The Menorah and the Cross

Introduction:

One of the greatest works that God is doing by His Spirit in these end times is giving the Church back what she has partly lost over the centuries. This is of course a greater appreciation and understanding of our Hebraic and Jewish Roots heritage.

Every Gentile believer has knowingly or unknowingly put their trust in a Jew. Jesus (Yeshua) was a Jew, born, lived and died as one and He is coming back again as one to reign.

Israel is awaiting her King Messiah and will one day soon realise that He has already come, for he emphatically stated that He had come only to the lost sheep of Israel. The first talmidim (disciples) who again were all Jewish were to have the honour (out of the remnant that believed within Israel) to spread the Gospel of forgiveness to the world. In due course the Gentile converts began to evangelise as well for He is also the Lord of lords in the nations.

Further to this Paul reveals to us the Mystery of the Ages in his apostolic letter to the Church at Ephesus. It is simply this, the ‘one new man principle’ from God – Jew and Gentile one in Messiah, one in the Olive Tree of Faith. (see Ephesians chapters 2 and 3).

Body of Teaching:

We must now look to the Holy Scriptures and see the truth, perhaps for the first time.

What is the God given symbol to Israel and the Church? Quite simply it is the Menorah or the Lampstand. The Cross is the sign of victory for the Messianic Jew and Christian, but it is empty as is the Sepulchre. It is an offence as we read of in Romans because of He who hung upon it and the Message that it gave. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God -Romans 3:23. Sha’ul or Paul also writes that we glory in the Cross because of the redeeming work accomplished upon it.

Let us now go to The Book of Revelation and examine some verses to show us the Menorah or Lampstand in the 7 Churches that the Messiah or the Christ (the Anointed One) spoke to:

(Rev 1:12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden lampstands;

(Rev 1:13) And in the midst of the seven lampstands one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

(Rev 1:20) The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstandss. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven lampstands which thou sawest are the seven churches.

Here the Lord Jesus is explaining what the 7 Lampstands are.

Now let us go into chapter 2 and fully realise the importance of the symbolism presented to us.

(Rev 2:1) Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand who walketh in the midst of the seven golden lampstands;

Here Jesus as Lord is revealing that He by His Spirit walks or is present within the 7 Lampstands – these being the Churches.

(Rev 2:5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy lampstand out of his place, except thou repent.

The Lord does not threaten to remove the Cross from Churches but the Menorah or Lampstand! We are to be His light as He is the Light of the World.

So quite simply, if we are to have a Cross in our Churches as a symbol of our Faith why not a Menorah as well! It is this which is God given and the symbol of His people, be they Jew or Gentile believers.

If we Gentiles have been grafted in, we should accept the traditions Sha’ul (Paul) the Jew gave us from God and that which the Lord directly refers to.

Historically, many Churches have forgotten their heritage and have boasted against the natural branches – see Romans 11:18. This is an apostolic warning!

The problem is when we look around we see that most Churches have grafted themselves into the Christmas Tree and not the Olive Tree! Our ‘roots’ are forgotten or ignored!

Again Paul the Apostle to the Gentiles teaches us this truth in Romans chapter 11 –

(Rom 11:13) For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:

(Rom 11:18) Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

(Rom 11:19) Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

(Rom 11:20) Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

(Rom 11:21) For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

So here is ‘the grafting in’ spoken of through the pen of Paul as he is inspired by God to write these things for us.

Let us now celebrate in spirit and in truth and stand with little Israel, ‘as salvation is of the Jews’ as the Lord Yeshua said in John 4:22.

One final insight for us. The Menorah is fashioned after the Almond Tree. It is the first tree to blossom in Israel and the last to bear fruit! It truly is a picture of Israel before God and we should see that 144,000 Jewish men will bear fruit for the Lord amongst the nations as evangelists in the last 7 years before the Lord returns to reign for a 1,000 years – these truths are recorded for us in the Book of Revelation but denied by some! Secondly, the Menorah may be seen allegorically in that the centre stem is our Lord and the three branches on either side represent Jews and Gentiles grafted into Him, the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

False leaven (teaching) has entered the Church and many have been swayed by this and so history shows we have not stood with Israel. The Jew has a veil over them as Paul writes:

(2Co 3:13) And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:

(2Co 3:14) But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ.

(2Co 3:15) But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

(2Co 3:16) Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

The answer is in Romans the greatest doctrinal letter the Church has. Romans 9 speaks of Israel past. Romans 10 Israel present and Romans 11 Israel future. Some key verses:-

(Rom 9:6) Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:

(Rom 10:1) Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

(Rom 10:2) For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

(Rom 10:3) For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

(Rom 10:4) For Messiah is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

(Rom 10:14) How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

(Rom 11:1) I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.

(Rom 11:26) And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. Amen and Amen – so be it!

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