carrying” or “radiating” the light. Full enlightenment means light has so completely filled you that you overflow light on others.
Only those who serve the one true God, through Jesus Christ can be enlightened. All others are lesser lights, are dark, and come from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
ASORBING THE LIGHT
The reality is this; the longer you stand before the Light and allow the Light to reveal ways you are not aligned with the plans and purposes of God – the more light you will absorb. To absorb light is then to radiate light. This is the meaning of the verse at the very beginning of this post, “For You will Light my lamp” (Psalms 18:28). God will fill you with His light.
True enlightenment then has two aspects – to see by and to radiate to others. Therefore, the light shining on you is actually preparing you to influence others. Yes, light equals influence – the more light you carry or radiate, the greater the influence you have. On the other hand, the Apostle John wrote that God would, under certain conditions, remove a candlestick. That sad event would be tantamount to the removal of influence. This is not the removal of a gift, simply the removal of the influence one would gain from the gift.
THE LIGHT OF THE LAMPSTAND
Without the Lampstand, which is also called the Menorah, or Candlestick, there would be no light in this room. You would be groping around, knocking things over, dropping bread, spilling incense, and in general, chaos would ensue. In this absence of light you would not be able to administer the elements to yourself let alone others. Light is a good thing.
Isaiah wrote that when the Messiah comes those who sit in darkness will see a great light. Jesus acknowledged that He was the fulfillment of that prophecy. In the fullness if time; in other words, at the darkest point in the history of mankind – God sent His Son. The light came into the world and the World did not understand that they were in darkness nor did the World recognize that eternal, spiritual light was there standing in front of them. So they, without realizing what they had done, extinguished the Light.
The spiritual leaders of that era were so acclimated to living in spiritual darkness that they did not even know they were in darkness. We often have the same problem, we are so accustomed to sin, that we fail to accept the light that is trying to save us from our own choices. So the Lampstand came and they ignored it for a while, then became angry at it, and eventually killed the Light.
SPIRITUAL LAW: THE UNCREATED AND THE CREATED
However, here is a very important spiritual law to remember: first, the uncreated is always greater than the created. Second, the spiritual is always greater than the temporal. Third, therefore that which came from Uncreated Spirit is greater than that which is temporal and physical. As a result, the temporal cannot kill, harm, or change in any manner, that which is Spirit. While Jesus was fully man and He freely offered His life – it is the Eternal, uncreated, Spirit within Him that could never be killed. It is that Spirit that raised Him from the dead.
Why am I writing this? Because it is important that you not make the same mistake the spiritual leaders of Jesus’ time did when the Light came to them. Right now, as you read this you are facing the Lampstand, it is inspecting you. It is revealing that which you have denied, overlooked, and hidden. It is not doing so to condemn, but to prepare. God is calling you deeper – to the next room - He is not sending you away. That which would have condemned you was covered when you first came to the Brazen Alter in the Outer Courtyard.
IN HIS LIGHT WE SEE LIGHT
Here, standing in His light, you will see light (Psalms 36:9). You are being exposed to a form of light, you might say it is like an ultraviolet light that purifies. This light is contained in one of the seven colors of the Rainbow that are contained in the seven lights of this Lampstand. So this Lampstand is also the rainbow or covenant. By the time you stand here, the covenant of the Rainbow has been applied to you – He will not destroy you.
Still, you may not want to know what the light may reveal – yet, once you submit and embrace the Light, the things that once over came you, you will now over come. Your life is about to radically change - for the good.
DO NOT RUN AWAY NOW
This examination of the Light is the point where so many run from God. The light is so revealing that they are afraid the Lord will reject them when He sees their flaws. So they run away from God before He can supposedly reject them.
In reality, the opposite is true. Here, God is closer to you than ever before. If He wooed you to Him while you were steeped in sin, why would He reject you now? It is about this overwhelming feeling of despair that Isaiah wrote, “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench;” (Isaiah 42:3) He is about to bring Justice against the evil one, on your behalf.
There are many mysteries to the Lampstand in this room. I’ll write more about them in my next post.
Blessings,
John Paul
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This one was awesome! I know one thing, I won’t be running away. God can show me anything he wants to and he can do whatever he wants with me. My life is not my own, I belong to him. Lord, take me and take my life and transform it.
Many Blessings
I don’t want to run away. I am a striver and full of fear and anxiety. I ask the same question that Peter asked, “Lord, where would we go?” And so I wait….biting my nails. YIKES.
This is a continuation from last week – a testimony of what God has done in mine and my dad’s life. My hope has been that my Dad, would see Jesus in me (a miracle indeed). Only because I have finally let go of all the things that happened in the past, and by the grace of God I’ve been able to show true love and forgiveness towards him. I have truly come to understand that it’s only in forgiving others (from my heart, not just speaking words) that I am forgiven. Why? Because,“God delights in showing mercy/forgiveness” (Micah 7:18 NIV). Why? Because His forgiveness engenders ‘new life’ in us, which He said was His “purpose in us”(John 10:10 TLB).
The most important lesson I have learned over the course of this last many number of months is; the areas of failure I experienced this last year, have been there all along. Given the right ‘opportunity’ in due time they would surface. This is what God wanted me to see! Instead of always being in denial, this has actually produced a measure of fullness of repentance, that has released me from a ‘toe-the-line’ mindset and freed me from the ‘pull-yourself-up-by-your-own-bootstraps’ mentality. Where I have always tried to live this Christian life in my own strength; this in turn left me feeling very self-righteous about my, um “good-behavior.”
Through my interaction on this blog, I know that I have encountered the One, True, Living God. And I am constantly amazed as I reflect back over the last seven months, at the mysterious ways in which God has worked in my heart and transformed my life! I know that He is not done working in me; I’m just thankful that I am no longer stuck at the place I was at. Along the way I have come to terms with God’s purpose for my life, that is simply; to just Love people (and my Father) the same way that God has Loved me; a construction worker, saved by grace. I cannot even begin to explain how much my heart has changed towards my Dad, and how my life’s been transformed because of it! To put it plainly, reading your blog posts JP has helped me come face-to-face with this issue. And if I were to ignore all of the tell-tale signs from God, pointing me towards dealing with this one issue, I would’ve been utterly ship-wrecked in my faith. So, again I say thank you.
Paul, speaking to the Colossian Church encourages them to “Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear Love. It’s your basic all-purpose garment – Never be without it!” Colossians 3:13-14 The Message
Coffee Talk – is not just a blog per say and my theory is, that it’s actually a portal to the spiritual realm, into the very presence of God.
His banner over me is, Love
Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj was privileged to know the mystery that in every verse in the bible it has seven deeper revelations like the rainbow around the Lord God. Rainbow is arrows of light divided. The word is an arrow. The word is light. This light is sufficient for this age, yet if we are faithful we will be counselors around the King for eternity. He knows everything, do we qualify?
The words of the LORD are pure words, Like silver tried in a furnace of earth, Purified seven times. Ps 12:6
Could a man search for the seven deeper revelations of the word? Would there be a likeness of a rainbow around us? How deep do we go in the word? Would we attain the glory of the Lord? Can we fill the positions in heaven? Can we have a rainbow?
I shall further include the marvel that God has made the light only visible to those of the elect who are pure in their hearts and who abide in love.
None can enter heaven. None can eat of the tree of life. None can drink from the river of life. None can See, Hear and Understand the word of God. Who do not conform to His standards of the mountain. Yet it is of God, and we working in His confines of the eagle generation.
May He give you the Eyes and the Ears to see and to hear His word. He who has ears to hear let him hear. He who can eat let him eat. He who lives let him live eternal life.
Thank-you!
The smoke and glory…
To me, it looks like a cloud or fog to my eyes,
it sort of feels like a mist on my skin,
and it moves like smoke when I pass my hand through.
It is intoxicating and wonderful.
Thank you for reminding me!
Wow! This is an awesome post.
This summer I had posted how the Lord told my husband to drop his net(career), and since then, radical transition has been the norm.
When I read this post I knew it was speaking to me. Let me explain: We are in the Northern part of Michigan and we are currently attending a small Revival gathering in the Evening, and the Evangelist that is there is delivering the message — God is setting you ablaze…God is setting you on fire!
Last Friday night, there was a rainbow in the sky, and someone else saw double rainbows from our place of meeting. I personally have never saw a rainbow in the snow (winter). However, that Friday night there was a great move of God, and someone said they seen angels coming in through the back door. My husband and I were sitting in the back row, and all I know is what transpired was blazing. The name where we are meeting must be revelatory — Burning Bush Tabernacle.
I am standing before the lampstand, and I am not running away, I am running to Him. SELAH!
“Many believe that “enlightenenment” means you will ’see’ or understand more, and it does.”
I’m starting to realize I can walk with God and not like the things I see, and yet remain, not allowing my light to go out. I can be that burning light in the dark areas I see and know to be there. Sometimes it’s difficult to do because I hear a voice saying “who do you think you are judging leadership” I’m beginning to see manifistations on them when I’ve glanced at a few as one in particular has stared me down. But I’m not going to walk in fear anymore but let my light shine and renounce those things I beleive I’m seeing.
Now that you have experienced the Table of Showbread, and by breaking and eating the Bread thereon received the healing of your soul and body – you are now ready to move on in your journey to the Golden Lampstand. Here, the inspection begins.
Sometimes I don’t want to ask a question because I have a feeling that the answer is obvious, but…
as a matter of practical application, does that mean that we won’t have to go back to the Table of Showbread? What happens if something physically goes wrong with me after I’ve left there? Also, how do you know when you are ready to move on?
Wisdom has unlocked the door to the sanctuary of mystery and intimacy with my God. The door has swung fully open before me…now why do I hesitate stepping through? I love my Lord and my God with all my heart, yet He scares me to the very core of my being. Alas what is this fear? I am afraid because of who He is. This is GOD! Not the god that I have made up in my own mind, but the real God, Holy, Awesome, Majestic. The darkness of my own soul also causes me to hesitate for I am approaching the Pure, Holy and Righteous God.
I overcome my fear to step into the room…
HEY I HAVE A DEEP QUESTION!
The menorah of Herods temple was lit with seven lights which also represent the seven spirits of God. (Book of Revelation)
That is really cool how it is related to the colors of the rainbow as well!
My question is that occording to the old testement temple of Solomon their were ten lampstands, not one with seven lights
(2 Chronicles 4:7) so how/why did this change?
Playing with mathematics a bit 10X 2/3 =6 2/3 If we round up that is 7. The significance of this comes from God haveing Michael kick out Satan and 1/3 of the Angels from heaven. If we take away 1/3 of 10 which is 3.3 rounded down it is 3 that is removed. This leaves 7 out of 10!
Could this be representation of God kicking out the devil and having 7 (number of perfection) left over?
Thanks,
Shaun Brehm
Doing the math and getting a perfect number would have ment God had to start out with 10.5 angels or lights… and that is just silly.
About 9 months ago I had a dream being called to the Tent of Meeting. I hadn’t really much idea what that meant except that God initiated it. In a way the details JP gives expand on the experience, so that it is more settled. How great His love is. There’s a point in the tent where you can only go on, not fall back. Whoopee! “Far out, man”, literally!
Thank you.
The spiritual law can guide me through questions in life
Well, that depends Sisi. Either it’s the law of sin and death (a law…like a LAW…with all the trappings to enforce it including spiritual beings in the heavenlies), or the LAW of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Got to move from theory and / or hindrance to that LIFE. The LAW of the Holy Spirit IN you is massively powerful, and God is faithful. Jesus is the boss over ALL other usurpers. I mean, how much more exciting can living be?!! I want to encourage you all to submit and embrace the Light however tough it is. I hear so many these days saying that what they once walked in, giftings, H Sp perceived activity, is quieter or missing, and they wonder what the heck is happening…lay it down…I reckon it’s normal before the huge light blast! Literally, wait…and SEE.
This is lovely, thank you!