John the apostle recorded Jesus healing a man of his blindness; this man had been blind from birth. When his neighbours found out that he had been healed, they went with him to the Pharisees to give testimony of his healing and to offer thanksgiving to God. The response from the Pharisees when they heard, they criticised Jesus calling him a sinner for healing on the Sabbath Day.
In verse 18 we read that the Jews did not believe that the man had been blind at all. They knew of no one born blind being healed. They called his parents and questioned them, but their response did not satisfy the Pharisees. They questioned the man for a second time, he challenged them claiming if God were not with this man, he could do nothing; the Pharisees refused to believe and threw him out.
Jesus heard that he had been cast out, so he went to the man and asked him, “Did he believe in the Son of man?” The Son of man one of the names associated with the Messiah. The man replied, “And who is he, sir, that I might believe in him?” Jesus identifies himself as the Son of man. The man acknowledged Jesus, “Lord, I believe” and worshipped him. John 9: 1-38 Mark 1: 44.
The Pharasees did not discern this miracle was of God. In verses 39-41 Jesus pointed to the Day of Judgement when those like the Pharisees who had the knowledge, the oversight of the scriptures were accountable to God would be answerable to Jesus as God has given judgement to his Son. John 5: 22.
Matthew Henry in his concordance wrote, “The Pharisees gloried in that they weren’t blind, they saw with their own eyes and relied upon their own ability for their guidance.”
Let your light shine
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians he advises every Christian to walk in the light, in the knowledge of Jesus Christ so that our deeds are pleasing to God. Ephesians 5: 8-10
Composition of Light – ‘Chemistry of the Blood’ Chapter 4 Chemistry of Light by Dr DeHaan
Light rays can be seen as shafts of light streaming through the clouds, seen, but not felt.
Heat rays are felt, but not seen. Chemical rays are invisible they can neither be seen nor felt.
Jesus in him there is no darkness at all; he is the lamp light of the world. His light reveals our creator God through his words. The words of Jesus are a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. Psalm 119: 105.
Jesus’ words have been recorded in the Gospels and Letters they give people from all walks of life an opportunity to make a choice to believe or not to believe on the evidence in the writings.
Even though written 2,000 years ago, the recorded evidence takes on sight, inwardly in our soul/spirit. The words of Jesus are living words and eternal. The parable of the sower shows us that the sower sowed the word and the word is received by faith. Mark 4:14, 20
The fruit of light is found in all that is good and right. Ephesians 5: 9
.Abraham believed God and it was counted as righteousness. Genesis 15: 6. Romans 9: 30.
The seed of the word, received by faith contains all the righteousness of God. Characteristics and attributes of faith in the divine nature of our Lord God: truth, honesty, loyalty, trust, perseverance, and assurance in, commandments, virtue, self-control, knowledge, steadfastness, Godliness, brother and sisterly affection with love, compassion and kindness. 2 Peter 1: 5-8
Our deeds are brought to the light at the Judgement Seat of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5: 10. Romans 14: 10. We come before Jesus for rewards not punishment. Our deeds that were worldly will be burnt up and only the deeds of faith are seen like gem stones and are rewarded. 1 Corinthians 3: 12.
We reign with Christ in the heavenly Jerusalem.
Abraham looked for a city whose founder and maker is God. Hebrews 11: 10
John the apostle saw the heavenly city Jerusalem and described its appearance as a jewelled city.
“And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel was inscribed; on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21: 10-14
The twelve gates bearing the names of the tribes of Israel. On the high priest’s breast plate were the names and gem stones of the tribes. Exodus 39: 14.
The breastplate was covering the heart, worn close to the heart signifying how precious the tribes, the sons of Jacob were to God. ”So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment upon his heart, when he goes into the holy place, to bring them to continual remembrance before the Lord.” Exodus 28: 29.
“And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” Revelation 21: 14.
“The foundations of the city were adorned with every jewel; the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eight beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst.” Revelation 21: 19.
Jesus said that the twelve disciples would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Three gates on each of the walls, “The wall was built of jasper, while the city was of pure gold, clear as glass.” verse 18
The twelve gates made of twelve pearls.” And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl.” verse 21
Under law the Jews were forbidden to eat shell fish, therefore it must be under the grace of the new covenant for the gates to be made of pearl and have the names of the twelve tribes inscribed on them. Leviticus 11: 9-12. Deuteronomy 14: 9, 10.
The pearl is known as ‘The Pearl of Salvation’ to understand its meaning we look to how a pearl is produced; it is after an oyster’s shell is damaged, as a result a parasite enters the shell, this parasite would destroy the oyster. However the oyster sends to the parasite a solution ‘Mother of Pearl’ that covers it and the interior of its shell. After a period of time the solution builds on the parasite and forms the pearl. (In cultivated pearls a grain of sand is inserted into the oyster’s shell, which irritates the oyster. It sends the mother of pearl solution in the same way to the grain of sand which eventually forms the pearl.)
Pearl of Salvation
When we look at this process spiritually; the parasite is sin, the solution is the blood of Jesus for forgiveness of sin, which takes place within the darkness of the shell. The shell is opened to reveal the pearl and this is symbolic of the resurrection and Jesus’ victory over sin and death.
Entrance into the heavenly city through the Pearl of Salvation.
In the heavenly city the gates are the twelve tribes no longer under law but under grace.
The disciples all Jewish men were setting up the kingdom of God at the beginning of acts in anticipation of Jesus’ return with the angels of God. They were given the task of making Christ known as the promised Messiah, it was a national calling. Peter addressed the crowd at Pentecost, “Men of Judea . . . . Men of Israel . . . Brethren, I say to you confidently of the patriarch David . . . “First to the Jews and then to the Gentiles. Acts 2: 14, 22, 29.
Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus that it was God’s plan to unite Jew and Gentile into one body and one Spirit.
”So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets.” Ephesians 2:18-20
Jesus founded the church through the apostles, they witnessed to the death and resurrection of Jesus. They proved through the prophetic writings of the prophets that Jesus was the promised Messiah. The Holy Spirit gave them direction, guidance and gave testimony to Jesus, by signs following the word.
The Jerusalem church put in place the structure of leadership; Bishops, Deacons and Elders.
(See blog The Messiah’s Secret – The Way)
The prophecy of the out pouring of the Holy Spirit at the Feast of Tabernacles.
“The Day of the Great Hosanna” The Gospel in the Feasts of Israel by Victor Buksbazen.
“The ritual of water pouring lasted six days, climaxing on the seventh day, which concluded the Feast of Tabernacles. This day was called Hoshana Rabba, The Day of the Great Hosanna. It had special messianic significance. . . . the pouring of water from the Pool of Siloam into the altar basin, the blasting of trumpets by the priests, the singing of Psalms by the Levites, and the prayers of the people, “Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord,” when the Messianic fever was at its highest pitch, that the Lord Jesus Christ stood in the temple crying: “If any man thirst let him come to me and drink. He that believeth in me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” John7: 38. “What our Saviour said by implication was: “I am the answer to your prayers.”
The Permanent Light of the Heavenly City Jerusalem.
In the first and second temples at Jerusalem the temple were permanently lit using olive oil.
In 163BC the temple was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes he had pigs sacrificed on the altar.
After the Jewish revolt led by Mattathias Maccabee the temple was re-dedicated. In the temple they found a jar of cruise oil which was used in the temple for the permanent light. This jar contained only enough oil to last one night, by a miracle the oil lasted for eight days. The Feast of Dedication ‘Hanukkah’ in December celebrates this event.
The church celebrates Jesus the light of the world coming into the world, his birth in December.
The Feast of Tabernacles is also a celebration of light. The temple was filled with light.
The Gospel in the Feasts of Israel by Victor Buksbazen. ‘Temple Lights and the Light of the World.’
“Another central feature of the Feast of Tabernacles was the illumination of the temple in Jerusalem. The festive pilgrims came to the temple bearing lights and torches; while in the temple itself the golden candlesticks were lighted, transforming the temple into one brilliant focus of light which illuminated most of Jerusalem and surroundings. What an eloquent symbol of the Sanctuary of God which was to be a light of the world. Amidst all this splendour and the brilliant lights in the temple, our Saviour stood proclaiming: “I am the light of the world.”
The eternal light of Christ is in every believer.
I’ve seen the light of Christ shining in Christians on a number of occasions: In my twenties I saw the light of Christ in a young man who today would be described as having learning difficulties. It was lunch time and my sister and I were passing through a room where this young man was sat reading. We asked him what he was reading. He looked up and said that he was reading his Bible and began to quote from what he was reading; as soon as he spoke I saw his face was glowing in the light of Christ.
On another occasion I was at a church function the room well lit and full of people. I happened to look across the room and saw around the head of Ron Freeman our Vicar, a halo around his head and in the light the word ‘love.’
On another occasion a lady came to my market stall as we conversed she told me that she was a Christian as soon as she started to tell me this her face shone with the light of Christ.
The prophecy of Joel gives a clear indication that the created light will falter.
“The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and manifest day.” Acts 2: 20
The prophet Isaiah wrote, “For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising and the moon will not shed its light.” Isaiah 13: 10.
“Jesus said, “But in these days after the tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” Mark 13: 24, 25.
These are future prophesies, and other prophesies have yet to be fulfilled before the heavenly Jerusalem comes from heaven to the new earth.
The eternal light of God will light up the eternal city.
“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine upon it, for the glory of the Lord is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light the nations will walk; and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it.” Revelation 21: 22-24.
The church reigns with Christ in the heavenly Jerusalem.
“And night shall be no more; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 22: 5.
