Sermon Tone Analysis

The Model of the Kingdom

The Book of Revelation has been through more Western interpretations than any other book of Scripture.

But through eyes of a Jewish disciple from the mouth of a Jewish Messiah and the Spirit of the God of the Hebrews, it is part of the Ketubah כְּתוּבָּה or Jewish Wedding Covenant; it incorporates the Tribes of Israel; it is tied to the intent of the Creator in Bereshith בְּרֵאשִׁית‎ (the Beginnings); and it is modeled after the Eternal Lamp stand.

In the history of the Jewish people’s enslavement, from the days of Daniel to the days of Rome, Jews were imprisoned until a trial concluded.

This typically was a ten day period then either a release or punishment followed.

Daniel and his fellow Israelites were tested for ten days (Daniel 1:12-14).

Most often they were either falsely accused and it was just a means of justifying the execution of the followers of Adonai.

But Jewish belief insisted that those who were faithful unto death received a Crown of Victory or Eternal Life in the presence of Adonai.

But those who were wicked in heart and deed, Jewish tradition held that they would experience the horrors of the “Second Death”.

This referred to the annihilation of the wicked and all that offends the Kingdom of God and their resurrection for eternal torment and eternal separation from God.

As we dive a little deeper into this study let these words of Christ Jesus encourage your hearts.

Those who are in Christ Jesus shall overcome and conquer.

For the light of Christ has come and it has overcome the darkness.

I pray you have the heart and mind of a disciple to better understand the context of the words of Jesus in Revelation.

This study by no means is exhaustive.

But I pray that what understanding you receive provokes you to not just be another generation sitting back waiting to escape this earth and it’s kingdoms but instead to be better prepared for the return of Messiah by doing what He said do while He still tarries and that is building His Kingdom.

When Moses encounters God on the mountain, the burning bush he encounters was a foreshadow of the menorah.

It was a flame that did not consume nor was it initiated by man but became a divine lamp stand with many branches consumed with the glory of God Almighty.

The menorah was not just given for Israel but was a prophetic message of Messiah to the world.

It was a pattern of God’s plan to redeem us unto Himself.

In Numbers 8:2 and Exodus 25:37, God instructs them that the lamps should face forward giving light “in front of” the lampstand.

The word used here is panim פָּנִים meaning face.

When the Priests came in to commune with God, God desired a face-to-face encounter.

He wanted the light shining on their faces.

He desired a relationship with them as Moses had with Him.

At the top of each lamp stand sits a lamp where they would put oil in the top and a wick in one side and light it.

Three branches on one side represent Israel while the other three on the other side represent those from the nations who follow the way of the Adonai.

In John 15:1-8, Jesus says, “I am the vine and you are the branches” (netser נֵצֶר) from which came the name of the town of Nazareth.

Even Isaiah spoke of the vine that would shoot from the stump of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1).

In Isaiah 11:2-4 he presents the seven spirits of God that will be upon Messiah and we see them again in Revelations.

Seven Spirits of God in Isaiah 11:2-4

Wisdom

Understanding

Counsel Strength

Knowledge

Fear of the Lord

Righteousness

These each correspond with the seven branches of the Lamp Stand of the Lord.

As well, we see this pattern in the Seven Days of Creation and the Seven Feasts given to in the Torah.

In Zechariah 4:1-14.

The Prophet has a vision of a menorah and a plumb line.

The plumb line is the shamash שמש.

It is the measuring point of perspective for all the other branches.

The plumb line is the foundation and brings the balance and is the measure for building something new.

The main trunk of the menorah lamp in the Tabernacle was called the ner tamid נֵר תָּמִיד which means eternal light (Leviticus 24:2).

It is also called the shamash שמש which means servant or sun.

According to Dr. Wheeler, Genesis speaks of two lights, the greater and the lesser light.

John reveals that Christ is the greater light, the light of the world.

The shamash lamp is what they used to rekindle the other six branches to keep them burning when they have been pruned.

The sun, the lesser light, was created on the fourth day of creation and the shamash holds the fourth position on the menorah.

Chazal חז״ל (Rabbinical Sages) taught that this represented the position of Messiah, the center and light of the world.

(Klein, John and Spears, Adam; Lost in Translation Volume 1; Bend, OR; 2016)

John said, Jesus was the light of the world but the world knew Him not.

Jesus is the shamash that kindles the fires of those filled with the Holy Spirit and we are to take the light to the world (Matthew 5:14-15).

Jesus said that you and I through Him we are to take the light to the world by being the light to the world.

As Dr. Wheeler states, this lamp of light is not to be put under a basket but set upon the lamp stand (menorah) where it draws from and is eternally kindled.

It is referring to the menorah, the Lamp Stand of the Lord.

Meaning, they must be connected to the vine or the shamash.

Most peoples perspective of the menorah is a candle stand.

But it was not so in the Tabernacle.

It was a stand of which individual lamps would be placed when refilled with oil and the flax restored (Isaiah 42:3).

Each with their flames facing forward.

I believe that the wheel vision that Ezekiel saw in Ezekiel 1:15-28 and the vision John saw of the lampstands in Revelation 1:12-20 are related.

I believe that both were seeing the perpetual (never ending and never changing) flame of the Word of God in the light of the world Messiah.

Yeshua made Seven Proclamations of Himself backed up by the words of the Prophets and the works of God:

I AM the Bread of Life

I AM the Light of the World

I AM the Door

I AM the Good Shepherd

I AM the Resurrection

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life

I AM the Vine (Shamash)

In Revelations we are presented with seven interconnected menorahs (seven sets of seven) introducing forty-nine events that unfold the coming of Messiah’s Kingdom.

We are not going into the forty-nine events.

But we will look a little deeper into a few of the seven significant things mentioned:

Letters – סֵפֶר seper which means legal documents, indictments, book of records or prophecies, book of law and commission.

However, the root is סָפַר sapar (sa-fare) which means to rehearse and recount.

These are seven letters to seven churches in Asia, not Israel.

These are seven letters to seven brides’ maids.

In Matthew 25, the ten virgins in this wedding parable are brides’ maids.

Yeshua is giving this parable in context of the Kingdom of Heaven.

They all went to meet the Groom but the foolish ones took no oil for their lamps.

Seals – חָתַם hatam that which is used to secure with the mark and name of authority.

In Ancient Hebrew script the letter Tav was the symbol of two sticks forming a cross that marked one’s property.

As well, the Dalat-Tav is the parent root of dath דָּת meaning edict, law or “Covenant”.

Remember the parable in Matthew 13 of the wheat (fruitful) and tares (poisonous weeds; ba-sah בָאְשָה).

The Persians and the Romans were the first to use the crossed sticks to crucify people who opposed their kingdoms and thus marking the land and the people with their authority.

Most Christians concern themselves more with the seals of Tribulation and the mark or seal of “The Beast”.

We would do more church to be concerned with ensuring we have the mark or “seal” of Adonai:

Trumpets – יוֹבֵל yobel meaning jubilee year.

Another word is שָׁפַר sapar (shaw-fare) meaning to be pleasing and beautiful as a bride when the veil is removed.

Yet, the word used for Feast of Trumpets is Rua רוּעַ a shout of triumph or a battle cry.

Thunders – קוֹל qol meaning a voice calling (Rev.

10:4; Ps. 18:13; Rev. 4:5 ); This thunder interrupts the blowing between the sixth and seventh trumpet.

Bowls – מְנַקִּית menaqqit meaning sacrificial bowls; bowls for drink or pour offerings.

Proclamations (Edicts) – קָרָא qara meaning to call out; declaration; summons.

In Revelations seven angels to seven churches preach to them summoning them to true righteousness and their calling.

Later in Revelations, seven angels with seven trumpets summon judgement upon the nations.

Oppositions to God’s Kingdom – שָׂטַן satan meaning that which stands in opposition as an adversary to God; to act or resist the Kingdom of God.

Proverbs 6:16-19 declares the Seven things that God hates; Seven things that stand in opposition to His Kingdom: